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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1677, 18 December 1873, Page 2

During the late session of the Victorian Parliament, which extended a little over six months, there were only forty-two Bills initiated, of which twenty-six were passed and received the Royal assent ; eight passed the Assembly, but not the Council, and the remainder were discharged, or withdrawn. It would be well for New Zealand if her legislators would take example from those of her big sister over the water in this matter. We should not then have our Statute book hampered with the vast collection of ill-considered, trashy, and unworkable measures which at present constitute the bulk of New Zealand legislation. The fault lies in the extreme facility with which the Assembly grants permission to amateur politicians to introduce their pet Bills, and it has become so much a matter of course that the permission will be granted on all occasions, as to render tbe asking it a mere form. There is surely fair room here for a little reform in our Parliamentary procedure, and we think the case would be fairly met if it was an established practice that notice must be given, at the commencement of the session, of all Bills which private members intend to introduce. In the case of the Government an exception should be made, as Ministers are often compelled to procure legislation in consequence of emergencies arising during the session.