Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1197, 14 December 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1871.

Does the Government intend to put the Colony to the unnecessary expense of a peripatetic Parliament ? In other words, does it seriously contemplate ji.ol.dipg the next session of the General Assembly at Dunedm? Up to the present iinje we have not thought the matter worth adverting to, feeling convinced that in the present state of Colonial finance no Ministry would be reckless enough to entertain the idea. True, indeed, the House of Representatives, with that disregard of extravagance that characterised the late session, gaye expression to the desire that the next session should beheld inDunedin, put the Governrnent refused to pledge i»self to follow out that resolution, and any difficulty it might ha ye felt in running counter to the wishes of the -, 3 .'■••• ■'■■ ........ House was fortunat-ely removed by the yeto of the Legislative (Council. This, by the way, was one exceptional instance pf tjie exercise of the Cpnserya-

live element of the legislature for the public good, apd which goes far to redeem the Legislative Council from the rhttree of inutility. That branch of the

refusing its sanction to the jemoval of the locale of the Assembly, coupled with the distinct recusal of the Government to satisfy curious ; enquirei*s on the matter, wjas sufficient to set our minds at rest, and we no more expected to see tlte next Parliament meet in Punedin than we ever did that our Provincial Council should hold its next session at Waipawa. The circumstances attending the resolutions of the two Councils were similar, and we felt justified in concluding that in each case the result would be nil. However we are now told that some preliminary steps have been taken by the General Government, whether simply to satisfy that portion of the House who wish the resolution to be carried into effect, or bona fide on their part, with the intention of carrying it out if practicable, we cannot say ; but in either case the appointment of a commission of enquiry as to the facilities offered by Dunedin for the meeting of the Assembly is an unjustifiable expenditure of the public funds, and renders necessary the enquiry with which we started—Does the Government seriously contemplate incurring the needless expense of a removal of the next session of jbtie Assembly to Dunedin ? Tt \& folly to suppose that considerations of finance will influence the Ministry. With the loan to draw upon, the falling off in the revenue and the drain on the Colonial resources are regarded but as small matters. E\ery deficiency of inas compared with expenditure, can be charged, as was the case last session, to that most convenient store of cash, the loan—but of course only to fall the heavier on the people in the end.