Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, OCT. 18, 1892. The end-of the Session.

Manawatu Herald, 18 October 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, OCT. 18, 1892. The end-of the Session.

» That parliament has closed without a pugilistic encounter between iriwmbers on the floor of the House is a matter for sincere congratulatibn. The tone has been the lowest on record, and fights and • brawls between members in the lobbies of the House, and in public houses, have not been exceptional. Therefore, for the continuance of the good name of the colony, ifc is satisfactory to to find that Parliament has been prorogued. The session lasted sixteen weeks, and the total number of hours of sitting was 515 of which 94 were after midnight, which, we may remark, was the period during whfch the tempers and language' of ,. foe members were at their worst. Why, wo must leave to our readers to imagine, but, on fche authority of the Hon. R. Seddon, who remarked in Supply " but the honourable, gentleman to-night seemed to ba slightly .annoyed, or thare was- something that disturbed fchafc calmness and serenity which we generally ..find upon the Opposition benches," there-r. appears to be " something " which acts against harmony after midnight. Ifc was after midnight when " cold meats, sandwiches, piokles and other things" caused. the Minister of-Lands . to threaten to throw the pickle bottle at a member's head in ; &§ public-house. Added to the- irrita- 5 tion produced by " other things i.'' there is no doubt that the imperious manner of the Acting-Premier also provoked the indignation of the Opposition, and, at times, those of his own side of the House, The session was absurdly long for the work done, and the sixty odd new \cts added to the Statute Book include many that are of yery little. ! use or ornament Fortunately the laree number of those introduced did not pass, but we could have seen some to advantage in the place of those that 'did. '" „' Amongst the Bills that did pass we find the Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment . which enables a. local*, authority which has adopted the Act of 1886, and the proposals not having been accepted by the ratepayers, to rescind the special order. It also provides that the voting for any loan must be taken by voting papers, and not otherwise in any manner. We are glad to record that the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill has passed, -as it empowers a Cifcy or Borough Council to take advantage of the Act of 1886 which previously they were debarred from using. The Factories Act Amendment deals with the employment of boys between thirteen and fourteen years of age. It also brings all publio schools under the regulations as to the preservation of cleanliness and ventilation as is ordered for factories The Shops and Shop-Assistants makes the observance of a half-holiday once a week compulsory. It provides that the local authority must make a bylaw fixing the day. Sitting accommodation has to be provided for females. The Aliens Act Amendment provides that no fee shall henceforth be charged to any person for enrolment, exoept Chinese I No

one can now keep a Servants' Regis tr}' Ofiice unless he or she gets a permit from the local authority, a certificate of character, and, colonial like, pays a tee. The Dairy Factory will Cause a little commotion amongst the small settlers, as any bufcter or cheese made for export must be branded, but as the Governor can, and probably by and with the advioe of his Ministers Will, make and prescribe regulations for all purposes of the administration of chis Act, by Order in Council, We shaUawaifc their issue before commenting further. The Employers' Liability Acts Amendment Bill makes it particularly dangerous for the employer, as where any workman is injured through a negligent act of another workman employed in or about the Same place, the injured workman shall have his remedy against the employer of the workman whose negligence -Caused the injury. The other Acts of general interest that ware passed, are the Land Exchange, Bankruptcy, Contractors and Workmen's Lien, Land for Settlements, .Land Tax and Income Tax, : Manure Adulteration, Offensive 'Publications, Payment of Members, Printers and Mewspapers Registration Act 1886 Amendment, Selectors' ' Land Revaluation Continuance and Amendment. Some Bills which might have been passed .to advantage, but were dropped by the Government were -ihe Civil. Service, Coroners' Inquests, Fencing Aot 1881 Amendment, Municipal Corpprations,. and the Native Acts. . However it was well that the parliament closed when it did. It is worthy of remembrance that at the commencement of the session the Government were much .hurt at being unable to appoint twelve members to the Legislative Council. They were offerred nine, but they felt twelve was imperative to secure their pleasures being passed. Unluckily for them, before they were able to bring parliament to a close the Governor signified his willingness to nominate twelve Councillors, but no appointments were made. The very reasons given by the Premier for the appointments have beon contradicted by his neglecting toy make them, and thus His Excellency's earlier action has been endorsed by the Government. We believe-that every tax payer is not only heartily glad that the wrangle has ceased, but that they have also formed opinions as to the majority of the members as to make their reelection a matter of much doubt. There have been sins of commission | and omi.sion which will require hard graft on the part of the people's | representatives to get their constituents to overlook j