THE SESSION AND THE RECESS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 224, 21 September 1880, Page 4

THE SESSION AND THE RECESS.

In an article on. the late session of Parliament; the Christchurch. Press says : — " But while we hold that it is a great mistake to assert that the session- has been wholly, futile, we • are free to admit that had Ministers displayed greater aptitude in party tactics the session might, have been a ; much more satisfactory one than it ultimately proved. They blundered from the beginning in seeking to push through: too many bills. They did not discriminate between what were important and what were nor. Weeks of the session were wasted in the discussion of little measures which, however useful in their way, could very properly have been delayed till such times as the House liacl leisure to devote to sueli eompara tively minor questions. The bills embodying the financial policy of the Government were for some reason or another, kept back to the very end of the seseio v and then withdrawn without any real effort to get them discussed. Instead of the session clos ; no with the adoption of a well considered financial scheme ifc ended in a series of compromises. All this might easily have been averted had Ministers displayed a little more skill in managing the House. But as party leaders they Mpere continually blundering. And hence it has occurred that in spite of the considerable additions to tbe statute book, the reduction of the expenditure, and the steps taken to settle the Native difficulty, a feeling of disappointment has shown itself in the ranks of the Ministerial party at the failure of the Govrnment to carry out the programme preBented by them when the session opened. But perhaps after all no great harm has been done. It is not legislation which the country so much needs as wise and ekilful administration. Ministers have sow an opportunity of proving that their reputation in this respect is well founded. They have undertaken a difficult end a thankless task— that of establishing a strict economy in the public service. In performing the duty which the financial necessities : of the colony have forced upon: them they cannot hope to make themselves popular. On the contrary, in proportion as they exert themselves to salve the public, credit and the taxpayer's pockef, to that extent will they make themselves detested in the eyes of; a considerable section of tbe community. The worst of it is, too, there are in the colony and in the House a class of men who are. never slow : to take advantage of such circumstances to further their own ends. 'They have probably talked loudly of retrenchment and of the criminality of the Government in not enforcing it. But the moment an Attempt is made to put thoee theories into practice a thousand reasons are discovered for opposing the form which retrenchment has taken. Weknowlof course what all that means. The!re are euch things as general elections; and it 'is necessary- to conciliate both the taxpayer and the eleven thousand civil servants and their friends in view of such aa eventuality. So retrenchment is preached in general terms and opposed in detail, under the impression that the electors will not see through the hollow pretence. How far such a miserable line of action will be successful remains to be seen. Bat at any rate Ministers should hnve the support and sympathy of all well wishers of the colony in the execution of the thankless task entrusted to them by the representatives of the people. If, when

next cession commences, they are able t3 show that they have done their best to reduce this expenditure aud reform the Civil Service, the House will! not ; be slow to express its approval. ■ ;