THE REMAINDER OF THE SESSION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 196, 18 August 1881, Page 4

THE REMAINDER OF THE SESSION.

{Evening Post August 15) Judging from present appearances the remainder of the session will be devoted to an endeavour to settle two or three pressing questions, and every, thing else will be allowed to "go by the board." The Representation Bill must Le passed in some shape or other with a general election close upon us. The Railways Construction Bill will also bo passed, unless defeated through cabals instigated by local jealousies. At any rate there will be a warm debate on each measure, and it maybe anticipated that both will probably pass into law. But we greatly doubt whether any other Government Bill will now get through both Houses. The Estimates will yet take a large amount of time to dispose of, and the Public Works Estimates will not be settled in a hurry. We do not believe it will be possible to keep a House together later than the middle of next month at the farthest. That means that there is already preparing a " massacre of the innocents " of a more than usually sweeping character. Yet it seems inevitable. Members arc burning with anxiety to get away to begin their electioneering campaign. Ministers are equally eager to get rid of them, in order to concert their plan of battle. Nobody dreams now of Local Government Reform being dealt with. Mr. Ormoud has given the death-blow to that question for this session. Perhaps this does not matter very much. The whole question, as well as that of Education and other prominent matters, will necessarily come up at the election, and it isjustas^well that they should not be definitely dealt with by Parliament when there is so near an opportunity of allowing the country to declare its will. However this may be, one thing appears quite clear — that Parliament has done very nearly all the work it is intended to do this seasion, and that being the case the sooner the prorogation comes and ends all this idle, aimless, and expensive talk, the better for the colony.