The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 339, 10 September 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1898.

The debate on the first item of the estimates lasted 65 hours. The Opposition have secured a victory, they have extracted from the Premier a promise that the Public Works Estimates shail be brought down on the 27th inst., and that full particulars shall be given on contingency votes. In the course of the discussion. Mr Seddon accused the Opposition of attempting to take away the rights of the majority in the House. Ever since he took power the Premier has invariably acted as if a minority had no rights. It must be patent to everybody that Ministers should furnish all the information necessary for the proper criticism of their policy by the Opposition, and in order that their adherents should not be called upon to blindly follow their leader. It appears to us that, regardless of political opinions, the insistence of the Opposition that all matters connected with the finance and Government of the country shall be at the disposal of members should be heartily approved by every man in the country. It was for this principle that the Opposition have fought and won. According to Mr Seddon they, by compelling him to their will, " have taken away the rights of the majority in the House, who represent the people of the colony." This, of course, was only an appeal to the gallery. We, in our turn, appeal to the occupants of that exalted position as to whether his statement was Seddonian bunkum or whether be lias wilfully yielded up what in his opinion are the liberties of the people, which he above all other men was bound to defend or die at his post. When Ministers are again on the stump we shall be told that the factious opposition of Capt. lUissell and his followers was responsible for the extension of the session and for so littie real work being done. Their audiences, however, will not swallow that pill so readily as they have done in the past. The delay over the estimates was the fault of Ministers who tried to foice the House to vote money before being placed in a position to ]udge as to the fitness of the manner in which it was contemplated to expend it. The bringing down of the Public Works Estimates at an early date will take the aroma out of the carrot with which Ministers have in former sessions led members into the lobby with them.