The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-31 00:00:00

tourbribge Obsertur.

SATURDAY, "Al kaCTI 31s, 1883.

PROSPEGI S OF LEGISLATION.

THE b: iet Easter Recess termical.ed, so far as
the House of Commons is aoncerned on Wednes-
day, for on Tbur.day afternoon, after a holiday
of little more than a week, the representatives
of the people were again at work, and the Lords
will meet on Tuesday. Thus far the Fates have
not been promising as to the legislative pros-
pects of the present session. In consequence of
the Autumn Sitting, Parliament met a week
later than usual, and was face to face with an
unusually early Easter—earlier indeed by a fort-
night than last year, and by three weeks than in
1881. Hera were two circumstances which
operated against the House being enabled to
show much result from its !ahem. The long
time occupied over the debates upon the address
was another; and again there wera the financial
exigencits of the country wh'cli rendered votes
supely absolutely essential fur the carrying
on of the public service. A combination of con-
ditiona haa thus prevent -d the Legislature from
' as yet doing much to make any impression up-
on the list of measures promised in the Speech
from the Throne. Many of these are not, of a
patty character. The granting of the tenaet
farmer compensation for utiexhausted improve-
ments in the s&1, the reform of the local govero-
Mont of London, the atnendoient of the law of
bankruptcy, the prevention of damage by con-
stantly-recurring floods, and the suppression of
corrupt practices at Elections—all these are
subjects in which both sides of the House are
interested. None of them involve the surren ier
of any poitical principle, and upon the details
of most of them it should not be difficult to come
to an agreement.
The House of Commons meets after the
Easter Recess with practically two months of
the working session gone, and with very little
business dine. There are, as already seen,
exceptional circumstances to account for this ;
but the result is the same. Four months remain
of the ordinary session Olen the Whitsuntide
recess is taken into consideration ; and out of
this peeled most b 4 deducted time for debates
on the Budget, the passing of the groat body of
the estimates for the service of the 3 ear—army,
navy, -and bates upon foreign policy,
criticisms upon the ceurso we have pursued in
Egypt, the Transvaal, and in other directions,
and, in fact, discussions may be anticipated on
subjects which, although unforeseen at present,
might easily occupy the attention of Parliament
and the country. For example, twelve months
ago few could have foretold the prominence
which Egypt would command later in she year;
but is unnecessary to point out that with au
empire whose shores are washed by every sea
and in every part of the globe, a complication of
interests might arise at any moment demanding
the inamenate attention of the Cabinet and of
Parliameet. So that even the little time that
remains cannot be devoted exclusively to the
work of legislation. But the progress of the
work ncrs before P.)rliament will be watched
; anxiously by the country. There are several
weeks &co Whitsuntide, in which a good impres-
sion ought to be made upon the heavy duties
which devolve upon our senators in these
modern days. Somehow or other, it has been
noticed of late years that Parliament does not
seem to bend itself to its labours with the zest
that was accustomed to distinguish it in former
times, when there was much bss to be done.
Talk has developed, and work has gone back.
It must be remembered that this is the fourth
session of the present Parliament, which has
thus turned the corner of its legal existence,
even if it ran seven years, which so few Parlia-
ments do. If anything happened to cause its
sudden dissolution' what would it have to show
for all the time which it has expended at West-
minster ? 'This is by DO means an unpractical
question. The people of this country her e risen
to a position emongst the nations of the earth
because they more and more appreciate the
value and the importance of time, which is
money to most of them. But when they read
the chronicles of Parliament, consisting of their
chosen men, they see that time is reckoned as of
little consequence, and it is wasted in various
wave. Vast itatersts are waiting to be dealt
with ; but the House is either counted out be-
cause forty members cannot be got together, or
long speeches are made to kill that time which
to ordinary mortals is so precioue. The effect
of this upon the mind of the poo[le cann,ot be of
a beeeficial character. The electors will lose
that healthy interest in Parliamentary affiirs
which is so essential to the well-being of a great
nation, and will cease to exert themselves to go
to the poll for a body so much more inclined to
talk than to work.

The matter may, however, le looked at in
another and a more serious light, one which was
illustrated during the pre-Eister sitting. The
House df Commons is specially charged with ;he
control of the public expenditure, and the p ti
graph in the Queen's Speech npou this 80, j el
Is always devoted exclusively to the rue.ou rs
of that assembly. The House 's supdosed to ap-
prove of every vote of money before svicti viing
it. But so great is the amount of speechwak:ng,
and so urgent are demand.; of the puh.i.:
that Votes of Credit have frelnent.y to hi Laken,
the discussion of which is t) follow later on.
The Minist3r of \Vat or for the N ivy bland;y
explains Liat while P.srliameat is talking the
land and st,3 forces must be fed, clothed, and
paid. the S.:eretary to the Treasury uractieally
says the same, with respect to the Civi! Services,
The votes in the es'imates cannot be reached
for some little while in the ordiun-y way ; in the
meantime it is absolutely necessary to take a
vote on account, or the d in st ration of the
country will c 'Hardee. When the time comes for
the discussion to take place the money ha 3 of
course been spent, and debate is worthless. This
is a system which would not be approved I y any
business firm, and it ought not to obtain in the
High Court of Parliament.