Parliament is not to meet so early as was expected.
It has been prorogued by proclamation to the last day of January, nearly two months hence. The date has probably been fixed to allow Mr. Gladstone a long Southern holiday during the winter, and we do not know that it is in any way inconvenient to the public. The community is curious to see the new Home-rule Bill ; but apart from that, it is quite con- tent that Parliament should abstain from sitting. Except the County Councillors of the Progressive party, nobody wants anything very much, and the measures they wish for tepidly will do a year or two hence as well as to-day. It is clear, moreover, from the date selected, that the Government does not in its heart expect to pass many Bills, and that is a relief to politicians who know that, with the Home-rule contest going on, there will be no serious attention paid to anything else. What with Colonial questions, and financial questions, and labour questions, it will be hard enough between February and September to find time to pass the Home-rule Bill through Committee, even if the majority coheres, and that is most improbable. That Bill has to pass in every detail, in face of a minority more compact than the majority, nearly as strong in numbers, and, perhaps, twice as strong in capacity and debating power.
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