WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7009, 11 November 1884, Page 3

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

— : ♦ [by telegraph.] [prom otjr special correspondent.! Wellington, Monday. THE FINAL FIGHT. — SIR GEORGE THROWS UP THE SPONGE. The appearance of the House this morning was very unlike the last day of the session, as the galleries were crowded in anticipation of the no - confidence motion which Sir George Grey threatened on Saturday, night to bring forward. There was also an unusually large attendance of members, considering the stage of the Bession, and everybody expected a bit of a shindy to wind up with. As it turned out, however, Sir George contented himself with making one of his all-round attacks on Ministers, which provoked a spirited reply from Mr Stout, and an equally vigorous but more dignified one from Sir Julius Yogel. Sir George spoke at considerable length againßt the federal resolutions, and used all the forms of the House to prevent their passing, but eventaally threw up the sponge. He had expected that he would have had another round when the resolutions as a whole were put. On finding ; that this course was not followed he protested against the proceeding, but the Speaker aaid that as the resolutions had been put seriatim it was not necessary to put them as a whole, to which decision Sir • George of course had to bow. As I informed you yesterday would be the case the Government contented themselves with asking the House to pass the resolution for contributing a share of the cost of establish 1 ing a protectorate over Hew Guinea. Mr Shrimski was evidently put up to move the amendment to strike out the ' portion relating to the Federal Council, as the Premier at once agreed to accept the amendment. THE PROROGATION. The prorogation this afternoon was very dull and spiritless. It was witnessed by about a dozen members of the Upper > House and thirty members of the more I popular branch of the Legislature, only yery few of the general public being present. The Commissioners appointed for the prorogation were Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, and the Hons. Messrs Buckley, Reynolds, and Waterhouse. Parliament stands prorogued till the 19th of March next, but of course does not re-assemble on that date. OLD SPEECHES OF MEMBERS. The Government have engaged the services of Mr Maurice FitzGerald, a son of Mr J. E. FitzGerald, ControllerGeneral, to compile and republish the speeches of members of both Houses from 1854 to 1867, the date at which Ednsdrd commences. The Post is very rough on the appointment, and accuses Sir Julius Yogel, of whom it has hitherto been a strong supporter, of having committed, a discreditable job in making the appointment. Ib appears that Mr Maurice FitzGerald is in very delicate health, so much so that he has for some time been unable to leave his house, and the Post contends that it will be impossible for him to perform the work satisfactorily. It states that in consequence of this the work will be mainly executed by the Controller-General, who was for many years a member of the House, and that it will not be an impartial record of the Parliamentary proceedings in the past. The article concludes as follows : — " Party feeling used to run high in the old day 8 in ,thi3 j colony, and the time, since elapsed is not long enough to have. . extinguished all ■; pld \ feelings, or wiped

away all old bitternesses. Mr FitzOerald, brilliant orator though he was, dia not always pass unscathed through debate, or invariably win his cause. Is it likely that in compiling the debates he will go to much trouble to search for reports of speeches in which he was severely handled or successfully attacked ? It is scarcely likely. The work will no doubt faithfully record his own speeches^ but will equal justice be done to his former opponents ? Why should their political reputation be now lef b to the generosity of their old opponent to be dealt with 1 Many of them are dead, many far from New Zealand, but when the colony undertakes the work of compiling a record of their past actions and utterances, surely it is but common justice to their memory that the compilation should be above suspicion of partiality or unfairness. It cannot be free from this suspicion when the compiler is one of the actors in the scenes recorded. We do not say that Mr FitzGrerald would willingly act partially or unfairly. He is far too chivalrous a man to do so, but it is quite impossible that he can even new recall the scenes and analyse and dissect them with anything like a calm judicial spirit. The work should have been entrusted to some capable and experienced pressman. There are many who would have been glad to undertake it and who are able to do it well, and for less than the sum which it is said Mr Maurice FitzGerald is to get for it. Singularly enough no vote for the purpose appears on the supplementary estimates. It will have to come out of " unauthorised expenditure," but of course the Controller-General is not likely to raise any objection. It is reported that no less than £2000 is to be paid for the work, and that Ministers intended putting the sum on the estimates thiß session, but were afraid the House would reject it."