GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1521, 27 October 1865, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[FROM i. CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Oct. 18,

By inadvertence I omitted to forward by the Ahuriri a description of the meeting of the electors of Wellington, held for the purpose of condoling with the Weld Ministry upon their retirement from office. It was evidently believed by the people of this city that, if a demonstration was made in favour of the Weld Ministry, the Opposition would give way, and their recreant local members be brought back to a sense of their duty to Wellington. The meeting was largely attended; and Mr. M'Kenzie, of the Independent, was voted to the chair. The first speaker was a Mr. Bull, who is also connected with the press of Wellington; and he, in a rather forcible speech, put forward the claims of the city for consideration, and lauded the Weld Ministry for having always been their true friends. He should have supported the Weld Ministry under any circumstances; but he thought that Capt. Khodes had, as the representative of the city, a still greater interest in keeping them in office. These sentiments were received with much favour by the audience ; and your correspondent, in consequence, began to wonder whether there could be any other place in the colony but Wellington which was worthy ot consideration. The meeting seemed to think with Mr. Bull that there was no such place, and noisily demanded that Captain Bhodes should give an account of his conduct. That gentleman, in accordance with the wishes of the meeting, stepped on to the stage, and with no great effort brushed aside the cobwebs of argument raised by Mr. Bull and his seconder, Mr. Borlase.

This latter gentleman seems to have what may be termed a Wellingtonian idea of the decorum required to be observed in the conduct of a public meeting. While the speakers were endeavouring to enlighten the audience, Mr. Borlase solaced himself with a pipe, and as his interest in the discussion' occasionally prevented him from smoking, and thus put his pip 6 out, he could be seen carefully walking across the platform .with a piece of paper in his hand, and having, lit it, retiring into a corner to eujoy the soothing weed. In fact, the proceedings partook more of the character of a " free-and-easy," than of a meeting of citizens, convened for the purpose of obtaining an expression of public opinion at a grave and important crisis. This idea seemed to be running through the mind of Capt. Rhodes, for in the course of his address be distinctly stated that, but for the general respect in which he held the electors of Wellington, he would not have attended a meeting which appeared to him called for the benefit of the publican in whose house they had met. He supported the Weld Ministry as a rule, but would not do so in everything; and he blamed them for having retired from office without cause. Eventually, the meeting passed a vote of confidence in Captain Rhodes, but also expressed an opinion that, as the Weld Ministry had done so much for the city of Wellington, they be retained in office. The conduct of Messrs. Bunny andßenall was severely commented upon, and as this gave rise to an animated discussion, it is worthy of notice. The first notability who indulged in criticism wis a Mr. Carpenter, who, I believe, is a Member of the Provincial Council. This gentleman's speech may be described as a mass of confused sounds, a kind of concert, in which the speaker did the treble and the audience the bass. He-evi-dently wanted to obtain a hearing for those who, while supporting the Weld Ministry, did not believe in extra taxation ; but the audience thought otherwise, and after a struggle of about twenty minutes' duration, Mr. Carpenter had to retire. The meeting, following the free-and-easy example of one of its leaders, smoked vigorously, and clouds of smoke as well as of argument gave a stranger an idea of the manners and importance of the city of Wellington, such as he is not likely to j forget. Mr. Bunny and Mr. Taylor were both present, and both spoke in favour of the Weld Ministry; the latter being an out-and-out supporter of the late Government, and the former supporting them on a majority of subjects, but not on every question. Mr. Bunny censured the Government severely for haviug retired from office without due cause, and without even calling their supporters together. The meeting having been baulked of its object—the demolish ment of the political existence of Captain Rhodes—cast about for other prey. One gentleman suggested that Dr. Featherston had not done his duty to Wellington, but that as he was absent from the province, and they could not then, indulge in the pleasure of calling him to account, they ought to adjourn, and ask him to attend a similar meeting. This was agreed to, and, after some further discussion had taken place, the free-and-easy meeting broke up, the promoters having failed to arrive at any practical conclusions, save the following—that the city of Wellington was the colony, and the retention of the Weld Ministry in office its profit. Monday, Oct. 23. As I concluded my last letter by a description ot a public meeting held in Wellington, I may—although not tollpwing the sequence of events —refer to another meeting, held for similar at the Hutt, on Saturday last. Plie only speakers vjere the late Colonial Treasurer (Mr. Eitzherbert) and Mr. Renall, one of the members for this province. The first-named gentleman, who had been exceedingly ill while in office, now appears to have recovered his wonted health, and, both in the House and at this meeting, vigorously attacks the present Government when an occasion offers. At the meeting 1 have mentioned he spoke for over three hours, and the burden of his speech was what the Weld Ministry in general, and himself n

particular, had done for Wellingtoin During the course of this gentleman's speech it was a matter of general remark that he seemed to be speaking against time, and that the object for this was, that his opponents, Messrs. Bunny and Renall, might be prevented from making a lengthened reply. Certainly, as it was Saturday night, and the proceedings must terminate at 12 o'clock, the insinuation seem* to have some force. If that were hi* intention it did not succeed; for, the hcmr of 12 arriving, the meeting adjourned until the following Saturday. In the course of his speech Mr. Fitzherbert made a grave charge against the Directors of the Bank of Hew Zealand, who, he said, being opposed to him in politics, had refused to extend to his Government the accommodation required to extricate the colony from its present financial embarrassments. This was the reason, he said, why the Assembly was not dissolved ; and, although it may be a true one, lam afraid there are very few who will believe in so plausible a statement. The late Colonial Treasurer is generally looked upon as a wily politician, and it is therefore just possible that there may be additional reasons why a dissolution was not resorted to. Amongst the most prominent of the reasons likely to affect the decision come to by the late Government, I may mention the well-known intention of Mr. Weld to resign at the earliest possible date, and the certainty of a difference amongst his colleagues as to who should fill his place, and thus become leader. Be that as it may, the intimation by an ex-Minister of the Crown, that it is in the power of a few bankers to stop the State machine is not only startling, but, if true, will, I should imagine, require to be obviated by legislative enactment. In the House a good deal of business has been got through; and although the late Attorney-General cannot exactly resign himself to his fate, and will make objections, still, even against his opposition, the session is progressing to an end.

Amongst the most prominent of the measures which have passed through committee is the much-debated Representation Act. A kind of tacit underhanding seemed have been arrived at by the House, and the only opposition the Bill received was from the Goldfields members, Messrs. Brodie and Houghton. These gentlemen seemed to believe that Mr. Dillon Bell, who, I am told, originally drafted the Bill, intended to prevent those who had placed themselves on the roll for the present counties from voting in the new divisions. This, I see, is to a large extent the case, and the manner in which it has been accomplished is rather ingenious. Four of the new divisions include within their boundaries twelve Goldfields towns; and, as these contain a considerable number— in fact, I may say, a majority—of the electors of these districts, they have been excised from the afore-mentioned divisions, and the glorious privilege has been accorded to them of returning one member. Thus a minority of the electors in these new divisions receive the privilege of electing four members, while a majority have the mortification of finding they can only return one. The unfortunate candidate who stands for this newly-created district will have to travel over a distance of over 260 miles, and if he has to address his constituents, it will take him fully three weeks before he can overtake even a moiety of the work thus cut out for him. Rather stupid legislation this, and by no means calculated to obtain a fair expression of the mind of the country. Another Bill of some importance has been advanced a stage; I refer to the Loan Allocation Bill. Amongst the Otago members there appeared to be a strong feeling that the Bill should not be proceeded with this session. Both Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Brodie protested against it being gone on with; but as the Auckland members mustered strongly, the B ; ll was considered, and several amendments proposed. The principal amendment introduced was to the effect, that before the final allocation of the debt, an inquiry should be made as to the permanent advantage which each province had derived from the expenditure authorised under the Three Million Loan Act. The AuckI land members, headed by Mr. Russell, endeavoured to have its operation confined toareductiQn of theamount chargeable against the province of Auckland; but on the motion of Major Richardson, the words " iucreased or reduced" were inserted. The late ministers still seem to be rather uneasy, and do not, evidently, accept their position with any degree of resignation. The late Attornev-Geueral appears to be like a fish out of water, and as his occupation is gone, he appears to torture himself with schemes as to how it can be recovered. One of the most amusing of these attempts was made the other evening, when some legal question came up —raised, of course, by the late Attorney-General. That gentleman informed the Government that he would undertake to assist them to carry through their Bills, and in the course of his remarks mentioued that he was aware that Mr. Prendergast did not intend to continue in office longer than the present session— and of course, by inference, who more fit than himself? The session is rapidly drawing to a close, and if I may except the Estimates and the Loan Consolidation Bill, there is nothing of importance now left to be dealt with.