WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1757, 11 June 1886, Page 3

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

(From our own correspondent.) Jute 3. The debate on the No-confidence motion is now in fall swing, and is expected to continue till Friday night. So far the speeches have been good in substance, and well de livered, the best being thoße of Sir Robert Stout, Major Atkinson, and Messrs Ballance, Bryce, and Fisher. Dr Newman is now "up," but he is making a very thin speeoh. To my mind there are few members who are equal to the Premier in debate. Last night he was at his very best, and made an ordinary mortal envy his great ability. He was clear, decided, and straight from the shoulder— no trimming, no hesitation in the words he used, or in the light in which he accepted Mr Montgomery's amendment. Daring his epeecb, Mr Fisher foolishly ventured to interject a funny remark. How that man must have wished he had not spoken. The Premier's retort, which came like a flash of lightning, and with the force of a cannon ball, was absolutely crushing, and created roars of laughter and rounds of applause. Mr Fisher's position was an unenviable one, and waa a decided illustration of the danger one encounters in meddling with edged tools. Before this reaches you, the result of the debate may be wired, still I will give you my oaudid opinion on the situation. In the first place, unless something unforaeen arises, I do not think the division will be called for before Friday night or Saturday morning, and judging from the way many prominent members of the Opposition are taking notes, it is quite possible it may not take place till Tuesday next. When it is all over I believe the Government will have a substantial majority. The Opposition are not at all sanguine, and many of them opine that Mr Montgomery's amendment will be lost by 2 or 3 votes. This, I believe, will be found to be altogether a wrong calculation, and should say that the majority for the Government will be 10 at least. One Government supporter has offered to lay £25 to £5 that the majority will be 10 or over, but no one appears inclined to take it up. The reasons for my opinion are that the moderate policy of the Government, especially in relation to their borrowing proposals, coupled with the earnest desire they have shown to retrench, meet with the approval of a large section of the House. It is quite possible a cry will be raised that those who vote against Mr Montgomery's amendment are opposed to retrenchment, but I do not think that view will be accepted by the right-thinking electors. I may say that the majority of the members who have already signified their intention of voting on the Government side are as anxious as Mr Montgomery or Major Atkinson to see economy practised. They do not believe that any practical benefit would accrue by a change at the present time, and that the only result would be either a premature dissolution — in which case several important matters, including that of representation, would have to be lef c untouched — or a return to power of the Atkinson party — a change which I feel sure would not be acceptable to the people of Otago or Canterbury. In conjunction with the proposals of the Government, one or two matters of significanoe have lately taken place which have led the House to believe that the Ministry are bent on doing their best in the interests of the Colony. The first is the assurance of the Premier that he will reduce departmental expenditure by from £30,000 to £40,000 during the present financial year ; and, secondly, the appointment of the Hon. Mr Reynold* to a seat in the Cabinet without portfolio. As Mr Reynolds has for many years past stoutly advocated, by voice and pen, the urgent necessity there is of pursuing a determined system of retrenchment throughout the whole of onr Civil service, It is said he has been elevated to the benches for the express purpose of obtaining his advice and assistance in bringing about this much-needed reform. Since writing the above, the debate on Mr Montgomery's amendment has utterly collapsed, A more complete fiasco than the result could not very easily be conceived. The sudden termination of the attack took everyone by snrprise. Members evidently were not on their guard. I know several members who intended to speak, and give their reasons for the vote they intended to give. Major Atkinson jumped up to reply to the Premier and Treasurer, but he was ruled too late by Mr Speaker. You will see by the division list that my prognostications as to the result were correct, although I did not expect quite such a majority. P%pers on the rabbit nuisance were laid on the table to-day. They include the Superintending Inspector's annual report, and a special report by the Under- Secretary for the Colony on the working of the Act in Waihemo and Tapanui, the latter being entirely favourable to the District Inspectors, of whom Mr Cooper says:— "They are performing their difficult and onerous duties conscientiously, and as well as the circumstances by which they are surrounded will allow." In the first-named report Mr Bayly states : — " That matters have not progressed as satisfactorily toward the destruction of the pest, nor is the outlook so favorable as in previous years." This is largely attributed to the hot and dry summer, but a hope is expressed that winter poisoning will again reduce the numbers. Mr Bayly Btates that the natural enemies of rabbits, which have been introduced, are in some places keeping them completely within bounds. He suggests experiments with poisons, and with the introduction of rabbits suffering from contagious or infectious disease. Though the rabbits have spread in several districts he does not think that there has been on the whole an increase ia their numders. ISSS i