POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6925, 3 December 1887, Page 6

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[bt telegraph.]

[from our correspondent.] WELLINGTON, December L Much ridicule has been excited by the absurd waste of time in the House to-day over the case of a girl iv Auckland who received two .slight slaps from a female teacher. It is alleged that Sir Julius Vogel is collecting subscriptions from members to enable Mrs bheard, the mother, of the girl in question, to take legal proceedings against tho headmaster ot the school. Mr Goldie, M.H.H. for Auckland West, to-day received the following telegram from Mr W. Crowther, an Auckland City Councillor and member of the Auckland City Schools Committee :—" Tell Vogel we challenge him, and will subscribe to defend the huadmaster. The waste of time is shameful."

The publication of a report of an interview between Sir J. Vogel and a newspaper reporter with reference to the big scheme shadowed forth by Sir J. Vogel in his recent speech has brought great derision ou the head of the ex-Treasurer. The Evening Press says—" Sir Julius Vogel has favored his special newspaper organs with a full report ou the scheme referred to by him the other afternoon in the course ot his reply to the Premier's confidence resolutions, by which he.boasted of being able to regenerate the country without further borrowing, taxation, retrenchment, fi*,c. Those who are *In the swim," and have read this remarkable scheme describe it as fearfully and wonderfully made—the erratic liightof a defective rocket, which, bursting, disappears, while its more solid part falls to the ground useless, but, unfortunately dangerous to those near at hand. There are two columns of it, and very dry reading at that. "

The Post, which publishes a long report of an interview on the subject, comments on it in the following ambiguous terms :— "Sir Julius Vogel is not doiug justice to himself, to the House, or to the country in the attitude he has assumed, as reported in another column, in reference to his scheme for the restoration of prosperity to thecolouy. He isnotdolngjustice to himself because ne is allowing a purely personal and selfish feeling of an unworchy fear of ridicule to interfere with the performance of a clear public duty, lhe electors of Christchurch North have sent him to Parliament to do all that in him lies to the utmost extent of his power and ability for their benefit aud for the good of the colony. If ho really can show the means of relieving the do pression, reducing taxation aud pushing on -Settlement of public works otuerwise than by means of borrowing, it is a clear public duty to proclaim it unhesitatingly, and to use every effort to induce its adoption. He is still more unjust to his own reputation in maintaining silence By such a line ot conduct, it must be difficult to convince the public that his scheme is a substantial reality. Until he declares it, a strong suspicion will prevail that it has no real tangible existence, and that the only foundation of fact rests on some crude ideas so vague in conception, that even their parent is cohviuced they could not fail to s excite ridicule if they were promulgated in their present state. Men will argue that if he really had a perfected scheme capable of securing the objects stated he would unhesitatingly lay it before the House and the country, trusting to both to do hini justice. He is unfair to the House, we think, in assuming that it is so permeated by hostility to himself and so swayed by personal leeling as to be incapable ot judging fairly, honestly and dispassionately of any proposal he might place before ic. We do not think the majority of the' members are so actuated by personal animosity to the exTreasurer, and we do them the justice to believe that they would in the Interests of the colony give fair consideration to any proposals calculated to benefit it, no matter from whom those proposals might emanate. It Is too shocking to think that a majority of the representatives of Sew Zealand would sacrifice the Interests Of the colony to the gratification of personal enmity." Everybody seems to agree that Sir J. Vogel's • utterances are of the most utterly vapid and meaningless character, and nobody believes that he has any scheme at all. It is hinted, and with iiuuch force, that if he had such a scheme he would assuredly have announced it during the late elections, when it could have oeeh made with great effect. The whole thing 18 looked on as another specimen of that sort of humbug of which we have been dosed with such large doses of late - _ o December 2. . This lias been about the dullest day of the session. There has been really nothing stirring even in the way of gossip, and the House has been steadily engaged in Committeo oa a half dozen policy Bills, of which only one has made much progress so far, and late sittings seem imminent. On the House meeting to-day, Mr Izard gave notice to ask the Minister of Justice whether he considered it necessary that obscene language in the charge-sheets should be orally repeated in tbe R.M. Court, or whether such language could not, with equal observance of legal requirements, be written down, testified to on such written document, and if he thinks the Government would Introduce a Bill next session to give eifect to such a course of procedure in the interests of the public morals. Mr McGregor gave notice to ask whether the Government will place on the estimates -SIO.OOU or auy larger or smaller sum for the acquirement of all proprietary ■ right in Sir J. Vogers scheme for relieving the colony from its difficulties, and insuring the immediate return of prosperity. This notice was received with roars of laughter, being evidently taken as ajest. Vv hether inferred so or not, Sir J. Vogel's scheme is now the standing joke of the, session. Mr W. F. Pearson, M.H.R. for Ashley, and oneof the Government whips, has left for his home, .in consequence of the illness of Mrs Pearson. During his absence Mr Folton will, take up the duties of whip in conjunction with Major Jackson. It is understood that Mr Walker, member for Ashburton, the Opposition whip, accompanies Mr Pearson as far as Christchurch. Tho absence of both hon. gentlemen will only be of two or three days'duration. I hear it has been decided to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the matters connected with tbe Seaclhf Asylum, particularly the circumstances which led to Dr. Neill's resignation. The Commission has not yet been selected. The House has been in a rather facetious inoc-d to-night while In Committee, and*' numerous "points of order "of humorous character were raised, especially after the division bell rang, which involved addressing the chair while seated and with hat on, a proceeding which seemed ratfcer to mystify some of the new members. The member for St. Albans, too, was amusingly caught on one occasion. He called for a division after a question had been declared carried on his side on tha voices, because he was resolved to make the members show their hands and givean open vote, but he was horrified to find that the methods he had employed involved the necessity of his voting on the opposite side to the one he favored. He tried hard to get out of it, but was obliged to swallow the pill. Since supper there has been dispositions to stoiJf_w_ll. f*lrear someone told Mr Seddoli_ut of sheer mischief that Major Atkinson was. determined to sit upon him and his friends and to Stop their stonewalling, and to force the Bills down their throats in spite of their teeth. On this I am told Mr exceeding wrath, and vowed he would show Ministers they could not do as they liked, and so on. Resuming in Committee, he moved to reuort progress, and went into a long disquisition from May on various questions of order andfprivilege and conMtitutiorSiil practic*-^n-tfomptfy pitching into Major Atkinsoh % Vheu the latter hinted'fgat' time being Wasted. At the time - 1 am writing (midnight) it is generally conjectured that the sitting will last till daylight.

[FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.]

, WELLINGTON, December 2. In the House to-day Mr Taylor gave notice to ask the Minister for Works whether he is aware that the Manager of the Addington Workshops, Mr Scott, is engaged as a lecturer on engineering at the School of Arts, Christchurch, at a salaiy of £150 per annum, he still retaining the position as Manager of the Workshops. Instructive figures with respect to rail ways, comparing those of New Zealand with other places, were given by Captain Russell Jlast night, He pointed out that this colony was over-railwayed, and hence there was no probability of the authorised lines being constructed out of increased dividend in New Zealand. He mentioned that there were 300 miles of completed railways to every 100,000 of the population. In the States, which comes

100,000 of the popul-Uon c&Lm ■*_ ever y number of soon be 400niUcsor rauwavsin thf 0 , wlu to every ioo.Ooo of the ? ol °ny He further states tha? P? ptUa «oa. totion of the Sw a v 9 in a -&%*•*s parts of the world sh3 that * paida dividend of 3V per cent nominal value of _i,r th * Tlie Government scntclownu terday asking the House to for the maintenance of aadlUoR S,CI ! forces for. the defence of the toH, the Premier introduced a Bil? l? y 'r™ d nuttee for the purpose. Mr Tniu 0 }; asked what the expenditure for*SS had amounted to so far, and the P-tmi 00 including, liabilitiesong, l^ h0 Ar eUo J ed , St ft«no«Mted te afi. £300,000 Mr Turnbull look occasiohta comment on these figures, and emrSaS the opaiion that this enormous enEEdf tore had been brought upon us by 00 r misfortune to have a military Go/erno* and our own timidity, lie asked amount the Bill would ask for, and fe Premier replied that on a basis of po.ubr ' 420,000. On the suggestion of thePremieJ the discussion on the Bill waa deferred tm luesday next, when It comes ou for con. sidei-ation. The Premier said so far from previous expenditure being unnecessary the earthworks constructed aie the basK on which the navy acts. ' * It is a uotorious fact that Auckland send*, three times as many petitions to the House as any other place, and In referring to this to-night, Mr Levestam remarked that Auckland had actually not up a petition to save the murderer Cam-ey from the gallows, and wanted to know whether the people who would be guilty of makinc such a request-deserved any consideration Returns are to be furnished to Mr bull of the number of Government offlcials absent from the colony, and the salaries paid to them.

lhe Municipal Amendment Act allows City Councils to make votes to free librariesand to athenasums that have a free reading-room open to the public. Sir J. Hall is to be furnished with a return showing, the securities in which the several trust funds of the colony are In. vested.