SESSION AT WELLINGTON. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3132, 31 July 1867, Page 4

SESSION AT WELLINGTON. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Saotrdax, July 20. I sent you a hurriedly-written letter shortly after my arrival in the Empire City, and enclosed a oopy of the opening speech of his Excellency to the members of both Houses of the Legislature. [This letter was received on Saturday, although two mails intervened.] The address, in reply to the Viceregal speech, called forth considerable debate, and the various topios referred to in it were pretty freely dwelt upon by hon. members, especially by those who may be considered as occupying the Opposition benches. I have walked over the greater part of the toirn since my arrival— indeed it would not occupy much time to tread over the whole of this much-talked-of city from one end of it to "the other end," as they express it here. I can fully realise the truthfulness of Judge Moore's remarks (who by the way has given some dissatisfaction to the Southern papers by bis oandid and truthful expression af opinion) at your Superintendent's dinner, when he said that be could not conceive how any one oould, after comparing Wellington with Auckland, deny that Auckland should and must be the capital of New Zealand ; that, although Auckland might be deprived of the seat of Government, yet it must commercially be the capital of this country .Indeed the Premier himself (Mr. Stafford) seems to be of the same opinion, if I can judge from what I could gather of the observations made by him at a priyate dinner given to some of the members on Saturday night last. He said the province of Auokland enjoyed great natural advantages, and must become a great place from the extent and richneßS of the land, which would be increasing in fertility; while the province of Wellington must hold an inferior position, as it did not possess land in sufficient quantity, and that the soil was fast becoming impoverished by the number of sheep grazing upon it, and eating up the natural grasses. / tit is believed, by those capable of forming a correct opinion, that the squatter system is highly injurious to the welfare of this place, and will eventually be its ruin. As for the town, I need hardly tell you that it can never attain to a position of oommercial importance; There are insuperable obstacles in the way of its progress. It is almost encircled with barren and frowning hills, and there is no area of country to make a town of any importance. Tne whole aspect of the plaoe reminds me of a third-rate English village. The only public work going on is the reclaiming of about fourteen aores of land in the harbour, near the wharf, which it is said will cost about £31,000. Thty obtain the stuff fox fiUing-iu from an embankment which is being cut down opposite the Queen's Hotel. Gangs of prisoners are employed in keeping the roads in repair. Th«y are marched through the public thoroughfares to their daily task. I don't think the prisoners in Mount Eden Stockade would like to be paraded through the streets of Auckland in like manner. I thought Auckland rather dull lately ; but Wellington now, in its busiest aspect, certainly eclipses it in that respect. There is but little traffic in the streets, and the business done seems to be trifling. Were it not for the number of steamers constantly coming in, the wharf would be almost deserted. The harbour is not " alive," like the waters of the Waitemata, with what the detractors of Auckland were pleased to call the "mosquito fleet" of coasting vessels, which carry on an important trade in the province of Auckland. I may mention that the Government have succeeded in obtaining poisession of the new T of the wharf during Mr. Kennard's absence in Melbourne. I feel the climate xnuoh colder here than in Auckland. On the morning of the day the session opened, when at breakfast we were not a little astonished at feeling a sudden shaking of the building, and hearing a rumbling noise under the floor. We were coldly told that it was a "slight earthquake" — the second during the fortnight. I thought to myself, if it was a " slight shock," I should not like the invisible and much-dreaded agent to be more severe upon us< The people must be in continual expectation of their recurrence, as I observe that prudent and careful housekeepers take the precaution of fastening the ornaments over the fire-place to the wall to prevent them tumbling down when a shock comes. On Wednesday morning, July 10, we were vuited with a severe hail shower, whioh lasted several minutes, and sufficiently long to cover external objects with a "robe of white." We have had several days of heavy rain, and one or two days of fine weather. There has not been much done in the Assembly as yet, although there has been much "gabble." An important debate took place on a resolution brought forward by Mr. Vogel, who seems to be, or rather would like to be considered, the leader of the Opposition — (< That, in the opinion of this House, the authority under the Goldfields Act should be delegated to the Superintendents of the provinces within which the goldfields are respectively situated." Considerable^ interest was attached to the question, affecting as it did the various provinces, and it was confidently expeoteft that the Miuiatrj would

be outvoted. They made it a Ministerial question, and hinted tha 1 ", if defeated, they would look upon it as a vote of want of confidenae. During the debate the Government clearly indicated that they had made a great mistake in the course pursued with regard to Mr. Maoaudrew'a eleotlm as Superintendent. Mr. Stafford informed the House that the Government would introduce a bill which would give the management of the goldfields to the Provincial Executives, thus ignoring altogether the Superintendents of provinces ; and brought forward an amendment that the words " uniesi under exceptional circumstances" should be added to the resolution. This wan to all intents and purposes an admission of the false step takeu by the Ministry relative to Macandrew's case. The Superintendent of Otago has obtained an unenviable notoriety through the action taken by the Government, and has been branded as a public defaulter. The debate lasted two days, and terminated with a division in favour of Government, the votes being— For the amendment, 28; against, 24. Although the Opposition were out - voted, yet, if the four members of the Government were exoluded from the division list, the House would have been equally divided. The result is looked upon more as a triumph for the Opposition than otherwise. All the Auckland members, out of the Government, present, voted on the Opposition side, with the exception of Messrs. Carletoa and Farmer, who are with the 3overnment against Provincialism, and in favour of Centralism. It it really too bad that all the Auckland members should not be united as one man on questions of this nature, which vitally affect the interests of the provinoe they are sent to represent. If the Auckland members Were only a oompaot body they could be "masters of the situation," and with the support given to them by Otago members they could defeat the Government on any Ministerial question. Maoandrew's case will most Jikely come before the House again in a few days. I may here mention that the Auckland members are not pleated with Colonel Peaoocke for having seconded the address in reply to the viceregal speech in the Upper douse. , A challenge was thrown out to the Provincial party to bring forward the question of Provincialism versus Centralism — to fight it out and be done with it, once and for ever. The challenge was no sooner uttered than it was boldly accepted by the Superintendent of Auckland, who said that the question would be brought forward in a few days in au unmistakable manner, seeing that the Government had failed in the performance of their promise that the subject should be introduced by them at the earliest possible period of the session. The debate will come on on "Wednesday, July 24, and is looked forward to with considerable interest. I have reason to be sanguine as to the result. With regard to the Hansard report", which you will have seen, they have given satisfaction, and were highly spoken of by the papers here. There is 1 said to be a great drawbaok in the want of a suffi- ' oient number of hands to set the matter up in time. , The reporters have to condense more than they might otherwise do on that account. The measles have been prevalent ia Wellington, resulting in a number of deaths of children and adults. The owners of house property are certaialy charging ' fancy prices for their lodgings just now. The Parliamentary session is their harvest time, however ; and it must be dull times when the House 3 are not in seision.