THE HOUSE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4079, 18 August 1884, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

I confess that a look at tho House tho other day had a depressing effect on mo. It seemed as if everything was out of joint, as if an epidemic had broken out among my friends and carried great numbers of them away. Those that were left were also changed ; they did not seem the same ; they did not occupy the same places, nor had they the same individuals sharing their seats with them. A look around was far from satisfying. I had got accustomed, eleven months ago, to cast my eyes all round me. and here and there one could notice the little peculiarities which helped to distinguish members the one from the other. Wherever you looked it seemed as if it Avas quite natural that each man was in his appropriate place, and that the Avholo Avas harmonious. But tho other day all was different. The harmony had been destroyed, the fitness of things Avas absent, even those who sat around me in the gallery had altered—not one half of them had been present on the previous occasion, and all those representing the local press were entire strangers to me. But it is not with the occupants of the gallery I have to do—it is Avith the denizens beneath. There were alterations on tho Treasury benches. Mr Johnston was not there ; his place Avas occupied by another big one, who bears the reputation of being a good Avorkcr and a non-talker. By his side should have sat Dick, Avho, though prosy, dry and dull, Avas still a straightfoi'Avard, upright, honorable man, who never made a joke in his life. Round by the door at the back tAvo are gone. The heaviest man in the House used to fill one of these seats, but in their wisdom HaAvke's Bay rejected him. On the other side of him, tho tAvo darlings of the Ladies' Gallery are gone. Allan M'Donald, a bachelor, and a capital tennis player, and his companion, Seymour George have both disappeared. I Avould not Avonder but that the demand for scats in a certain portion of tho House should be, therefore, lessened. In front of them Petrie, avlio was sent to sit on a rail, Avhich must be an uncomfortable scat even if it should be well stuffed, has gone. Little Shrimski is lunvc\'cr, there still, but it is not Avith those that arc there that I have to deal, but those who have disappeared from the scene. A capable seat close to the Government is empty ;Mr Munro lias joined tho majority outside, and right behind him that clever lawyer's place, Mr Shaw's, is also vacant. Whilo death carried off the seconder of the Address in 1883, the votes of misguided men sent the mover to the right about. Situated in the centre of the block there are other vacancies, for Mr Harris has gone, while on tho opposite side of the passage, tho crisp, incisive tones of Mr Ivcss will not be heard for some time. There, too, in that compact little body sat Pilliet, never much good as a member ; Postlewaito, Avho was as dry as they make them ; Whitakcr, whose sun has been only temporarily clouded, and will shine brighter than ever as the years go on ; J. E. BroAvn, Avho had a bit of tho Yankee in his composition and was popular; Watt, of Wanganui bridge fame, and whoso advent to politics must haA-e been a sore puzzle to himself; and Fitzgerald, who could give and take a joke with the best of them. At the door facing the Speaker there has been an aAvful weeding out ; tho regiment quartered there must have been in tho stiff est of tho fight judging by the way their ranks have been decimated. Sir George Grey's scat companion has gone, the accomplished De Lautour, Avho was at once an eloquent speaker, a clover debater, and an able man, Avho never allowed passion to get the mastery of him. In front of him the chairman of the Public Petitions Committee, Mr Kelly, is absent. Crossing over to the other side of that passage the carnage is found to be even greater. Captain Mackenzie, Avith his old-fashioned Highland ways, has disappeared, Avhile tho two seats in front of him are vacant. Fish filled the one —the champion Biling-sg-atc member of the Assembly, who, if he had had a restraining hand upon him, might have made his mark. What a contrast to genial Tom Bracken, who shared his form. Tom's poetry is much better than his politics, but ho tried his best to be practical, and he advocated anything and everything being made in the colony from broAvn paper to Avhiskey and railway locomotives. Well, there are many Avhom we could have bettor spared. In the seat in front the whip of the Grey party has gone. I do not think his loss in the gallery will bo greatly regretted ; he was for ever asking questions, one-half of the questions was. given utterance to before he reached his feet, and consequently not heard, while tho other half was uttered whilo in the process of sitting doAvn, and consequently Avas inaudible No, he Avon't be regretted, brother scribe though ho was. The burly form of J. Macdonald is missing from tho neighborhood. What on earth ever induced an electorate to think that in such bulk there could bo much brains, I will not stop to enquire. Low down in front of him a Ruf us-liko character is awanting. You can hear old Grey murmur. I have lost my child. One of the most popular men that ever sat in the House is missing—l mean " Johnny " Sheehan. Well, none absent when tho muster roll is called Avill be more regretted, but avo know ero long Aye will see him again, and about that there are no two opinions, for in the Gallery, as in the House, ho was popular. Crossing over now to the door facing the Treasury benches avo miss a white head—avcll, it is a pity he is gone, he was useful. When he started to his

feet avo knew our pijies could be filled and smoked in the adjoining - room, and on our return Aye would still find him prosing aAvay, talking the twaddle Avhich is supposed to pleaso the Avorking men, and I need not say I refer to Mr Hutchison. In a line with him ever so far back another face is missing, the friend of the sailor, Avas ho not an old Avhaler himself ? The man who wanted tho Plimsoll mark, and avlio had a care for all dilapidated buildings, Mr Daniels. What a figure ho Avas for a member of Parliament, to be sure, but, avo have seen the last of him, for he Avas one of those members avlio after one defeat disappear for over after, and can never find a constituency Avilling to listen to them again. Near to AA'bcre sat Mr Hutchison there is another vacant place, caused by tho ingratitude of Napier Liberals. Mr Buchanan's seat is vacant, and I fancy he may be included on tho same list avo have just placed the prcA'ious man in, hehasgono for ever. A bright star has gone out quite close to him, a man Avho bad the respect of all parties, and yet spoke seldom, but still withal Aviclded much political influence— "Willie" Swauson. Well, I don't think he has gone for over, perhaps ho may join the old ladies elsewhere, if such Avould not be too sloav for him. if he docs ho Avill astonish some of their Avcak nerves, that is all I havo got to say of him. I Avas nearly forgetting a nice pair of twins, if that could possibly be done, Bathgate and Mr H. Grcon. The twins, Avith Fish and Hutchison, Avcro tho bores of tho House. Foor old Bathgate, Avhat an endless source of amusement hoAvas. Being slightly deaf many incongruous mistakes resulted therefrom. It avus nothing to get a speech on the wrong subject, and just as he Avas well into' it he would bo recalled to the matter in hand. Then again he was depressing, the colony had never bottomed its misery that was always to come. _ Figures •wore really his Aveak point, and like every man Avho touches them, and yet not possessed of a ecruin knack, the figures floored him. More men in Parliament come to "-rief over figures than any other two subjects combined. You can never get aAvay from them onco you take them up, and woe to you then if you have not a thorough grasp of them. He will be able to visit " Sweet Edinbro' 1100." What a mixture he was of dry figures and romance. I will never forget his scheme for a town situated far from the madding crowd where Parliament should meet, so wilo bo. free and pure, and Avhen session was over the place would be locked up for another year. What a Scotchman lie Avas. Not very far aAvay sat a quiet, respectable, and respected member of the Society of Quakers, and whose one bill had such a triumphant career in the Lower House, only to be rejected in tho Council—l mean the Oaths Abolition Bill. I havo missed friend Green—" Conscience" Green, or, rather, betAveen he and Bathgate I have sandwiched another. A Veil there is joy over Mr Speaker's head at his disappearance. His speeches Avere the longest, loudest, and prosiest in that chamber of prosiness, and

*ho only hope expressed by the scribes is *hat we may never see his face again, nor *or that matter his like. The House and the country are both AA-ell rid of a consummate bore", and AAdio would have been amusing were it not that his speeches Avere of such length. Wynn-Williams, for having a colonial policy instead of a local one, paid the price, and his place is taken by another, but he Avill be heard cf again Avhen that little petty feeling has died out, as die out it will. There are some three other members avlio arc outside in the cold, but Avriting without notes I can neither recall their places nor their names, and as the sitting is a short one I from my perch have not time to hunt up Avho they are, and cannot get my queries answered in the Gallery.