POLITICAL NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4082, 21 August 1884, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.]

(From our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Wednesday

The fiat lias gone fortli. Tho Ministry is doomed, and it is now only a question of figures, unless tho unforeseen—and it Avill be something very unforeseen—should occur in tho course of the debate to save them. The Avhole thing lies in a nutshell. Messrs Montgomery, MacandreAV, and Richardson Avere the dead men in the boat, and no eight-oared crow that ever lived could win in a race with three dead men in a boat. I admit personally that I favored, and still think it was right, that Mr Montgomery should havo received office, but it is useless to conceal the fact that Sir Julius Vogel, in taking him into office, committed a political mistake Avhich Avill shipwreck the team. If he had boldly said he would not have tho men I havo named, ho ivould either have succeeded in forming a strong team, or he could have told the Governor that ho found the task impracticable, and I pity the man that followed him, just as I pity the man Avho will shortly succeed Sir Julius Vogel. It simply comes to this, that tho absence of parties will prevent tlie formation of any very strong combination Avithout a coalition, and the only coalition in my opinion likely to last ivould be one between Sir Julius Vogel and Major Atkinson. At present I cannot see that any other Ministry Avill last, a-.id it is just possible that avc may see three Ministries during the session, and the outcome of the position may not improbably be, as it seems, a fresh dissolution. Of course that is looking a long ivay ahead, but still to my mind it is not absurdly improbable, quite the contrary. Of course, Sir Julius Vogel, by joining Mr Stout and forming this combination, has put himself out of Court as regards joining Major Atkinson. After this debate comes to an end there will have to be two or three more shuffles of the cards before that can come off.

Wellington, This day

A new Licensing Bill ivill be introduced shortly by Mr Levcstam, tho object of Avhich is to prosecute all those who in any way adulterate spirituous liquors. There Avas a nice little attempt for a lone hand on Tuesday, but Avhich resulted in the euchring of the individual himself. Mr Vincent Pyke called a meeting of Otago members, but carefully confined himself to the new members. The object was to have a neAV deal for a Ministry, in which Mr Vincent Pyke should be Minister of Lands, Avhich is the post ivhioh his ambition assigns to him. It Avould be AA-ith regret that he ■would be hoard of as a Minister. We could not spare our humorist for the doubtful and serious position of a minister. Shortly after the Houso met yesterday notico of anmendmentto the Address in Reply avus promptly given amid loud cheers, and as it Avas evident tbcre was going to bo a serious debate in the evening members thought it ivould be just as well to have a little preliminary farce, so that time could be killed. The Ministry postponed the appointment of certain committees, because they- had got a tip if they did so they would be opposed, hence their postponement. Hansard was the medium of tho fun. Captain P.ussell seconded tlie motion of Mr Hursthouse, that no Hansard should be published, and paid a graceful tribute to the press. Apparently circumstances alter cases, but, though ho was one of tbe tellers, the motion AA-as rejected by 72 votes to 12. Mr Smith latter on was a teller in a division, that the free list of Hansard should be entirely suspended, tho press alone excepted, but avus defeated in a tolerably close

division. In tho evening standing room ivas not obtainable, and had there been an admission fee certainly money ivould, in common honest}-, have had to bo refused. Industrious needles Avero being freely plied among the ladies, and bales of wool were being wound up in a Avay very puzzling to masculine minds, Avhile everything in the fancy line was represented in thoir gallery. The "great unwashed" rolled up as thoy always do, and the pit of the theatre where the Dunning Opera Company is performing must have suffered considerably. The mover of the Address in Reply was received Avith the usual cheers, and Avas faultlessly dressed in evening dress, but he can scarcely be said to have scored a success, though ho claimed the indulgence of the House and promised to be brief. He forgot his promise, and in slow, measured, Scotch tones he gave us an address Avhich cannot by any- stretch be termed a success. His style ivas purely of the debating class order, and once or twice in humorous efforts he had a navroiv escape from a breakdown. Of course he ivas cheered at its conclusion. The seconder ivas cA-on Avorse, and bummed and hawed in a manner equal to Mr Shepherd, Avithout that gentleman's self-satisfaction. His review of tho late Parliament Avas not Avhat ivas expected.

Mr Thomson, on rising to move the amendment, met Avith an ovation, and though he spoke very briefly, ho was very terse and brilliant, if we could so term such a man brilliant. He made, however, many good points ivhich Avere warmly cheered. His first hit was in describing tho Premier and Treasurer as ill-assorted, and said, if there was any truth in the old adage that extremes meet, they had in the Government an instance of it. Tho Treasurer ivas a thorough Conservative, if not an old Tory, Avhile tbe Premier ivas a Radical of the Radicals. The latter bclieA-ed in nationalisation of the land, and advocated it by every means in his power, and then quoted Sir .Julius Vogel on tho subject, who said it Avas nothing more or less than unmitigated humbug, and the speaker enquired, with nice sarcasm, if that be considered an abstract question. This sally caused roars of laughter. On the question of taxation the A'ieAvs were equally diverse. The hit of the speech ivas where he described the Speech as nothing more or less, from beginning to end, but promises to OA-ery corner of Ncav Zealand, just as 1 telegraphed my opinion of tho speech on Wednesday. He said those avlio Avero in favor of a borroAving policy had a promise to have their desires fulfilled, and, strange to say, there were promises to those who believed that borrowing should be of a very limited extent, that their desires should also be fulfilled. Tho speaker ivas Avarraly cheered Avhen he sat down. To the surprise of tho House he Avas succeeded by Mr Hatch, Avho AA-ill develop into one of the greatest bores of the House, and Avill soon make the occupants of the Gallery Avish that ho might find himself elsewhere, advocating patent sheep dip. Mr Stout followed iv a vigorous speech, iv Avliich he dealt some heavy blows against Mr Hatch, avlio had said that the educational system ivas to bo got rid of, and said that members would havo to follow a man, the leader of the Opposition, Major Atkinson, avlio bad declared himself a. denotninationalist, and denounced both Mr Hatch and Mr Thomson as convenient tools in the hands of others. Of course the speech Avas Avas the speech ot an advocate, not of a jurist, and like all speeches that will ever 'he deliA-ered by him, it lacked originality: The man has no originality ; he simply takes something from, this party', f™ l something from that, and the ivholc is so incongruous that it passes as original. Ho asserted that the result of such a motion ivould be if the Government were defeated that it would bo an intrigne for office only, and tho result could only be that no stable Government

could be formed, and there ivould be no solution but an appeal to the country, and there he made a wild attack on the late Ministry, which could only have the result of protracting the debate, because it was thoroughly understood that neither Sir Georire Grey nor Major Atkinson Avould speak on tlie question. He provoked a storm of applause Avhen he challenged that the division should take place at once without debate, as they had nothing to gam by delay, as they would make no promises nor give written promises. Mr Grigg twitted Mr Stout Avith such a challenge, as, after his ppecial pleading-, it was absurd to take a vote then and there when they were influenced by such a speech. At the first Mr Grigg was heard with difficulty, as he spoke amid loud cries of divide. Tho new men had a Avonderful innings for a first day, and it is quite evident that the session Avill be a lively one, as the new men are determined to make the running at a great rate, and as the number of good speakers _in the last House was very limited it is quite evident that tho new House is full of men who, if not capable speakers, esteem themselves such, and modesty is certainly not their strong point. Another fastest on record has been scored. A Ministry has lived shorter by days than any other has ever done in any of the colonies, and that Ministry has been ignomiiiiously crushed by a terrible majority. The greatest defeat known by New Zealand was that Avhich took place at midnight. Tbe result was never in doubt, though the majority was much heavier than the most I sanguine opponent had ever thought. I I have carefully kept your readers postedinthe fact that the moment the Opposition chose to say it the team Avere doomed, and that the result has folloAved as the effect of an attempt at a fire-ivorks policy. I need cay notbing 0 f that policy, as I dealt fully with it yesterday, and I am only going to do this little bit of blow, that tho speech of MiThomson dealt with almost every point that I wired for your yesterday's issue. The scene last evening Avill be fixed on many minds indelibly. " Mr Stout's oration was a splendid one, and in reply two new men greatly distinguished themselves, i.e., Mr Grigg and. Mr "Gillies. That Mr Thomson ivill be sent for is a certainty, aud he_ will probably recommend that Major Atkinson be sent for, though others say that Sir George Grey Avill be first sent for and fail, and then Mr Ormond will haA-e a try and also fail. That is not my opinion at all. If Major Atkinson attempts to bring back the old team trouble vrould immediately ensue, but he is too good a general to make a mistake of that sort. The younger and newer men must have a show, and the moderate men of both sides alone can command the confidence of the country. Should a team be formed on the lines Avhich I here place on paper, I think it Avould stand, namely, Moss, Harper, Oliver (in tbe Upper Mouse), Rolleston, and Gillies, and Thomson. Such a team, I fancy, ivould stand, but should v one-sided team bo formed there ivill have to be several more shuffles of the cards. I believe I stand alone in the opinion that Major Atkinson will bo sent for, but with Scotch obstinacy I adhere to my opinion, though some well-informed people say that Mr Ormond will be the man.

The conduct of the leading journals of the colony has boon extremely strange. Only yesterday morning the Lyttelton Times had a splendid article on the consolidation of the party through the brilliancy of tlie speech from the throne, yet before the issue of the next paper that team had met with a humiliating defeat, one unparalleled in our history. Comment is supei'fluous. The Maori members were as usual ivatching ivhich Avay the cat jumped, and then in their cleverness they decided not to vote, but forgot to leave tho House, and in consequence had to vote, and this they did by one voting one way and one tho other, tho last vote recorded being Wi Pere's for the GoA-ernment.

The Opposition claim that four votes deserted them at the last moment. All our four local members A-oted the one Avay, Avhich Avas at least astonishing. Days ago I pointed out that the majority in the North Island against the Ministry conld never be balanced by tho South, and said that four votes only would go to support them in the North, and that ivas the actual record, Avhile Otago was equally divided for and against. The only vote not accounted for was Taiaroa's.

The Ministry have resigned, and *Mr Ormond has been sent for, is the very latest news, Avliich I will try and verify before you go to press. Some people telegraph anything. I saw the other day that your contemporary was included in tho Post's section of newspapers on the position. I did not wire you that. Tho Daily Telegraph was also in the list. I was not sure that the information was ivorth telegraphing, but I may just as avcll say that, while your contemporary got three lines, a decent space of some twelve lines ivas allotted to you. Please advertise this or issue a "special" in reference to it. Don't hide your bushel under the candlestick.

Mr Thomson was sent for by the Governor to-day and he recommended that Mr Ormond should be sent for, which was done. Later. Mr Ormond being sent for is premature, Mr Thomson has undertaken to form a Ministry. Tlie House has adjourned till Tuesday, which means a Grey Ministry, ivich ivill last perhaps a avcclc.