PARLIAMENTARY EXTRACTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 83, 7 August 1852, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY EXTRACTS.

SIR HARRY SMITH —THE CAFFRE WAR. The Duke op Wellington availed himself of the reading of her Majesty's gracious reply to the address by the Marquis of Westminster, to move that it'be entered upon the journals, in order to say a few words in vindication of Sir Harry Smith, and point out the only error he thought had been committed in the Caffre war. The Duke said— " Sir Harry Smith, having filled a high command in several important military operations carried on under my direction, and having been recalled by her Majesty's Government, it is but just to say that I, who am his commanding officer, though at a great distance, entirely approve of all his operations, of all the orders he has given to the troops, and of all the arrangements he has made for their success. I approve entirely of the conduct of the troops in all their operations. lam fully sensible of the difficulties under which they laboured, and of the gallantry with which they overcame all those difficulties, and of the great success which attended their exertions. (Cheers.) My firm belief is, that everything has been done by the commanding general, by the forces, and by his officers, in order to carry into execution the instructions of her Majesty's Government. I am proud to say that I have observed no serious error in the conduct of those late operations. Certainly my gallant friend, Sir Harry Smith, has committed some errors, as others have done before him. These operations by the Caffres are carried on by the occupation of extensive regions, which, in some places, are called jungle, in others bush; but which, in reality, are thickset wood—the thickest that can be found anywhere. These Caffres having established themselves in these fastnesses with the plunder on which they exist, their assailants suffer great losses. The Caffres move away more or less with great activity and celerity, sometimes saving, sometimes losing their plunder; but they always evacuate their fastnesses. Our troops do not, cannot, occupy those fastnesses. They , would be useless to them, and, in point of fact, the troops could not live in them. Well, the enemy moves off, and is attacked again, and the same operation is renewed time after time. On every occasion' this is accompanied with great loss to the assailants. There is, however, a remedy for this state of evil. When a fastness is stormed, it should be totally destroyed after its capture. I have had some experience in this kind of warfare, and I know that the only mode of subduing an enemy of this description is by opening roads into his fastnesses for the movement of regular troops with the utmost rapidity. I have recommended to the noble earl opposite that that course should be adopted ; and I believe that he has ordered it to be adopted. The only fault that I find with Sir Harry Smith is, that he has not adopted it. That course will occasion great labour, the employment of much time, and great expenditure. If the chiefs of the Caffres, some of them at the head of ten or twenty thousand men, establish themselves in fastnesses which are not accessible to the smallest body of her Majesty's troops, then I say this measure must be adopted, cost what time, labour, and expense it may; for that expense will give you peace, and enable you to enjoy the comforts of civilised life. That expense will not be one-tenth part of the expense of one campaign; and, if this work is not done effectually, there will be no peace—no cessation of the hostilities of armed bodies in that part of the world." THE KITCHEN OX1 THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Considerable merriment was afforded by Mr. French complaining of the bad management of the kitchen, by which members were driven to their clubs, and the house often counted out when it would otherwise not be. They paid 6s. a bottle for wine, "no great bargain at 35.," and when there was a change of guests there was not of tablecloths. The risibility of the house was still further excited when Mr. 0. Anstey gravely complained that there was no Roman Catholic on the Refreshment Committee, and urged as a grievance that Roman Catholics came to the house on Fridays and fast days, and found their dinners provided by Protestants. He proposed that the name -of Mr. Serjeant Murphy should be added as that of "a good Catholic, a good Liberal, and the best of table companions." The climax of the fun, however, was produced by Lord Marcus Hill, who,

having precipitately left the house during the address of Mr. French, now returned withequal empressement, carrying in each hand a bill of fare of enormous dimensions, glazed and framed in the manner usual in clubs and coffeehouses. The noble lord placed the culinary programme with affectionate solicitude on the Speaker's table, and proceeded, amid loud laughter, to vindicate the committee from the imputation of exorbitant charges :— "He had often heard it objected that the prices charged for refreshment in the kitchen were too high, but he did not think that there was the slightest foundation for the assertion. Two years ago he had caused the bills of fare now on the table to be drawn up. He invited attention to them, and challenged any member to prove that the charges were exorbitant. (Loud laughter.) He put it to the hon. gentleman in candour and sincerity whether there was anything so ruinously exorbitant in these :—A portion of soup, a mutton chop, a fish, boiled or fried, a fried sole, or a whiting, at Is.; salmon and lobster sauce, 25.. Turbots or cod's head and shoulders on terms equally moderate. (Roars of Laughter.) With regard to cutlets, if three were taken, they could be had at the low charge of 6d. each—(loud laughter) ; —and as for wine, there was no such cause of complaint on that head|as]the hon. member for Eoscommon seemed to think ; for though the hon. member might pay 6s. a bottle for sherry, he ought to know that there was sherry in the kitchen which he could have at 4s. a bottle. (Laughter). "Mr. French—Much obliged, but I had rater not. (Laughter). Lord M. Hill—There is no establishment in London where tea and coffee can be had so cheap. (Laughter.) THE NEW HOUSE.—FEAEGUS O'CONNOR. On the bringing up of the address, Mr. Hume attacked the new house, and complained that it was more like an assize court than a place for the Commons of England to meet:— "He did not know what the Sanitary Board were about, that they gave no consideration to the health of members of Parliament. He knew no place worse ventilated than that house, or where there was more danger in going out, owing to the-heated state of the atmosphere. Every one around him felt quite oppressed by it, and many were obliged to go away. This, it seemed, was what the House of Commons was to have for £1,500,000—a room too small to hold them, and too hot for them to remain in. Then, as if to add to the heat, he saw there were lights all round. When he looked up he saw some signs upon the windows which appeared to him like the Red Lion at Brentford— (roars of laughter)—and some seemed to be monstrosities such as had never been known. (Renewed laughter.) He did not know whether this was the taste of the Woods and Forests, or what department; but he objectod to these monstrous figures, these daubs, disgraceful to the age—(a laugh)—that they kept out the daylight in the day, and that at night there were lamps or fires lighted outside them to throw a light through, just as if there was a danger of the house being too cool. Then, besides that, there were the lamps inside the house, said to be in the style of the middle ages. Why should we go back to the middle ages? (A laugh.) Surely there must have been some improvement in lamps since then. The Government ought to take the management of the whole matter into their hands." Mr. Osborne added that £200,000 had been spent upon the ventilation, and Dr. Reid had told him the other day there was no prospect of his ever agreeing with Mr. Barry. One of those heavy candelabra which were suspended from the ceiling of the house a short time previous to tbe chair being taken by Mr. Speaker fell clown upon the floor. It would be rather awkward if any of them were to fall during the sitting of tbe house, and he thought some guarantee should be given that those things were properly fitted. The address was voted, but not till after a scene with Mr. Feargus O'Connor. Mr. Osborne was much interrupted by loud cries of " Order," which proceeded chiefly from the Opposition benches, and were occasioned by the "eccentric movements," of Mr. Feargus O'Connor -.— "He had been seated a short time on the front seat of the Opposition, but vacated that 'location'in order to confer the favour of his society upon Lord John Russell, who occupied his usual place on the Treasury bench. The

lion, member for Nottingham, heaving crossed the house with an air of great importance sat down beside the noble lord, with whom he en- , tered into conversation, apparently in a strain of familiar jocularity. Mr. Cornewall Lewis then came up, and whether from motives of humanity, or what other cause, indicated a'clesire to sit between Mr. O'Connor and Lord John Russell. This movement, however, was not relished by Mr. O'Connor, who pushed closer to Lord John Russell,and appeared determined to keep his seat, and continue his conversation at all hazards. Mr. Lewis seeing the impossibility of carrying out his friendly intention, took a seat next to Mr. O Connor. Lord John Rnssell then rose, with the evident design of leaving Mr. O'Connor in the undisputed possession of the Treasury bench ; but was no sooner on his legs than he was violently pulled back by the coat-tails, by that hon. gentleman, and pinned to his seat! Mr. O'Connor, however, was compelled to abandon the capture, by the reiterated cries of ' Order,' which assailed him from all parts of the house." Sir John Pakinuton, referring to Mr. Osborne's statement, asked if members were in danger from the falling of the chandeliers, and whether there was any possibility of getting the lamps to burn properly ? Lord Seymour replied that he had consulted Mr. Barry, who assured him that the chandeliers were perfectly safe, and there was no truth that one had fallen—a workman in putting them up had dropped a large piece of iron, which passed through the floor of the house and gave rise to the report. Mr. Hume again complained of the heat of the house, which was overpowering, and appealed to the noble lord whether something could not be done. Lord Seymour rose to reply, but was interrupted by Mr. Cornewall Lewis, who, amidst the laughter of the house, moved its adjournment. Mr. Hume (in amazement)—" Oh my !"