WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 199, 26 August 1867, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[from ol'k own correspondent.] August 23. Since writing my last, what may be considered as the great event of the session has come off. Last night Mr Filzherberfc laid before the House the fiunucial statement for the year in a most masterly speech, during the delivery of which ho was frequently interrupted by bursts of applause. However much the details may be picked to pieces and found fault with, all must acknowledge that none but a practised orator could have coutrived to deal with that dullest of all du-11 themes — Finance.— iv such a manner as to invest it with an interest that absorbed the attention of the whole House for five hours. With regard to the political bearings of the Budget, I shall make no remarks: that is more within the-pro-vince of leading articles, and as you will no doubt receive by this mail a copy of the. speech, which has been printed by -Gp'verumeßt for circulation, you will be

I able to laud or abuse it as seemeth fit to you. Mr Yogel will no doubt assure the * House that never before has it been his lot to listen to so meagre, unsatisfactory a statement, etc., and in this assertion will, I suppose, be backed up by his satellite. By the way, I don't think I have ever mentioned tlie latter, so I may as well tell you now that the leader of the Opposition has, as i 3 the manner' of all great planets, an attendant sat^Mifce, whose name is Campbell. This young geiulemau is a star that would be almost imperceptible in the brilliant atmosphere by which he is surrouuded, did he not shine with the reflected glory of the great Yogel. His dutieß, besides being in constant attendance, do not appear to be very heavy, but he certainly performs them most conscientiously. They appear to be as follows : — To watch with a wrapt attention that betokens unbounded admiration, the inspired countenance of his great chief, :is he makes his fierce atlack ou the occupants of the Treasury benches ; to cry out as soon as he gets his cue, " Hear, hear," in an approving tone of voice ; to become perfectly hysterical when the planet gives vent to what these two appear to have decided beforehand should be considered as a capital joke ; and last, but certainly not least, to interpret any corrections that hon. members may wish to make to what falls from his honored master. To fully appreciate the ludicrous scenes that sometimes take place on these occasions, you must understand that Mr Yogel is rather hard of hearing, so that, in addition to his other multifarious duties, Mr Campbell has to act as a conductor of sound. Now, unfortunately, this conductor has an impediment in his speech, so that under these circumstances, you may easily imagine that by the time an explanation or correction tendered by the Premier or any other member has been retailed by Mr Campbell, and reached its final destination in Mr Vogel's brain, it has about as much claim to originality as Paddy's celebrated fowlingpiece, which was " the selfsame gun his grandfather had shot with, barriu' the thrifliu' alterations of a new lock, stock, and barrel." Mr Yogel immediately proceeds to argue upon what he fancies has been said, aud as a natural consequence, completely mystifies enemies and friends, including the satellite, and even the great planet himself must be excused if on such an occasion he becomes a little hazy. Two of your Nelsou members obtained a lif.tle notoriety for themselves the other uight by dividing the House on a clause in the Municipal Corporationsßill relating to the plurality of votes. As I think it is a pity that their constituents should not be made aware of the immense weight these gentlemen carry with them, I will give you the division list, which I find is not published in Hansard — Ayes, some 45 or 50 members j Noes, Mr Parker, Mr Baigeut. It is at last decided that the Maoris are to be represented in the House by members of their own race — three for the Northern and one for the Middle and Southern Islands. A bill to that effect was introduced by Mr M'Lean, and has been carried through committee. The effect of it I caunot but thiuk is likely to prove injurious, as they no doubt will suffer themselves to be led by some one particular member, and it is a dangerous power to give to any man to know that he has always four votes at his command, no matter what the question may be at issue. Faucy a Government } being defeated on such a measure, for instance, as the Municipal Corporationsßill, by the votes of four Maoris, who neither understand nor care what they are doing.