LONDON. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2456, 7 April 1880, Page 2

LONDON. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Sinco the last mail thoro has certainly been no laok of events, but whether the minutiro of English politics will bo eithor interesting or improving to your readers is a very doubtful question. Such as they nro, however, I must record them, and only hope that the old proverb may be exemplified, and distance may lend enchantment to the view. Up to the day appointed for the ro-aasembling of Parliament, political mcotings of all sorts and sizes continued to bo hold throughout the length and breadth of the land j the liberals over attacking tho policy, both foreign and domestic, of the present Government, and Conservatives always pleading tho oause of their Tory loaders in diverse strains from the haughty patriotio down to pleading almost amounting to appeals ad misericordiam In faot, if one reads the daily papers and listens to what one's neighbors Bay, the change of real conviction becomes almost nil, so varied and so totally oontradiotory are the opinions which each subdivision of a party holds. Among the many honorable members who have thought it right to instruct thoir less favored follow citizens, Mr John Bright will probably interest your readers most. On Thursday, January 22nd, Mr Bright attended the soiree of the Junior Liberal Olub at Bir-

mingham. Tho earlier part of his Bpoooh was almost conversational in its character, and thereforo left his hearers totally unproparod for tho almost paasionato donuiiciations which ho uttorod against the warliko policy nf tho Government. Of course, from Mr Bright, ono is propnrod for a swooping condemnation of all hostilo actions, but nlill itisprobahlo thatnoverbeforo was so torriblo, so improssivo, or bo truely logical a denunciation of a national policy uttorod. Tho parallel botween war and murder is ono ho hackneyed that nono but a m.\stor would have vonturod using it, yet in Mr JJnght'a hands it soemod to boooiuo qnito fresh, to attain now suggestivonoss and to carry conviction with it. Now, whon tho disastors of tho two campaigns—in Afghanistan and Zululand — have bocomo so patent to all eyea, it is easy enough to find fault with those men whom wo prosu mo to have boon thoir authors, but this doos not apply to Mr Bright, for, from tho vorv first ho has, in season and out of season, continually striven to prove to tho nation, not only how unjust these wars wore, but how disastrous must of necessity bo thoir issuo to tho nation at largo. On tho following Saturday Mr Bright again addrossod the pooplo of Birmingham, but this time ho confined himself to questions involving very sorious issues nearer home, viz., tko Irish Land Question. To [give any iuJa of this masterly speech would be quite impossible within tho limits of thislottor ; suffice it to say that in it may bo found tho elements of a policy with regard to Ireland, which, if it wore oarriod out, would render that unhappy island a fair claimant for the title of tho Modern Utopia. Bofore leaving tho subject of tho orations of distinguished Liberals we must mention tho truely entertaining and very sarcastic, if not very deep speooh of Sir W. Vernon liarcourt. Tho vein of quiet satire, whioh lan through the whole of it, roaohod its climax whon ho came to deal with the late utterances of tho Chancellor of the Exchequer. Tho speeches of Sir W. Harcourt in tho Houso of Commons are almost always provocative of merrimont, bub when ho speak? away from tho awo inspiring presence of Mr " Speaker," ho sooms to venturo furthor afield, to venture upon still loftier flights into the realms of fancy. Tho result of this seems 10 bo that whoroevor he speaks ho is sure of applauso at tho timo, but it is open to doubt, whether his utterances have so lasting an impression on his hoarers as tho more solomn ones of othor mombors of his party. During tho recess thoro have beon two elections for very largo constituencies, viz. , Sholliold and Liverpool, besides some for Hinallor and loss important onon. Tho vacancy in the representation of Sheffield was caused by tho death of Mr Roebuck, whose political oareor was certainly as rotnarkablo a«» any in tho history of modern politics. Commencing his careor as an advanced Liboral, if not, as some of his adversaries would say, a decided lladioal. During tho last few years ho has surprised many of his old partisans by voting with tho Government on points whioh wore recognised as party ones. But still, whatever may have been his actions in this respect, ho was looked up to by men of all parties as a truly upright and consoiontious man, who would never allow " party" to overcome " right. " At Liverpool people of all classes and of all parties havo suffored a groat loss by tho death of Mr Farr — mombor for that place. Tho deceased gentleman had always distinguished himself by the very great interest whioh ho took in all tho varied projoots which wore started for tho improvement of tho moral and educational stato of tho vast population. The groatest, howovor, of tho schemes, and the ono whioh employed the greatest portion of Mr Farr's time and energy was that for erecting Liverpool into a new Episcopal See. For this purpose the sum of L 70,000 was necessary, and this great amount, in spito of tho hard timos, was almost contributed. No ono can possibly oontomplato tho terrible stato of some of our large towns without boing oonvincod that the churoh has a vast amount of work to do there, and tho rapid rise of great manufacturing and trading centres, where formerly tho population was very sparse, was, to a great extent, out-grown, and confused tho ancient division into diocoses. Most naturally tho contest in such a plaoe as Liverpool was a hot one. The Conservative party put forward Mr Whitloy, a gentlempp intimately connected with Livorpool, and well known for the groat intorost whioh ho took in many of tho lato member's plans, while tho Liberal party was well represented by Lord Ramsay. Both candidates managed to seouro tho support of important sootions. Mr Whitloy secured tho Biipport of tho licensed victuallers, while Lord Ramsay, after some little coquetting accepted tho support of tho Irish contingent. For many days before tho election opinions wore tolorably equal as to the probablo result, but still the country waa rathor surprised at the suooess of Mr Whitloy so easily. Both parties oonsidoring tho contest as a most important ono, thoroforo used all their energies in favor of their roapootivo oandidato. On tho part of tho Conservatives tho President of tho Board of Trade, Lord Saudon, came down ; and in favor of Lord Ramsay Sir W. Haroourb addressed the members of tho Roform Club. As tho prosont Parliament is now so very near its end it seemed a matter of loss importance who was elected, but this consideration did not at all seem to innu* enco tho behavior of the people of Liverpool, for the contest was fought out with as mu oh vigor as if tho Parliament were in its Jirst instead of its last session. Most probably the death of Mr Locke, member for Southwark, will produce a similar contest. The other member, Colonel Marcus Borosford, is a Conservative, and therefore great exertions will be made to return another member of the same party. This will hardly be likely to happen, however, as the strength of the Liberal party has boon greatly consolidated lately in the borough of Southwark. Parliament was opened on tho sth of February by her Majesty the Ouoen in person. Tho speech from tho Throne \va« road by tho Lord Chancellor. After touching upon tho peaceful stato of Europe, it goes on to notice the state of affairs in > Afghanistan and in South Africa. Then comes tho propoaed Governmont Bills, the Criminal Code Bill, tho Reform in the Bankruptcy and Lunacy Laws, and then tho stato of fearful distress which exist* in Ireland. To romedy this it is proposed to bring in certain measures for forwarding publio works, and so giving employment to some of tho unfortunate pooplo. Tho addross in reply to tho speeoh from tho Throne was passed in the Lord's without opposition, but in tho Houso of Commons an amendment was moved, stating that tho Governmont measures for the relief of distress in Ireland were inadequate. Of course such an amendment could only end in ono way, but it led to a serious ana prolonged debate. Allcriticismsof thosamo measures, both of private mombors and of tho Government must be postponed until somothing more clear is known regarding them, Before closing, however, it it only right to mention tho death of one of our most distinguished pleaders — Sergeant Parry — who died almost suddenly of congestion of tho lungs. By his death the Bar loses one of its brightest ornaments, and tho publio one of its most eloquent ploaders. All particulars regarding tho Tay bridge onquiry are gradually being brought together, but until tho roport of tho Commit*

■ion appear* it is Tery nearly impossiblo to form any true opinion. Thero has beon another teiriblo colliery accident in which sixty-one Hves were lost, and a nulwny colliaion— (the result as it appears of culpable carelessness) has caused eight moro deaths. Indeed, at the present time every railway traveller seems to carry his life in his hand quite as much as if he were in the veryhottestengagements. Tho course of event* during the next few months promise to be very stormy ; on nearly all sides there seems to be an unruly spirit at work, »nd it will require tho utmost patience and forethought to bring either party to a triumphant issue. Feb. 12, 1880.