PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.—No. 7.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1753, 5 July 1869, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.—No. 7.

Wellixgtoj.', June 20. IS'39My last letter, forwarded by the Kangatira, which sailed on the 23rd, contained full details of our parliamentary proceedings up to the departure of the mail steamer, -ince then, the firLt political battle has been won. The Opposition, by a majority of eleven votes out of a House of sixty-nine, carried a. vote of want of confidence in the Government. Ihe division was taken at half-past five on Thursday evening, and the House immediately afterwards adjourned on the motion of Mr. Stafford. On its reassembling yesterday, Mr. Stafford informed the House that the ministers had tendered their resignations to the Governor, in consequence of the adverse vote of the House. and that his Kxceller.cy had been pleased to accept the same. Mr. Fox then stood up, and said that within the last half hour he had been ' sent for" by the Governor, and asked to form a ministry, which he had undertaken to do. The House thereupon adjourned till Tuesday; and the work of cabinet-makiDc is now progressing- Before the departure of the mail. I mav be able to ascertain the names of the gentlemen forming the new Government, but at present it is idle to speculate on the subject.

I will revert, however, to the proceedings in Parliament, and continue hit narrative in the order which I have already observed. Mr. Carleton rose at seven o'clock p.in. on the 23rd to move the following amendment to Mr. Fox's motion:—"Proposals ior meeting the existing difficulties ought to have preceded any question of personal confidence." The House was full of expectation, because Mr. Carleton is usually quaint and amusing, if nothing else, and as lie had assumed the position of dry-nurse to the Stafford Government, an unusually entertaining exhibition was anticipated. I am bound to say that Mr. Carletzm did not disappoint the expectations formed of him. He stood forth at the clerk's table, armed with a bundle of papers in his left hand, and a heavy walking-stick in his right, with which he clenched his argument from time to time by a vigorous blow on the floor. The manner of this gentleman was as diverting as his matter. He began by statine that the debate had degenerated into a mere Bay of Islands quarrel;—he meant Hawke'sßay, and corrected himself at once, amidst the uproarious laughter of the House, This was a successful hit of its kind. Mr. Carleton had got the laugh—against him. it is true; but still he managed to put the House in good humour at the start, and with little or no variation kept it in good humour, on the same terms to the close. It is a fact that no speaker during the session was so continuously laughed at.as Mr. Carleton was whilst .addressing the House on this occasion. The burden of his speech was self-laudation. He was the pure politician, and when he died purity would die with him. He had never been a partisan of any Government, not he ; and the House laughed uproariously, and he lost his temper, and got laughed at once more for his pains. The member for the Bay of Islands thereupon became pugnacious as who should laugh at him. When he made an assertion he said he expected to be believed, and any one who affected to disbelieve him relied upon the privileges of the House, whereupon he was laughed at again. He then went on to assume the position of leader of the " greal middle party " in the House; that party which could always turn the scale in favour of any Government; and it was his intention that the policy of Ministers sho«ld be tried upon its merits, in spite of Mr. Fox's contrivance. Mr. Carleton asiailed Mr. Fox for not indicating a policy. He had not a rag of a policy, save that enunciated last session, and to it the Middle party would join him. And so he went on, assuming, with great ostentation the head of the "trimmers"—a rather nuvel position for such a t'urorougli-ffoing politician as Mr. Carleton. ! he " middlo party " Messrs. Kolleston, Stevens, Tancred. and Jo'die, if not Mr. f'iilon Bell. 'I he pol.tical prudery of Messrs. Stevens and i.'olleston is well known, and it bocame pretty evident before long, that whatever understanding there may hare ext'sted last sc«sion between these gentiemcu and Mr. Carleton, th'-y did not recognise hint :is their leader on the present occasion. They threw him overboard, ss he soon saw. Mr. Carleton boasted of ii-iving turned out one Government by his o-v'; ro'e. and of keeping another in : in short, he would have the Mouse believe that he did tins out of a spirit of patriotism, and not from the most •■vlfj.-!. of party motives. He said nothing, of coiir.se. of the unseemly struggle for the Chairmanship of eVmmittees in the early <liy.-\ uor of the political dirty work entailed upon him since then as the price of retaming that positi.iii. Not he: as who should know anything at all of the m'.::!•. \nd when condemning Mr. Fox fo' moving :i vote ..i' •.■-•:■ ■:-. ~t ' confidence in Mr. . tail'ord's Government on ■■ personal grounds," without placing his policy in competition with that of .Ministers, he forgot to tell the House tiie part !.<• took in turning; out th" Stafford Government;:: ISitj. ..'. s proof of political i:ie< n;isiercy, .Mr. Carjeton's amendment is unparalleled', i believe. ::: the history of the colri.v. Mr. Fox, in ISiil. when the Assembly iu>: In Auckland, moved " That this House lias no cviifi.h-iicr in his . ::c( llency's Responsible! Advi-ers." and the debate was taken without any refercic- to future p,,]j,.y. On this motioti Mr. Cftrlctor: made ■■■. h-rg and virulent speech against the '.leveruni'-tit, in which he attacked the )„-rt:,i-:ri of the Al inistrv. His speech was a buter p..-r.- ■•>'.:<: atta-k : and" vet, Mr. Carlelo:, had the at-.Tieity to stand up in the House on Wcliicm!.-.;.- evening ar.d trumpet his political consistency in the face of the colony. Mr. Carleton appeared, however, in rather mi undignified ch'.nie'.er. '■ \ e danced the war dance as a M;i..ri chief. If ever liberty of speech was abused in the Assembly, it was abused by Mr. Carleton on this occasion. He told the Hoi:" that he would rather live under the Ngapuhi flag than under any Government which Mr. Fox could form out of the " Extreme Left" of

the House. The fact was, ho eaid the Ngapuhi tribes had held several meetings lately to conaider whether or not tLcy should seize the Customs revenue, and tako the government of that part of the country into their own handi. He must tell the House, however, that the Ngapuhi did not mean to seize the Customs revenue for the sake of obtaining the plunder, but with the view of carrying out necessary public worki in their district! And he would not be surprised if they carried out their intention, in the event of Mr. Fox's policy being impoied upon the country. The inference to be drawn from his speech was simply this—that, he would not be sorry to find a Ngapuhi revolution in the North successful. The people of Auckland wsll contrast this language with Mr. Carloton's recent letter on the dismissal of Mr. McLean, and the silly talk about " disloyalty to the Government," which formed the staple of that exceedingly ill-timed and indiscreet production. Mr. Carleton likewise told the House that when lie said a thing he expected to be believed. Let me apply this tejt to his speech on this occasion, and contrast it with his performance of duty. Mr. Hugh Carletou is a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Legislature. He speaks as if he had personal knowledge of the meetings of Ngapuhi, and the revolutionary proposals discussed at them. Has he reported the facts to the Government as lie is bound to do as a Justice of the Pence and member of the Legislature; and if he has not done so, but uses his knowledge for political purposes to coerce the Legislature at an important crisis, what estimate of his character ought to be formed? I trust some member of the Legislature will move for the production of the reports from the Kesident Magistrates and other civil functionaries at the Bay of Islands and Hokianga, and from Justices of the I'eace and other loyal inhabitants of the district, which may throw light upon this proceeding. I may say that I do not believe that Mr. Carleton reported these circumstances to the Government, but he has, as intimated by Mr. Williamson on the following day. suggested to the Ngapuhi, in his place in the House, the propriety of their taking arms and seizing the Customs in the Notth, and declaring themselves independent of the Government. Similarly patriotic suggestions were made to the Ngapuhis in the early days, as Mr. Williamson well put it, which induced them under Heke to cut down the flagstaff, snok Korarareka, and kill her Majesty's land and sea forces in open warfare. Heke and his Ngapuhis made war against the Custom House in those days, and it is the Custom House which they are, according to Mr. Carleton, now prepare to levy war against. As to their carrying on public works, it is y lire nonsense, and the lion, member for the liar of Islands well knows this. Who erer heard of natives submitting to local imposts, much less their undertaking public works ? One other point I wi«h to indicate. Could you inform the public the amount of customs "revenue collected in the Bay of Islands for the past year or two, and the expenditure. General and Provincial, in that district? I think it will be found that the Russell Custom House does not pay tlr ciril establishments and native magistrates and policemen in the district. If this be so, what does Mr. Carleton mean, leaving the treasonable aspect out of the question, by the Ngapuhi seizing the customs revenue at the Bay, and spending it in publicworks? It is high time such mischievous disturbers of the native race should be brought to book. Mr. Carleton might possibly be returned by a Maori constituency, but I doubt much if he will long enjoy the confidence of the European inhabitants of the Bay district after a full report of his speech appears.

I will now leave Mr. Carleton, seeing that he has already occupied too much space in this letter. There are several other points in his speech well worth attentian, but I have neither the leisure nor inclination to write anything further regarding him. He was followed by Mr. I.udlam, who seconde-l the amendment in n speech which was very loud, and had the effect of emptying the House. The members fled for relief to Bellamy's. As Mr. Ludlam, although sententious and self-opinionated to a ridiculous degree, possesses neither natural ability nor purity of style. I will spare your readers the trouble of reading even a resume' of his utterances. Suffice it, that they were all in praise of Mr. Stafford, and in disparagement of Mr. Fox and his party. Mr. Farnall, member for the Northern Division, then made his maiden speech, and succeeded in winning for himself the good opinion of all sides of the House. The local newspapers speak in high terms of this young member, and I congratulate the Northern Division in securing the services of a gentleman who can express his views with dignity and clearness ; and who, whilst firmly upholding oxisting institutions, is independent of party ties and obligations As he grows older, he may find it to be to the interest of his constituents to become a party man ; but it is as well that he should start fair.

The debate was closed on Wednesday night by Mr. Borlase, in a pungent speech, in which he dealt mercilessly with the Postmaster-Gene-ral, Mr. Hall, whose pert assumption of superiority is so distasteful to the flouse. On Thursday afternoon, Mr. John "Williamson, Superintendent of Auckland, resumed the debate. He spoke well and forcibly. He reviewed the state of the country before the war of 16G0, and the progress the natives were making in industrial pursuits, and contrasted it with its condition now, desolated by war, and burdened with debt. What they wanted was peace, and the employment of natives in the foundation of roads and other public works in tli.- country, and not a war expenditure. He called upon the Middle Island to stop the war supplies. !et them dismiss the men who make t'.e war, and there would be pence. ir. Williamson railed attention to tho tretiso: 'iiile language of M r. Carleton, and denounced hii • fi-r suggesting to the >"gnpuhis that they mi -'it make a successful seizure of the Customs rev :nie. I,'r. Kelly, of Taranaki, followed. He would sup: ort the amendment, but would not pledge him elf to vot.', on the main resolution, fur tne Government. \t t'>e close of his speech '..here wa- :i lull : the debate had collapsed. The 'p]i...-ilion, wa!' hful, put up their leader t ., reply, and his rising was a perfect ovation. The Ministry rushed into the House; members flocked in from Bellamy's; and severi'l influential members, big with unuttcred thoughts, and eloquent with unspoken speeches, took their seat in blank amazement. Mr. Fitzhcrbert's countenance was r. perfect study. Jfe had been suffering' from severe illness, and had much to tell the House, and would, no dotibl. have made a most effective speech. But. the lime had passed lor this. The debate was closed, and he must remain silent with Mr. Dillon Bell, .'.lr. Macandrew, Mr. McLean, Air. Charles <-)'»ii, and tlierest.

Mr. Fox had ]hardly \vr!l begun his speech, wlie:: notes begun to pass to liim from Opposition members; and it was soon rumoured that lie was to speak till ha.lf.past live, the hour for adjournment, and then resume at, seven, lukinp the division alter dinner. But the more wary members of the Opposition were not disposed to risk the adjournment; there were .still twenty minutes to spare, and the whole of their party mitfht be whipped up before the hour for adjournment, They set to work, and at twenty minutes past live two notes were placed in Mr. Fox's hands. He stopped short, turned to the cloek, and declared that he would not occupy another minute, but go to the division. The last bolt in the quiver was launched; and the Speaker rose to put tup question. The amendment wa* declared and lost on the voices. jVir. Stafford called for a division, but was met with

a perfect storm of disapproval, and cries of " Ministers, Minister*." Although willing to shield himself behind Mr. Carleton's amendment, he had too much pride to do to when publicly challenged, and gave way. Tho main question was then put, and declared carried on the voices A pause ensued. Were ministers prepared to go out quietly, without testing the strength of their opponents? It seemed as if it were so; but a hanger-on of tho Government declared —" the noes have it,"—and the division was taken. The numbers were 40 against the Government, and 29 in their favour. The announcement was received with great applause by the Opposition, aud the House adjourned. Although Mr. Fox, in his reply, was making a most ell'ective speech, it was little listened to ; groups of members were engaged conferring with each other, or passing to and fro, having apparently one object in view—thai of securing the triumph of their party at the approaching division. I was quite certain that the Government lost heart and supporters day by day from the commencement of the debate ; but they assumed the same insolent and defiant tone to the last. Their " whips" did not work lrith the accustomed energy. It is idle to speculate on the results at present, bin I think the country is to be congratulated, for any change must be for the better. The force of reckless mismanagemiint could hardly go any further ; and there is now n prospect o( some change for the better. It will be satisfactory to the electors of Franklin. T doubt not, to fiiid that Colonel Haultain is politically dead; and I suppose they will inter him decently at the approaching general election. A£.