OUR COMMONS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1063, 16 September 1879, Page 2

OUR COMMONS.

Mr. E. C. J. Stevexs, who, for the second time, has been returned for Ohristchurch, has had a large amount of experience in the ways peculiar to Parliament. He was, in the sessions of ISGb and 18G9, one of the principal member; of the party which opposed with such force, and ultimately with success, the Stafford Ministry. Finance was the one particular upon which he claimed to have a large amount of knowledge, and for a time he was given credit for the possession of financial talent of no mean order, and it was confidently expected that he would become Colonial Treasurer in the Fox •Ministry ; but there was a greater financial light in the House, and Sir (then Mr.) Julius Vogel, who had, until the return of Sir William Fox from a journey through the Holy Land, led the Opposition, could not be p.-ssed over. <- v . Stevens was greatly disappointed, but not more so than were those who believed him to be a born Chancellor of the Exchequer, for Mr. Stevens afterwards showed that his ideas of finance were crude and cramped. His ability was not of that kind necessary to enable its possessor to develop into a brilliant Colonial Treasurer. At the general election which preceded the session of 1870 — the session that saw the great Public Works and Immigration Policy introduced—Mr. Stevens was defeated, and for five years his voice was not heard in the House ; but at the general election in 1875 he was returned at the head of the poll for Ohristchurch, and again he occupied a prominent position in the popular Chamber. He is a fluent and really good speaker, but his manner is exceedingly dismal ; there is a Hamlet-like melancholy in his utterances that greatly mars the effect of his speeches. Of all the prominent members of the Opposition Mr. Stevens is the least objectionable ; his views are moderate, and his speeches temperate ; and we are therefore pleased to find him once more elected to the House.

Mr. H. Fixx, who has been elected to represent Wakatipu in the place of Mr. Heiir}' Maiulers, is a man of fair ability, and is respectable—a qualification not possessed by the old member. His views upon the questions of the day are more moderate than those of many others, and lie is likely to orove a useful though not brilliant member of the House. Mis return adds another to the already tolerably long list of lawyers in the House. Mr. . GlP.ns, who has been declared elected for Oollingwood, has sat in Parliament fi>r a short time ; but is as yet unknown for the possession of any very particular qualification. Captain Coi.ntX K, the new member for Marsden. adds another to the long list of political novices elected to seats in (lie new .House. Me is an untried man, at 1 •\v rate so far as we are aware. He cannot, however, fail to be a good substi- N tute for Sir Robert Douglas, whoso only j claim for consideration is the fact that ho is a full-blown baronet, and not a perishable knight. Sir. W. G. "Wkiuut is another new man, but lie has during his candidature shown that he possesses a considerable amount of ability. The Opposition gain in strength by the return of Mr. Wright in the place of Mr. Hart, who, during liis short political life, did not display any startling amount of ability. Mr. .loiix Studiioi.mk, who has again been returned for Gladstone, is unknown m the political world, save for the possession of wealth and a land grievance, though he lias sat in Parliament for some time. He is one of the worst speakers in the House ; but, though he cannot make a speech, he is like the sailor's parrot, and can do a great amount of thinking. Jn sonic respects he will prove a very useful member of the Opposition, for his worldly possessions give him a certain amount of inlluenco. Mr. S. P. Axi'KK'.vs is a working man. l!ut he will lay aside his trowel for a whilo 1 during the year to uso his eloquence in the interest of the Liberal cause, of which he is a thorough-going supporter. For ho is a good speaker, and by no means a tyro in political life, although his fame as a politician has not yet extended beyond the conlines of the Canterbury Provincial District, of thu Council of which he was a member. He first evinced an interest in politics thirteen or fourteen years ago, when he addressed a large meet bur at the Town Hall, Clu'istchtireh, at. winch Mr. .1. E. Fit/.Gerald presided. Even then he was a fluent speaker, and made a most favorable impression. He is energetic and voluble. If he does not fill the hiatus created by the absence of Mr. Itees from the House we shall be greatly mistaken. We have now commented briefly upon the abilities and reputations of the eightythree gentlemen who have been returned to represent the Colony in the House of Representatives. There is yet one scat to fill, for Sir George Grey having been returned for both the Thames and Christchurch, it will be necessary for him to resign one cf the seats. He has already elected to sit for Ghristehureh, and a new member will therefore be elected for the Thames. Who that member will be it would be difficult to predict, and we cannot say what manner of mail will he chosen to act as Mr. Sheehan's colleague in the representation of the northern gold-mining centre. In addition to the names we have referred to in these sketches, there are four Maori members, of whom wo will say nothing. Of ono thing wo are convinced : 'The new House will bo a highly respectable one, for there is not a single member who is likely to disgrace his position as one of the chosen representatives of the people, and though party feeling may run high, though the battles to be fought may be fierce, the Senate Chamber of New Zealand will be free from those scenes which have brought the Parliaments of Victoria and other Australian colonies into disrepute.