POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 17 July 1880, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

.1 -'! ■ —- . > (BY TBLKGBArH.) . (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT). Wellington; July 17. The . Government .were disappointed ar r their, expectation .of. getting the. Maori Prisoners Bill "through "without difficulty. The'whole of yesterday was occupied ir discussing" it. There was not much enthusiasm about it amongst the Government supporters, who would spurn such a measure if it emanated from the other side. Sir G. Grey and Messrs. de Lautour and Wood made telling speeches against the Bill and the Native Minister, Sir W. Fox, and Mr. Sheehan, who -seems;'.tonhave been patted on ?the b,ack by' the Ministry for the sake of his valuable co-operation, ioiade the best of a bad case. Sir George Grey's speech was too good—at least, so some Ministers thought;? Commencing "quietly, he grew in powerful, argument till he approached' a point to which he, as an authority on native matters, as a veteran politician, and as one charged by the Govern ment ; side with being the cause of all the trouble,.said,he, wishecl to direct the Premier's special attention. That gentleman had been reading his Hansard proofs from the. moment Sir George Grey rose, and continued to do" so. When Sir George made his appeal, Major Atkinson was heard to''say to the Premier, " Don't look up." The Premier nervously lifted his glasses to his eyes, laid down his pen, poured over his proofs several times the advice of his brqtjigr Ministers poured into his ears, and read on. Sir George Grey said-he would not proceed till the Premier paid ; attention. He had cultivated a habit of treating certain members contemptuously, and he (S}r Gjr. Grey), had resolved,, on the first opportunity, to endeavor to expose such an insult to the House. Sir George Grey was silent. The Speaker ruled that he could not compel the Premier to listen, and begged Sir George Grey to proceed. Sir George Grey said he would not do so till the Premier attended as was his duty. Here was an opportunity' for thp display of agility on the part of mgmberjf,;whp vied with each other in popping up, like Jacks-inrthe-box, all over the House. Mr. M'Lean, with a good-natured §m}le, with his hands in his pockets, an 4 with a atrang Geltic aceent, proceeded tp play the role of pacificator. Trio had not proceeded far when the Speaker ruled that he could not speak while''the .member-for the Thames was on his feet. Mr. M'Leansmiled ; appealingly at Sir» G.'! Grey, evincing: a; solicitude on account of the tiresomenegs .of p).ir George's poaiticm,- ?tn4 as eloquently as possible, without uttering, a word, desiring him to take a restj ■, §ir George Grey was, however, unmoved, even by such .overwhelming .sympathy, and, both remained standing j Mr. McLean's features relaxing into a delicious, spasmodic smile as groans and hisses signified the desire of the House that he should resume his seat. Mr. Andrews then rose amidst cries of order from the Government side and the Speaker. There were then three members on their legs, and Mr. Andrews, determining to tse marcheq towards the Speaker, who by the exercise of more than ordinary severity succeeded ia getting him to retire. Mr. M'Lean then follo'wed suit. I should have mentioned that the Speaker erroneously remarked when admonishing Mr. M'Lean, that the hon. member for Waitaki was out of order. This was too much for Mr. Shrimski, whq in a tone of injured innocence, well assumed, begged that thp Speaker would see thsit the correction was' made, as he did not wish to be disgraced by being connected with such a proceeding. Considerable applause greeted the little man as he sat down, evidently as gratified as the audience with what had been dope,' Here Sir G. Grey was begged by his friends to sit down and rest, while" members were ransacking a volume of Standing Orders, : and speaking to points of order; but Sir George said he would run no risk. Major Harris made the best joke of jokes. He said, " Sir, I wish to ask' an important question without notice. Will all this silence appeal 1 in Hansard ?" The House was convulsed with laughter, and hon. members were heard to remark the silence would be far more eloquent and cheaper than the majority of the verbose rubbish spoken in the House. Major Atkinson, with his usual air, of jauptingsg, oxplained that the Preniier bpeij attend? ing to Sir George Grey 3 that he had been, making notes of all that he said. No one believed this who is not subjected to the mesmeric influence emanating from, the Government benches. When the Premier had finished fumbling, reading, or correcting proofs, a wag asked leave to move that it be taken as read. The Premier folded up an old newspaper. into a smal| compass and glared at 'it,' almost without turning it over, fully half-an-hour. It wa evident that he was showing disrespect 8 for Sir George ' Grey, and defying the: House. At last he removed his hat,i which was the first small indication' that he giving way. Sir George Grey stood forty T five minutes without 3peaking, and signified his intention to : "Stand till to-morrow morning, rather than give way where such a principle is involved." ' The Speaker happily hit upon the idea of adjourning the House, and members flocked to the lobbies and Bellamy's to discuss the situation and imbibe good nature, When the House re* sumed, Sir George Grey said j Perhaps the Premier will now listen.'' The Pre? nier said he had been doing so all along. 3ir George Grey remarked that it was iot necessary to answer that statement. If ;he Premier had been doing sq, he.would, lis courtesy dictated, have pointed out at ;he oytset that he (Sir G. Grey) was mis;aken.The Premier'tHed gave attention, ind the debate proceeded.' ."