POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 19 July 1880, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

i- (by telegraph.) 1 _ (from our ora correspondent). g . Wellington, July IT. tt The Government were disappointed ii is their expectation of getting the Maor n Prisoners Bill through without difficulty n The whole of yesterday was occupied ii e discussing it. There was not much en thusiasm about it amongst the Govern' ment supporters, who would spurn such i s measure if it emanated from the othei j side. Sir G. Grey and Messrs. d< g Lautour and Wood made telling speechei against the Bill and the Native Minister Sir W. Fox, and Mr. Sheehan, wh< 3 ~ seems to have been patted on the bacl >, by the Ministry for the sake of hii e valuable co-operation, made the best of a s bad case. Sir George Grey's speech wai 1 too good—at least, so some Miuiisteri I thought. Commencing quietly, he grew ' in eloquence and powerful argument til e he approached a point to which he, as ar »■ authority on native matters, as a veterar >, politician, and as one charged by the Go' e vernment side with being the cause of al a the trouble, said he wished 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 s made his appeal, Major Atkinson washeard i to say to the Premier, " Don't look up.' 0 ! The Premier nervously lifted his glasses to his eyes, laid down his pen, poured ovei his proofs several times received the ad!vice of his brother Ministers poured initu " his ears, and read on. Sir Gieorge Ginej l ' said he would not proceed till the Prerauiei 7 paid attention. He had cultivated a 1 habit of treating certain, members cone temptuously, and he, (Sir G. Grey) had x resolved, on the fiqst- 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 ljtstf>n nnd Sis s George pmceed. Sir George Grey 3 said he would not, do so till the Premier 3 i attended as was, his duty. Here was an ' opportunity for the display of agility on the part of members, who vied with each other in popping up, like Jacks-in-the-box, 5 all over the House. Mr. M'Lean, with a " good-naiured smile, with his liandsi in his f pockets, and with a strong Celtic accent, 3 proceeded to play the role of pacificator.- _ He had not proceeded far . when the Speaker ruled that he could not speolt while the member for the Thames wa-s or his feet. Mr. M'Lean smiled appealing * at Sir G. Grey, evincing a solici4ud' d " , 01 !■' account of the tiresomeness vjjf Si; George's position, and, as, eloquently ai possible, without, uttering a T ,,rord, dc i siring him to tak«? a rest. Sir George 1 Grey was, however, unmoved, even bi such overwhelming sympathy, and botl remained standing; 'Mv. M'Lean's fea tures relaxing into a delicious spasmodic ; smile as groans arid hisses signified the : desire of the House, that he should resume his seat. Mr. Andrews then rose amidsl ) cries of order from the Government side and the Speaker. There were then three i naemberson their legs, and Mr. Andrews, i determining to be heard, marched , towards the Speaker, who by the exercise j of more than ordinary seventy succeeded , in getting him to retire. Mr. M'Lean then followed suit. I should have mentioned that the Speaker erroneously remarked when admonishing Mr. M'Lean, that the x hon. member for W aitaki was out of order. I i This was too much for Mr. Shrimski, who -| in a tone of injured innocence, well I assumed, begged v hat the Speaker would see that the corroction was made, as he did not wish to be disgraced by being connected with such a proceeding. Considerably applause greeted the little man as he sat,down, evidently as gratified as the audience with what, had been done. Here Sir G. Grey was b egged by his friends to sit down and res'c, 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 notion. Will all this sileace appear in Hansard ?" The House was convulsed with lauighter, and lion., 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 jauntiness, explained that tha Premiei: had been attending to Sir GeoE*e Grey; that he had been making notes cf all that he said. No one believed this who is not subjected to the mesmeric influsnce , emanating from the Government beaches. When the Premier had finished fumbling, reading, or correcting proofs, a wag asked leave to move that it be takea as read. The Premier folded up an old newspaper into a small compass and gUrdd at it, almost without turning it over, r'ully half-an-hour. JtWM evident that he was showing disrespect, for Sir George Grey, and defying the House. At lait he removed his hat, which was the first small indication that he was gHng way. Sir George Grey stood forty-five minutes without speaking, and signified his intention to " Stand till to-rtorrow morning, rather than give way wiere such a principle is involved." Tha Speaker happily hit upon the idea of j adjourning the House, and members flocked to the lobbies and Bellamy's to discuss the situation and imbibe good nature When the House resumed, Sir Geore Grey said, "Perhaps the Premier will now listen." The Premier said he had looen doing so all along. Sir George Grey remarked that it was not necessary to oiswer that str.tement. If the Premier had feeindoing so, he would, as courtesy dictate have pointed out at the outset that G. Grey) was mistaken. The Premie then gave attention, and the debate proeeded. ■ ; July 19. It is understood tht the Public Work® Statement will be djlvered by the Hob*

Hr. Oliver this week. The Statement is .nxionsly waited for. Tt is rumored that the Government received a communication from the 'hriatchurch Licensing Bench to the effect hat if they interfere with their decision a Barrett's case they will resign in a '°ln" Hawke'a Bay, 600 signatures have e „ obtained to a petition in favor of Bible reading in schools, to be permissive, pd with a conscience clause. Only 40 bersons refused to sign.