WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 824, 13 September 1867, Page 15

WELLINGTON.

(fkom ora owir cobbespobtdbnt.) Saturday, 31st August. The difficulty I felt last week in expressing the opinion of the House on th.c financial propositions of the Government, is now removed ; and I cannot better express ths^ opinion than by quoting Mr Fitzherbert's speech of Thursday — "Tho propositions had trodden on so many toes that the Government had scarcely a friend left to them in the House." This is strictly true. At no period of the session have the Government ( been so weak ; and yet, paradoxical as it may appear, at no period have they been so strong. Nearly all their friends hare turned against them, some for one reason and some for another ; some because they object to the continuance of present taxation, some because they think the proposed method of consolidation is bad, some because the concessions totheProvincialists ai-etoo large. But on two points the feeling runs very high, the one against the proposal for raising any further loan under the old Three Million Loan Act, and the other against that of repealing the Loan Allocation Act, which is equivalent to spunjring out the debts of the Northern Provinces for permanent improvements effected fin roads, <tc. ) out of that loan during the war. The sweetest wine makes the sharpest vinegar, and the hitherto chief supporters of the Government now say hauler things than the lately recognised Opposition ever did. But although the Government is thus weak, it is nevertheless strong in that it has the support en masie of the Auckland members, and the absence of desire on the part of their angry friends i to go the length of turning the Ministry out. The financial policy wiU^l expect, be considerably modified in deference to the-.vishesof the House ; but to how great an extent it is impossible to say. One knot of members is ■ very anxious that this should be modified, and another knot is very anxious that that should be altered ; but, as there is no concert or union amongst them, it is a lottery to say whose propositions will be considered favorably and whose rejected. The more so because -the Government candidly admit that they do not regard amendments thus made as being anything else than desultory firing, very different to that which would be the case were there a corps d'armte behind.

Mr Fitzherbert, on behalf of the Government, has stated plainly that the Ministry are determined to maintain their scheme "as a whole." They will not insist on non-essen-tials, but only on essentials. They will be prepared to modify anything that is not "essence." If I were purely an outsider, i.e., if I had only the opportunities of judging which ordinary persons have, I should remark that it would be curious to observe what, under the circumstances, "as a whole," would be allowed to mean — what would be considered essence. But I think it is to be gathered that Ministers feel their feet, and strong for the moment in their Auckland alliance, and convinced that the supporters whom they have offended will not strike, but only ask them to hear, they will carry the admitted essence of their scheme triumphantly, as regards the number of votes m its favor. The first point of attack is the proposition to borrow £200,000 under the L 3 000,000 Loan Act, being the amount of discount, &c, by which the negotiation of that loan was effected. The Opposition argue that as the intention of the Legislature was only to issue debentures for L3,000,()00, that value of debentures having been issued, tr c loan is closed. I vouch that there are not three members in. the whole House who do not condemn this proposition of the Ministry in toto ; and so patent is this, that when Mr Vogel introduced a motion expressing their condemnation, the Government immediately announced their willingness to adopt it. proposing only a rider to the effect that such a loan is, nevertheless, necessary, and must bo raised under special Act. This is the question now under discussion — or rather, this is the peg on which members hang out their speeches, for motion and rider are alike agreed to by all parties, the Government adopting the jnotion of the other side, and the other side coinciding with the rider of the Government. 1 think it Will be admitted that the Government are fairly entitled to consider the particular act under which the loan is to be raised as a non-essential, the granting power to raise a loan being certainly the essence ; but it is a most unfortunate position for them to be placed in, that they should, at the very outset, have to do again, as they have had to do again, as they have,- had to do before, adopt the motion of their opponents as their own. Members scarcely know how to vote ; they would like to vote on both sides, and regret that they cannot vote m the middle. The next amendment is threatened by Mr Stevens, and is of a more serious character, having reference to the impropriety of repealing the Loan Allocation Act. Whether Ministers will compromise is doubtful. Many assume they will, in order to ■conciliate their Southern supporters ; but if they hold out they wijl probably have all Auckland, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, part of Wellington and many Southern men, to back them, and carry its repeal by a good majority. In this way the financial scheme may he materially modified, in appearance! at least, if not in reality, before it comes out of the cimcible in which it is at present being tested. On two points of the scheme", the House seems to be unanimously in favor; the repeal of the Surplus Revenues Act, and the handing over to the Provinces of the confiscated land. The first will, however, depend on what the House may decide as to the proportion of

revenue to be guaranteed to the Provinces, and the second on the ■willingness of the Pro-^ vincea to receive these lands with all ths heritage of trouble and expense which at present attaches to them, without the addition of a subsidy to us© them.

On the motion tor going into Committee of Supply on Thursday evening, Mr Vogel proposed the following • amendment, viz :-— •' That this House regreta that the Government proposal to incur liability under th* Three Million Loan Act of 1883, exceeding the sum of L 3,000,000 sterling, is of opinidn that, even if such a course be technically legal, it is contrary to the understanding on which the loan was authbrised and negotiated, since neither the Assembly nor the House of Representatives contemplated binding the Colony with a larger amount to be repaid'than L 3,000, 000 000 sterling." This amendment Was cleverly framed, because it certainly coincides with the views of a large majority of the House, and the best proof of its cleverness was that Mr Fitzherbert adopted it, desiring'to add only the following rider — " But nevertheless, the House is of opinion that a loan should, at the same time, be sanctioned for a sum not exceeding the amount of the discount on the three million loan, that is to say, not exceeding the sum of L2t30,000."" When I tell you that Mr Vogel occupied nearly two hours in opening his case, and that Mr Fitzherbert was over three hours in his immediately following speech, I think it will scarcely be expected that I should here attempt to outline their argument. Youf readers will be good enough to imagine Mr Vogel'a to have been directed against the details of the whole scheme, and that as he chimed in one by one with the various sections of malcontents, ■he so far gained a noil of assent from all sides of the House ; and that as Mr Fitzherbert proceeded to tread more and more heavily on their toes, his scheme naturally added'little or nothing to its popularity : that is, if we may take the speeches of such friends of the Ministry as Messrs Stevens and Travers as affording any criterion. Its humour, and the desire of members to know what the Government views really were, kept a full house till past one. I regret that that is all the result which I can give of the upwards of five hours I spent in the service of your readers that night ; but I will throw together some ot the chief r points, when 1 have brought the debate to -the close last night. Mr Stevens opened the 'adjourned discussion in an hour and a half's capital speech. This gentleman's delivery is not good. He speaks with an apparent timid ty, and with an effort much like a person suffering from & chest affection, but he is regarded as an authority on finance. Ministers, I think, unduly rated a speech he made on the Local Government Bill, simply because it suited their book to aT ; but that his present speech was really telling may be inferred from Mr Fitzherbert rising during its delivery no less than three times to explain. He blamed Ministers very much for their treatment of their friends, and objected to the scheme in almost all its parts. Your Mr Campbell next spoke, approving of the policy as a "whole, but objecting to some of its details, Loan Allocation Act particularly. Mr Curtis, of Nelson, followed in Mr Stcvens's wake, compLvining of the treatment which those who hjwd supported, and still wished to support, Ministers had received, and deprecating the chief features of the financial measures they intended to introduce.

Mr Travers, who also followed in the same wake, seemed to have curdled all his milk of human kindjiess, which has hitherto so freely flowed in sympathy with Ministers. He does | n< >t seem to have very much weight with the House, except as a professional man, fort noticed that it thinned rapidly, leaving only some three andtweuty, many of whom were availing themselves of the empty state of the [ benches to snatch a full-length snooze. -The crossing and rccros3mg, the audible talking of moinb rs round the fire places, and on the Ministerial benches, seemed to annoy him considerably, — so much so, that when Mr G. Graham ironically cheered him, he turned round and read that gentleman a sharp lecture on the nature and habits of political dummies. Altogether, Mr Travers' speech was a heavy one, as those which profess to tracethe history of the Constitution to the present moment generally are, and, however -well it* may read, it fell very flat. Mr Hepburn, took the "dummy" cap to himself, and made one of his quaint matter-of-fact little speeches' in reply, taking the opportunity to exi-iress a gener.il approval of the Ministerial policy. Mr J. O'Neill, with true Hibernian warm bh, lauded Ministers and 'their policy. Mr O'Neill seldom does things by halves, and the contrast in the tone Of his speeches, now and formerly, is amusing. As one of th* Auckland converts, he is now bound to support the Government to the utmost, and he accordingly assured the House, that if the Loan Allocation Act was not repealed, the row that had been in Otago would be child's play to that which would be in Auckland. Somehow, sentiments of this kind, when^ delivered at midnight by members in evening di'eßS, are not only not iinplicity believed, but afford amusement rather than otherwise. ,Mr Jollie moved the adjournment untilTuesday, when, if am not mistaken, the House is in for a long speech. The High 1 land servant, in his happy ignorance of tooth brushes stated that his master was" going out to dinner, because he saw him. "' sharpening his teeth." > I only state the fact of Mr Jollies intended speech, because since he has been Colonial ' Treasurer, finance is one of his specialities, and- because there is a current runidrlthat he'has been for several' days priming. I omitted to mention that the Speaker ruled, at theopening*)f the adjourned debate, that Mr Fitzherbert's rider could not be added to Mr Vogel'a amendment; but

might be moved after a division had. been taken on the case as it now stands. Under ordinary circumstances, the amendment rwould— as-. -I- ~have -already - explained— be .sure ,to be carried, the Ministry themselves "professing not to object to it; but looking to 'the intended, rider, and the determination , not to defeat Ministers if they v ill exhibit , even a moderate flexibility, the division list will not, I suppose, express the actual feel- , ing; of the House. , I think it more likely that the purpose for Avhich. it has been moved having been accomplished, it will be withdrawn.

> Now 1 am fairly, at liberty to note the main objections to the financial scheme, as expounded in and out of the House. Admitting, as I think every one does, that the , scheme exhibits much consideration, and entirely removes all the old land marks, it is to be wondered at that it is regarded as . open to many objections in its various de- . tails. However satisfactory, as a whole, any policy might be considered, there •would be sure to exist many real or supposed defects in its component parts. This scheme is objected to by many as a whole, and by a still larger number in detail; in fact, the only members on whom the Ministry can rely as t willing to accept everything just as it stands, are those from Auckland, and they, I learn, are even wanting more. The first objection ; is to the non-reduction of taxation. The ■Stamp Duty was assented to, on the under standing that it was to relieve the Tariff of its most oppressive duties, and that no alteration in the Tariff is to be made, naturally excites the ire of those who expected a luliilmeut of that promise. What items of present expenditure should be curtailed to admit of this, are matters on which the objectors have not agreed. Mr Vogel and others urge that the Native and Defence Estimates ought to be cut out, while the Stevens, Curtis, and Travers school ob.ject to the Provinces being supported out of the general revenue, and regard the Provinces as if they were a number of interlopers feeding on funds which have been received from foreign sources, and expending it on objects which had no reference to the Colony— no hand in producing the general revenue of which they subsequently receive a portion. If the fable of the belly and the members had never been written, a Provincialist would make a sessional reputation by its delivery and application to present circumstances. The first of the series of proposed changes, the granting one-half of the j ordinary revenue to the Provinces, minus Assembly appropriation, instead of an unencumbered three- eighths, is looked at with suspicion, and has been objected to on the ground that it does not reduce an uncertainty to a certainty, inasmuch as there will be just as much uncertainty about .the half of the revenue as about three-eighths and a surplus. That seems to me lLke objecting for objecting's sake. There is more force in the argument that, as to all appearances the Provinces would receive less under the new arrangement than they do now, it is unwise to alter the existing state of things, especially as the House is not yet informed what would be the consequence of the Government having to exceed its own appropriations, — in what ■way such an expenditure would be disposed of. Whether, if its own half of the revenue was not enough, it would not have to go in for a reduction of next year's Provincial receipts to that amount? What particularly excites suspicion, in reference to the question as to whether the Provinces would or would not be better off, is the very slight additional margin which, tinder the most favorable circumstances — that is, under Mr Fitzherbert's own showing ■ — there is left. Under the new system L 337,527 is supposed to be available, under the old £324,000. Figures, even in a financial statement, are not always to be relied on. Thus, in the statement issued immediately after delivery, the Native expenditure is stated thus :—: — "Expenditure in year 1564-5 £60,291 6 9 „ „ 1865-6 69,547 39 0 „ „ 1866-7 23,751 4 0 "That is to say, Native expenditure for last year, was only one third of that which it was the preceding year. This result, I admit, may be attributed in some slight degree, to the fact, that certain services formerly charged under the class ' Native,' were transferred to other classes." But in Hansard there is an important correction, which is as follows :—: — "Expenditure in year 1564-5 £60,291 6 9 „ „ 1565-6 49,547 19 0 „ „ 18(56-7 30,751 4 0 "That is to say, Native expenditure for 1865-6, was about one-fifth less than it .vas in 1864-5, when the expenditure of that class reached its maximum, and for the past it was one third less than that of the preceding year, thus showing a rapidly decreasing ratio of expenditure. This reduction, I admit," &c. (as above). Whether we are writing a prospectus for some new project, or a financial statement, we are apt to be betrayed into putting the best foot foremost ; and on this principle, an increase of L 13.827, as divisible amongst all the Provinces, is so small as to lead to the more than suspicion that the old three-eighths is tetter than the proposed half : and a very remarkable discovery by the Audit Committee has increased the belief that figures cannot always be trusted. In the accounts for 1863-4, a sum, including also a sum of Ll 7,050, was charged against ordinary revenue for Suez mail purposes, and the Burplus revenue divisible among the Provinces was reduced by that amount. But the L 17,050 was not actually paid, but carried to a reserve fund. In the year 1865-6, this L 17,050 was remitted to the Home Govern- j meat ; but, instead of being taken out of the re*3rve fund, it was taken a second, time out of the ordinary revenue, and the amount of

surplus revenue divisible amongst the ProA'inces was a second time mulcted of this contribution of Ll7,nstC The Audit Commiitee very properly- recommend-tiEtt thenecotint's be re-adjusted. . „ ; ' \ The consolidation of the Provincial loans on the veiy disinterested principle which Mr l-itzherbert proposes — that of lending the Colony's name free of charge to the Provinces, giving to them all- the profit that accrues — is objected to by the ultra anti; Provincialists as Quixotic: that while nothing might fairly be given to the Provinces for nothing, something i for nothing is a flagrant dereliction from duty. Mr Curtis particularly argued against the Colony being thus generous to the Provinces, because the most reckless of the Provinces — -those who had parted with their debentures lowest and to the greatest extent — would reap the greatest advantage. I can scarcely help musing, after the manner of A.K.H.8., "concerning standpoints." What a difference the standpoint makes ! Nelson, who to her disgrace has no debt, unless it be that money borrowed at ordinary rates cannot be profitably speat there — Nelson regards this "generosity to the Provinces " from a very different stand -point- to what those Provinces do who have contracted loans. The Consolidation Bill explains the intention of Government to be to effect a loan from time to time, and expend the proceeds in buying up Provincial debentures. It is quite true that this wil^. increase the value of the debentures, but in fact, no plan that can be devfsed will prevent this ; and yet, so far as I can learn, the Govenunent mode of consolidation is not very generally approved. There are many schemes handed about by private members and outsiders, hut nearly all admit that the profit is not likely to be very great. What that profit will be depends much on the judgment displayed in bringing out the loans at favorable opportunities.

Up to this time the absence of the tables showing the indebtedness of the Provinces — the details of the Li 53, 000 charged to them — and the basis on which cash payments are to be obtained from some of the Provinces to be paid over to others, not having been published, the House has trod very gingerly on this part of the financial scheme, and no fresh light has been thrown on it. Here, again, your readers must read the imaginary essay "concerning standpoints" above mention, Otago and Auckland viewing this matter in opposite lights. Otago wants to know how she is indebted LBO,OOO, and on what basis she has to pay L 25.000. Even Mr Hepbiirn gets excited, and puts a formal notice on the paper, asking what special extravagance Otago has been guilty of. Auckland, ou the contrary, is perfectly satisfied with everything. Auckland asks no questions and gets told no s'ories and talks about the arrangement of 1836 and the territorial revenue of the South in a manner most amusmg. The repeal of the Allocated Loan Act is the one bitter draught for all parties, Auckland excepted. It has been well put by Mr Stevens, Mr Campbell, and others, that if the Northern Island is to be as populous and as wealthy as Northern Islanders say it is, why should it be liberated from the L 230.000 it owes under this Act. If it were simply a bad debt and it could be wiped out, the matter would be one of liberality merely ; but the interest and sinking fund on ihat portion of the three million loan must be paid by somebody ; and if not by the four Provinces to whom it has been allocated, then it must be paid by the Colony. From Auckland, Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay no interest is now being received j but the Colony ip paying it on their behalf. So that if the debt was wiped out to-morrow those Provinces would not benelit by it, would not gain any money relief, would not have one penny more or less in their respective chests. The feeling is very strong that too much is asked for Auckland's benefit, and this feeling is increased by the known intention of that Provinca to ask for a grant-in-aid. If they don't get the L 20,000 from Otago, to enable them to carry on until the next session (there is no attempt at disguise), it is its intention to require still further aid. The confiscated lands is the only other point of debate, and they are so encumbered that, for all financial purposes, they will be a complete sink for Provincial funds. With regard to them, the Provinces may fairly say to the General Government, "thank you for nothing." The LIUO,OOO loan for the management of the Waikato land, which the Treasurer calculated (?) on receiving from Auckland, is of course written otf. And yet Auckland members do not think they are being generously treated. They have so much to say about the arrangement of 1856, by which they permitted the South to enjoy her own territorial revenues, that they think they have a right, not only to all they have been promised under the financial statement, but to very much more.

Governor Grey is recalled. This fact was communicated to one or two on Tuesday evening, and the gossip of the next day said the recall was most contemptuous. It was expected that, when the House met on Wednesday, the despatch would have been read, and that the Assembly would have adjourned as a mark of respect. Nothing being said, however, Mr vogel put the question after the motion had been disposed of, and the despatch, with others which were printing, was promised to be laid on the table on Thursday. On Thursday, when the Legislative Council met, Major Richardson read it out, and the Lords adjourned to make a call at Government House. The Representatives did the same" later in the day. The following is the despatch : — " Downing street, !Bth*June, 1867. " Sir — 1 have the honor to acknowledge

the receipt of your despatches of the numbers and datesrtiotedin the margin, containing certain* statements and explanations nf)oh~'iriatters alluded to in my predecessor's Despatch No. 49, of the Ist December last.

"As all Her Majesty's Regular Forces in New Zealand, with the exception of one regiment, will, in pursuance of instructions from the Secretary of State for War, have probably left the Colony before you receive this despatch, and as it is very possible that General Sir T. Chute may also have left, I deem it unnecessary to renew the correspondence with regard to the control of the troops in question.

" The regiment which will be left in the Colony will, as you were informed by my predecessor, remain, while in the Colony, under the control and direction of the Queen's representative.

" With regard to the ultimate disposal of this regiment. I await the arrival of the next mail, in the expectation of receiving by that opportunity the further expression of your views on the subject of my predecessor's despatches referring to military operations in New Zealand, which your despatch of the 4th of April, No. 30, piomises. 1 shall then also be able to inform you of the appointment of your successor in the Government of New Zealand, and of the time at which he may be expected to arrive in the Colony. — I have, &c,

" Buckingham and Cjiandos. " Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8."

Taken in connection with the despatches acknowledged, which relate to troops, the General, &c. , the announcement of the Governor's recall is most ominous. With this curt and discourteous information, it is considered that there is no other way of looking at it than as a recall, and not a mere relief, which, under customary circumstances, is due in a month or two. It would scarcely have been possible to have left the matter more in thorough doubt than it now is. We must wait patiently for the next mail, when we shall probably learn whether it is more in sorrow than in anger ; or whether it is merely a relief in the ordinary course of things. Meanwhile Sir George is regarded with much syinjjathy, and all ;;orts of conjectures are afloat as to whether he will return to England and fight it out, or bury himself at Kawau. Considering all things, I should not be surmised if he retires to Kawau until after the Duke of Edinburgh has visited Auckland, and then proceed Home. The Governor has plenty of fight in him yet. I used to hear at one time that Kawau was at one tiiue intended for a college, and no doubt it will become the public property of the Colony eventually. The following despatch in reference to the Duke's visit will be read with interest, as every thing in connection therewith must be. The Australian fleet were to rendezvous at Adelaide, to meet His Royal Highness this month, but 1 see the Commodore has telegraphed to Sir Dominic Daly to say that he can scarcely get his ships together in time: —

" Downing street, 26th June, 1867. "Sir — With reference to my dispatch of the Ist of May, apprising you of the probability that H.M.S. 'Galatea,' under the command of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh would visit the Colony under your Government, I think it desirable that you should receive some instruction for your guidance as to His Royal Highness's reception. " The Duke of Edinburgh, on his first arrival in a British Colony or S-ttlement, and on his final departure from ifc, but not upon other occasions, should have all the usual and proper honors paid to him by way of salutes, guards of honor, and other public marks of respect as a member of the lloy.il Family. "His Royal Highness will receive addresses and make replies to them, and take part in public ceremonies in cases which are suggested or approved by the Governor or Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony or Settlement." I have, &c, " BUCKINO,H\M AND CHA.NDOS. "Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8." 1 need not tell you that there is much gossip as to who the new Governor is to be. But no one knows, or has any idea. Lord Alfred Churchill, Lord R. Cecil, Sir somebody Ferguson (whose name was mentioned in the Home Neius two or three months since), are among the names mentioned ; but, all gossip to the contrary, notwithstanding, there ' are no private letters hinting at any one. Whoever he may be, he will no doubt come pretty well drilled.

The last steamer from Panama, the Kaikoura, Captain Machin, nearly got into trouble off Wellington Heads. The Government prosecuted him criminally, but as you will see the whole of the evidence in the newspapers, I need only here say, that the captain being drunk, the ship was placed by the Mail Agent in charge of the chief officer. The evidence went to show that the ship was not actually in immediate danger, and the information being informal, thecasewas dismissed. An inquiry under the Wrecks Act was then entered upon by Messrs Crawford and Strode, R.M., assisted by Captain Johnston, as nautical assessor. This resulted in the cancelling of Captain Machin's certificate. A petition is to be got up, praying the Governor to commute this into suspension, in consequence of Captain Machin's previous good character, his drunkenness being exceptional. A good deal of sympathy has been «hown towards Captain Machin, a trait to be always commended, provided the possible, or rather probable, consequences of the fault sympathised with are not lost sight of. None of us ought to wish to see a man punished too severely for the folly of an hour ; hut in this instance we ought to remember that the

consequences of that folly might have been" the destruction of a costly ship, the loss of many lives, temporary ruin j<o the. reputation of this "port, and the throwing the Mail service out of gear. As it was, instead of coming in on Monday night, and getting away on Tuesday evening, to save the' mail at Sydney, she did not come until Tuesday morning, and was detained until late, oa Wednesday evening, rendering all chance of reaching Sydney in time hopeless. ,It will bo fresh in every one's recollection tha;t the Kaikoura bumped off Taranaki on the voyage to Panama just terminated. U nder such circumstances, and looking to the very great, although natural, and perhaps commendable, reluctance with which the littleevidence adduced was given by the officers of the ship, the example that has been madecan scarcely be called in question by rightminded men. The example having been made, any mercy which the Governor may be advised to show will not affect the publieinterest, in behalf of which I write. I may here, however, mention, in order to show how effectually a port may be injured by accident from causes foreign to its natural dangers, the case of the Orpheus, lost atManukau. Manukau is, as everybody knows;, a dangerous harbor ; but although" the Orpheus was lost entirely throughnofchavingthe most modern charts, orders have neverthelessbeea given by the Admiralty not on any account to allow men-of-war to enter the Manuka v again. On Thursday, Mr "Wilson moved a reduction in the Governor's salary to L 2500 ; it is at present L 4500. The time was looked upon as most inopportune, and a motion of Mr Fitzherbert's to adjourn the discussion, for a week was carried. Mr Wilson is prepared to accept an amendment moved by Mr M'Lean, to the effect that it shall be reduced, to what it was before the addition was made in part compensation for loss of higher salary at the Cape, viz., L 3500. A great deal wassaid about economy, and beginning at the head, but the refusal or members to begin, with themselves, to make any reduction in. their own honorarium, was freely used to twit the utterers of economics in others. Hitherto members have been able to draw on account of their honorarium; but this. year none is to be paid until it is voted. ."Some honorable members complain that their landladies are squeezing them, but the only sympathy they get is in being told to squeeze them in return. The Public Defaulters Disqualification Bill wasread a second time, many expressly stating that although they could not vote against the principle, they should do so against the Bill in Committee. Ayes, 32 ; Hoes, IS. My Vogel asked the promoter of the Bill (Major Atkinson) to be satisfied, and submit to going into Committee that day six months, but unsuccessfully. The Bill is to be committed next Wednesday. On Friday, Mr Murison's Salmon and Trotit Bill was read a third time ; and the Marriage Amendment Bill was read a second time. This latter Bill merely inserts the Ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland as those licensed tomany. A Consolidated and Amended Bill i was promised by Ministers. The Native Representation Bill was also read a third, time. Mr Reynolds moved t* six months* amendment ; but it was not seconded. On the main question, he was the only " No," 1 and called for a division ; but from there not being two tellers, the division was not recorded. Wednesday, 4th Sept. Yesterday, the Divorce Bill passed its second reading in the Upper House. The Parliamentary Privileges Bill — which provides for the originating of money bills in the Representatives only, and restricts the Upper House to throwing out a money measure wholly, not allowing it to alter it — came on for second reading ; but on the previous question being moved by Col. Kenny, the Bill was shelved by a large majority. In the Representatives, Mr Jollie made * lengthened speech on the Supply debate, generally supporting the scheme, as did alsoMr Cargill, Major Heaphy, and Messrs Kerr, Moorhouse, Adams, Borlase, Graham, G. and R. Wilson, and Reid, all of whom, while approving as a whole, objected to greater or less details. Mr Reynolds and Mr Wells spoke more decidedly in opposition. Mr Vogel, as I expected on Saturday, withdrew •his amendment. The debate is opened today by Mr Carleton. The Lalts Wakatip Mail, in announcing the intention to publish weekly, instead of bi-weekly, says :—": — " Looking at the immense: . unwrought areas of known auriferous ground in the Wakatip, and our promising agricultural resources, there can be little doubt that at no distant date this district will be more prosperous, and its industries established on a safer basis, than ever before known. The chief obstacle to that material advancementis dearth of population, and it is to be hoped that, ere long, this desideratum will be supplied, either by the aid of Government, assisted immigration or by the influx of some of the super-abundant residents from other parts of this Colony Jorelsewhere. The cry of destitution which reaeheß us from Christchurch, the West, Coast, Auckland, and— to take a. more extended view — from, the Australian Colonies, is uuknown here. If the district containsany idle hands, they are not so from want o£ remunerative work to be had. Under these circumstances, we are obliged to accommodate ourselves to the times, and hence the intended change. Owners of newspapers, like those of other commercial enterprises, require the needful support to make their business remunerative."

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