LATER FROM WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 10

LATER FROM WELLINGTON.

(tfBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Thursday, 19th September. SIR GEORGE OBEY.

New Zealand was nearly losing her homeward Panama mail this month. Heavy weather prevented the Mataura making her appearance until the morning of the 9th, while she ought to have left on the afternoon of the Bth. It completely disarranged the fete to Sir George Grey ; but as parting was such sweet sorrow, it enabled us to continue saying good bye until the morrow, when the Mataura sailed nearly thirty hours behind time. It had been arranged that after the collation was ended and the presentation of an address by the people in the open air, Sir George should embark from the pier in the Airedale, and be accompanied to the Heads by the St. Kilda, Lady Bird, and such other steamers as were in port. As the Mataura had not arrived, this very pleasant" part of the programme was nearly coming wholly to grief ; but, nevertheless, the Airedale duly got up steam, the wharf was lined, the banners of the various orders of Oddfellows unfurled, the procession formed, and Sir George carried out his part of the arrangements to the letter. Some two hundred good folk embarked with him, the crowd hoorayed, hats and handkerchiefs were waved, and Sir George de parted — but only to a few hundred yards down the harbour, where he was landed at another pier, and proceeded to his lodgings. The Airedale made her way for the Heads, and in due time returned to her berth. The speeches are reported in the papers ; I may therefore merely add that an impromptu ball was arranged for the evening, at which both the Sir Georges and Lady Bowen were present ; that the Mataura's arrival guns boomed ! forth in the early morning ; that at 5 o'clock on thß evening of the 9fch, the St Kilda took the ex-Excellency and a large party on board, and that about midnight he fairly started homeward bound, where we hope he may arrive in time to save the Elections, as he contemplates going into Parliament. There is a little bit of gossip afloat, to the effect that "Sir George Grey offered to go to the front if he could be of any use ; an offer which of course Sir George Bowen would rather not accept. The Governor, it is said, ihanked his predecessor for his kindness, acknowledged, the vaju.© of, the proffer^

services, but suggested that Sir George Grey would be able to do greater service' to the Colony by using his influence at borne. Dr. Knight, the Auditor General, having just obtained a twelve-month's leave of absence, suddenly made up his mind to accompany Sir George, who is an old friend of his, and went accordingly. Mr Seed, the Secretary of Customs, will perform his duties during his absence.

NO CONFIDENCE.

Parliamentary news is almost summed up in the "No Confidence" debate. Ministers had Tuesday of last week for bringing on their financial resolutions, and they endeavoured to bring them on with a view to their discussion before Mr Fox's "No Confidence" motion for next day could be brought on. This the Opposition resisted, and at the close of a whole night's fighting, it was arranged that the two should be debated together, Mr Fox making his motion aa an amendment. A division took place in reference to this arrangement, which produced an extraordinary scene. No sooner had the division been called for by the Opposition than it was seen to be a mistake, and an endeavour was made to rectify itby getting the question put a second time. Mr Mervyn, who is very energetic on the Ministerial side, determined to force a division, and called out "Aye," although the Ministerial side was "No," and while everybody else was silent, declared in the customary manner thatjthe "Ayes" had it. The Chairman ruled that he must vo'e accordingly, and appointed Mr Fox and Mr Vogel tellers. These two gentlemen declared they had npt said "Aye," and intended voting with the "Noes" (all the Opposition voting "No" with the Government side, and so making no division at all). The Chairman then appointed Mr Eeynolds and Mr Parker, and the endeavours of thesß' two bulls to get out of the net were amusing. They declined to act, stating that they were going to vote " No," and refused to answer the formal and peremptory question as to whether they did or did not say "Aye." The Chairman (Carleton) was wroth. Mr Speaker was moved into the chair, and the contumacious conduct of the two gentlemen was reported. Mr Reynolds generally has his wits about him, and so he asked whether it was right to keep the doors of the Committee locked, now that the Speaker was in the chair; but his escape was prevented by the Speaker ruling that the division was still going on. Mr Speaker could not believe it possible that the Chairman had reported rightly ; there must be some misunderstanding ; he was sure no honourable member would decline to act as teller ; he did not know of any meanß of compelling, because such a refusal was unheard of, and no provision had been made thereto, and then he called on Mr Eeynolds to say whether he had given his voice with the " Ayes." Mr Reynolds equivocated by saying that he had gone into the " No" lobby before he was asked to act as teller, when the Speaker again asked him for a straightforward answer. Mr Reynolds floundered about a good deal, instead of giving it ; then Mr Parker was similarly catechised, and he said ditto to almost everything that his big brother culprit had said. Then Mr Vogel had a little say, good naturedly trying to help his friends out of their difficulty, and then Mr Fox thought that the confusion had been so great, that the question had better be put dc novo ; but Mr Speaker could see no confusion, and after Mr Cracroft "Wilson, one of the police of the House, had put the whole matter in a nutshell in a regular "please your worship" style, Messrs Reynolds and Parker were directed to act as tellers, which appointment they accordingly accepted without a murmur, and with Mr Mervyn comprised the 3 ayes on that division. Next evening Mr Fox made a very temperate attack in moving his motion, and its mild tone called forth the acknowledgments of the Government. Mr Stafford made a good speech in reply, and one of the two most notable speeches yet made almost immediately followed. Those two are by Mr Curtis and Mr Vogel. Mr Curtis was listened to with breathless attention, because he was a convert to the Opposition, and great inducements had been held out to prevent his withdrawal from the Ministerial ranks. Mr Vogel's was a. very telling speech. He was thoroughly at home in his subject. Everyone admits he does understand finance as thoroughly as any in that House, and perhaps more so. He managed to rouse Mr Stafford, who lost his temper and walked out. Several times lately Mr Stafford has been worked up into displays of anger, and I only wonder he is not more often so. The Oppoiution is very strong, and Mr Stafford has so long been accustomed to a mere dilettante one, that the Ministry are put on their mettle daily. The Government are so thoroughly harried that little scenes are of constant occurrence, tending tp prove

that however good-humoured a Ministry may be when assailed with a harmless Opposition, it can scarcely help showing its teeth when baited to within an inch of its life. The debate has been slow; mainly because the Government propositions are not before the House, and the House cannot get at them. In the financial statement, as the result of due deliberation, Ministers proposed certain plans, and awarded certain compensation— L 90,000 to Nelson, L 15,000 to Wellington ; but at Ministerial meetings, these terms hare been open to amendment. Nelson is dissatisfied ; then comes the question, what will satisfy 1 and the L 90,000 is raised to L 140,000 or L 150,000. Otago is dissatisfied, and L 30,000 to L 40,000 is promised to it. Westland also puts in its claim," and its claim is admitted. Other Provinces claim, and are more or less similarly treated, until at last a quarter of a million is required and promised by the Ministry , who ask Mr Fox, in doubting wonder, how it is possible he can carry out bis propositions, which involve a payment of LIB,OOO more to the Provinces than the ordinary payment intended to have been made by Mr Hall. Very possibly some of these lobby rumours are exaggerated or unfounded, but the House wants to know all about the matter, and as it is understood that Mr Hall is to make a clean breast of it, the debate hangs fire until he does so. Ministers are, I believe, certain to get a majority, and a good one too, judging from present appearances. It was not thought so at one time, and they telegraphed for Mr M'Neill, of Southland ; but he has not come. Their propositions in caucus have won over some of the Opposition — Mr Woods, for inBtance, who says the new terms offered for Southland are so favorable, that in justice to his Province he cannot decline them. Messrs Curtis, M'Lean, and Ormond, have joined the Opposition ; but other three have left it-^-Annstrong, Brown, Woods. Beyond this, no decided changes are as yet declared, and unless some are so at the time of the division, Ministers must have a large majority. You will know the result, however, before this reaches you. On the "alarm" resolution introduced by Mr M'Lean last night, it is confidently asserted that Ministers will be beaten, and Ministers, and Ministerial supporters, take a very gloomy view of their position. Mr Stafford especially did so, declaring that he was now getting an old man, a stranger in his own home, and longing for the time when he should be free from party turmoil, and able to contemplate its results from afar. The opposition, knowing this, tried last night to get Mr M'Lean's debate continued right on to its termination, but ministers resisted, and insisted that in the extraordinary circumstances of two "want of confidence" motions being discussed at the same time, the one that had nearly drawn to its close should be decided first. They gained their point by 38 to 31, or with pairs 40 to 33, every member being present. This is regarded as a trial of strength by the ministerialists and an index of their position. I scarcely think it is.

The West! and County Bill is introduced, and makes Westland virtually a new Province — the Council electing its own Chairman — the nine members composing the Council, with their Chairman, being elected only for two years. The Disqualification Bill, the Police Offences Bill, and sundry others, are hung up. and the real legislation has yet to be begun. I should not be at all surprised to find that the whole of the County Legislation gets postponed, pending a dissolution, to whioh it iB thought the Opposition will force matters, if Ministers do not get defeated.

I clip from the independent a scene, which occurred on "Wednesday evening, as soon as the House met. It has attracted much attention, and I do not wish to appear to have overlooked it.

The Hon. Mr Stafford laid on the table of the House, by command of his Excellency, a letter from Colonel MTJonnell, and moved that it be read.

The Clerk proceeded to read the letter as follows : — At the urgent request of the officers and meat under my command, I beg to bring under the notice of the House the utterly false epithets, especially those of Mi* JFox and Mr Travers ■•

Mr Bell : I rise to order. I wish to ask your ruling, sir, whether it is consistent with the rules and privileges of this House to read a letter written -y a military officer and censuring the worda'uaed by hon. members of this House in the discharge of their pnblic duties ? The Speaker : It doe 3 appear to me that a proceeding of this sort is an invasion of the liberties of this Hotise. — (Cheers.) I had not the slightest knowledge of what was abput to occur, but Ido think it is not a' letter that can he read to the House.

Mr Bell : I rise, Bir, to another point of order. I wish to know whether a letter can be laid on the table o£ this House, which is distinctly a violation of the privileges of speech of hon. members of this House. I will move that any notice which might be t^ken, of that letter in the Journals of the

House shall be expunged from the pro-] ceedings. The Speaker said that as the letter could not be read, it was not in possession of the House, and therefore would not appear in the Journals of the House. Mr Bell : Bat it has been laid on the table of th» House by — Mr Fox : I shalL if in order, move that it ; he removed from the table. I The Speaker again said that no notice could he taken of the.letter. The Hon. Mr Stafford said that it would he reported in Hansard. Mr Bell thought it would be most unsatisfactory by a side wind to have inserted in Mansard, a document which was decided to be a violation of the privileges of the If ouse. The Hon. Mr Stafford : On the motion that the letter be removed from the table — The Speaker ruled that there was no question before the Honse. Major Atkinson wished to know what Way was left open to the House to vindicate its privileges. He would Uke to hear the letter read. Mr Bell : Certain hon. members were accused of " utter falsehood." Mr Armstrong would also like to hear the letter read. He remembered some very harsh expressions that were used towards Colonel M'Donnell last session. The Speaker again ruled that there was no question before the House. The subject then dropped. Three items of clerical news will interest your readers. The settlement of the Rev. Mr Patterson, just from Liverpool, over the Presbyterian Church in Willis street, has been very satisfactorily accomplished, and mutually so. The new Wesleyan Church is being opened. It is the largest Church here, and will seat 900, and hold more. It is the fifth on the same site, each larger than before, and is a handsome structure, and wellfinished inside. It is so large that it takes two Sundays to thoroughly open it, three opening services having been held last Sunday, and three more next. The collection last Sunday amounted to LB3 13s 4d. The third item is the reading in last Sunday, of the Rev. Mr Ewald, at St. Paul's, Thorndon, as successor to the late Rev. „Mr Maxwell. Mr Ewald was Chaplain "to the present Bishop of Nelson. 1 hope he may be liked ; but every one .at present complains of the shortness of the two sermons he has preached. However, he is evidently improving, for while the morning service was only twelve minutes, the evening one was nearly fifteen.

H.M. s.s. Brisk, Captain Hope, has looked in here on her way home, whither she sails in a day or so. The Governor's private secretary, Mr Lempriere, is going in her, purely in reference to family affairs.