BISHOP SELWYN IN PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 929, 18 September 1869, Page 21

BISHOP SELWYN IN PARLIAMENT.

The following sketch, of which Bishop Selwyn is the central figure, appeared in the Illustrated London News under the title of " Scenes in the Small Hours" :— We will give one onrioua scene in the Upper House and then leave it. At about one o'clock on .Friday morning week we strolled once more to the bar of the House of Lords. The house was nearly empty. The glittering belt of ladies whioh so lately flashed along «aoh side like a brilliantly gilded and coloured moulding had vanished. All the Bishops clad in white had departed save one ; only a few peers— perhaps a dozen — remained on the floor, and Earl Nelson was on his legs, addressing in his feeble style these tired and jaded remnants of the crowd whioh had so lately packed the house. A few minutes after we entered the Earl dropped into his seat; whereupon the one Prelate, Selwyn, Bishop of Liohfield— -a fine, tall, handsome man, olothed in his episcopal robes, and looking every inch a Bishop—moved the adjournment of the debate, and the gravo Lord Chancellor roeo and put the question "that this House do now adjourn. But why does it not adjourn at once ; and why do those peers duster round the Bishop, and what is Granvilla saying to him so earnestly 1 and is there not a slight expression of anger on the Bishop's handsome face 1 They seexn to be pressing upon him to do something, whioh he resolutely refuses to do. For a time, this scene puzzled us. The explanation, however, was soon divined. The Bishop had, by moving the adjournment that he might resume the debate, in t ringed an arrangement whioh had been made that Earl Granvilla should, as proxy for Eari Russell, who had gone home to bed, move the adjournment ; and the noble Earl and others were now pressing the Bishop to withdraw his motion. It was a ourions group, the cluster of Peers with the tall Bishop in the midst, evidently refusing to give way. Why should he give way? Was he not also a pear ? Moreover, he had stopped thus late, long after his Episcopal brethren had all departed, on purpose to move the adjournment. He deolined, as we could see — though we could not hear — to give way. Meanwhile the poor Lord Chancellor, who had been on the woolsack eight mortal hours, and must have been almost jaded to death, one would think, iat erect, calm, and imperturbable as our well • known friend, Patience ou a monument. But see, tha stately Bishop slightly bends his head. He has given way, then? Yes, ha has given way. ' I move that the debate be adjourned,' oaid Lord Granville ; • That the debate be now adjourned,' says the Lord Chancellor ; and then exeunt omnes. la two minutes the gas was turned off, and the brilliant aoene, like an unsubstantial pageant, vanished.

The latest news from Stewart's Island, says the Southland Timea of the 4th inafc,, ia to the effeot that there are from 35 to 40 men about Ruggedy and Bad Head. They are working away in the hope of receiving favourable news as to the result of tho crushing of the quartz sent over to be tested. No gold is to be soon with the naked eye in any of the quarts, but tome of tho men have been getting small quantitiM of the precious metal about the bo&ches, but not sufficient to bo payable Our informant aaya the roof is good and likely looking, aad ho will be much disappointed if it w not auriforoua. Tho five tona of quarts brought over in tho Lerwiok aro to bo sent to Melbourne to bo cruahod.

An interesting lecture on tho New Zealand flax was recently delivered by Dr Williams before tho Nelson SoiantifioAwodation. With regard to thetoilf bott adapted for tho cultivation of thia plant, tho lootuwr aaid :-"Tho soili which appear moat tuitablo for producing atrfogth and fineness of fibre, wo— )at. That found on hill aidoa, composed of atones (which to aomo extent retain moisture) and tho debris of doeayod trooa and other vogoUblo matter. 2nd. Well drain©* land that haa boon swampy. 3rd, Booriaoooua soils, multlng from voloaolo action and long ezpoauro to tho atmosphere, which poMou in a high dogwo tho property of ab. aorbingmoUtoro. In nandy aoifa and wherafthe fax ia grown in undr»inoa swampa the fibre ia aaid to bo deficient in strength, whorwa the hill flax yields a fibro four or fivo tiraoa mow valuable than that found on room love! ground, butwnoihur thia ariwa from the particular npeoiea of plant or tho accident of itaaituation in more elovatod ground dooa not toam certain*"