THE COPELAND INCIDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 15

THE COPELAND INCIDENT.

(By a New Zealandkr.)

Perhaps there is no colony of the South Pacific of which the political atmosphere is at present bo charged with combustibles, explosives, and otlnr mischievous elements as that of New South Wales.

The Parliament reassembled in Sydney on Wednesday, 16th January, after prorogation for six weeks. Early in December last, Messrs Barton and O'Connor— the former the Attorneygeneral, the latter the Postmaster-general — both of them very distinguished and highly-esteemed members of a not- too-capable Cabinet, one of them practising at the bar, were subject to censure for participating professionally in a certain case in which it was generally held they should not have participated. In a fit of inarticulate parliamentary fury, and under the leadership of a private member, the House struck down the Government, in punishment for the delinquencies of these two members of the Cabinet. Meesrs Barton and O'Connor at ones resigned, and Sir George Dibbs advised the Governor to prorogue Parliament until the 16th of January — which was accordingly done. On the resumption of business, the Cabinet, thus shorn of two highly important members, received the resignation of a third — the Minister for Lands (which, by the way, the Premier subsequently decided not to accept). It was a sultry, sweltering day ; everyone was in a high btato of political ferment ; the circumstances were not such as to conduce to self-respect, for while the Opposition loudly denounced the "unconstitutionality" of the Government action, no one on the Government 6ide had undertaken seriously to defend them. Evtryone felt that tho measure was purely opportunist and might be explained as expedient in practice if not defended in principle. But Sir George Dibbs did, not even iv lieu of defence, offer any' explanation. An outrage on constitutional procedure had been perpetrated ; bub theoutragG was palliated on the ground generally that the Constitution is a Hass !

It was when matters stood thus — with hot air outside and superheated atmosphere within — that Mr Copeland intervened in debate. He is structurally a shortish man, and corporeally an obeso man. He is apt to be careless of conventional ideas in respech of clothing, and on this historical occasion he wore no waistcoat, his shirtfrout ballooned upwards and outwards like a well-filled jib, his necktie had slipped its moorings, his collar had cumo uudouc, his jacket of white pique or jean was much crumpled, and altogethtr ttie Minister for Ln,nds had the air of oue who had expanded himself in a picuic whereat the wine has run free and tho company has been genial. He had very little to say to tho point, but what he had to say was said in a pleasant, genial, mellow, random kind of way, and being iv a slate of anccdolage, he entertained the House>with an aucouut of how he and Sir Henry Parkeß had on a previous occabiou stood at the bar of that House iv friendly converse, while for two hours and a-ha}f they indulged in liquid refreshment ! To this kind of narrative, extenuating nothing, nor setting aught down in malice, did Mr Copeland seriously incline, when suddenly a prohibitionist gentleman intimated to the House that Mr Copeland was drunk ! The result was electrical. First there was a dead pause, for the Minister for Lands seemed to need some time in order to fully appreciate the bearing of the observation ; then, having appreciated it, he went for the too candid gentleman, who is a tall, thin, cadaverous-looking man of the kind who impresses the observer that his head, while too small for the actual tenant, would not be worth fighting for as a desirable possession. The scene that followed was a very painful one, even for the Parliament which is the most loosely-mannered perhaps of the whole Empire — certainly of the Australasian group. Mr Copeland was removed from tho Hause, aud forbidden by the Speaker to re-enter the Chamber during that day. On the following day tho Minister for Lands apologised very frankly and fully, tendering at the same time bis resignation. A portfolio carries with it a salary of £1500 — a large income for a man to cast away because under the influence of drink he is unable to control himself under the provocation of the unmannerly interruption of a prohibitionist. It is agreed that Mr Copeland had done nothing or said nothing which might not a thousand times over have been imralleled in the proceedings of this and other Parliaments. It is agreed that he is a very capable and industrious man, and that his measures are carefully drawn and generally beneficial. This incident imperilled the position of a Government already under a proposition of censure, and reduced the chances of escape of tho Dibbs Ministry to a very narrow margin. Actually the vote of censure was negatived by a majority of one ; so Sir George Dibbs has now the opportunity of completing the measures that in his defence of his policy he alleged to be absolutely essential to the immediate well-being of the country. Collateral to these matters is the fact that not within ordinary memory at any time in Sydney has there been so much real distress, and so many stutdy beggars. The regulations for the control of mendicancy and vagrancy are harsb ; while there is no public provision for the relief of distress. There is neither poorhouse nor benevolent institution, while the only way to get rid of an importunate beggar is to haud him over to the police. It is consequently highly probable that by so doing the complair ant becomes the first instrument in converting a man, who may be unavoidably mendicant.fcinto a criminal. This condition of things is freely referred to in all the public speeches of the hour, and is customarily charged upon the Government. But the Government is no more responsible for this condition of the people than they are for the last epidemic. Naturally a very considerable majority are led to think, or desire to think, that their present distress is due to someone whom they cm reach with a stick. You cannot ilog the unseen subtle course of opinion that brings about distrust, depression, aud distress, but you can kick out a Ministry. Hereditary animism leads a child to bang about something if he h hurb. So the grown children of lower political life feel iv these pinching times a strong desire to inflict damage on something or somebody. On top of this reeliug there is evidently in New South Wales a desire to clip the wiugs of party government, which is denounced as the government of force, fraud, and failure. The continual struggle among needy men for handsome salaries is accredited with being the curse of party. Nothing is commoner than to hear it imputed to tho leaders of the Opposition that there are 1500 or 2000 reasons, as the case may be, for their opinions ; while the imputation, so f.tc from being indignantly denied, is scarcely, if ever, noticed. The rank and file naturally talk at each other in the same strain. On the whole the impression is that in their excitc-rneut and disappointment the New South Wales people are in a highly irritable and irritated condition. The evidences of disorganised feeling are on every side obviouß,

The Active Service Brigade is composed of boys and young adults, but it either represses or takes complete charge of every meeting thought worth interruption, and it belongs to the left wing of the extreme democratic party. The Anti-Humbug League has been formed to raise a revenue cf fourteen millions, of which much ia to be used up in providing pay for the toiling masses, of whom no one is to accept less than 7s a day under penalty ot a heavy fine ; while, as a collateral benefit, no further interest is to be paid on public debts, which are to be redeemed at par ! Such and similar schemes fill the air, yet amidst it all the cry of the woman suffrager is scarcely heard. The women of New Zealand —or to speak by the card, the Mayor of Onehunga — will practically settle this question for Australasia !