PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3330, 30 May 1885, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

The second meeting of the Union was held laßt evening in the Foresters' Hall, George Btreot. The Speaker (Mr E. G. Lorr) took tho chair punctually nt 8 o'clock. A number of new members were introduced. sir Bourne moved— "That any individual member of the Cabinet may be dismissed at any time by an adverse vote of the members of this House." Lost on the voices. Mr Duval aßked the Premier whether the schomo for tho enlargement of the electorates of the colony will also include the granting of the franchise to females and Chinamen. Tho Premier stated the matter was under the consideration of the Government, but he, personally, objected to the female franchise. Leave was granted to the Minister for Lands to introduce a Bill for the better administration of the lands of the colony ; and on the notice of the Hon. the Premier for one to give the -imam. Harbor Board further borrowing powers, The Hon. the Slinister for Education (Mr J. Kirby) moved — " That it is expedient to reconstruct the Education Act by— (1) The abolition of administrative Boards of Education and School Committees, and the substitution of District Inspectors aud Boards of Advice. (2) Making scholarship examinations simultaneous and uniform throughout the colony, open to all competitors whether from public or private schools, and attendance at a High School compulsory on the part of every scholarship holder. (3) Revision of the Byllabus. (4) Levying an educational tax, for defraying cost of administering the Act, and making buildings (construction, maintenance and repair) a charge on consolidated revenue or loan. (5) Payment of teachers by fixed minimum salaries, and with fees for passes added. (6) Making overy scholar, whether private or denominational, eligible to reoeive such payments, provided always (1) that the head teacher bo duly certificated, (2) that four hours per diem be devoted to the subjects specified in the course of instruction provided in tho Act, the school being always open to an Inspector, nnd (3) that the proprietor or managers of every such school defray the entire cost of erection and supply, maintenance of buildings, and apparatus." The Minister spoke for about half an hour and brought out some very strong arguments in favor of his motions. In answer to a question the Speaker said the questions could be taken seriatim. Mr Hall asked whether the Ministry intended to stick to the whole Bill or not, and the Premier said they would. Ho thon criticised portions of it adversely, whilst, at the same time, agreeing with others. Mr Duval, Mr E. Jones, Mr T. Smith and the Kov. Mr Fairclough spoke to a certain extent against the resolutions, and Mr Gaitt and Mr Kiinber for them. Mr E. Jones moved an amendment, which was lost. Tho Hon. the Premier moved the adjournment of the debate. Agreed to. Mr Dawson moved the adjournment of the House. The following new Members were introduced hy Mr Hall and Mr Dawson to the Speaker : — Hutt, A. W. Baacand j Mount Ida, W. Ferrier ; Wanganui, T. Jones ; Wakatipu, A. Mahon; Hokonui, J. J. MePherson ; Bruce, J. 'Ogilvie ; Manawatu, C. Pajliser ; Bay of Islands, S. G. Raymond ; Franklin North, J. W. Smith ; Motueka, Dr Anderson. . During the evening fully 100 Members were present, besides ladies.

i direction of the Foreign Office in 1872, , will remain as a model of clear and s vigorous writing. i As a Parliamentary orator, the Marquis of Salisbury is unquestionably the chief , Ogure in the House of Lords. He poaaeßses almost in equal degree with the i late Lord Beaconafield the quality of being personally interesting, of which he is now the only remaining example in , either House of Parliament. Perhaps an . exception should be made in faror of Lord Randolph Churchill, the inclusion of whose name assists in giving an insight into the bearing of his peculiar quality. Mr Gladstone does not possess it, nor does Mr Bright, except in the faintest degree. Every one knows, when Mr Gladstone rises, his speech will lie within certain well-ordered limits. It will be more or less eloquent, and more or less convincing. But the orator is not likely to surprise and delight the House by some quip, orcrank, or flash of personal audacity. | The certainty the other way was one of the attractions of Lord Beaconafield's parliamentary speech-making. The House was always on the qul viva for some smart personal thrust at some mutual acquaint- , anco, and they were rarely disappointed. ', This ia why the House of Commons fills , up to hear the disjointed talk of Lord Randolph Churchill. The noble lord is not an orator in any sense of the wordhe Bcarcely as yet pretends to be a serious debater — but with reckless audacity he hits out right and left, and the representatives of a nation which once delighted in bear-baiting, still thinks regretfully of 1 Sayers and Heenan, and furtively attends 1 mains of cock-fightiug, like to see somebody hit. No one can gratify this inspiration with greater fulness than Lord Salisbury. His very manner in the House of Lords makes the exercise the more charming. Half ' leaningon the tableand speaking in a level, ' conversational tone, as if his helpless victims were not of sufficient importance to inspire either gesture or de- ! clamation, he lets fall some of " the most rasping sentences which it is poaaible to combine in the English language. Mr Disraeli once admitted the direct--1 ness of Lord Salisbury's thrusts, but , complained that they " wanted finish." That was a criticism offered at a period ' when Mr Disraeli's mind was not quite 1 from prejudice. There was a time when all the infinite scorn of Lord Salisbury's soul was poured upon Mr Disraeli — a personal attitude much easier of comprehension than that of later years, when the two statesmen sat shoulder to | shoulder on the Ministerial bench, and could hardly speak of each other without tears in their eyes. Lord Salisbury's earlier literary training would of itself be sufficient to free him from the imputation of lack of finish. It is not my purpose here to speak of 1 Lord Salisbury as a political force. It will [ suffice to say that his position, power, and personal relations towards his own order, the House cf Commons, and the drift of English politics are very remarkable, and their future course forms one of the most . interesting problems of the day. Regarded personally, Lord Salisbury is the most striking figure in the peerage, the nearest realisation modern conditions permit of the capable, headstrong and imperious English Baron of the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. Had he been born 400 years ago, he would have filled a much larger place in history than is made possible for such as he by the trammels of the English Constitution of the nineteenth century.