The Address-in-Reply.

Observer, Volume II, Issue 40, 18 June 1881, Page 435

The Address-in-Reply.

When Mr Collins moved the Address-in-Eeply there Avere half-a-dozen people in the •speakers gallery, some twenty-live ladies in "their oavh gallery, and the strangers gallery was packed. Mr Collins speaks Avith a clear voice Lut a hesitating manner, as though he had been "wanting practice for some length of time. There Avas little in his speech, although he Avas •cheered by all sides of the House. Mr Fulton followed A 7 ery briefly, speaking fluently as be •ahyays does. Both speakers had their speeches written out. The debate Avas not unexpected. Some men Avent so far as to say that Sir George would move an amendment on the address, but "the ncAvsmongers were anxious for a sensation, .and the assertion was the hope of their hearts. There Avere light and shades, and tones of "thought, in the debate, distinguishing it from ■others ; and there Avas the novelty, ever new, •of an ex - Governor reviewing an active "Governor's speech. There was also the Tiovelty of Wakefield breaking ground early in the session, and letting the Government, his hearers, and all men avlio can read between the lines of his speech know he was "willing to go in for any party or any section of a party holding out to him hopes of office. Last .year he held his peace, persistently content to posture on the political stage. This further novelty Avas also seen, viz : a thing came out of the GoA'ernor's speech that Avas not in it, i.e. the question of providing a system of local .government. The member for the Thames raised the side issue, and like the legend, the thing he gave birth to ate up, for the time being, all other things. The local government folks are the Ncav Zealand lean kine, hVe hun*dred hungry mouths waiting to be filled. Sir George Grey was not as happy as I have lcnoAvn him to be, but be interpreted the -craving of the lean kine for sustenance, and his reproaches against the lack of intelligence the Government displayed in not interpreting the articulate voice of the local government bodies, was loudly applauded ; while the well-merited iScorn he heaped on the Sydney Intercolonial •Conference was keenly relislied. A smile spread over Atkinson's face when Grey pointed out the deficiency in the revenue for the year — entrenched, as he thought, behind a deffly•constructed bulwark of financial safety. He trusted to the ignorance of the House to believe his contradiction. When Grey sat down vthe member for Geraldine arose, and, having •delivered an impromptu prologue to his care-fully-prepared speech, made an open bid to the member for Clive to adopt him as a sub. Facing Grey, as he always does when speaking, ;as though he spoke to him alone (with the reariembrance of the refusal of the petition be solicited in vain to obtain rankling in his .mind), he poured forth in his prologue the "bitterness of his heart and the mortification of Ms hopes. Graceful in manner, .sonorous in rspeech, abounding in life's best gifts, he is always heard Avith interest and patience. He wants to play a part in every play, and thinks Ih'e should be the leading character. Nature intended him to act on the histrionic, and not ■on the civic stage. Dr Wtillis, who followed him, imagined the anember for Geraldine to be a deserter from the Government ranks, but the doctor has little knoAA'ledge of men. Part of Wakefield's bitterness arose, it is said, from having been anticipated in his call for local government ; but more, however, from the neglect he has suffered from all parties. The Opposition ■wanted the debate concluded forthwith in order that the measures of the Government — "the great measures," as they are called — might be brought down. Tlie key to the •omission in the speech is to be found in the fact that the Government solicit •defeat. In that case they would fain .appeal to the country before the seats are distributed. The most attentive listener to the <debse Avas the Attorney-General, and there were also a feAV Councillors in their gallery. He stood close to the door, putting his eye-glass to Jiis eye to note the countenances of the men at a distance. When they Avent away lie come and sat in the front bench, heeding every sotto <voce remark, and the expression on each man's face. There he sat Avhile Wallis maundered and Trimble drivelled ; and there again he Avas iound to-day, when Bunny dwelt on the vanities of central government. It was arranged last evening by the Opposition that no person should speak on their side of the House to protract the debate, and so, on Thursday, Ministerialists got tired of talking among themselves. Ministers sat mute and made no sign, as one candid friend after another gave them advice. When the debate died this afternoon from inanition, the outcome Avas this : Sir George Grey, unless he is forestalled, brings In a Bill to better provide for the Government of the country through devising some organisation analagous to the old provincial system, and so men speculate Avhat the result may be.