PARLIAMENTARY.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 99, 5 August 1882, Page 324

PAR LIAM ENTARY.

(by telegraph.) From Our Special Correspondent. OTEE. THE SPEAKER'S CHAIR. Wellington, Thursday. — Betting is 2 to 1 against the passing of the million loan. —Harris's legal expenses amounted to nearly £400. — O'Rorke has ruled that it is out of order to call a member " harmless." — Speculation is busy to find oiit "what Yogel is so long staying in Melbourne for. — The reduction of the Times to a penny is likely to prove a great success, Harris says. — The North Island pays more per head per annum Customs nuties than the South Island does. —No one as yet is able to make out clearly what the Native Reserves Billnieans, or what it is intended to accomplish. — It is quite natural, men say, for Pilliet to go to the Government, from the fact that like assimilates to like. — All of Bryce's colleagues would sooner have a dummy for a partner in any political game than " Honest John." — The only way out of our Parliamentary corruption seems to be the formation of a national bank. — Beetham went through the ventilators of the House of Representatives, the Opposition say ratcatching. — The Auckland people will remember Pilliet. He was up with Donald McLean in 1869 as Private Secretary. Sir Donald soon cut the acquaintance. —There is keen competition between the Times and the Post since the Government have become firm in their seats as to which of them shall be most Ministerial. — Pyke has been very ill again. He says it is the Parliamentary fever — a running from the ©yes and nose, as well as an overflow of speech from the mouth. — Since the Dog debate in the Council, there has been no subject in which so much interest has been displayed as in the short one on lunacy. Councillors felt at homo on the subject. — Bracken has a vile habit of making bad puns, and the evil habit has spread among even the better class of members. He ought to bo punished for each pun he perpetrates. — Some of the reporters declaim about the green hangings in the House. I have heard mothers say that Green wants hanging he makes long speeches. , — Considerable curiosity is felt here to know whether Sir George Grey invited Mr McCoslx Clark to Jlawau for: some shooting before or after the election for Auckland City Bast ? — A Southern man, on a visit, who made an attentive study of Bryce while he was here, asked a friend, in a confidential whisper, whether the Native Minister ever washed or took a bath ? — The Grovernment did not tell Wetere Te Ranga, who came.here with Mokau Jones, to go away ; but Bryce said he should have preferred his not having come here, and so he went away. — I am told, on good authority, that, a friend of Atkinson's has bought one hundred and seventy thousand acres of native land at ninepence an acre, title obtained, and no questions asked. — Pilliet asks, in his letter to Mr Habbard, " And, then, what would the Stanmore electors think of me?" The question, in my mind, is what would the, Stanmore electors think of Walter H. Pilliet if they knew that his vote had been secured for the Government before the election ? I do not saj that ,it was ; but this I do say — The Government knew how he would voto before lie was elected, and never felt any doubt on the subject. v . >

— Jim Grrahain is down liere, trying to find the lost colonial .dividend. He came when Robert went back to Waiwera. Robert should have sold the Springs to Yogel, and taken the Government in with electric shares. — : Dr Pollen drew a very ingenious distinction last Friday in the Council. *He maintained that men were not sent to gaol under any causes because they did not pay their debts, but for contempt of court — that is, being unable to carry out the order 01 the Court. — It is not often anything good comes from the House, but the following is not bad : — " Though there arc many leaders in the House, there is only one Driver." This is what one member is reported to have said to another. It seems too good, however, from the source from whence it is said to have come. — Who could refrain from being touched and amused at Main's telegram to the Press Association throughout the Colony, stating that the Chairman of the Auckland Gas Company had written to the Premier, asking- him to see that no injury was done to existing Gas Companies by the introduction of electric light. — Another singular illustration of the wonderful ingemuijy of man has been manifested by the Colonial Architect in "Wellington. He built a house for the resident surgeon at the Asylum, so excellently arranered that all the foul air from the water-closet pipes found, its escape through the adjoining bath. When the doctor, like Job, was covered with carbuncles, and his life was despaired of ; his ingenious contrivance was dis* covered, and the recovery of the doctor prevented a verdict of manslaughter being returned against the Government employe. This gentleman is one of those who have been appointed to inquire into the ventilation of the Hou3e of Representatives. — Very few of the' new members have displayed much force of character as yet. The three most marked men are among the Opposition — Pish, Green, and Holmes ; Dargaville is running fourth. But before the characteristics of the new men are known, we shall have a new House. Wynn Williams promised much, or a good deal could be expected from him, if he will tell what he knows, but he labours under the disadvantage of belonging to the " Canterbury Swell Mob." John Buchanan, of Napier, has falsified every prediction of him, and has proved untrue to the professed convictions of a lifetime. I can well understand how he was never in Parliament before, — he never deserved to be. He said one thing in public while meaning another. When he was out of Parliament ho was the strongest partizan I have met foot some years. Only a strong resolute man runs straight in Wellington. ■"