A PARLIAMENTARY PERFORMANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 116, 26 September 1868, Page 3

A PARLIAMENTARY PERFORMANCE.

.«>_• — {By the Special Correspondent of the Nelson Colonisti) Dramatis Personal, Mr Stafford, Mr Hall, Mr Yogel (who surfers from deafness), members, &c. Mr Yogel : There has been an illegal overissue of debentures, a wilful overstepping by Ministers of the borrowing powers conferred by the Assembly, and I will not say discreditable and disgraceful, but a disingenuous attempt on the part of the acting Colonial Treasurer _Mr Hall winced] to mislead the House as to the actual facts of the operation This conduct, and that of the same kind attempted by the Ministry with the Three Million Loan, will reflect great discredit on the colony. [Mr Stafford here threw a most contemptuous glance at Mr Yogel, who was standing at the table nearly opposite the Ministerial bench."] Mr Yogel : The hon. the Colonial Secretary makes a gesture of contempt. He is rather addicted to doing this while I am speaking, and showing his errors ; but let me toll the hon. gentleman that I care nothing for the opinion he may entertain oi me, nor for his contempt either, and let me say thia also, that that gentlemen is so peculiarly constituted that if he had the choice of two ways, one a dark underground course, and the other open, frank, and ..bove-board, I be'ieve he would take the former from choice. [Mr Stafford here scowled wrathfully at tbe sptaker.] Mr Yogel : The Government have deliberately incurred liability for £43,000 without the consent of the colony. [Cheers from the other occupants of the stage Have the Government the right to do this ? I say they have not. [Exit Mr Stafford, quickly, and in evident "wrath ; Mr Hail moves uneasily in his seat.] Mr Yogel: The hon. the PostmasterGeneral is shaking his head ; but I'll prove it. Mr Hall (sharply) .- I did not shake my head at all. (Laughter.) Mr Yogel : Oh : but I'll prove it to you (Great laughter.) I'll prove that the overissue was made, and was illegal. [Mr Hall springs from his seat, looks angrily at Mr Yogel, as if he were about to say something, but turns suddenly round and Exit by the side-door, after Mr Stafford. The Native Minister (Mr Richmond) and the Defence Minister (Colonel Haultain) are now the sole occupants of the Ministerial bench, and sit as far apart from each other as possible, looking far from comfortable ] Mr Yogel : Ministers choose to walk out while lam speaking unpalatable truths, and the Government, because they think they have a majority at their back to enable them to do as they please, consider they need pay little attention to the facts that I bring forward. They may go out ; but I have heard of cases where Ministers so going out have remained within earshot, and have even placed

their ears against ther wall ; (laughter,) and I shall suppose they are doing so now. Here terminated this little scene ; and if it were not almost a sin to make comparisons between English Ministers and those who at present still rule our destinies, I should say that the thought struck me of what the English people and the P tcfs would have said regarding Ministers who could have thus walked out from the presence and the arguments of no contemptible opponent. How : ever, so it was. Mr Yogel continued at some length accusing the Government of practising a systematic course of deceit on the members in reference to important financial affairs ; affirming that one statement put into tbe hands of the Governor to send home was vtry different from that placed before the House ; that Mr Filzherbert had on one occasion made a gross blunder in his calculations as laid before the House, and then surreptitiously altered it after the statement had been made. He cited figures and documents to prove his assertions, and no reply came from the Government bench.