A MAORI STONEWALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6313, 10 August 1888, Page 3

A MAORI STONEWALL.

Sydney Taiwhauga and the Native Land Bill. £FEOM OUR SPECIAL COEBESFONDENT.j WELLINGTON. August 9. I am unable to seed jou much news to-day, for tha very simple reason that the whole afternoon and evening so far has j been taken up witu a stonewalling speech I from Mr Sydney T&iwbanga, who has j talked steadily since 3.30 p.m. The | only variety about his remarks has been afforded by lm transition from one language >to another. He baa skipped backwards and forwards froni fluent Maori to the most villainous English at his own sweet will, now employing au interpreter, and now dispensiug with j his help. Occasional effort 3 were mado in the earlier part of his speech to trip him up over points of order. Once he started talking Maori without halting to have it translated, and w.hs called to order for Bpeaking in j A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. A member very proper3y suggested that [ Maori could hardly be ruled a foreign | language in New Zealand, as it was the j I only Native language of which our Colocy : can boast. Such, however, is the assumption of the JPakeha, tr a-; Maori is ruled a! foreign tongue in the Houeo of Represen- I tatives, and those speaking it must employ the services of an interpreter. As I write thi3, Sydney is still "pegging away, apparently fall of running ; though the resonant voice with which 'Nature has blessed the little man is becomi ing slightly cracked. But he has only i I been talking four hours, acd that, aa an j ! old hand baa scornfully observed to me, is 1 a were nothing. Mr Taiwhanga was still talking afc tbe supper adjournment, the reporters having, iiowevcr, been relieved from further attendance. ( THE NATIVE COMDIITTKE OF DIRECTION has decided not to ask to be heard at the bar of the House in the way talked of yesterday, nor will the Committee submit any definite proposals in writing to the Govern mi-nt. I fancy that with the excision of the taxation clauses, most of tbe opposition to tbe Native Bills has collapsed. Sydney Taiwhanga does nob teem to be getting any countenance from his colleagues, or indeed from anyone, unless it be the member for Sydenham, who rose to defend him against certain interruptions this evening.

A Vect Old Identity. — A privata communication has b; i>n received in Dunedin. from Captain Jackoon Barry to the effect that that very old identity intends shortly to rtviait; Otago. The missive is distinguished by the oithographical eccentricities peculiar to most of the captain's correspondence, but it uhovra him to be as cheery and energetic a3 ever. The writer says that ho lias been drawing large houses iv Adelaide,, and that he intends vo deliver two lectures during hia stay iv Otago.