WELLINGTON.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 187, 7 September 1871, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(From a Correspondent.)

August 28.

I thought a few lines would be acceptable to you at the present moment from the Empire City, the first session of a new Parliament being now in progress. It lias been sitting for 14 days, and with the exception of what has been done by members themselves by asking questions of the Government and tabling notices of motions for possible and impossible returns, nothing has been done. It is true there have been laid on the table of the House despatches from the Governor to the Secretary of State, and from the Secretary of State to the Governor ; heaps of papers and correspondence relative to railway construction, and possible construction in the South and North Islands ; and as many fiuancial papers all bearing on the past ; and also other papers equally as important with regard to the pa3t. For the future all is a blank. The Government seem to be waiting on circumstances ; cautious, and afraid to move for fear of makincf a mistake. The only advances they have made, are, the production of an Education Bill, which only gives satisfaction to the smallest number of people in the House, namely, the Catholic party. The promise of an amended Goldfielda Act which is to be thrown on the table of the House by some Minister that knows nothing about mining, and very little about political economy, and who cares less — waiting coming events — on the true principle of laissez venir. The Bill will be taken up by the Goldfields Committee and shaped by some crotchety members who have more faith in themselves than have the mining public. The great question of the future, no doubt, is immigration and public works. The stumbling block to the scheme is land for settlement. Ask whom you will a question relative to this matter, and you will assuredly get for answer, What are your views on the land question ? Lands for the people and deferred payments is the problem to be settled during the present session. It is not confined to your province, but has earnest and able advocates in Canterbury, Nelson, Wellington, and Auckland. Sir David Munro and Mr. Fitzherbert have declared themselves, ia the House, in favour of the scheme. The Government. Tarn afraid, is weak. They are all North Island Representatives. Mr. Hall and Mr. Stafford have been offered seats in the Government, but the latter has positively declined. This has given much satisfaction to his political friends. No one knows what Mr. Hall will do. People say he is anxious to join the Ministry, and that the offer to Mr. Stafford was made through him. Mr. Hall is more of a patriot than most men. He thinks more of his adopted country than he does about fixed principles, and would not object to be made a martyr. He is a man of large ideas, and believes in large possessions of land and protection to native industries. H<? believes that when our exports are large and. out* imi><>i-&3 saiiill thai the country is progressive ; and I hu ye little doubt that in a short time he will be able to prove that Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill are fools.