TUAPEKA PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1159, 4 July 1885, Page 3

TUAPEKA PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

(By One of the Gods.) ' A Mhnßkry without a policy — an Op- j position with nothing to oppose— such is 'now the position of affairs in the local ! senate.' Once a mimicry, it hasiibw become I a> profanation /of/ Parliament. The freezing point of dull gentility was reached on 'Wednesday nights' We< hadHfot even tlie to break the' monotony of the evening. It was rumored in the early part of the evening that a vote of want-of-confidence.-.was gabled by 'tlie I itooK?the opportunity of the leader of the Opposition, on the matter, t , £bufigfras aisled bypnift gentleman that* there was "no such intention. He added that the Ministry, if let .alone, will save trouble by dying of " inanition," whatever that means. At eight o'clock, the Ministrytr looking as jf they had not sufficieQbenergyjjlef t to organize a respectable tes-fight,:'.took their seats and looked ruefully round on an almost empty house. The Opposition, with a " we've-got-no-work-to-do " look legibly written on their countenances, appeared to me as if they would like lo f^,t^o}Mfit a new local Governnfent Bill, or* even a Ministerial Statement if. no-king else offered, just to keep hands in. The ladies, as usual, beamed from the gallery, and helped to dispel the 'dreariness which seemed' to settle like a fog oyer tlie proceedings. The .member, for' Hawk9Sj,Bay (My Herbert!) 1 iopened the business* by? movin| " That the ; sum of £140,000 be plnced on the ' Estimates for the extension of the r?".l way line from Lawrence to Roxburgh." Mr 'Herbert went minutely „mto tip quality 'and extent of land on the proposed

route, and occasionally waxed quite eloquent on the benefits which unborn generations would derive from such a work. It is, of course, the purest that induces the honorable member for Hawkes Bay to take such an interest in the unborn ones, though some cynical people will suggest that he has also some slight personal interest in the matter. However that may be, his* adyocacy, of the matter was undertakenin ,a, ivery serious 'manner^ fle^ supplemented his facts with maps of the country on the proposed line of railway and official statistics, and wound, up with what some people considered a yeiy animated appeal to the House. .The motion was seconded by, the Defence Minister (Mr Taylor), who is improving as a speaker under the careful supervision of the Opposition. It was supported by the member for Dunstan (Mr Arbuckle), whose remarks are always both sensible and temperate. The member for Auckland (Dr Withers) expressed his intention of opposing the motion, and forthwith directed his logic towards dis- > proving the arguments of the previous speakers. The member for Hawkes Bay . (Mr Herbert), fretful as a porcupine at seeing his remarks jeopardized, persisted in raising points of order unnecessarily which might ruffle a more equable man than even the doctor. He was, however, promptly silenced by the Speaker, whose look is sufficient to awe even the fireeaters of the Opposition. The arguments that require to be continually protected in this objectionable ntanner must indeed be very slender. The member for Timaru (MrCrooke) followed Uri support of the motion with his accustomed clearness and skill, and eventually it was carried on the voices.

The member for Invercargili (Mr Finlayson) now addressed the House on the second reading of his " Local Courts Bill," and explained, in a very clear and methodical manner, the nature of the measure. He evidently succeeded in carrying the House with him, and the second reading was passed almost unanimously. Mr Finlayson , has the honor of being the first member of the House who has had a Bill carried into Committee. . !,The adjourned debate on Mr M'Coy's motion for the reform of the Legislative Council was now resumed. It was seconded by the Colonial Secretary (Mr Capes), whose knowledge on the subject will, I believe, be increased before the debate finally closes. It being near ten o'clock, Mr Joseph moved the adjournment of the debate, which gave Mr Woods an opportunity of withdrawing for ever the mutilated remains of his Local Government Bill. The duty was performed in the regulation funereal tone, the Defence Minister acting as chief mourner. The House then solemnly adjourned.