TUAPEKA PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1163, 18 July 1885, Page 3

TUAPEKA PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

(By One of the Gods.)

Considering the extreme coldness of the weather, the attendance on Wednesday night may be said to have been fairly good. The commendable action of the Government in attending to the comforts pf the , gallery has been rewarded by a large ' increase in the number of lady visitors. -ItisJiow further contemplated bythe Government to allow an interval of about ten or fifteen minutes in the latter part of the evening, during, which light refreshments will be .served to the occupants of the gallery, the Ministry reserving to themselves the honor of officiating. This idga is supposed to have originated with the Colonial Secretary (Mr Capes),, who never, even in the solemn deliberations of a Cabinet Council, forgets what we owe to the ladies. This is my ideal of politics, to see statesmanship and chivalry blending so harmoniously. Perhaps the most noteworthy incident of the evening was the action of the Opposition in deliberately deserting their recognised places facing the Ministry, and betaking themselves to the cross-benches. The meaning of this was a problem to more people than the Ministry, though it is hard to conceive what could be gained by such a move, except to discredit or mortify the Government. It could hardly be the former, as the Ministry never had a reputation (that is, a political one), except it be for doing nothing or trying to look dignified ; and as for feeling mortified, they are too well pleased with themselves to know anything of that feeling. Only modest people and Opposition members ever feel mortified. The Ministerial scout, or jackal, or whip, or by whatever name he is known in official circles, was despatched to the cross-benches to elicit information, and after returning and respectfully communicating some intelligence to his chief, the two or three Ministers present immediately exchanged a few hurried whispers and then, as usual, relapsed into -a most dignified silence. Bythe way, what has befallen the Minister for Public Works (Mr Hetherington) ? Are we to have no more of the vagaries of evolution, or the Darwinian theory applied to politics ? ■■ And where, oh ! where is' that exotic politician, that decocter of Local Government pills, the Colonial Treasurer,' &c, &c. (Mr Woods)? Is he politically dead 1 Then, by no fitter hand can his epitaph be written than by that of his gentle brother in misfortune, the Defence Minister (Mr Taylor.) And where, also, is that eminent statistician, the Minister for Lands (Mr Uren) 1 Is he recuperating his exhausted energies for another of his dreadful arithmetical onslaughts ? If so, let him remember that capital punishment is not yet abolished, and that he may try the patience of the House once too often. These hon. gentlemen were very proud of their new honors a few weeks ago, and why they never now, or hardly ever, honor the House with their distinguished persons is a matter for speculation. It cannot be a Ministerial disagreement on any question of policy, as the Government n ever had a policy that I have heard of. However it may be, the Premier was most unfortunate in his selection of a Ministry, and, cruellest stab oE all, the Treasurer (Mr Woods), who was instrumental in leading him into it, was the first to desert him. Surely some more fitting time to go into mourning for his L. G. B could be selected than the present time. Having grown tired of admiring the three or four "dignities" on the Ministerial benches, the leader of the Opposition (Mr Finlayson) on Wednesday night tabled a noconfidence motion in order to put an end at once to what one member called the "masterly inactivity" of the Government, and then moved the adjournment of the House in order to speak to his motion. "The Government," said this gentleman, "came into office with the Local Government Bill flying at their mast head, and having got safely into harbor they pull down their colors and never since gave the slightest indication of a policy." Then applying to the Ministry Solomon's admonition to the sluggard, the hon. gentleman put the House in a merry mood. He was followed on the,, same side by the member for Wallace (Mr Hindmarsh), who had not proceeded far in his remarks before he was ruled out of order by the Speaker, and somewhat prematurely resumed his seat. The Premier now roße, and, on venturing to remark on the singular conduct of his opponents in retiring to the cross-benches, was at once ruled out of order, and shared the fate of the previous speaker. The member for Bruce (Mr Byrne) rose to reply, but no sooner had he referred to what he termed the position of "masterly inactivity " taken up by the Government, that the Speaker was on hi 3 feet, and for the third time applied the gag. The hon. the Speaker was evidently in no mood to be trifled with on Wednesday night; and so the stonewallers of the Opposition took the hint and put their speeches in their pockets. The leader of the Opposition now rose, and withdrew the motion of adjournment in order to allow the usual business of the House to proceed. The adjourned debate on the motion for, the "Abolition of capital punishment" was at once resumed. The member for the Peninsula (Mr Wakefield) cgreed with the motion, and advanced some very cogent arguments in its favor, which were duly acknowledged by the House. The member for Wanganui (Mr Jeffrey), who was applauded on rising, also expressed himself for* favor of the motion) and withybne oosr s two, touches of quaint humor raised a hearty faugh. The member foe Taieri l (Mr Capes) opposed the motion, and in a very sensible speech showed the necessity of retaining the present law. Why do not more of our young men take advantage of the Union to familiarise , themselves with , public < speaking 1 And the men who * { run" the various local committees, and set all the rules of debate at defiance and abuse • each other in. the most atrocious English, where are they? After Mr Finlayson (proposer of the motion) had replied,' a division was called, with the result that Beven' voted for the .motion and seventeen against, which seems to show that hanging still retains a place' in ' the ' affections "of ' the Union. The adjjourned debate on Mr M'Coy's motion for the reform of the Legislative Council 'was then taken up, and occupied the [House for the remainder of the evenjing. The member for Invercargill (Mr Finlayson) was opposed to the motion in 'its present form, and stated his grounds 'of objection in a very logical speech. iThe member for Dunedin (Mr AllnuttJ 'rose to propose an amendment reducing the number of members from 40 to 30, and substituting the elective system at present in vogue for the proppsed Hare's system. Mr Allnutt delivered a speech which showed much careful thought, 1 and a good knowledge of /ihef- subject. The Same remark unfortunately does not apply

to the previous speakers on this motion. This gentleman, however, made up for their shortcomings, and threw a flood of light on l the matter. The amendment was seconded by the member for Bruce (Mr Byrne) in a telling and effective speech, which was loudly and deservedly [ applauded, being unquastionably one .of the best that has yet been delivered in the House. The member for Motueka (Mr Tyndall) also spoke to the motion, and said he looked upon a second Chamber as a useless encumbrance on the country. He was followed by the Premier, who expressed his admiration for the Legislative Council as it is at present managed, and therefore opposed the amendment. The member for Timaru (Mr Crooke) also opposed, the amendment, and showed himself to be an intense admirer of hereditary institutions. An Upper Chamber, he seemed to think, should be a species of Benevolent Institution for decayed and battered politicians. The House very properly adjourned after this.