A NIGHT IN THE HOUSE.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume 7, Issue 615, 11 October 1877, Page 2

A NIGHT IN THE HOUSE.

A correspondent of the NeUon Matt gives, under the above heading, an account of the no confidence debate. Writing of Mr Stafford’s speech he says:—For some reason or another that was unknown to any but himself, Mr Stafford thought fit to administer a dose of flattery to Sir George Grey. •• My honorable friend, the member for the Thames”—a pause—“ My honorable friend, I say, that is if he will allow me to speak of him as such, for it gives me real pleasure to do so,” and then the ex-Governor was lauded to the skies for a certain plucky action he had taken in one of the Maori disturbances. Have you ever tried to make friends with a noble looking mastiff, who, without being in a surly, is not in an amiable mood? You speak to him softly, coaxingly, and with a certain amount of deference, yon even venture to pat him on the back, but not a sign does he give that he is aware of your presence. He passively submits to your advances, but by not the slightest movement, not even a wag of the tip of his tail, does he express approval of them. Thus, while Mi Stafford was pouring the oil of flattery on the veteran politican, did he sit motionless and immoveable as though he were a statue. Hat pressed down over his brow, arms folded, and back half turned to the speaker, there he sat, and but that Sir Goorge Grey does not deep, one might have supposed that he was in dreamland. Mr Stafford did not gain much by his attempt. The next and last speaker that night was Mr Stout, who picked out the weak portions of Mr Stafford’s speech and tore them to shreds, and laughed at the egotistical reminiscences with which it abounded, and 1 regret to say that none was more demonstrative in uis applause or dapped his hands more loudly, when some specially hard hit was administered, than did that ungrateful old gentleman Sir George Grey. Mr Stout alluded to the repeated references that had been made to the unimportance of the question under discussion, and the alleged mistake of having made it the ground of a no-confidence motion. “ Ministers,” said he, “ ask us why we choose the Waka Maori as a point of attack, why we don’t attack them upon their general policy, but what is their policy. They said the Native Lands Bills was a part of it, but when the house said they would have none of it they humbly withdrew it; tie Charitable Institution Bill was said to be a part of their policy—where is it now ? Have they got an y policy at all beyond remaining in their seats ? I have been thinking about that ever since—as I walked down to the wharf, as I paced the deck of the gallant little Kennedy as she steamed against the stiff nor-wester that blew in our teeth as we crossed the straits on our return to Nelson; and since I got back here I have been persistently trying to discover whether the Government have any policy, and if so, what it is. Hitherto I have completely failed to find a satisfactory answer.