THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2388, 14 July 1866, Page 3

THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS

(Wellington Independent, July 7.)

The opening speech of the Session should contain a summai'y of the intentions of Government and a recapitulation of its important acts during the recess; and tho Address in reply should according to old precedent express tho general assent of the Houses to the Ministerial policy, and their approval of its past action. The speech, on which we commented in our last impression, fairly enough fulfils its part of this scheme, but the practice has been growing in New Zealand of framing the Address so as to tread on no one's corns, and it has readied perfection this Session. The Assembly confine themselves almost exclusively in their replies to thanks for information given, and va^ue aspirations for success, and for the blessing of " Divine Providence" — an expression, by the way, which always recalls to our minds the chilly piety of Robespierre's ' Eire Supreme. 7 The Address has become a mere form. Parties are fluctuating — the recess is long, and members are not so entirely devoted to political affairs as to be able afc the opening of a session to enter at once on a wide field of discussion. Addresses much more questionable than those of this Session accordingly are tolerated by powerful minorities, and a Government can acquire no knowledge of its strength by the vote on the occasion. It is little use struggling against tendencies so strong and so intelligible, and porhap3 it is best, ;whilst retaining the Jreply for courtesy's sake, to abandon all idea of making it express anything, and dispose of it with as little loss of time as possible.

The time-honored custom of committing the Address to new members was observed on Wednesday in the House of Representatives. Mr. Campbell, of Oaniaru, in the Northern part of Otago, a gentleman of very intelligent appearance, and a manner free alike from nervousness and assumption, was the mover. Ho went seriatim through all the heads of the reply, making a safe remark or two upon each. This speech leads us to imagine him a genuine novice, and gives hope that we have in him a valuable member who may adequatply fill the place occupied by his predecessor Mr. Wayne, with the growing, respect of all parties.

Mr. Joseph Newman, of Auckland, the seconder, is a gentleman long known to public life. He professed great anxiety and begged the indulgence of the House in addressing it, and although obviously he has considerable skill as a speaker, he showed unequivocal nervousness. Wo regret that we should not have been able to give his speech in full. It was in several respects very remarkable. Narrow, clear, courageous, Mr. Newman sees plainly what he wants, and does not shrink from telling uaae plainly. His reflection on the increased number of representatives was simply astonishment that the large district of Raglan was represented by himself alone. " The district was so large and so populous !" It is a common thing with one school of politicians to insist on numbers as the sole basis for representation. Mr. Newman separates himself from this school by admitting acreage as a consideration, and as far as we know, he has tho merit of entire novelty in his view. We aye not quarrelling with his conclusions as to Raglan, tbrif hopi-oved that a largo population oxe scattered over a large area, good cause is shown for large representation. The mere area of a district, however, ia neither here nor there. Many of tho North Island districts are large on the map, radiatory from lake Taupo to the sea ; generally, however, the population occupies a comparatively narrow space on the coast, and when so concentrated, needs proportionately less representation. There is naivete and courage about the proposal to draw a revenae from the irapor.t of timber, a staple of Auckland, and from tho export oi wool, a staple of Hawke's Bay, Wellington, and the whole Southern Island. Mr. Newman is equally courageous on the subject of the Panama Mail Service. He adopts tho " legitimate pride " which his Excellency attributes to the colony, but at the same time stigmatises the service as extravagant. Mr. Newman is not so original in this as in some of his views, for a large part of modern society think extravagance a ground of legitimate pride, but few utter the ; thought in words, as round and bold. These little peculiarities of Mr. Newman were amusing, but it was a hearty pleasure to hear his simple and clear repudiation of the calumnies on the Colony in reference to Native difficulties. Nothing that ho said was new, nothing indeed can be said that has not been said again and again on this subject, but we have never heard the rectitude of the Colony asserted with more quiet earnestness. Such confidence as Mr. Newmans, that we shalllive do wn|those calumnies, is tho natural fruit of the conscious fairness and humanity of our whole course during our miserable troubles. But the culminating part of tho speech was that in which he declared for the self-reliance of the colony and the departure of the troops. Mr. Newman sees clearly the nugatory, nay the mischievous effect, of retaining a nominal force in garrison about our towns. He sees that they would bo nothing but a trammel on the action of the Colonial Government Pie tells us moreover that the spirit of tho people is changed within the last two years, that now they feel confidence in their own power to deal with, restrain, and punish aggression, and he thinks himself that with promptitude on the part of the authorities, serious danger noed not bo feared when we are dependent on our own resources alone. These are indeed cheering statements coming from such a quarter, and we wish Mr. Newmans words could' be circulated through the length and breadth of the land. Nothing is more infectious than confidence or fear, and Mr. Newman has done a service no whit less valuable than General Chute's march, by his clear and emphatic declarations. We see abundant subjects of disagreement between ourselves and Mr. Newman, but we cannot admit that Raglan is ill represented so long as it retains his services.

Since writing the above remarks _ Mr. Newman lias further justified our estimate of him in a speech of great energy, much good sense, and some eccentricity on Major Richardson's motion for fortifying the ports. Mr. Newman deprecates what he fancies to be tho warlike spirit of the House and its reckless extravagance. Ho recommends that the colony should get rich first and then defend its ports ! ! We shall recur to this subject and examine the arguments hereafter.

&ENEUAI. Chute and Stat?f.— Major-General Ohuto, Lieut.-Colonol Pitt, Colonel . Gamble, and a number of non-commissioned officers and mon ot the 50tli Regiment, arrived here per a.s. Airedalo from Auckland yesterday morning.