THE MAN IN COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 591, 1 December 1871, Page 2

THE MAN IN COUNCIL.

jjj ; [BY GEOFFREY SOFTSAWDEE, ESQ.]

He*-!, members exhibited some signs of .excitement when His Worship the.-Mayor .of Auckland rose and asked the Provin<cial Secretary what " steps had been _ta.e_.' to carry out the resolution' " come to" in the last-session to.'provide for the immigration \of female domestics ?. The ministerial officer to whom the iu'eYrogatory.was.put rose, to give a..categorical answers He told the_;:h(__. and vvorshipful gentleman that steps had been taken in the terms of the resolution, but he was afraid that no great* advance had been made towards the object they all had so much at heart. It was very hard to procure female domestics in London. The market tor that kind of service had become very " high." It would be necessary to offer much greater, indeed more extraordinary inducement, to bring such persons out to the colony Marital prospects were not more brilliant here than in the old country. He believed there had one young lady embarked at " Gravesend," in a ship called The hose of Allendale, which had reached " Spit-head" by contrary winds; according to last advices. There wa_ no doubt the ship had* passed the Line before this time. She would be here in due time with a stiff breeze. No doubt she. was contemplating the flyingfish bejtween the tropics. There;, was no disposition whatever on the part of the Provincial Government to appropriate the whole of this interesting cargo. His Worship the Mayor need not take occasion for alarm. There was no possibility of mistaking the young lady's identity. The Government, with their usual precaution, had taken every care that there should be no mistake. He beb'eved that the Mayor had under his control the Board of Health, and would in the course of his civil duties visit the ship. He would see that all the necessary information was given to her, with alt the news of the morning. He hoped the hon. member would not forget to bring a few land comforts with him, which were so acceptable, especially to young women after a long sea voyage. 'J he Secretary of the Borough Council would be a very welcome sight as a sample of the exterior of colonial life. It would ease the young creature's mind and give her a restful and thankful feeling, after the knocking about upon the stormy ocean. He could not describe the appearance of this yet single domestic. But His Worship need not be at loss for a means of identifying a person of such interest. He believed His Worship was a little short-sighted, which would make the presence of his Secretary additionally useful. If in the usual inspection he took due care he would see a young woman who would wear upon her shawl a fac simile of the city seal, with the motto' My _t__i_NN__ He might at once take her to his home, and ho sin* . erelv hoped she would1 turn out a useful help.

Tne excellent taste and good feeling of this speech obtained applause from all sides of the House.

Mr. Creighton, the hon. member for Mount Eden in the House of Representatives, came behind'the Chair and shook hands with Mephistophiles. He assured my companion that Mount Eden was a long way from Paradise—except it was a fools' Paradise. My acquaintance said he knew the place very well. He had a dwelling there a good while ago. The door in the crater of this eminence had been a loner time closed up with stones. Mephistophiles gave as a reason for his quitting the place, that'sinice the colony, had obtained a Constitution he was so much trouhled with calls; of honest woliticians th, t they had become a dreadful bore, and the place, instead of retaining its pristine heat, was perforated with drafts current. Having a mind to turn though late in life, to virtue, be found necessary to abandon politics. The hon. member for Mount Eden sympathised very much, and hoped to see Ins hon. friend, when he went to Wellington Where they would have an uninterrupted chat on the top of Mouot Victoria. The stature of .greatness was dwarfed in the presence ot small provincial cares. He had experienced great changes of opinion and had discovered that a crumb from a provincial loaf was more nourishing than a whole batch of the Wellington bakery.

Who is that littl- gentleman, stoutmade, his hair erect, with horn specs, trousers voluminous yet short, looking the beau ideal of the " old identity?" "That," I said, not being quite certain te whom my friend referred, " that ip Jeremiah." He is member for the Peninsula. He is a dear old boy in the opinion of ladies. He is kindness itself except when he is " crossed." His boots ar. not shapely, but then he is a martyr to Bunyans. He looks from the top of Moiint Beautiful with enthusiasm. He encourages ali local projects. He joined the Volunteers,some time ago, but there was considerable difficulty about the fit of the regulation jacket.. He expressed a great contempt for soldiers' clothes, and expressed his determination that if eyer.ther c should be an enemy upon the coast, and there wereany.question of time, he would march in his " original uniform." There was some commotion in the strangers' gallery at this" "speech. In the ladies', gallery, there was evidently some difficulty as to what could be the object of the honorable member exposing himself to the consequences of a severe cold. When the cheers had subsided the honorable member sat down, amidst the, congratulation of" his. friends. - He again hoped the Government would recommend the Superintendent to place upon the Mipplementary Estimates a sum sufficient to est4blisl_a travellers' re.t dn the ranges. Inhere was a fear on the part of some lion. rr.embers that this proposal would make requisite some alteration in the Licencing >*ct. The motion was not pressed. The Council adjourned to refreshment and tcibacco smoke, i^'" ) •'■

A sum of money'was put on the estimates for a visiting justice to the gaol, there was a memori_l in preparation that an hour's worj. .night be"iretoitted.to prisoners, to a'ttend'the eyeni. g classes, for c .ening instruction..... Mr. Ellis moved fur the establishment of a female reformatory—a place,t^at had, become -very necessary. Why, .Mr.,.Ellis? The. Mary Magdalens are becoming numerous ! He was asked, what had hon. members to do with that? The Provincial Secretary did not see the Government, the Superintendent, or any member of the Executive

! cduld J?e held responsible for this state of I things.' He thought that some instrjic" tion might be provided, and -various , comforts. H. _ thought it not. unreasonable I to mix some'more liberal treatment with 7 ins.t ructidri/ and an: allowance %>f Plum j pudding woulf.be" sent" to" prisoners'of both "sexes at Christmas. ~• \\ r/'