A Capital Speech.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 102, 24 October 1871, Page 6

A Capital Speech.

The Wellington correspondent of 'the Dally Times writes :—■' Mr '-Steward's Newspaper Libel Bill jnet fato inl the ; shape of .an ameuduieut moved by Ma; Brandoo-that it be' road a second time that day six months, The debate on it was very short, for it way after midnight when Mr Steward moved the second reading ; but one of the speeches made was well deserving of notice, as beino; really the beat thing of the kind ever done in: the House. An individual connected with the Hawkds Bay 11srald was recently in Wellington for some weeks, and filled up his leisure hours by sitting in the Reporters' Gallery and writing sketches, which he duly forwarded to his paper. Some of these are faithful enough, but a nasty tone of personality runs through them, and ho certainly rakes up matters with which he has no business to meddle. Perhaps none of the members were so hard hit by this writer as Mr John White, the member for Hokitika. In letter after letter, he was referred to in terms the reverse of complimentary, and in this debate on the Libel Bill Mr White armed himself with a file of the Hawhe's Bay Herald, and by way of showing that the Pres3 already had as much liberty as could be well desired, he commenced reading out all the personal sketches of the Napier " Stranger in the Gallery," especially those referring to himself, and keeping up a running commentary of the most excruciatingly comic character. Members fairly rolled about in their seats with irrepressible laughter, and from the Speaker to the messengers everyone roared, except Mr White, who read on and spoke with the most imperturable gravity. It was simply the best thing of the kind I over saw done, and that speech alone would have proved fatal to Mr Steward's Bill, or, indeed, any other Bill. Some of the members winced a little when the sketches relating to themselves were read and commented upon ; but before they had time to think of it, they were called on to join in the laugh against some one else, for Mr White was quite impartial in his selections and comments, and was even harder on himself than any one else. When he wound up offering to support the Bill, if the moyer would bring in another measure to legalise the horse-whipping of of scoundrels who prostituted the press to improper purposes, the applause was louder than, I think, was ever before accorded to a non-political speech, and Mr White sat down, after achieving the most decided success of the session.