AN OLD DIARY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 616, 20 September 1909, Page 8

AN OLD DIARY.

POLITICS' OF SIXTY YEARS AGO. STORMY SCENES IN COUNCIL. ..- E. J. WAKBPIELD'S IMPRESSIONS. : An original diary of Edward Jerningham Wakefield, son of the famous Edward Gibbon Wakdheld, has been placed at onr disposal, which throws an.interesting light upon tho vigorous personalities, the , contending politics, the manners, progress, and development of the provincial settlement in New Zealand during the early 'fifties. Those were strenuous and important days, although the actors in them were comparatively few. Homes, had to be fashioned from the wilderness, the prosperity of struggling communities built up, and policies argued and deoidod, on which the future of a nation would depend. Party feelings;,were strong, even in those days, and there were stormy scenes in the first New Zealand Legislature, of which Jorningham.Wakefield was a member. It is. interesting also to have his account',of the elections, meetings, and church services of that day of beginnings,' to peep into the homes of men whoso names arc now household words, and to read his familiar, and not always admiring, impression's of nationfounders who loom to us'like'giants through the mißts_ of. time. ' .Furthermore, it; is well worth while to get a closer glimpse of Edward Jerningham Wakofiold himself, and to , learn something of-the mind and characteristics of. the author of that racy book, "Adventures in New Zealand." Unfortunately, ,the impressions which he gives ws of himself and ■ others are all too brief. Events from December, 1850, ;until April, 1858, have been jotted down in a pocket-book of a few hundred pages, leaving :little room for elaboration. Occasionally there are intervals of several months, caused by his being "too multifariously engaged."' One gathers, however, that Jerningham had an ! astute mind, much sensibility, a capacity for "detecting historical ■ analogies, a sound knowledge of the English, and some" acquaintance with the French' language. ■ ~. ' , • Love Troubles—A Suggested Duel. ' - "' His sensibility is evident from the effects produced upon him by an unfortunate love,affair, his reflections upon.which it would be nn'generous to publish in detail.' Hβ was engaged to; be married to a lady in Otago.'who threw 'him. over, for ;s(ime. fancied'imagined a-"plot to have been formed.to prejudice her. mind against him—and who married almost immediately his rival, afterwards Judgo Strode. .Wakefield.believed that, Strode; had >cted.unfairly, in' tho matter, and condemns his conduct in : unmeasured terms, while making every possible allowance for the lady. The.idea iof a dnel even presented itself, but only to be dismissed for foasons.which show that Jerningham had'shrewd: reasoning powers, even when he was least.-iresponsible for his actions. _ "It is necessary; to determine at once," he writes, "that I ought not to be induced to fight a duel about it.; That,would be- unfair to her, and unsatisfactory—no vindication if I did not fall, no condemnation! if I did fall." The argument would.not.need rehearsing nowadays, ;but at that time there were men who did not think'the , duello'an unnatural or altogether unsatisfactory solution for an affair of-nononr. Apparently'.W,akofield's resentment ngainst his rival-moderated in the course of time, for five years laterHhere is an entry in the journal '"Spent, evening with. Strode, six hours." At the time of its occurrence, however, this episode preyed .greatly on his mind, and even on his health:, The Diary jumps from February 19 to May'2B,- and 'under the latter date he writes:."!, was at times too ill, at other too excited)- to keep, any journal all this time." Five years later, he.finds another ladyvery attractive, buthfe has still fond memories of "la belle et bonne Emma." •.,■'.

;, ■ . • Against-the. Government. ;. The institution' .of the first.-General. Legislative Council was , an"ovent of great importance to the infant colony.- "Whether its acts will be legal'and obedience due to them?", is a point which troubles Wnke.field- ■ Sir George Groy had brought about a" Constitution for\- the colony, ,but at first it contained no provision for tho appointment: of a Ministry. ■ Thcro were the. sanio heart-burnings and allegedly the same abuses of authority in those days as in these, for we read (January 28, 1851) "Dined with Clifford (Mr. Charles Clifford, after'wards member for'Wairau),-who 1 refused to join the , -rißhfc ; :grounds, .Complaints of' political : partiality on the part. of Lady. Grey, in'hot. calling, on : colonists ladies or : inviting -colonists' children. -\. .',. The jealousy-of, and. sneering at Canterbury' and Godley ;■■ (Canterbury was. Only founded in December, 1850) 'is. more common-here ( thah 'I should have expected. On -tho part >of Grey that feeling.is evidently powerful. . . : . How few people , are, left hero entirely uiicorrnpted by the/various kinds',of'.bribery .which the Government,.can.■:administer! .What a .dull .place it is, and rhow little prospect, of any. life under /the' present , , stifling' managemijitl I much 'fear- another .Maori; War . is breeding at, Taranaki,. arid I-only 'hope something' may happen to pi-event that from-opening tho door to more Government expenditure and corrup- :'■>;■ '.-'V. '•' .••••'" ■'■■'-■■' "'■■'• . ..,: First Legislative Ceuncil.V .- The General .Legislative Counrilmet for the first timo in Auckland in' May, 1851. A. squally :passage to the northern port .proved to be symbolic of the sitting. Of the passage Wakofield records: "Maj 23. At B'a.m. anchored off the town of Anckland, having left Wellington 'in. tho. trig. about the 25th' of 'April (less than a, month .before!) and Nelson on tho 7th of May, Tried to touch, at New Plymouth, Kut, foiled by'westerly gales, borne up and come by the Straits and East Capo. E.G.W. ; (e.g., Edward Gibbon- Wakofield), the threo Otago . members, Mr. Roberts, the engineer, ■■ ;Mr. ■■' Ross (Eapid-Bannatyne), Mr. -Ellerson, and Mrs. Deck, and Dr. Knight being among .the passengers." Sir George: Grey had been recalled,;: , and . Colonel-. Wynyard ■ was i Acting-Governor: There is an entry ,by Wake- j fieldj "Triumph of the Otagoites,, an,d their ■affecting gratitude to Colonel Wynyard.. Tlad we had such;a man (or, that man) for Governor from the 'first,' said Macandrejv, 'what progress should .we not have made during six years.that'wo...have been tied down by tho persecutions . of. his predecessor?'. 'Is it not possible. that we'., may-.keep: him , as Governor?' ■'We would .cheerfully :undertake/ another 72 days' voyage .to gain the same boon!' .Major Cockraft listened with pleasure, and confirmed our notions of the pluck and good intentions of, the fine .old soldier." ; . ' . ■ |

, Seat of Government, Debate. The question of■ the seat of Government for tho colony was argued in a debate, of which ■Wnkefiel'd gives.a short resume-as follows:— "Greenwood read,a good.little speech, opening delicately the question of seat of Government, ; ; . : . ■ ' , - .''■■■ ' ■ "■'■ " "E.G. W; (Edward Gibbon Wakeßeld) replied, not-blinking the question";; in a loDg speechquotations from former speeches in Wellington —member .--.'of .Executive- Council' wanted from Auckland-T-silence. j . ' ■'.'.'"; v ■'• ' ' . - ; , "O'Neill flared up as to . advantages of Anckland. »,,./. '"■•',''■•■ > "For.saith tried' again, but very feebly, and 'was laughed at by the. members, and the House thinned. .',-, !!■!.,'.- ~, ; ■ ;.'' ■ '-.•.-■ ! -. ..'.■•■.-,■ "Cutten spoke—good ',points—bad manner and style. '. . .'•; ~-" ,' ,' : ..-■ •'.• ■■.:■• • ' .-' -'iPicantr-capital—earnest ■ and : exciting to audience—very, easy to report well. ':. : : "Altercation behveen Hart .and Sewell as'to legal doubts! ' Adjourned; at 3 p.m."., For the conclusion of the debate, 'Wakefield refers, us to the: newspapers.. ■ . -':., ''—: • ' ; - ■•• " ~ ■'" ..-':' y-A , -' Lively Drama. A lively drama waj: enacted in , the Council on.August 17.': During the debate.on the great question" nf ' responsible government, which Colonel Wynyard had refused to confer on his own authority, a message from the Governor was announced, which was known to bo for the prorogation'of-Parliament. "When tho cries of wcro, first raised," writes Wakefield, "I wont to go out, followed by.others.. Eevans put his back against tho door. I could not hayo got out'without using violence towards him. I appealed to the Speaker, in vain. Other- and:' finally Dock, >• joined lievans in keeping and locking the door. I and others walked to the gallery climbed over the rail to go ■ out at' the ■ gallery door. Sowell !!!• bounded over the rail and two forms like a ball of eutta percha, and laid hold of the lock and handle of tho door like [■'a bulldog,, screwing his back ' against it till others came up. Again wo could .not have got out without using personal violence. Deck and others : soon came up. _He'said most insulting language to members,' especially to Forsaith, Mackay, Travers, and I warned him of action, in vain. We stayed in the gallery, which was lost in mfett laughter and astonishment at tho strange scene. After tho division we wont out. "There was danger of a furions mill during the scene. Fitzgerald and others showed i great itching to attack Forsaith, who ; would stay protesting. Greenwood would stay with him, and if he .had been attacked would in return have assaulted some of them, most likely 'Bruin'.and (apparently nicknames understood at tho .time). The gallery would probably have jumped over'to help the weaker side', and there would have been a fearful row. ... . In the'entry'for the following day we read' "Great ridicule all through the town," • ..-...'. bq crrctiimedj, _„ ;