THE LAST DAY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3794, 12 September 1883, Page 3

THE LAST DAY.

Don't bo startled. There arc many last days, and ofoonr.se I refer to the last day's proceedings in Parliament. A poet preacher used to say we had throe great days, the day of our "birth, our marriage day, and the daY of ouv death. Well, the fission being neutral has but two sreat days, the opening day and the closing day. I have not considered the ceremonial day the closing day ; I prefer the last debating day. Last days, I have said, arc numerous. There is our last day at home, before, full of health and yiu-our" and lusty life, we set out in the world to light our way in the battle of life ■which to nearly all of us, in spite of the silver spoons in .some of our mouths, is a battle, full of hope, -without foav, strong in our confidence in our own powers, v.-hieh years later matured experience has somewhat dashed. There is the hist day at school or college ; how we swore eternal friendship to haW our play fellows, and now with an additional score of years over our heads where are the friendships ? Why, forgotten. Your brilliant boy that was going to do something wonderful in the world has strangely enough never been hoard of, while the dunce or the school is in the foremost place, steady industry and perseverance lacking brilliancy has attained the first place. Pshaw : Why get sentimental over the last day of a commonplace colonial parliament. 1 confess I feel the sort of regret I always experience Avhen, after a long voyage, we behold the port of destination—of course mnl do mrr does not trouble me, or those regrets would not be expressed—and I feel the gay associates of the voyage are to part. Somewhat similar arc my I'celings on this occasion. The atom.-- which make the whole, the parts of the machinery are being scattered, and who knows if ever those parts will all come together again. The lav.- of averages_ is against such a thing, and education, which does not altogether "blunt our finer feelings, which does n>"it altogether—its great aimmake us despise death, has not brought me to such a pass that 1 don't care about such a thought. There is a heaviness about this Inst debate, least so it seems. Perhaps the business is with me. Outside it is a wild day, inside a gloom seems to have settled everywhere. There is the absence of the usual cheeriness in the Gallery ; some of the habitues have taken their departure, and among that crowd there is not one that does not i'e.'l fagged : there is not one who docs not feel that the excitement has kept him up, and when that excitement is withdrawn lie knows he will feel a lassitude which it will be difficult to shake oif for days. On Thursday we -were a hard dying lot. Wo began well for a winding up day. Major Atkinson moved that the fares of the Southern members wives should be paid, so as to equalise the facilities given to Northern members by the Hinemoa, and unfortunately added, if a member were a widower, his eldest daughter would come within the expenditure category. Mr Seddon, -with more humour than I credited him with, moved " that aunts, cousins, and servants "be added. This latter fetched that " gay and festive cuss," Mr Sheehan, who moved that those who did not bring their wives at the public expense should receive an equivalent in hard cash. This Mr Speaker regarded as jocular and declined to put it, or Mr Seddon's amendment cither. Then, amid roars, Mr Seddon moved "that wives bo struck out" (man}- a man wishes they could), and divided the House on the subject amid more laughter, but was beaten by 2(5 to 13. On the reading of the Appropriation Bill coming on, Mr Smith caught the "eye" first, and the gentleman known as " Mr Ramlin the 'Ouse," had his growl about private members not having had facilities for their bills. Mr Turnbull was great on this last day; ho ridiculed the nationalization of the land, the right way was to tax the land, then ho " walked in a puusli3r." There were two classes of members, those who came up for enjoyment, and those who were there to do their duty. Ho " objected to members bringing up their wives, it hindered their business." Then he paid a compliment to the hospitality of the Wellington people in a style one would not have expected from such an austere individual. But ho certainly held, if a member's wife was a necessity for him to bring, let him put his hand in his pocket and pay for her passage. Ho objected to the manner in which the whole ' weight of the Government that i session had fallen on the shoulders of the Colonial Treasurer, "it was injurious to have a man of so great power, of such great lighting powers, in which ho revels, and that did not lead to the improvement of the character of the House." Then Captain MeKenzie wanted to tack the Goro-Kclso line on to the Appropriation Bill. The Council had thrown the little bill out, and the gallant captain said he was as obstinate as the Treasurer himself. If that tack had been made 1 venture to say wo would have seen a nice "deadlock." The previous evening , in the Council that mild-mannered philosopher, Mr Richmond, had said the only way to reduce the expenditure of the country was by throwing out an Appropriation Bill. Then we had that wild debate on the report of the Dargaville Committee. MiMason, in a very few words, moved its adoption. Mr Buchanan, in a speech which did him credit, moved the previous question. In his heart he did not believe that the Treasurer felt that any resolution passed in such a thin House would have any effect on the opinion of the country which would be formed, and was already formed from the reports in the public print*. Then Mr Montgomery had a little pay, trying to save his follower. Mr Bryce would like to see the House part in peace and good fellowship, and to attain that end Mr Dargaville had only to say a few words expressive of his regret", and all would be well. That was gracefully put, and the hero of Parihaka left a graceful opening for Mr Dargaville, who nuw rose. But alas! The latter was determined to bounce it out to the bitter end. He began by describing the committee as " packed," which the Speaker compelled him to withdraw, and then he plunged deeper and still deeper, to the evident disgust of the House, and the little ] reputation he had left was .scattered to the four winds of Heaven, novel , to be again gathered together. Why follow such a speech ? It was unworthy of the dying moments of a fast dying session. He abused wildly Mr Luckie, whoso hands are tied, and therefore it was striking a defenceless man, and we all know what Englishmen as a rule think of such a proceeding. To describe the House as the " concentrated essence" of the Government party was only at best vulgar cleverness, so I at once wash my hands, and will follow the debate no longer. I have concluded the session work, and in taking farewell of my readers can only hope that I have given satisfaction to them. I have never spared myself, feeling that to supply them with the latest and most authentic information was why the proprietor of the Teleouahi had sent me into the Gallery.