IN THE GALLERY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4097, 8 September 1884, Page 4

IN THE GALLERY.

I don't know what the country thinks of the proceedings in Parliament this week, but for my own part I feel the reputation which this House has made is being needlessly sacrificed. We have not had a Ministerial crisis, nor notice of a want of confidence motion, and I am' afraid after all people will begin to think that the material is not as "ood as it is represented to be. Then, M-ain, when members met two days for work, it was not to be expected that they could knuckle down to the ordinary course and "o of routine work after the cxitement of the last few weeks. That was not to bo thought of. There were too many ex-Cabi-net Ministers in the House for that, and so we adjourned each day at half-past five. The most of the work so far has been done by innocents outside, who have run away with the idea that members are very anxious to redress grievances, and so they have — I mean the outsiders—aired those matters in numberless huge petitions. Well in these days, when men are selfish and women are fast, it is pleasant to think that there are so many innocents abroad. It is gratifying to know that outsiders think representatives travel to Wellington for the public good. I am afraid a good many put in an appearance for the purpose of having an axe of their own ground, to gratify self, and so that they may take up their abode in Ministerial residences. But I confess lam likely to be wrong. The outsider always sees more of the game than the players, though in the lone hands which I have scon lately played at that popular colonial o-amo, euchre, I confess I do not know how tho outsiders can sec so much, especially when so many players have gone the little game blind. On Tuesday there was but a short sitting, as tho Liberal Ministry had not been able to settle their little diiferonees, anel so the Major asked the House to adjourn for a day, which was agreed to, after some gas had blown off. We had a nice little lecture from that strdgiit-goer, Mr Joyce. He said during the month he had never been subjected to so much worry, anxiety, solicitation, find temptation, in all his life before, and yet he is not new to politics. Then ho gave the finishing touch by doclarin"' he would sooner be a private individual digging on his farm than dwelling anion"" those men supposed to be statesmen. Then ° Mr Trimble wanted work to do. Members were swelling the ranks of the unemployed, and that was not fair to the genuine article. On Wednesday Aye got a Ministerial statement from the Premier of a very negative character. We wore told a good deal of what was not going to be done, but very little of what was to be done. This may seem fuuny to outsiders, but is throughly understood by insiders. The Ministry may be allowed to go on if they do not touch any question of policy, but should they attempt to deal with matters of policy the place that now knows theni will know them no more —for a considerable period. Then we had an interesting debate on the subject of plural voting, the discussion being chiefly remarkable in this respect, that both opponents and friends looked'upon such votes as against the interests of property. So it will be seen, when members do agree, thoy agree wonderfully well. _ Captain Russell .spoke strongly against the bill. Ho described the House as a huge Board of Works rather than a Legislative Assembly, and while property was liable to be taxed to pay interest on money borrowed for the construction of railways, so long should property have votes, and have a right to say how that representation should be elected, and "upon that ground, upon the linn conviction that while we arc borrowing millions, so Ion"' has property a right to be protected a"'dust a vote that might be in direct antagonism to its interests.'' On Friday wo were shown how the Otago members love one another. If it were not -for that strong love I would have been convinced long ago that New Zealand was a province of Otago, and that Otago was the Colony. The subject was one oi those bills which appear every session dealing with the Otago harbor. Its proposer on this occasion was Mr Ross. Roslyn re egated to m-ivate life one Edinburgh man, but, true to its traditions, its choice was another Scotchman. In private he is a brilliant speaker, but in public he has not got the car of the House, and is nearly as melancholy to listen to as his predecessor Mr Bath "ate. At any rate, I soon found my-f-r'lf in another room, deep in thought, with •relay pipe between my lips. Of course tho bill may go through the Lower House, but elsewhere it will meet with a different fate. The Port Chalmers lino was bought, and to nise the wharfage at that port would simply destroy the value of that property, and the House is not likely to allow private enterprise to wipe out public property, and (he member for the port will take all sort of care that it is not ruined, and so long as Mr Macaudrew sits in Parliament that bill won t become law Tho Premier made a very ingenious speech in its favor, which afterwards drew from Mr Holmes the remark that he (the Premier) was " a muster of _tho art of casuistry, that being bis profession. Iwo or three local bills were advanced a stage, •md there was a discussion on the mails, but I am suce if I went into any of these the

reader would not care to follow me, and it is not my fault if this letter should be too dull, and as I felt that I strolled off for an evening paper and so left the Gallery.