WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2689, 29 September 1871, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(from’our own correspondent.) September 25, Since my last letter there is little or nothing to supplement the telegrams, with the exception ot the debate of inday night upon the question of going into supply ; this was chiefly interesting from Result which is already known to you. lhe Wellington Independent of Saturday (23rd) has a very fair summary of the proceedings, i shall accordingly confine my remarks to a few of the more loading features as they appeared to present themselves to me. It was no doubt considered a very subtle move upou the part of the Opposition to table such a resolution, and to place it in such bands as those of Mr Creighton, the member for Eden. A House composed tothe extent of one-halof newmembers would, it may have been fairly conjectured, have gone in strongly for a proposal to cut down the estimates by L 50.000 ; .whilst more experienced politicians might have been excused if they failed to detect an Opposition move in a resolution brought forward bv a mere political hack, who enjoys the confidence of no section of the House and-whose Hutroort is by no means considered creditable by any side. The “ wicked” however in this case, as frequent y. happens, digged a pit for others, and fell into it themselves The whole move was most thoroughly exposed, and it was shown by many speakers notably and forcibly by Mr Bunny, that such a resolution could be taken in no other light than as a vote of want ot confidence ; (was'in' reality a'very stale manmiivre quite consistent with the action of Mr Stafford m 1865 ; when, as now, he kept m the background making then a cat’s paw of Mr Vogel, and riding into office upon the backs of those, whom, when once installed, he spurned with contemptuous foot. home very excellent speeches were made during the debate. Mr Stafford, to some extent, came out of his shell, and showed very plainly the “cloven hoof’’—nothing in the Budget pleases him ; the proposed retrenchment he said was a delusion and a sham, in fact the action of his own Government in this direction left little for their sue cessors to achieve. However, as you can read the other speeches, I need not trouble yon with my feeble leriiaps the best piece in tiie debate was the ‘‘ dressing down” administered to Mr T, B. Gillies by his o d enemy Mr J. Williamson, who very happily designated him as “ a snarling cur, barking at the heels and trying to, nip the calves of nobler animals.” The division did npt take Place until after 1 o’clock a.m- oil Saturday morning, the result being received with loud cheers by the House. As it is very desirable that the position upon the occasion taken by the Ota"o members should be fully understood, 1° give you the .direction of their speeches and their votes : - Speeches, For Resolution. _ Against. Steward M'Gilliyray Bathgate Beynolds Calder M‘ Le an H aughton Shepherd Macandrew Votes. For Resolution. Against. Bathgate Haughton Bradshaw Macandrew Brown, J. 0. M‘Gillivray Cantrell M ‘Lean, G. Reid Reynolds Webster i Tairoa Declined to Vote, Shepherd, T, L. Calder Thomson Steward Murray It would be very desirable iu the fair criticism of the conduct of the representatives of the people, that marked attention should be paid to such acts of weakmindedness and cowardice as avoiding to rote upon important divisions implies. An honest straightforward man will never he afraid to record his opinion, if he has any; and if he is unfortunately without any fixed ideas upon great political questions, he has most certainly no business to be in the House. This sneaking out to avoid divisions is an old trick »f Mr T. L. Shepherd’s in your Provincial Council— vide the Education question last session, &c. It is to be hoped the new members who abstained from voting, as recorded above, do hot intend to take the member for the Duns tan as their guide and example upou any future occasion. It has leaked out that the Opposition expected a very close division, and have been proportionally annoyed at the result. From any point of view, it is, however, satisfactory that that matter should have been brought to a head, and that the Opposition, if it is to exist at all, will date its organisation from Friday’s debate. Mr Stafford is reported to have been highly disgusted with the want of success met with in his admirably contrived Jinesse ; and it is supposed, upon good authority, that he will take up a more open position of antagonism upon the next opportunity, and will be prepared to propose to the

House some distinct resolution which will directly test the question of confidence. He may feel bound to do this, if for nothing else to keep together the nucleus of what may in time grow into a formidable party. But ho must himself see that under present circumstances there is no chance of di placing the Ministry, and further, that he is unfortunate in his associates, specially so with those from Otago and Auckland, who have sworn him alligiancc. Mr Gillies, his right hand supporter, is perhaps the most unpopular man in the House, and has no followers, if we except Mr Creighton. Mr Robeston has his own vote, and that cannot always be depended upon, as he is full of crochets and never can reconcile himself to work with a party. During the last Parliament he formed a Cave, in which himself and two distinguished friends, fortunately not returned at the electons, sat day by day breaking forth into doleful Jeremiads about the state of the Colony, and its “reckless and gambling finance.” He is the most exasperating man I know of in a party fight. Mr Donald Reid and his faithful few are not likely to afford any strength, except numerically—and judging from their performances up to this time, are likely to decrease in influence proportionately to their attempts to convince the House. They have hardly a distinct speaker amongst them, whilst they muster in their ranks the dreariest and most impudent bores who have ever afflicted any Parliament.