WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 2960, 14 August 1872, Page 2

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

(F> vm an Occasional Correspondent.) August 5, During tlie past week there have been some lively skirmishes in the House, notably that between the Colonial Treasurer aad Mr , Fitzberbert, in the debate upon the Life Assurance Bill It commenced by some remarks made by Mr Vogel in connection with the Australian Mutual Provident Society. He quoted from some authority “that an office established ton, twenty, or thirty years, ought to have ten, twenty, or thirty per cent, of the sum assured. According to this rate an office established twenty years ago, which has issued policies lor L 1,000.000, ought to have in hand L 200,000 or 20 per cent.” He showed that the Australian Mutual had only 17 per cent, while it ought to have 23 per cent, of assets. This did not please Mr Brandon and Mr Fitzherbert, who are both directors of the company in Wellington, and who both got up and defended their profile, and hit hard at Mr Vogel, who, however, had the best of the argument. The member for Koslyn, Mr M ‘Glashan, in his remarks, wished to prove that although the European and similar defunct offices, had been conducted recklessly, that many Home offices did not «ome under the same category. He showed that the L 20,000 security required by the Bill would only be 3 per cent, on the policies issued in New Zealand by the Australian Mutual, and maintained that was not a sufficient guarantee. He supported the Government scheme as the safest and best for the assurers in .New Zealand.

The Larceny Bill also caused a lively discussion between the mover, Mr Curtis, who is not a lawyer, and the Premier, The latter gentleman, in reviewing it, caused a considerable amount of amusement. The Bill was read a second time, aud ordered to be referred to a select committee. The Education Bill in its present shape has been shelved for this session, if not for ever. The aided clauses would not go down; and as several of the Provinces have already what they consider a good scheme—notably Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago—it had not the ghost of a chance. It is a pity, however, the country cannot have a national scheme, as the other Provinces of New Zea'and are in a veiy different position in the matter of education.

The Tramways Bill has passed through with flying colors, all sides of the House praising it. The motion by Mr Shephard (Nelson), regretting that a circular should have been sent to Superintendents regarding Chinese for railway works, evidently intended against the Government, being considered a very foolish motion, was at once negatived on the voices. The motion of Mr Steward, of Oamaru, for the second reading of the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill, was haudled by him in a statesmanlike manner. He is a capital speaker, and his arguments in favor of it were well put and thoroughly connected. Mr O’Neill opposed it on the ground that it was contrary to the law of his church ; but Mr iVDGillivray. who also opposed it from his own point of views, demolished Mr O’Neill by showing that the Popes granted dispensations for marriage within the laws of consanguinity, whereby potentates of former days wore allowed to marry aunts and even sisters. Mr Thomson also made a fair speech in opposition, but his speech and Mr M'Gil livray’s were both from a clerical point of view.

Mr Steward’s motion, u that it is desirable grand juries shouli be abolished ” will most likely be carried. I believe Mr Fox will support it. The Clerk of Parliaments Bill met with considerable opposition from apparently want of knowledge of what its objects were, occasioned certainly by the bungling way it was brought forward by Sir David Monro. M any members declared it to be an infringement of the privileges of the House by the Lords ; and it was quite refreshing to see how they kicked up their lieeK Messrs Macandrcw, Reid, and Bathgate opposed ; the latter, more particularly, was defiant—“no, he won hi not yield a hair’s breadth ; he would make no concession; he would tight it out. ” The member for Roslyn, who followed Mr Bathgate, said he would not tight a ong with the gallant Major, but would go in for the concession. Major Campbell, it is understood, was appointed to this office some years ago, the duties of the Clerk being, as I understand, to present to the Governor all Bills that have been passed by both Houses of the Legislature. The office, it appears, is always held by the t lerk of the Upper House in the British Parliament, and hence they (the Lords) thought it an invasion of their privileges when it was known last pestioa that the Clerk o| the Lower

House had been appointed by the Governor. Hence, to prevent a dead-lock between both Houses, the Lords acceded to the appointment of Vlajor Campbell, on the understanding that future appointments should be according to Parliamentary usage. The Lords appear to be in the right, as it is also the practice iu Canada and some of the Australian Colonies, Hence the Bill that caused such a storm. The best scene, however, of the session was that on the Ja ingiug forward of the Wanganui Bridge Borrowing Bill for its second reading. M r Fitzherbert thought apparently that the dodge of asking power to sell to the Municipal Corporation of Wanganui would be gracefully conceded by the Government and the House. You are aware that the Wellington Province last year mortgaged this bridge along with the Mauawatu Block to the General Government, in security for the loan of L 70,000 granted to them last session. They coolly asked this to be relieved, and they would spend the money on other bridges and roads in the Province. Mr Reynolds at once got up in opposition, and said he would have no objection to release the bridge provided the L‘20,000 to be paid by the Corporation was set against the debt. He said “he bad been styled the watchdog of legislation by the member for the Hutt last session, and was desirous of maintaining his character by religiously fulfilling the duties of that faithful animal.” The member for Dunedin is rather proud of his name, and no doubt be is very serviceable, notwithstanding one of the members for Auckland says of him “ that the Dog Ordinance should be put in force in his case.” However, the duel between the Treasurer and Mr Fitzberbert was a rrost exciting scene ; pretty hard blows were hit. Your readers ought to read the debate as printed in No. 6 of Hamard, as your columns would be too heavily tilled were Ito go into the whole story. Mr Fitzherbert apparently had the best of the argumen s, and was rather severe iu his reply. One only [ will quote : “Independent members, who were big in little things, like his honorable friend the member for Dunedin, would bear him out iu saying that they were not to be preached to by the Colonial Treasurer, and told they must not dispose of anything until they had paid off the whole of their liabilities. The whole of New Zealand would give an utter denial to such a doctrine ; but he denied in toto that it was applicable.”

As there is not likely to be a mail for a week, I will resume my gossip before the mail leaves.

10th August, 1872. I wrote you on the sth, referring generally to Bills brought before the House and debates on mouions of various members, as really I could give you no authentic information re* garding the state and doings of parties, if such really exist. 1 have learned, however, that there has been the first caucus of mem* bers persistently opposed to the Government held tbi- day, about 20 attending. What their deliberations were 1 have not been able to find out, but it is sure to ooze out, aa some of those present are understood not to be bound neck and crop to the Stafford, Reid, Rolleston, and Gillies arrangement; the Wellington members being left out in the cold, not even being aware that there was to be a meeting. What the Wellington mom* hors will think of this treatment can easily be conceived, and they will no doubt show by their votes that they are not to be tampered with by an Opposition who have no heart for anything except to indulge thejr venomous spleen, and at all hazard to acquire office. Pity the country iu the hands of such a crew ! Thursday evening unfolds a tale that will not soon be forgot. To quote their organ the Evening Post —“ ‘ Brimfull of auger,’ Mr Stafford last night ‘gave his will its way. ’ ” Mark the words of Mr Stafford's organ. All this ire arose out of an answer to a question in reference to Mr Eeynolds’s motion for two Provinces. The Government did not wish the motion pressed, and got Mr Kelly to move an adjournment of the debate for a week, ou the ground that there was Mr Curtis’s motion on the Order Paper, which ought to be debated and disposed of first: a reasonable proposition. Mr Stafford rose immediately after Mr Johnston had spoken against the motion, and demanded the opinion of the Government on the resolution. The Premier, in reply, stated that the resolution of Mr Keynolds was bald, and the details as given by him crude and perfectly unworkable, and be could not without further explanation be able to judge of it, and was not then iu a position to state his own opinion and that of the Government. He was not to be drawn out by the hou. member until Mr Curtis’s motion was disposed of, aud were Mr Stafford in his (Mr Pox’s) place, he would object to state his opinions at such a period of the debate. Again, to quote the organ— ■“ This unhinged the member for Timaru’s temper. ‘ Impetuous he bade start the lcashed-up tires,’ and in the fiercest and heartiest manner he denounced ‘ the miserable set of wretches’—the Micawber Ministry—who now adorn the Government benches.” Pretty “tall” uniting for the Evening Post —the Opposition organ. Now having given you the Pod's version, it is only right that ’ your readers should have an idea of Ms Stafford’s sayings and doings from another source. Mr Stafford, surging with rage at being so foiled by the Premier’s answer, told the House “that it was with deep humiliation he heard the explanation by the Premier of the position taken by the Government. He denied that he would act as the Ministry were doing, and fuming with hysterical anger, bawling so loud that he could be heard outside the House, declared that “be never saw a ‘more miserable set of wretches ’ sitting on the Government benches. ” Called to order by the Speaker, the position the leader of the Opposition had placed himself iu was indeed most humiliating. After the adjournment of the debate, however, to Mr Stafford’s credit, he apologised for the intemperate display of language and temper, which the Ministerial benches at once accepted, and so one of the most unpleasant scenes that any one in the position of a leader of an Opposition could place himself iu eude 1, so far as the House was concoined. What is thought of it outside is another matter. The miserable ebniitiun of temper on the part of Mr Stafford to-day is iu everybody’s month ; and what your Otago friends may think of it you are the best judge. The Permanent Officers Bill has again been before the House, and progress again repoited. The Gold Mining Bill, a carefully prepared measure, passed its second reading. Messrs Shepherd, Mervyn, and others spoke in favor of it. Mr Murray opposed the clauses “ Mining on private property.” The Dunedin Gas and Water Works Bill passed through the second reading and was

sent to the Committee on Bills. Mr Parker urged that it was not a public Bill but a private one. Messsrs Bathgate, Reynolds, and McCUashan, on the contrary, all gave reasons why it should be consideied a p iblic Bill, 'ihe Chairman of Committees, Mr O’Rorke, and Mr Gillies, recommended Mr Macandrew, who has the Bill in charge, to allow the point in question to be decided by the Committee on Bills, which he acceded to, but said that all Municipal Bills should be treated as public Bills, and that he thought it too bad that opposition should arise from the Library Committee. All fees on private Bills, your readers must understand, go to to the Library Fund. A petition against the Bill was presented by V r Parker on behalf of the agent of Colonel Kitchener, to whieh Mr Bathgate objected on the ground that no petition could be received signed by an attorney. Several members of the Legislative Council arrived per Albion to-day, and the list is nearly complete. All the members of the House are at their post, and a member for Cavordiam will complete the roll. In the Lords, some progress is making in Bills passed by the Assembly. The Public Trust Bill, a most important measure, in which it is proposed to care for intestate lunatic-, and all other trust estates, is supported by the Hon. Messrs Hall, Holmes, Hart, and Buchanan ; Mr Waterhouse opposing, but proposing it should be sent to a select’committee, is adjourned until Tuesday. Most of the old members of the House are to-night giving a dinner to Sir David Monro in honor of his services as .Speaker. What a burlesque, a forty shilling dinner, frothy champagne, and frothy speeches ! A hundred pounds would have procured a piece of plate, which would have been both useful and ornamental, and become an heirloom in the family. A member, rather imbued with au infusion of wormwood, suggested that it should have been a gold chronometer, with suitable inscription, as a reminder to Sir David of the hands of the Clock Scene in the House. At all events, a dinner is soon forgotten, and it is to be hoped the selfish promoters will not escape without a headache in the morning. . I fear all further correspondence with you must be dropped, as 1 shall be otherwise engaged. Anything I have written I hope has given no offence, as none lias been intended—it Ins been mere political gossip and no more. I wish I could devote the time •to the columns of the Emmy Stur. Your expose of the Daily Times dodge on the San Francisco service is much approved of here.