WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 2978, 4 September 1872, Page 2

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

(From our oiun Correspondent.) August 22, Mr Steward, Oamaru, one of the most industrious members of the Hoyse, and of whom his constitutents ought to be proud, at a late hour followed the dreary member, Mr Murray, who had spoken to empty benches. Members,*on it being known that the latter gentleman had sat down, began immediately to flock in, and Mr Steward spoke to a good bouse. He said although he did not believe that the motion of the member for Timaru would be affirmed by the House, still the resolution itself did affirm that there had been a great want of administration, and he expected when so sweeping propositions were placed oefore the House, that some arguments of a forcible character would have been adduced in support of them ; but he could only characterise the speech of the member for Timaru as

ague and unsatisfactory. He confessed his Confidence in the Government had been somewhat shaken by the sta'ements which had been widely circulated by the Press, that the whole of the two million loan had been expended, and that there was lit tie to show for it. The speech also of the member for Taieri, contain : ngstartling,assertiona, also had made him pause and consider ; but when he found all those .assertions so far from actual fact, he could not alter the opinions he entertained of the Government last session. If it ha i not been for their complete refutation, ho would have been justified in voting against Ministers ; but the refutation was so convincing that the arguments of the promoters of the motion had been deprived of whatever force they possessed. He admitted the immigration arrangements—more particularly in regard to tlic i rovinco of Ot-iyo —lio-d. been defective ; but the moment the Government knew the error made by tI»o Agent*Gouer.il, they immediately sot themselves to the duty of rectifying it. He advocated that Ministers could only make themselves acquainted with the wants of the country by travelling over it which would thus be productive of good. The question bad resolved itself into this : Was the Government to be put out merely for the purpose of putting another set of men in ? But when he looked at the ranks of the Opposition, ho could not see that they possessed among them men capable of taking the place of the present Ministers. Mr Swanson (Auckland), a thoroughly independent member, and whoso speeches are always listened to with pleasure, considered there was no doubt whatever that those who were out of office wanted to go in, and those who were in wore anxious to stay in. The Gove nment, he considered, had brought their present position upon themselves by rais ng too great expectations. They wont into otfice as Frovincialists, and later they had promised a Bankruptcy Bill, an Education Bill, and other measures which were not now forthcoming. He would advise the Government to state clearly to the House what their intentions were, as there were yet six or seven members who were undecided After the report of the committee on Mr O’Connor’s cafe had been read, and a vote of congratulation passed by the House, Mr Collins (Nelson) said he wished to withdraw the remarks made by him imputing any impression of dishonesty to the Colonial Treasury when he inquired where the mony came from, by which that hon. gentleman was able to keep up his regal style of living? He was sorry if his clumsy way of expressing himself had given rise to any such impression, and regretted it. He would state now that he never knew the hon. gentleman to do anything that was not consistent with the strictest honor. ...... , Mr M'Lean (Defence Minister), whose goeeoh was well received, and of whom not one member of the House could say an evil word, but the contrary, made a most impressive feeling in the House that at all events the department over which he ruled had been ruled wisely and well. He reviewed the course the Government hod adopted on their adv nt to offi e, and since. He said that at no period in the history of the Colony was the state of the Native ques tion so unsatisfactory as at the time they came into office. He found that large sums of money had been spent in the attempt to subjugate the rebellious Natives and that large numbers of Natives who had hitherto been friendly were becoming estranged, and that there appeared to be imminent a war of races. The course the Government though'bast io adopt was to suspend military operations except in districts where a force was absolutely required for the protection of the settlers. He described how they had gone about the pacification of the various tribes, and the peculiar circumstances rendered necessary and advisable for their treatment. He had thought it his duty to go amongst them, and also induced his Excellency the Governor to visit their districts. He described the feeling of gloom and despondency amongst the Natives, as they believed themselves°to have been overlooked and neglected. These differences were now in great measure healed, and their conduct had since been friendly and loyal. He described some portions of them as still remaining sullen and sulky, but hoped that would ere long be overcome. He said that one result for good had taken place within the last week or two, A peace meeting bad just taken place on the East Coast, when 3000 Natives were present, at which a Resolution expressive of determined loyalty to the Government was come to and the Union Jack hoisted as an earnest of their intention to continue loyal subjects of Her Majesty. This was the result of operations carried out by a friendly chief, Ropata, whom the Defence Minister eulogised in appropriate terms.