WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3002, 2 October 1872, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OUR OWN COUHKSPOSPKST.) September 26. To day fh® House safe afc 12 o’clock, instead of halGpast two, the uau§l hour of sitting, to allow hou. members the opportunity of tripping it “on the light fantastic toe" at a ball given to Sir George and Lady Bowen by members of both Houses, in return for the hospita’itios enjoyed by them at the Govi-rument House. The compliment, indeed, ia only a small one, as nothing can be more pleasant than the “At homes ” of Lady Bowen. In the event of SHr George being called away from New Zealand to Melbourne, as it ia rumored, a great blank will be felt, as Lady Bowen has endeared herself by her courteous and truly noble bearing to all who have had the honor of becoming acquainted with h°r. She is truly a noble lady. fin Tuesday last the House expected, as had been promised, to hear the Financial Statement of the Treasurer, Mr Gillies. Members, however, were doomed to disappoint ent, as Mr Gillies, on rising, said it would be ejtremely ineonveuiejit to make it that evening. He was quite prepared tp do so, but the tables necessary to make it intelligible were not ready to be placed in the hands of members in a printed form—he purposed making it on Friday evening. This announcement did not seem to please bpnorable members, as cries of “Oh, oh,”

“to-morrow,” “Make it to-morrow,” resounded from all parts of the House. Mr Vogel then asked if the Minister for Public Works would make his statement. He said he had no desire to harass the Government, but looking at the time the session had already occupied, it would be consulting the wishes-of members that the remaining business of the session should be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. There was every desire on the part of members on the opposition side of the House, to assist the Government on so much of the business as there might be mutual agreement upon: he could not say, however, what would be the feelings of the House, after hearing a statement of policy from the Government. Mr Gillies said be was glad to learn the expression of desire to go on with the estimates. He was aware that the course suggested was the one usually pursued in the Imperial Parliament, and he would proceed with the estimates of the late Government, subject to certain reductions which he would propose. Mr Reid said it was not his intention to make the Public Works statement until after the Financial statement had been made. These statements are most anxiously looked for, as members are completely in the dark regarding the future policy of the Government, but from the occasional utterances »>f members on the Government Benches, there is a fear that their policy will be a retrogressive one. If so, they take upon themselves a grave responsibility, and from the present temper of the House, should such be the case, their reign will neither be a long nor a happy one, the Opposition are a firm and strong phalanx, and they will be assisted by some of those whose votes placed the present men in office, f r it must be remembered that many supported the resolu ion of Mr Stafford, thinking that by that means they would be enabled to weed out some of the members of the late Government, and replace them by others. However, the results did not turn out as they expected, and now they feel tbs composition of the present Cabinet is not such as to engender confidence in their future actions.

When the House did go into committee of supply, there appeared every probability that the work would go on smoothly and quickly, as the various votes were being passed over without the usual small talk. It was, however, the lot of Sir J. 0. Wilson, tho eccentric member for Heathcote, to make tho first opening for attack. He wished an explanation of the vote for reporters, which had been increased from LI2OO to 1,1500, and expenses of members, from LBOOO loLl 1,000. Mr St -fiord, in reply, alluding to the first amount, said it was necessitated by the addition of Commitfee reporters. He eulogised the rep rters for Harward He never saw bettor reporting, and it was a perfect treat’ to re.id tho proofs. This euconitumn is cer« tainly well deserved, and it wai endorsed by members on all sides. Mr Stafford, however, was not so happy in his explanation of the seeond item. He said that the increased vote must be taken in connection with the resolutions passed last session, one effect Q+ which was to secure a larger members of the Legislative Council than had ever been the case before. There was alfeo a proportion of the members of the House in receipt of honorariums who did not receive it before—alluding to those resident in the City of Wellington. The unhappy allusion to the Legislative Councillors has deservedly drawn from that body a rebuke, many of them having been in the galleries listening to the proceedings; so on Wednesday morning th ei r Speaker, before commencing j-hfl lisual busfnpss, said fyia attentiop pad been called to the report qf proceedings iq' the House of Representatives, which, if it bore the interpretation he had put upon it, would have reflected .upon honorable members of the Council. He had takm the matter into hi.s pwu hands, and hftd p W fc himself in communication with Mr Mtaftbrd, and that gentleman had sent him a repty, stating that he had not the slightest intention of casting reflections on the members of the Council, regretting that any misconception should have taken place on the subject, and that he (the Speaker} had requested Mr Stafford ta make a cimdar communication to the House of Representatives, which that gentleman had promised to do. A rather humiliating position for the Premier ; is it not ?

Before passing the two votes referred to, My h'-charcJsoß of Christchurch—a quiet, gentlemanly man of thorough bus-ineafe habits, and who does not obtrude himself upoii the House—rose and said, he did not desire to anticipate any discussion which would take place on the Finan -iai Statement, but he must repiinq the (Jolomal Treasurer that he, last freely' Expressed the opinion that the estimates could be reduced by L 50.000, and as these estimates seemed to be very similar, surely the honorable member would parry out tfis owi[ proposal qi last year ? This little home-thrust took the Hoqse by as not only J\Jr Gillies but Other members had very freely stated that a saving of money could be effected even to the •une of LIOO.OOO; and on Mr Gillies replying that the Government did not intend to spepd pearly so large a sum as was set down in the estimates, although taking votes, a loop-hole was left for attack, which was immediately taken advantage of. Mr Vogel would not accept the assurance of the Treasurer that lax-ge savings would bo made. Gentlemen on the Government tenches seemed willing to adopt all they had condemued in the previous Government, and to leave no credit to those who had performed the work ; and he hoped the House would not accept 1 lie bald assurance of the Treasurer. The Government had sufficient time at their dispo al to consider the reductions, which they, last year, insisted could bepmdc iipon tpe estimates. Thereupon Mr Stafford reminded Mr Vogel that the’ House was now in committee at his own invitation, and that the Government were scarcely prepared, to go on with the estimates. Mr Fox said the Premier seemed entirely to have forgotten that his colleage, the Treasurer, had stated only a few hours before that he was quite prepared to go on with the estimates, but that he did not like to do so for fear of antagonism. The statement of the Premier was rather amusing, and, taken with other little inconsistencies, it was pretty clear that the members of the Ministry did not know what each other thought. The Premier told the House a few days ago lhat he was going to put two natives into the Ministry, but they afterwards heard from the representative of tho Government in the Legislative Council that tho Government had no intention of appointing natives to the Miniatrj'; they were goipg to appoint assessors or something of that sort, but they Had no intention of appointing natives to the Ministry. Last year they were told by one member that the estimates could be reduced by L 50.000, and another shouted out LIOO.OOO. Where were th se members now ? TJiey we on the Gqrero*

ment benches, and the House bad a right to see how and where those reductions could be made. Where was that great apostle of economy, Mr Calder, who so vehemently denounced the late Government, that he had not one word to say ? After Mr Fox had had his say, the House was faiily roused, expecting to have a gala night of it, and its expectations were not disappointed. When Mr Vogel rose to speak, members were all in their places, and cheer after cheer was raised at every telling point made in his speech. Mr Stafford looked unuaturably blue ; Mr Reid gave his usual self-satisfied, sneering smile; Mr Gillies was evidently boiling over with rage ; and Mr Fitzherbert, with his usual grave looking countenance, looked, as was wittily remarked, like a cockatoo on a Sunday evidently crest fallen. The following is only a summary of what followed : Mr Vogel found fault with the Government for having obtained seats on the Government benches under false pretences. It was pretty clear now that they would not have received the support they did had it been known what gentlemen they were going to place upon the Government benches. Would they have received the support they did if it had been known that they were going to replaca a gentleman possessing so much knowledge as the hon. member for Clive (Mr Ormond) by a gentleman possessing so slight a knowledge of the affairs of the Colony as the member for the Taieri ? or would they have got the votes they did had it been known that they were going to place in the Ministry the db carded mem! of the late Ministry, Mr Sewell ? He charged the Government with having ob'ainetl office by political deceit. The answers given to questions put in reference to the construction of railways were most evasive, and after the professions—broken professions of the Government—he must characterise their proceedings previous to their accession to office as neither more nor less than a chain of political chicanery. The organ of the Government in Wellington had endeavored to bring great pressure on the Wellington members, who were strongly urged to support the only. Government that ever made a definite announcement of an intention to secure the unity of the Colony with its Seat of Government in Welllington. He certainly did understand the Premier to make some such statement, but like most of his statements it was not one intended to enlighten but to deceive, for he (Mr Vogel) had since heard a colleague of the Premier state that “ the basis upon which the Government was formed was the unity of the Colony, with its Seat of Govrmneut at Wellington -for th a station only” Mr Stafford, amongst some other observations, said that if any colleague of his |had made such a statement he must have gravely misapprehended his (Mr 81 af ford’s) views—A favorite phr se of Mr Stafford’s, and convenient withal. {To be continued.)