WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3884, 5 August 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[Bt Telegraph.]

{From our own Correspondent .)

__ . Wellington, August 4. ™ Qualification of Electors Bill gives a ▼ote to all males over twenty-one years of age after twelve months’ residence in a district, thus enfranchising lodgers. The Supplementary Electoral Roll Bill make provision for the enrolment of these.

The discussion on Mr O’Neill’s motion re the reduction of the duties on Australian wines provoked much variety of opinion. The Government opposed it solely on revenue grounds, Mr Bowen stating that if he saw his way to reduce it he would so irrespective of the country in which the wines were produced. There was an interesting discussion, though brief, on Mr O’NelU’s motion r» equipping steam vessels. The mover, referring to the fact that forty-three steamers were lost in the last nine years, complained of the extremely inefficient manner in which the boats were found to bo equipped, the unseaworthiness ot some of them, and the want of uniformity in the action of the Customs authorities. Mr Reynolds said he hoped before long the Governor would have all the powers desired, and so far as he himself was concerned he would do all in his power to carry out the views of the member for the Thames. He had the shipping interests sufficiently at heart, anil the matters would have been attended to before this but that they had escaped his notice. Mr Hunter defended the local steam companies from Mr O’Neill’s charges, and said that with the exception of the City of Dunedin there had been no single instance of shipwreck with loss of life. The steamer Queen went down in eight minutes, yet every individual on board was saved; and in the case of the Rangitoto, while there was evidence of culpable neglect, immediate steps were taken to launch the boats. He also referred to the wrecks of tho Taranaki, Lord Ashley, Airedale, White Swan, and William Denny, as showing that the boats were well equipped. Mr Sheehan at once rose to contradict this, and spoke from his own experience of the overcrowding by passengers and the overloading of steamers, which had become habitual on some vessels. On a recent voyage from Auckland to Napier the pilot refused to go on board a steamer because it was so over-loaded, yet she was allowed to put to sea. The law was quite sufficient, and he hoped the Commissioner would put it into force strictly without favor in every part of the Colony. Mr Parker said that when the Rangitoto struck fully six minutes elapsed liefore a boat was lowered.

Mr George M‘Lean hoped ample power would be provided to enable the Customs authorities to prevent unseaworthy vessels going to seawithout incurring the responsibilities they did under the present Act The Customs Department certainly had stopped the Don Juan at Port Chalmers, but he questioned whether they would not receive considerable trouble over it. Even now there were going out of Port Chalmers many vessels that should not be allowed to put to sea. The * Tribune ’ severely castigates Sir Francis Dillon Bell for the altitude he shows, and for his unfortunate propensity for speaking very much yet saying very little In his remarks in reference to the Governor, he put his foot in it. There were none in the House who did not feel convinced Sir George Grey was wrong in dragging the Governor’s name into the debate in the way he did, but when the Speaker attempted to explain and point out the distinction, most people, like Sir George, were unable to see them, and they certainly had a tendency to make people think Sir George was not far wrong in saying the Speaker was the^ reverse of right, as he had only made confusion worse confounded. Humor already says Sm F. D. Bell is unlikely again to be Speaker, and points to # Mr O’Rorke as his successor. Th* ‘.Post’ to-night expresses its disappointment with Sir George Grey’s speech yesterday. It says it was “ entirely unworthy ot the occasion, and will not advance the prospects of the party, the birth of which it proclaimed. The personal references to the Governor were, to say the least, quite uncalled for, and the ultra radical desire to nm a-muok with all the constituted authorities which distinguished Sir G. Grey’s early speeches in Auckland a few months ago and reached their final development m his letter to the Wairarapa ‘Standard,’ weakened the effect of the speaker. The Government may or may not have made an error m introducing the Abolition Bill ae they did, hat no one unblinded by prejudice will agree that his Excellency deserved to be referred to ™ the terms used, because ho signed a measure put before him by his constitutional advisers. Sir George made a declamatory attack upon the Legislative Council, but failed to indicate any scheme for the reform of its constitution, so as to bring it more into accord with ihe spmt of the times. He stated that? the Opposition were prepared to ’offer to the country constitutional changes which would be greatly to their benefit, but did not give the slightest hint as to the nature or direction of the changes He denounced the Bill as a series of bribes appealing to the lowest motives which could actuate human nature, and then immediately appealed even more forcibly to those same

motives himself by saying his scheme would give the many control over even larger sums to be taken from the pockets of the few! He also spoke of equitable taxation! but only in the vaguest terms. We were disappointed, and so will the country be, at the empty talk about revolutionary attempts to deprive the people of rights which it is self-evident they do not value and are only too willing to exchange for privileges of a different character, and it will not have any effect on the public mind. The Government put forward its jiroposals in a very decided and Plain way, and the people will accept them and the chance of fulfilment, if counter-pro-posals of a better nature be not at once set forth. If Sr G. Grey and his followers wish to traverse the Government proposals with any hope of success, they must at once place their policy as clearly and distinctly before the country as is that of their opponents. If they do this, they may fairly ask that the issue shall be referred to the people.