WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3887, 9 August 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph,]

[From our own Correspondent.) Wellington, August 7. Mr Mervyn fell foul of the old identities in introducing his little Bill the other night when arguing that agricultural leasing was a purely tentative measure. In the first instance he went out of his way te attack the old identities in these terms “ A large population was then suddenly injected into the Province from Victoria and the Provincial authorities had great difficulties to contend with. In the first place they did not know what was payable auriferous land, and also there|was a certain amount of suspicion entertained by what had since been characterised as the old identities. They were not thoroughly satisfied as regarded the class of population which was then pouring into the country; in fact they were very doubtful as to whether it was desirable or not that the people who came from other Colonies should be allowed to settle in this Colony. For these reasons a system was devised by which those people might be, as it were, placed upon their trial, and allowed to take up ten acres of land under the agricultural leasing system, but not, however, before the Government were forced to that decision by the imperative necessities of the case.—(No, no.) The hon. member fox Keslyn says, ‘ No, no.’ Now he did not wish to refer at any great length in corroboration of what he had stated as to the early history oi the Province, but he might refer to th< fact that at the time of the rush of th< population from Victoria the then Superin Undent of > Otago thought it desirabb that a regiment of soldiers should b( brought down to preserve the old indentitiei from any irregularities that might be com mitted by the influx of population. Not onh so, but he remembered distinctly, when in Mel

bourne, reading a proclamation by the then Superintendent of Otago, cautioning the people of Victoria from coming down to the Province, and inhmating that it would be for the good of the Colony that they should remain where they were. So much for the interjection of the member for Roslyn. Subsequent experience must have satisfied the old identities that the mining population which was thrown suddenly into the heart of Otago were not such very dangerous characters as they were led to believe. Mr Reid and Mr M‘Glashan were quickly on their feet. The former censured Mr Mervyn’s reflections as quite uncalled for, and lar from expressing the character or feelings of the settlers It was only the narrow-minded or ignorant that had any objection to the miners coming amongst them. Nor did Major Richardson send for troops because they were afraid the new comers would commit great irregularities. Mr M‘Glashan spoke in a similar strain, and Mr Mervyn soon found he had fairly put his foot in it, and not done hie Bill much good. Referring to the proposed inspectorship of prisons -the * Post ’ suggests the Government should offer the appointment to Sullivan, whose mvge practical experience of gaol life eminently fits him for the office.

“ generally admitted that if the Abolition Bill had depended on Major Atkinson’s speech . , hdo would have been sealed last night. Never was a weaker speech made in the Assembly in introducing an important Bill. He made Opposition a present of many arguments which their leaders are sure to use with advantage. The Opposition were in high feather, fairly exhausting themselves with ironical cheering. Unfortunate as was Major Atkinson s persistence in asserting that it was admitted on all hands that the time had arrived when the Legislative functions of Provincial Councils should cease (the cries of negation from the Opposition grew louder each time he repeated the assertion). even

more >o was Mr M'Glaahan’s interference on a point of. order which caused him to be fairly laughed down. hince war to the knife has been declared the session must be a long one, unless the Opposition succeed in wearing the Government out, for they intend speaking against time if need be. Sir George Grey is sure to make a capital speech, Mr Stafford one worthy of himself and the occasior, and Mr Fitzherbert a lengthy as well as a good one, Mr Bowen made a telling hit last night. In discussing in committee the Immigration Expenditure Indemnity Bill, which dealt with the sum of L 84,000 obtained for immigration purposes in a manner technically opposed to the rules of an audit, Mr Eolleston, while fully exculpating the Government from the least intention (of wrong-doing, suggested that a preferable course to get over the difficulty might have been to get the money from the bank. Thereupon the Minister of Justice spoke. He said he could not conceive of a more unconstitutional course, but the idea seemed to be quite a Provincial one. He had heard of a Provincial Secretary having bank accounts No. 1 and No. 2, and he had also heard of a Superintendent and Provincial Secretary getting a private bank account for Provincial purposes, on which they could operate without fear of an auditor or any other person before their eyes; but this was quite a Provincial idea, and he hoped it would not bo taken up by the General Government, The speaker’s remarks were readily applied amid much laughter and applause.

August 9. The cost to the Colony during 1874 of the San Francisco mail service was L 9,980 ; of the Suez L 7,954; and of the Torres Straits service LlO7.

The s.s. Hawea made a good run, going from Wellington wharf to Picton wharf in four hours ten minutes, averaging twelve knots with adverse wind and tide; and from Picton to Nelson, going round Stephen’s Island, in seven hours twenty minutes, averaging thirteen knots an hour.