WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3889, 11 August 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

f From oi>r own Correspondent.) [By Telegraph.]

Wellington, August 10, Sir D. M'Lean’s statement on the Native land purchases occupied one and a-half hours in delivery, although he was reading it from a printed document. Mr Reader Wood led off by calling upon the House to set its face against printed Ministerial statements, and Sir George Grey followed with a savage speech. He said he wanted to see a Government of great Ministers, not a band of clerks, and charged Ministers with representing the public offices, and the Premier with representing nothing but the public service. This provoked loud cries of “No !” from the Ministerial benches. “ Then who does he represent ?” cried tfir George; to which Mr Bowen answered: “He represents the Constitution.” Hir George went on to say ; ‘‘ Then Ministers represent the public offices—reading statements compiled by clerks. I say the Colonial Treasurer did not understand the financial statement he read. It was compiled by clerks, and he had no conception of what he was reading, and Ministers chuckled to themselves that they had a found a fitting talking bird,” He concluded by calling on the House to insist upon having proper statements from Ministers representing the House and the country. Major Atkinson spoke with unusual vigor. He hurled defiantly back the insinuation that he was the mouthpiece of anyone, saying the statement was his own composition, and challenging the Opposition to prove how the statement was concocted. He also characterised Sir George’s attack as most uncalled-for. The House rang again when he dared the Opposition to the attack.

Mr Macandrew drew a herring across the scent by moving the immediate issue of a writ for Caversham, which, after a few faint “noes,” was agreed to, and the former subject dropped. August 11. Last night’s debate was very disappointing—rhetoric, not facts or arguments, was the order of the night. Sir George Grey’s flights of oratory and imagination were excellent, but created no enthusiasm. Sir D. M'Lean was both weak and uninteresting; Mr R, Wood forcible but ingenuous. The ‘Times’ summarises the debate thus :—“ Whatever was the cause of the want of enthusiasm the fact is too palpable to be overlooked : it is significant of speedy consummation when debate flags so wearily on the very first night.” Of all the speakers last night, Mr Thomson appeared to make the most palpable hit, when he taunted Ministers with assuming office to conserve Provincial institutions, and then

turning round and adopting the policy of the Stafford Government, which they had displaced. In Mr Thomson’s opinion, the duty of Ministers was plain : they should have resigned, and advised the Governor to send for Mr Stafford to form a Government. The Abolition Bill should have been introduced by that gentleman. The chief part of Mr Wood’s speech dealt with financial considerations. The ‘Times’ shows that Mr Wood fails to understand the financial proposals of the Bill, and says that instead o? the Government being open to a charge of laying their hands on the Southern land fund, they are bent on conserving it. The small guns five to-night. The debate is expected to last a fortnight or three weeks.