WELLINGTON.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 427, 26 October 1875, Page 4

WELLINGTON.

{From a correspondent of the Press.)

What a contrast between the two Houses did the final days of the session show—the Lower Chamber was only too anxious to disperse, and to that end seemed inclined to pass anything without enquiiy of any kind ; while the Lords evinced a wonderful anxiety to have full information concerning every measure submitted to them for consideration. In the Lower Chamber the Bills were rushed through, in the other House they received their quietus in a manner that will hardly be satisfactory to the public. The Municipal Corporations Loan Bill, the Canterbury Board of Education Bill, and the Wellington Queen’s Wharf Extension Bill, were especial sufferers. I think Mr Ballauce’s Bill met with the hardest treatment of the lot. It would have passed through on the day it was set down for second reading, only Mr Waterhouse, who wished after the Bill had gone through committee to make some trivial amendment, obtained the postponement of its further consideration for a day. Then Mr Johnston, leading the malcontents, moved that progress should be reported, and by a majority of one threw out the Bill. So with the Wellington Wharf Bill, though the necessity for increased wharf accommodation is conceded—and it is admitted that some years must elapse before a railway wharf can be constructed. I have already told you your Board of Education Bill was lost by a fluke, two members, who would have voted for it, being absent from the House at the time the division was taken. It was whispered in the lobbies that Messrs Buckley and Peacock threatened to resign their seats in the Provincial Executive if the Bill was carried ; but why Mr Peter should have voted with the ayes and declared himself favorable to the Bill, is one of those things which “no fellah can understand.” The Dunedin Corporation Bill was, however, more lucky, though it was only saved from massacre by the zeal of Mr Pyke and the Dunedin member. Dunedin contemplates extensive sanitary improvements, which of course require money, but the city’s borrowing powers are limited to £200,000, of which fully one-half has been already raised and expended. The city authorities estimate that an additional £200,000 will enable them to carry out the drainage works so much needed; kerb, form, and channel every street in the city, and widen Princes street to its full width, Mr Waterhouse and others who are opposed to municipal borrowing unless hedged round by severe restrictions, were not inclined to allow the existing limit of £200,000 to be extended. But at the conference that subsequently took place, the managers of the Lower House succceeded in convincing Mr Waterhouse that the £300,000 was absolutely needed, and in spite of the protests of Messrs Johnston and Nurse, that sum was voted, its expenditure to be confined to drainage and other sanitary work. You have already been told of the strong language used by Mr Holmes on the second reading of the Public Revenues Bill, and of the Speaker’s vigorous protests against the manner in which important Bills were brought down in the last hours of the session and rushed through all their stages. On every Bill to which Sir John thought his objection could apply he moved that progress should be reported, but of course unsuccessfully. There was a good deal of force in the hon gentleman’s objections, and it is a fact that it was found necessary to pass Bills amending Acts passed in the early part of the session, but which were afterwards discovered to be unworkable.

On Tuesday Mr Mantell put his long-pro-mised question—That there be laid upon the table copies of any proceedings at any inquest held upon a body found, under suspicious circumstances, in a cave known as the Moa Bone Point Cave, at Sumner, in the province of Canterbury, on Saturday, the 19th October, 1872, whose skeleton is reported to be in the Christchurch Museum. And, in the event of no such inquest having been held, that the Government lay upon the table a statement of the reasons why no inquest was held ; or assure the Council that instructions would be forthwith issued to the proper authorities to make such inquiry as might, if possible, lead to the identification of the individual whose body was so found, and set at rest any doubts as to the manner in which he came by his death.” Dr Pollen was for once absolutely funny, and after informing the Council that the coroner at Christchurch had received no intimation of the bones in the Museum, and consequently no inquest had been held, remarked that if Mr Mantell would undertake the duty of sitting on the body, he would probably do a service to his country, while he would in no way stand in danger of coming within the terms of the Disqualification Act. The financial discussion, which was to have been the feature of the last week of the session, was a very mild affair, Mr Fitzherbert, though very ill, spoke well ; and was vigorously replied to by Major Atkinson, while Sir George Grey said ditto to Mr Fitzherbert, but did not take advantage of the occasion, as he promised he would, to substantiate the charges he made early in the session of “ cooked surpluses and balances.” Then the House went into committee on the supplementary estimates, which evoked little or no discussion. On the item £SOO for a Parliamentary draughtsman, the Minister of Justice explained that the vote was only for six months, and that it was intended to send home fur an experienced draughtsman at £IOOO a year. Objection was raised to the proposal by Mr Reeves, who thought only a young practitioner would come out for such a’small salary ; and by Mr Brandon, Mr Macandrew, Mr Reid, and Sir George Grey, that the colony was well able to furnish a competent man. Mr Bowen pointed out to the committee that a parliamentary draughtsman required a special training, which could only be acquired in England. Nowadays, in drafting Acts, the most perfect, simple, and terse English was used, instead of the old fashioned, cumbrous language formerly used, and it was highly desirable that the services of one conversant with this change should be obtained. However, the Government had no wish to go outside the colony if a suitable man could be found in it. Before sitting down Mr Bowen made a very handsome acknowledgment of the assistance he had received from the Solicitor-General, and his encomiums of that officer were heartily endorsed by the committee. The supplementary estimates having been disposed of, the committee took up the unfinished schedules of the Public Works and Immigration Appropriation Bill, on which a general discussion took place. Mr George M'Lean, speaking as a shareholder of the New Zealand Shipping Company, strongly pbjccted to the entire bueineii oi the colony

being given to that company, and hoped to hear that the Government would not sanction such a monopoly; but no response came from the Treasury benches. Subsequently Mr Montgomery pressed the Treasurer for specific information as to the intentions of the Government in regard to the unraised portions of the authorised loans. Two or three times previously, Major Atkinson had stated that the Government would, when a favorable opportunity arose, place upon the market the whole of the unraised balances, with the exception of the guaranteed Imperial loan, which would only be used as a last resource ; but Mr Montgomery, not feeling satisfied, enquired if any portion of these debentures were being negociated in England at the present time. Major Atkinson, who had been a good deal badgered during the sitting, and it was a long one. lasting till nearly daylight, very testily answered that the member for Akaroa must frame an answer for himself, for he could give no further information. If the hon gentleman was desirous of entering into negotiations for the purchase of debentures, he (the Treasurer) would communicate with England with a view to satisfying his anxiety. To this Mr Montgomery replied that his question was pertinent; but the Treasurer’s answer would only be properly described were he to add a prefix to pertinent. This immediately brought Major Atkinson to his feet with the enquiry if the member for Akaroa described his (the Treasurer’s) answer as impertinent, and on receiving what was tantamount to an affirmative reply, he declined to furthe answer questions from that hon gentleman. Shortly after this little tiff, the sitting was brought to a close.

Little business was done on Wednesday, Southern members being busy arranging to take their departure that evening. There was a bare quorum in the House to hear the public accounts committee’s report, which was brought up by Mr Stafford, and supported by him in a short speech, in which he warmly defended Sir Julius Vogel from Mr Bridge's imputations. In the lobbies during Tuesday and Wednesday it was currently reported that Sir P. D. Bell would, before prorogation day, announce from the chair his resignation of the Speakership, and his intended retirement from political life. The Post and New Zealand Times having paragraphs on the subject, which were allowed to pass uncontradicted, gave color to the report, which was not then heard for the first time, for it had been mentioned in some quarters in the early part of the session, I have heard it stated by persons whose veracity cannot be questioned that Sir Dillon himself announced the fact to several members. and stated as his reason for retiring that he contemplated an early visit to England, and proposed to make a long stay at home. Whether he has abandoned his intention, or is waiting till he addresses his constituents (as he purposes doing very shortly) to announce it, remains to be seen.