PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 231, 6 September 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Tbumraph.] [PBOH THE OWN OOBBMPONDBITT OF TEH ** PBBBS. rf J WELLINGTON, September 5, The ordinary business went on quite quietly this afternoon, the only incident of interest being that Mr Gibbs, the mifdost member in the House, and a “stonewaller,” who "roar* like any sucking dove," gave notice of motion for taking Mr Seymour’s recent ruling into consideration. The announcement was received with cheers and laughter. The debate on the third reading of the Representation Bill was dragged on till half-post five, by Mr Harris, Mr Gisborne, and Mr Seddon. Mr Gisborne made a ridiculous speech about coming with manacles on to salute Caesar before ho died. There were rumors all day that Sir G Grey was to make some great cimp this evening, and the •* Post," now the recognised organ of the “stonewall,” circulated the report in a very sensational form. Accordingly, at half-past seven, the galleries were crammed. Mr Teiaroa spoke first, ail about nothing ; then Mr Reeves gave one of his elegant orations, which speedily emptied the House. Then Sir Q. Grey rose and began with, pathos so overdone that it only made everybody laugh. He said he was full of anguish and pain, and he had lost dear friends for whom he had an affection which nothing could kill, and that those whose interests faw had cherished for years had turned round and insulted him; that the newspapers, being under control, had abused him, but that hawould bear it all and go forth penniless into the world again to be hooted by everybody rather than give in, and so on and so on for half an boar. Nobody knows what he meant. It was probably nothing but a far fetched notion of arousing some sympathy for him, for really he hardly has a friend left in the House. Waving his hand towards Mr Maoandrow he cried in a broken voice, “Et tu Brute.” But it fell quite fiat; Mr Macaudrew co vered his forehead with his hand and appeared to be impatient of Sir George’* tomfoolery. Later on Sir George appealed to him to witness that they had worked together to get a peaceful compromise upon the Representation Bill, but Mr Maeandrew made no answer to this appeal, and wonld not admit anything. Sir George then fell into his very dreariest mood and talked the veriest twaddle for the last hour, all about Ireland and vast estates, and gridironing and Canterbury runs, and ell the old threadbare topics in the self-same words that he has used before a hundred times. A good many members went to sleep, and the rest mostly engaged in conversation, so that the Speaker had to remind them once or twice that & member was addressing the chair. Sir George Grey left off at half-past nine without having said a single thing worth listening to. Ur Saunders followed him with a short, sharp speech, in which he scouted Sir George professions of liberalism, and recalled the days when SirG. Grey being Governor, called to hia Councils nobody but squatters and great landowners, and did all he could to oppress the poorer settlers. Mr Saunders said then was the time when New Zealand was in danger of her lands being divided amongst a few rich men, bat now that she had a great population and free institutions, all danger of that was past, and the danger now was the the tyranny of the noer-do-weels and idlers who had no stake in the country, and had never done anything to deserve political influence. Sir G. Grey slipped off the moment Mr Saunders got up, his expected coup having been a complete fiasco. There are still rumours of a no confidence motion, but I cannot learn anything authentic about it, The'prevailing opinion now seems to be that the session will be finished before the end of the month. The following telegram was received this evening by Mr Pitt :—“ Nelson, September 6th, 1881—Amount of fine wired to yon this morning. Understand that it has already been fonnd several times over, but the Nelson people hope Mr Gisborne will kindly allow them the privilege to which they consider they have the best right.— J. R. Dodson, Mayor.”