THE MEMBERS OF OUR COLONIAL PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 69, 23 October 1862, Page 2

THE MEMBERS OF OUR COLONIAL PARLIAMENT.

(From the iNew Zealand Advertiser.) We believe that it is generally admitted that the members of the New Zealand Parliament—whether as regards education, eloquence, intellect, gentlemanly bearing, or debating power—are equal, if not superior, to the members of any other parliament in this hemisphere. We are not in a position to dispute this, but it struck us that in the last session there were really very few effective speakers in the House, and that the dummies werein the majority. All the best things said by the best speakers left the impression on the mind that

they had been said and better said before. The most fluent debaters were decidedly Fitz Gerald, Fox, and Stafford; the most argumentative, Domett, Gillies, and Carleton : and the most popular, without any comparison, was Major Richardson, the Superintendent of Otago. Of eloquent and effective speakers, Auckland, with fifteen representatives, sent the least, and Otago, with four representatives, the most. Dr. Featherston seldom spoke during the session, and Mr. Fitzlio bert, though he spoke often and at great length, could not be classed, during the past session, at all events, as a first-class debater. Most of his speeches gave the impression that they were made against time, and were not, consequently, listened to, even by his supporters, with patience and attention. The most earnest, and consequently, one of (Ce most effective speakers, was Mr. ‘Weld. He stood at the head of the very few of our orators who gave the hearer the impression that he felt and meant what he said. Mr. Bell is a fluent, ready, and animated speaker, and stands at the head of our second-class orators ; aud Jollie, Colenso, Williamson, Moorhouse, Saunders, Carter, and Cargill may bo included in this class. Ward, Wood, Wilson, J. C. Richmond, Renall, Curtis, and Har--rison did not frequently occupy the time of the House, but when they spoke—J. C. Richmond excepted—they spoke well and to the purpose. In addition to the originality of thought and expression manifested in the speeches made during the sessiou, the views enunciated in them were notthose of the Colonial public, but of only a small section thereof,ifweexcept thoseofWekl,Saunders, Carter, Richardson and Domett. The strangers in the gallery were forcibly impressed with the conviction that neither the views nor interests of the bond fide colonists were faithfully represented in the House. One of the best speeches of the session was made by Saunders, of Nelson. It was made to empty benches, and never reported. Another speech which made a great impression in the House, and which was near meeting the same fate, was that of Capt. Atkinson, of Taranaki, the only report of|which was given by the Advertiser. To compare small things with great, Stafford was the Disraeli, Fox the Roebuck, Fitz Gerald the Romilly, and Sauudcrs fhe*Joe Hume of the House. Stafford’s quiet irony [was immeasurably inferior to that of his English prototype; and i't was iu the biting sarcasm of Fox’s speeches, aud the energy with which they were delivered, that reminded you of the manner and style of Roebuck. They had the fire without the spirit of the original, aud were wholly void of those great thoughts and greater principles which distinguish the member tor Sheffield. "Whether it was that he had a bad cause to defend,{.felt in a bad position for defending it>L or wa 3 indifferent as to his success, certain it is that Mr. Fitzherbert, who on former occasions obtained the reputation of an able debater, did not at all shine during the past session. His place was occupied by Major Richardson, a very different style of speaker, but one more ready, earnest, ■and effective ; and it is to be deeply regretted that he has sent injhis resignation. To the lamentable state of isolation in which the Wellington members stood in the house we have before alluded. On a division," they could only muster in their favour some half dozen other members, three of whom were from Auckland, and the other three from the South. Mr. Harrison did not go with them on the native question, and Captain Rhodes on more than one occasion voted with the majority ; while the views, if not (he votes of Carter and Renall wore frequently found to be very opposite to those by whom they consented to be led. The Wellington parly stood in opposition to the views and wishes of not only the majority of the members of the house, but to those of the majority of the member’s from each of the other provinces. The Wellington party was, therefore, not only isolated in the house, but the province was insolatcd from the rest of the colony. The whole of the members, with one or two exceptions, of Nelson, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, and Otago, were opposed to this parly, and a large majority of (hose from Canterbury and Auckland also. This party has always opposed every Governor the Colony lias over had, and the same spirit of antagonism which it has heretofore exhibited against the executive is now directed also against the legislative branch of the government. To retain the general government, under these circumstances, at Wellington, would be an utter impossibility. 01 the members of the “other place” we need say but little, neither they nor their proceedings having attracted any notice. The fact of Mr. Sowell aud the Chief Justice being .members, gives to this branch of the legislature a weight and importance which would not otherwise attach to it. -Mr. Sewell is decidedly the cleverest man in the colony, but as lie is not a colonist in any sense of the term, it would perhaps have been well for it it it had been relieved from his interference. Of this opinion were the Featherston faction till they found his aid necessary to secure Fox the premiership, 'they do not exhibit any inclination now to row in the same boat, but appear rather disposed to sink separately than together. The speech of the session was made by the Chief Justice, who lashed (he late Ministry—or, rather Fox and Sewell —most unmercifully for their unconstitutional interference with the department of justice, and lie did not spore Dr. Featherston. As we had no notice of such a speech being about to be delivered wc had no reporter present, and we may be well assured that such a speech would not bo likely to find its way into the columns of either of our contemporaries. Ot the other members of the Council, Dr. Menzics and Mr. Tailored alone distinguished themselves by any oratorical powers. When we state that Mr. Robert Stokes put himself forward as not only the representative of the lox party, but as one of the leading members of the council, the public will perhaps be disposed to form a worse opinion of the members as a body than they really deserved. The members added to the legislative council by the late ministry, and those bought over by the exercise of provincial patronage, hare not given it any additional weight and dignity ; but they have stamped a party tone upon its debates and infused a factious spirit into its deliberations from which in preceding sessions it was remarkably free, and which will probably cause—what was possibly desired—a demand to {bo made in the constitution of 1 1 1 ’

branch of the legislature. While, however, it is enabled to retain such members as Arney Swainson Bartley, Johnston, Menzies, and Sewell, this conservative element in the constitution -will be preserved ; the fear is that as has happened in the commission of the peace such men may feel disposed, if the swamping system adopted by the late ministry be persisted in, to throw up their seats To our thinking, the members of the one house were as much the representatives of the colonists ns those of the other, and that the colonists found, with but few exceptions no exponents of their j'views, or advocates of their interests, in either.