NOTES ON PARLIAMENT,

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1599, 4 August 1874, Page 310

NOTES ON PARLIAMENT,

BY A CHIEL IN THE GALLERY.

Wellington, 31st July. In writing you a weekly letter I really know not where to begin. Public Works, Financial Statements, South Sea Bubbles, Forest Conservation, Consolidation of Provinces, Native Lands, and many other unkindred things, are all mixed up in the Government political otlapodrida. Vogel is like a boa constrictor; he can swallow and digest aught on earth if it be only large. Small things are beneath his notice. I can give an instance in point. Several years since, when the hon. gentleman was thirsty, he came to an hotel in Wellington and called for a bottle of champagne, which he paid for—drank one glass, and left the remainder for a loafer, or the pigs. A feather will show how the wind blows; and prodigality in private habits is no proof of a man's capacity in public affairs. THE ELECTORAL BILL. The most interesting debate of the session took place on Tuesday evening last, on the above subject. It was a question members could not shirk, and one on which nearly all the representatives desired to air their eloquence. It was generally considered a crude and undigested measure, and had the Government pressed for a division, there is no doubt but what they would have sustained a defeat. After it had been moved that the bill be read that day six months, on .the motion of Mr Stafford it was postponed until Friday next, when it was imagined an interesting debate would ensue 5 but the Premier, the following day, came to the table of the House, and stated that there were so many pressing matters of greater importance expedient to be pushed forward, that the bill must be postponed until a later period of the session, and, amid much cheering, added that the Government would possibly even not again bring it forward. Mr Stafford informed the Premier that the proposed arrangements would be perfectly satisfactoryOne or two racy bits of sparring took place. The editor of the Southern Cross said that many people not enfranchized were like him—their property consisting in their brains and five fingers ; while the member for Hokitika called him the platitudinarian of the House. Over this mea* sure this session will probably talk no more. ' PROVINCIAL CONSOLIDATION. , The Premier, if rumor can be trusted, intends to bring in a bill to consolidate the whole of the North Island into one Province; Auckland being the capital, and Wellington a kind of federal city. It may be supposed that if such a transaction be carried out in the North Island, similar provision for the South will be also forthcoming. If Auckland be chosen for the North, Dunedin will be the Southern capital. Mr Carrington is to be provided for in some manner, rumor remarks ; Mr Ormond will abjure politics entirely; and the Superintendent of the whole Island she stateth not. There are more difficulties in the way of this measure being carried out than are apparent at the first glance. Provincial land laws, of which there are such numerous illustrations in the North Island, will have to be consolidated, and one law run throughout the Island. There are ten different laws for the acquisition of land in the Province of Wellington alone—probably as many others in each Northern Province. The same difficulty occurs in the South Island, only in a lesser degree. He is a bold man who will at the present time attempt to abolish Provincialism in its existing form and substitute its proposed modified character in its stead. Whatever temerity the Premier may.possess, I think he will scrupleto test his strength against the Provinces. Every man who hitherto has done so has failed and been beaten, aud mighty as King Julius may be, he will hesitate ere he attempts such a coup d'etat, I believe.he has a habit of throwing out feelers occasionally, through some of his satellites, to test public opinion as to the merits of the scheme he intends to propound—and then either introduce or stifle it, according to the views of the Press and the vox papuli. CANTERBURY DOMAIN.

In the debate on this subject in the Upper House, Colonel Brett, according to the New Zealand Times, gave utterance to some peculiar and irrelevant matter. The Public Domain in Canterbury consists of about 500 acres, on the fencing and planting of which a considerable amount of money has been expended. Out of this domain it was proposed that live acres should be taken, on which a college should be erected for the purpose of affording a high-class education for our Colonial youth. The young people, the gallant Colonel said, would be from ten to fourteen years of age, and were some of the most unlicked cubs in creation. He himself had four handsome daughters, which he would not allow to live near a college, as they would be in danger of " receiving missives that would be offensive to their dignity and sense of propriety from these very uncouth young men !" NATIVK LANDS ACT. There was an interesting debate this afternoon on the motion of Mr W. Kelly, " That all reports under the provisions and working of ' The Native Lands Act, 1873' by the Native Lands Court Judges be laid on the table for the purpose of being referred to the Committee on Native Affairs." The debate was adjourned at 5.30 on the motion of Mr T. B. Gillies. The Native Minister strongly opposed the papers being made public; stated that they were meagre and bald, and contained no information—and objected persistently. The Act passed last session has been found to be utterly unworkable and distasteful to the native owners of land ; the Native Minister has promised to bring another

Bill in to amend the Act of last year; and of course the House wishes to be put in possession of the opinion of Jthe judges administering the law to see not only the faults that have been manifest in past legislation, but also from a wish to mould the new law in such a form as will be acceptable to the people of both races. I suppose when the debate will be resumed to-morrow the result will be that the House will insist on their production. The Act has not yet been circulated nor translated into the Maori language—the apathy of, Southern members when the question either of native affairs or native lands comes up for~ discussion in the House is extensive. As a rule they were nearly all adjourned to Bellamy's, and only put in an appearance when the division bell rings, when they flock in and follow the Native Minister into the lobby on any question he wishes to carry. One of them said to me this evening, "we know nothing about these things, we pin our faith to McLean, trusting like Dollinger, that he will pull us through." THE BUSINESS OF THE SESSSJ.ON Appears to be getting rapidly over—soma members think they will get home in a fortnight, others in a month. It will entirely depend on what novel features the Premier has still in his quiver whether these hopps will be realized or not. There is not the slightest sign of opposition—the dissentient parties in the House have no bond of cohesion, no apparent leader, seem to have neither heart nor courage to make a stand ; and thus the Ministry do whatever seems best in their own eyes. TAIAROA AND HIS LAND CLAIMS. His claims are too just and important to be recognized. Although the Native Minister knew their nature, and had stated his belief last session in their justice, the Premier took the matter in hand, and adopted a new course of action, refusing to allow a select committee to be appointed to enquire into and report on unfulfilled pledges to the Ngaitahu people, although the motion was couched in exactly the same language as during the two preceding sessions; the Native Minister sitting mute, and taking no part in the debate, Taiaroa now has to approach the House by petition.