NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 125, 30 May 1870, Page 2

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

o [by an observes.] As the business of the session will probably commence this week I think it about time that I should emerge from my hiding place and once more let the public know that I am still in the land of the living, and as the Provincial Councillors will be the gentlemen with whom I shall have to deal principally; I may as well at ouce go through the form of introduction iv order to remove all

] obstacles from the way of our future intimacy — Mr. Observer, Messieurs The Councillors — Messieurs The Councillors, Mr. Observer. There, that little formulary is over, and we will now get along together on the best of terms. I daresay it is supposed, if any of your readers have ever taken the trouble to give me a thought, that I have been in a dormant state since last I had tbe pleasure of laying before thera the result of my observations from the gallery, but tbis is not the case. I have been carefully watching the proceedings of the Council, but hitherto have not observed much to call for any special notice. I have certainly heard debates and discussions galore, I bave seen a chair that was at one time occupied .by a powerful orator from the West Coast vacated, and I have beard, in connection with the occupation and. vacation of that seat, tremendous remarks on violation of constitutional principles and such like, but some how or otlier I could not steadily fix my attention oa what was going on, and from listening to this tall talk my thoughts would go wandering off to a former occupaut of the Provincial Secretary's seat who, whenever he was at all bored, used to exclaim iv a slightly contemptuous, but most energetic manner — Bosh ! Not that I mean for ona moment to say thafc there exists any affinity between indignant remarks upon, violating constitutional principles and "Bosh," but I merely mention a fact and -leave ifc to more scientific men thau myself to say what train of thought could possibly produce a connection between tho two. I have also heard the Council pitching into the Superintendent for not acting entirely in accordance with its views, and I have seen the foremost of those who found fault witb the Superintendent horribly taken aback when the said Superintendent announced in a message to the Council that he was willing to meet their views, and although my post of observation is situated at some little distauce from him — not the Superinteudeut, but the other one — I could see without the aid of an opera-glass that there were written on his countenance, the words — Surprised staved off, checkmated, by Jove ! I was also in the gallery one nighfc when Mr. Gibbs arose with a serious face, and, iv a manner brimming over with importance, called the attention of the Speaker in a becomingly decorous manner to the existence of a grave error which he had discovered in the Provincial Auditor's report. Then there took place a conversation hi a subdued tone of voice between this great financier and the Provincial Secretary, which resulted in a confession from the former, that after all ifc was only a mare ? s nest that he had dropped across. Mr. Gibbs is a clever mathematician and a shrewd calculator, and I know of no one who could with equal facility tell you to sixpence a week how much a clerk or a bobby should receive, but really he should refrain from attempting the solution of anything so intricate and complicated as a sum in compound addition, it is too much for his overtaxed brain. By the Avay, talking of Mr. Gibb^, ifc has been a source of bewilderment to me to discover how it comes to pass that he has this year beeu reduced to the ranks ; last session he wa? generally looked upon as the leader of the Opposition, but upon this occasion he is one of fche humblest of the privates. I should'nt like to act as a subordinate, where I had been previously looked up to as chief. I really am glad to see my old frieud Mr. Donne in his accustomed seat, I don't know how they would get on without him, for be is always ready to have a say on auy subject, no matter whether it is a College Goveruor or a street drain, he is "all there when the bell rings," but I am sorry to find that he is of a very uncertain temperament, for I usually notice that he commences his longest speeches with the words "I had not intended to speak on this subject," and it sets me off wondering why, when, how, or wherefore he makes up his mind to do that which he did not intend fco do. I had plenty of fun in the gallery last Thursday night ; first; of all there was a discussion which arose out of a proposal to appoint a Select Committee, for the Council bad passed a solemn resolution early in the session, thafc it would be desirable nofc to appoint any after the fourth week, and ou its beiug proposed now to set this resolutiou at defiance, one of the members got up and put a regular poser. He wanted to know whether an expressiou of opinion by the Council meant anything or not, and when members had the question thus pointedly

put to them, they seemed a little at a loss how to answer it, so they talked the matter over with due solemnity, and, after a little discussion, they came to the conclusion that they were'nfc quite certain whether their opinions did mean anything or nofc. After this we had a great scene. Mr. O'Conor, who, from his imposing appearance, and commanding tone of voice, is known among his brethren of the far West as "The Son of Thunder," arose to put certain questions to the Provincial Secretary relating to contracts for works at Westport which were not being carried out according to specification. One of the questions was couched in terms not the most respectful, aud some of the members objected to its being put, bufc tbe Secretary — and I thought I could see a merry twinkle iv his eye — stated thafc he was perfectly willing to give a reply, and he did so. He read a telegram he had received from the Engineer down there giving the names of the tenderers, amoug which appeared that of Mr. O'Conor, but his was not the lowest ; he then read the instructions he had telegraphed back in reply, to the effect that the lowest should be accepted if satisfactory; and he then gave us the contents of the fiual telegram from the engineer: "Lowest safest of all." Judging from Mr. O'Conor's countenance I am of opinion that ihe answer he received to his question was not in accordance with bis anticipations, and I am further of opinion that the impression left upon his mind was that there were circumstances under which even the search after knowledge mi^ht be pushed too far. From this we went into the savoury subject of drains, and Mr. Collins brought forward a Bill on the subject. I know nothing of the merits of this drain, that drain, or any otber drain, hut I am quite sure, from the serious, earnest, impressive manner in which Mr. Collins pleaded his cause, that his whole heart is in this particu ar drain, and that if anything should occur to prevent its being carried out, the consequences will be serious, possibly indeed, requiring the services of a coroner's jury whose verdict may easily be anticipated, for it can be none other than "carried off by a drain on the brain." Mr. Wastney, too, took the subject up with considerable warmth, and went into particulars as to the working of the drain. He was of opinion tbat no excresceuce should be carried away in it, but although this last syllable sounded like sense, I don't think it expressed the sense of what he meant, but if he had really said wbat he meant, the sense would have been more obvious. I may be speaking in parables, but I daresay those who were present will be' able to solve my riddle. On Friday we had a burst of eloquence from Mr. Luckie, on the subject of some money the Superintendent had spent without leave of the Council. Solemn as the mutterings of distant thunder issued forth the opening words from his lips, while from bis eye shot quivering glances as of harmless sheet lightning, but by degrees matters became more serious, nearer aud nearer came the storm, louder and louder and solemnly and more solemuly crashed the dread thunder, vividly and yet more vividly flashed the awful lightning, until at last in one final peal, that was awful to hear, his denunciations of the devoted head of the Government culminated in a demand that his representatives in the Council should mildly and meekly tender their apologies for the laches of their chief. When the spell that had been laid upon the Council by this astounding display of indignant oratory had worn off, Mr. Macmahon rose and wanted to know what all the hullabaloo was about, he wasn't going to sit there quietly and see Mr. Luckie or any other man after having metaphorically knocked his opponeut down, metaphorically jumping on him, aud he was surprised to fiud that the lately seated orator could harbor such vindictive feelings in his breast, whereupon Mr. Luckie rose to explain that really be was very much misjudged, he didn't think his words warranted a charge of vindictiveness being brought against him, and if his manner was a little waim (rather good tbat, a little warm after all the thunder and lightning he had beeu brewing) why it was his misfortune aud nofc his fault. And so the storm cleared off, and, taking advantage of the lull, I came away.