PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 208, 31 August 1872, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, August 31. Mr Fitzherbert resumed the debate last night, and speedily demolished the assets of £13,650 from the confiscated lands accounts, and the £34,377 recoverable from the provinces, thus destroying Mr. Vogel's credit balance of £25,650 at the end of the year, instead of which he proceeded to show that there would be a deficit of £37,000. He deprecated the idolization of Mr. " McLean, who said that he had settled the Native difScultyrand that the country was at peace. He compared Mr. McLean to a British matron with a lot of children peeping out from under her skirts, Mr. Vogel being the one big boy that was deficient; and the Opposition to the intrusive schoolmaster, armed with : a copy of the Compulsory Education Act, demanding that the children should be sent to school. The present Ministry, he said, had no right to set iip a peace monopoly, and he compared the threat implied in Mr. McLean's speech to "Bugaboo," but the House was not composed ot children who were so easilyto be led. He rebutted the arguments that had been advanced in favor of giving the Ministry another trial, as, if that were done, there would at once be an end to responsihle government, and trusted that they would not pardon for their numerous abuses and mal-administration by any promises they might make, as, thereby, they could secure their tenure of office in perpetuity. He said that it appeared to him that the Ministry fully sympathised with the House, but pleaded that they were big with a ' Native policy. In such- cajses the law provided that when a woman on trial for ber life pleaded that she was in an interesting condition, a jury of matrons was empanelled to enquire into her condition. The House, he contended, formed a competent jury in this instance, nnd the Speaker might he.looked upon as the Judge. For his own part, he had fully diagnosed the case, and decided that the law might take its course, the Ministry, so far from being parturient, having proved to be .absolutely barren. Mr, Kelly (Taranaki) contrasted Mr, Stafford's Native Policy with that of the present Ministry, •especially with regard to the province of Taranaki. ' He opposed the resolutions. Sir J. C. Wilson spoke strongly against the Ministerial patronage, exercised as it was for tine purchase of political support. He also condemned the San Francisco mail service, and generally supported the resolutions, Mr.. Henderson (Auckland) deprecated any change, of Government on personal grounds, defended the San Francisco mail service, and opposed the resolution, The debate was then adjourned. - _^ Speculation runs „high on the fate of the __jnißtry, the general opinion heing that they will be defeated by a narrow majority. Mr. Fitzhgr* bert's speech, created a strong feeling in favouriof the Opposition. The betting is five to one against the Government.