The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 292, 10 December 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1877.

To-day brings to a close the second session of the sixth Parliament of New Zealand. Apart from the want of decorum [and order, the reckless flinging about of unfounded charges, and the general tendency fco rowdyism which have characterised it, the session just terminated has been a remarkable and an eventful oue. Afc its commencement a Ministry was in office which was auything bub popular, and the general opinion was that its greatest, it uot its sole, chance of remaining in power lay in the fact that Sir Georg°e

Grey was the leader of the Opposition. As time passed on the Government, never very strong, became more feeble, more vacillating, aud more time-serving. Dissatisfaction grew apace, and the Middle Party, of which rumors had heen heard early in the session, gradually added to its numbers, and began to make ifc self felt in the House. The position of the Government was not improved by the famous Wa ha Maori libel case, and a vote of censure upon them was moved in the House, more we are inclined to think as a means of testing tbe strength of parties than with any expectation of its being carried. The motion Avas lost by a majority of nine, but the general tone of the debate was such as to o*ive courage to the opponents of the .Ministry, and a few days later a no-confidence motion was brought forward by Mr Larnach, and carried almost without debate by a majority of four. So far all had been plain sailing, as hitherto fche expulsion of the Atkinson Ministry was all that had been desired but now the difficulties of tho position bWu to dawn upon those who apparently had not before given the new phase of the question sufficient consideration. King Log, in the person of Major Atkinson, had been got rid of, bufc of those who had voted to depose bim there was a large number who would have submitted to his rule for ever and a day rather thau allow King Stork, iu the person of Sir George Grey, to enthrone himself iu the vacant seat. Bufc they had calculated without their host. Sir George had hitherto been keeping remarkably quiet. He had nofc taken part in the debate either on the Waka Maori or tho no-confidence motion. A stranger visiting the House might have thought that the Sir George who had been such a thorn iu the Ministerial side had grown weary of politics, and had allowed other and younger men to come to the front, occasionally satisfying himself, perhaps, with bestowingupon them a little fatherly advice in the secrecy of their own chambers. But now thafc the Treasury Benches were vacant the veteran politician was once more heard of, aud the air was thick with rumors which surprised and alarmed those who had voted Major Atkinson out without first of all making sure who was to be his successor. Surprised them, we say, because they had, as they believed, provided mosfc carefully and beyond all possibility of being deceived against Sir George assuming thc reins of Government; alarmed them, because they would rather have cut off their right; hands thau place in power one in whom nofc only had they no confidence, but of whom they had an active dislike and dread. It would take too long, and indeed it is unnecessary, to trace out all the plottings and schemings that directly preceded aud immediately followed the defeat of the Ministry. Ifc is enough to say that the Middle Party were completely out-manoeuvred and were as children in the hands of the crafty tactician and diplomatist against whom they had ventured to pit themselves. In a few days Sir George was installed as Premier with a strange following as coadjutors. Outwitted as they had been, it was nofc fco be wondered afc if the Middle Party, assisted by the supporters of the late Government, should afc once attempt to oust him whom they regarded as an intruder from the high position to which he had attained in defiance of their wishes. But here fche Middle Party, as it appears to us, displayed a still greater want of judgment than that which had characterised their previousaction. They had condemned and deposed the Atkinson Ministry because they disapproved of their policy and administration, aud surely if there was one member of that Ministry who, more than any of the others, was responsible for the evils and weaknesses complained of, thafc man was the Premier. Aud yet, a fortnight after condemning, him they rallied themselves under his standard to make an assault upon the new occupants of the Treasury Benches. Now was the time when Sir George Grey displayed his masterly skill. With a majority of the House against him he contrived to hold his own. By admirable generalship he successfully met aud defeated one no-confidence motion, while he contemptuously i gl ored another which immediately followed. And then, at the same time that he was in reality the victorious general in the House, he was adopting the role of the persecuted martyr outside, and the tide of popular opinion was rapidly turning in his favor. The Opposition will not allow me a trial, was his cry, and this appeal to the sympathies of the people met with a ready response. The public either forgot or ignored the fact that he was not a new arrival in the field of politics, thafc he was nofc what could be fairly called an untried man, that indeed it was entirely owing tohis previously expressed extravagant ideas and rabid declamations that his advent to ofiice had been deemed so undesirable bv representatives aud represented alike. However, his tactics answered completely, and he' was allowed time to make a statement of his proposed policy. And then it turned out that Sir George Grey, the Premier, was not the same Sir George that we had known in opposition. The violent separationist and proviucialisfc had become an avowed centralist ; there was nothing about an appeal to arms inaprder to enforce the acceptance of his opiuions by the colony ; no blood was fco be shed in the defence of the provinces and the rights of the people ; and above all the land fund was to be made colonial revenue. Of course, all opposition was at end after this. As with the French at Sedan, when by superior, generalship on the other side 90,000 men were driven into a corner and compelled to surrender/so was ifc with Major Atkinson and the large force under his command. They had to lay down then* arms, for against such a tactician as the present Premier they were utterly useloss. Aud now the session has closed, and Sir George Grey is in power, but it must be remembered that it is Sir George the Premier and not Sir George the leader'of the Opposition, and, as we have said before, two men more entirely different from one another it is scarcely possible to conceive. The next session will probably be but a very short one as, immediately after the passing of the Act for placing the representation of the colory upon a different basis, a dissolution will follow, and a new Parliament be elected. If in the meantime the administration of the present Government has been satisfactory it is within fche bounds of possibility that there is in store for Sir George Grey a term of office quite as long as that enjoyed by Sir Julius Vogel.

Ihomas Maher was charged at the Police Court to-day, before A. Mackay, Esq J P with assaulting Mrs Hunter, of Nelson, on two occasions, namely on the 7th and Bth inst. Defendant was flued £1 and costs ou each charge, or in default fourteen days' imprisonment. Maher, who is fche same man that was apprehended by mistake lasfc week on a charge of assault afc Hampden, preferred the quiet retirement of Her Majesty's raol to nartiug with the cash. Mb. Alexander Le Grand Campbell, who was afc one time Clerk of fche Magistrate's Court afc Motueka, and has for some time past been assistant Clerk at the Wellington Court, has been appointed Resident Magistrate afc Geraldine, in the Canterbury district. Wis notice that the steamer Taranaki is making a special trip to Wellington leaving here at one o'clock Wednesday afternoon returning on Friday. To enable her to do this, she leaves Wellington tomorrow ni«-ht for Nelson direct. ° The " Mirror of the World," which is reported to be the greatest pictorial exhibition which has ever visited the colonies^ will be on exhibition at itho Masonic Hall to-night. Some of the photographs of statuary 'arc remarkably beautiful.

The Choral Hall afc Wakefield was turned to account on Saturday night, when the panorama of the Prauco-Prussian war was exhibited to a large audieuce. It is intended to give another entertainment this evening. Owing to the length of the session (saye the Post) the country will have to pay £6303 iu additional salaries, bonuses of temporary officers, the Hansard staff, messengers, & c . that amouut having been passed in the House. On the Supplementary Immigration and 1 übl.'c Works Estimates there appear a number of items, the total of which is £186,300 and this was passed in a lump sum on Thursday night. Among them are the followin«* works m the Nelson Provincial District--^ Bridge over Ahaura, £500.); Nelson Creek Bridge, £1500; Road, Westport to Lyell, £4000; Road, Nelson to Westport and Greymouth, £10.000; Road, Motupiko to the Lyell, by the Hope, £1400; Road, Orinoco to Stanley Brook, £!000; Road, Aorere Valley £2000; Road, Takaka to Motueka, £1200Rridge over Wairoa Kiver, ;£soooj Road] Nelson to Havelock, iucluding bridge over Wakamarina, £1500. Mb. Stevens, in the House of Representatives, asked the Premier, " Whether the Government will, next session, introduce a Bill making the polling afc elections of members of the House of Representatives begin at nine [o'clock in the morning, and close at seven o'clock in the evening." Sir George Grey's reply was that a Bill affecting the electoral law would be prepared in the recess and that the subject raised in the question would be fully considered.— The alteration indicated, or something approaching to |it is a very reasonable one fco demand. To laboring men in the country who must frequently travel several miles to record their vote it is mosfc inconvenient, if not impossible, to snatch the time required for covering the distance out of the dinnee hour, au J unless they do this they are debarred from exercising their electoral privileges. This would be remedied by keeping the poll open an hour or two later than can be done under the existing law. _ A settled question. There are few subjects that arc not open to debate. Captious disputants are to be found who are even prepared to prove that black is white, but there is one point so weli settled thafc no oue, except the man who denies the rotuudifcy of the earth, will be likely to dispute it, viz., that as a general invigorant, a blood depurent, a cure for sickheadache, a remedy for hysteria, an appetizing tonic and a mild exhilarant,' Ldo-gpho Wolfe's Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps— [Advt."|