PLUMS FROM THE HANSARD PIE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 179, 29 July 1879, Page 2

PLUMS FROM THE HANSARD PIE.

"Governor" Grey. {Hon. Mr. Waterhouie.) I rather expected that we should find in the address some works of congratulation upon the Ministerial changes that have been accomplished during the receas. It is, Sir, and must be, a matter of congratulation that we have at last a thoroughly homogeneous Ministry. We have now a Ministry in whom every particle of independence of spirit is utterly extinguished— a Ministry thoroughly welded into one compact block, animated by one impulse and obedient to one will. We have at last a Premier who can say to one of his colleagues, " Do this," and he doeth it ; to another, "Do that," and he doeth it ; and to his colleagues generally, " Fall down and worship me," and they fall down and worship him. There is something of an advantage in this, inasmuch as, instead of having to take into consideration seven distinct wills, and endeavoring to foretell what will be the decision arrived at after the collision of seven different intelligences, we have now only to take into consideration one will ; and if we can fathom its depths, if we can pursue it through its intricacies— aud lam willing to admit that this ia a somewhat difficult job — we shall know exactly what we are to expect from the Ministry. Sutton snubbed. Mr Sutton asked the Native Minister, Out of what vote of this House it is proposed to pay the sum of jE4S, or thereabouts, for hotel accommodation at Napier supplied to the late member, Mr Takamoana," after the close of last session? Mr Sheeban replied that it was proposed that the amount should be paid from a source beyond the control of the House — namely, the private estate of the late honorable gentleman. Shanks' Consolation. (Mr Shanks.) It is true that in one item — land revenue — a considerable falling-off is shown for the past financial year; but I am satisfied a large number of members will agree with me that this is not an unmixed evil If the land has not been sold, we may congratulate ourselves that it has been preserved from the hands of speculators, and that it is still in the possession of the Government for the benefit of bonafide settlers. Rough on Luckie. (Sir W. Fox.) I 'will mention another case which has created a feeling of indignation throughout the country, and has tended as much aa any other to demoralize the Civil Service. That is the well known case of Mr Luckie. He ia a gentleman for whom I have a high .esteem. He sat in this House, and was a supporter of mine, and therefore I should have some respect for him. Indeed, 1 have not one word to say against Mr Luckie. I believe he is perfectly competent to fill the almost sinecure office he holds, and to draw the handsome salary attached to it. Ido not know any man better fitted to do it. Gluttonous gorges and indecent ohgies. (Mr Rolleston.) I cannot conceive, with the knowledge that we get from the newspapers, of a course of proceeding more calculated to lower us in the estimation of the Natives, and more humiliating to us a3 a people, than that which has been adopted at the meetings held with the Natives. The newspapers have been full of what I may term the bounce and insults of the Natives to the Native Minister, and of the moat extraordinary proceedings that have ever taken place in regard to the Natives. lam quite sure the good sense of the people will enable them to see that dealing with such a race as the Natives in the manner described cannot be satisfactory, and that such treatment of them can have no good effect— 'that the great feasts, followed up by gluttonous gorges and indecent orgies, in which Ministers of the Crown have taken a part, are not calculated to raise us in the eyes of the civilized world, or to command the respect of the Maoris. Addled Eggs. (Dr Wallis.) Again, there are a large number of nondescript politicians here, of whom it would be impossible to give any reasonable account; and, besides them, there is a new party coming into existence. It is called the " Middle Party." We heard of it before. The Middle Pasty consists of trimmers. They always wait until there is a struggle between the two parties, and theu they say, " The Opposition have acbanoe of getting in; we will go in with them, and benefit ourselves and our constituents." Sir, ; the curse of all constitutional Legislatures ' has been tbe existence of a middle party of trimmers, who always go to one side or the other in order to suit themselves, or to serve some purpose which is not right. It; would be well for us if we could put an end to this Middle Party. Can anything be so obnoxious as middle men between Tones on the one hand and Radicals on the other. Why. a real Tory ia to me a respectable man; a real Radical is a respectable man; but one half" way between Radical and Tory reminds me of a passage in a play, — An egg Is good for breakfast, and a chicken ia goodBut something half-way 't» lit an egg and chicken Is •» -lely bad. The Middle men are all addled eggs. Pbecept and Practice. (Dr Wallis.) I said just now that in my opinion Ministers had been rather extravagant. Wastefulness of the public money has been their chief weakness. I well remember that, when in opposition, they announced themselves to be economists and purists. They certainly, when in opposition, preached economy; but] lik many more of us, they have practised very little of what they preach. They were to introduce order and economy into the Civil Service; but it is a fact, I believe, that they have rather multiplied billets, and increased salaries all round. Again in reference I to the Ministerial salaries, Ministerial resi- I dences, and the Ministerial steamboat, what have they done? With reference to those Ministerial salaries which they were so anxiou3 to have reduced when drawn by others have they been reduced? The socalled palatial residence! have not been Bold, and the " Hinemoa," I am sorry to sav, is as much a Government yacht as ever. "

What's at the bottom? (Dr. Wallis.) I do not think this borrowing is a very wise policy ; but under the circumstances of the colony, it is well known that, whatever Ministry may be in power, that Ministry ! must borrow money. It is inevitable. I think the borrowing policy has been a mistake from the beginning, and will prove the greatest curse ever inflicted on the country. But we are now in for it ; we are witbin the sweep of the Maelstrom, and are being swept round and round until at last we reach tbe bottom. What we shall find at the bottom I cannot say* The Doctor Rebukes the two Knights, and prescribes for the3i. (Dr. Wallii.) The longer I sit in the House, the more it seems to me the language used on both sides becomes stronger and stronger, and more and mote improper. I appeal to the speeches of me leaders on both sides or^ this occasion, xhat their language was parliamentary must have been the case, or you, Sir, would have interfered; but, if their language be Parliamentary, I can hardly imagine what unparliamentary can be. Seeing that things are getting into confusion, we should, I think, endeavor to get a dissolution. The sooner we do that, the better for ourselves and for the country. lam led to this conclusion because the language used here has in many eases been so strong and so foul— especially that used by the honorable member who leads the Opposition, and also by the honorable member who leads the Government. If those two honorable gentlemen would do me the honor of waiting on me as a medical man, I will tell you what would occur. In the face of the honorable member for Wanganui I should see an expression of deep despair, and yet of hope that he might get out of the wilderness of Opposition, and reach the Promised Land of office soon; and in the face of the honorable member at the head of the Government I should find an expression of fear lest he should be driven out of that Promised Land into the wilderness. Then I would take the hand of each and feel his pulse, and would say, " These pulses are very feverish; your health is uot good." Then I would ask them to put out their tongues, and then, carefully examining the condition of the tongues, I woald exclaim, " Oh, what foul tongues you have got ! You ought to go to the country. The country air would do you good." Sir, a dissolution is what is wanted.