PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 235, 15 October 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[From our own correspondent.] The political situation is interesting if not encouraging. The division on Friday on Mr Sheehan's motion for the adjournment of the debate on the second reading of the Triennial Parliaments Bill showed that the parties then were of exactly equai strength, the Opposition having a majority of two present, while Messrs Ormond aud Russell, 3taunch supporters of the Ministry, were absent without having paired. For the Government side, however, there voted the member for Lyttelton, because he felt himself bound to throw no impediment in the way of the passing of the Triennial Parliaments Bill, but who cannot be regarded as a safe supporter of the Hall Ministry in a struggle for existence; while on the other hand it is said that Mr Shephard, who is reported to have pledged himself to his constituents not to support a Ministry containing Mr Macandrew, is quite as little to be relied on by the other side. Mr Vincent Pyke and Mr Stewart have gone over to the Greyites, but there are not wanting rumors that the former has already begun to feel disgusted with the company in which he finds himself. It is hardly advisable to put down here the rea sons commonly alleged for the defection of these two honorable members, neither is it necessary to hazard any conjecture whether the announcement that Mr Hall had set his face against buying any man's vote by promises of place or otherwise had anything to do with it. Mr Pyke gives one the impres sion of having received the bringing up of a gentleman; he is what a Bohemian would style "a gay and festive cuss," and would doubtless enter con umore into the spirit of the song that used to be popular a century or two ago in my youthful days, the burden of which was something in this wise: "Troll, troll the bonny brown bowl, A lass, and a glass, and a friend for me." He is also a man of much wit and no mean attainments. Now such a member you would imagine would not feel very happy under the cold looks and thinly covered contempt of the men by whom he had so shortly before been treated as a friend, neither does it strike oue as alight thiug to pass out from the association of as cultivated a body of men as can be found in any colony in the world, to become one of such a lot as foim the rank and file of the Opposition. Whence the possibility of Mr Pyke's repenting and returning to his former allegiance does not seem an unreasonable idea. Of Mr Shephard you probably know more than we do here. It would, however, appear that the provisions of the Representation Bill wiil not inflict any serious injury on the country if under them the Waimea district should become united with the Nelson Suburbs to return one member only. Mr Hall succeeded on Friday in throwing some confusion into the ranks of the Opposition by announcing that it was his intention to bring this Parliament under the operation of the Triennial Bill, a thing which the late Premi r, it appears, had not contemplated doing, and which bis supporters, though expressing such anxiety for the passing of this professed Liberal measure, do not appear very greatly delighted nt. It does uot seem very likely that Mr Macandrew's motion that the Government does not possess the confidence of the House will have a chance of being considered on Tuesday, as there are no less than twenty Bills down for second reading, besides the Committee of Supply and the Committee of Ways and Means, all of which have precedence of the notices of motion. On Wednesday the notices of motion are taken before the orders for the dav, but since those which are on the Order Paper already for that day are placed above such as have lapsed on the previous day, Mr Macandrew's motion, if it not oome on for discussion on Tuesday, will become ninth on Wednesday instead of second, which is the place it occupies ou Tuesday's Order Paper. Thus the debate may be put off, not quite indefinitely, but for some days, and sanguine supporters of the Government hold that delay is all in their favour, and that the development of their policy will be sure to secure theip a majority. As to this I dare not hazard a guess, but it is impossible not to wish well to the party who are too honest to buy votes when opposed by others who are not so scrupulous. Of the speaking in the debate on the address In reply, which was remarkably good and very free from personalities, I would direct the attention of readers ot Hansard to the speeches of Messrs Saunders, Trimble, and Bowen as being well worth reading ; on the other side I thought Mr DeLautour and Mr Sbeehan spoke best though the latter gentlennn in the early part of his speech was arguing on an assumption which was not borne out by facts. Mr Whitaker also made a good speech though rather short : like bis father he is a remarkably fast and vehement speaker. Mr Gisborne's speech was happily described by one of the debaters'as being " p»!< .ped out,", although the latter part of it at least had evideutly been carefully written out and learnt beforehand. Sir G. Grey has rather thoughtlessly one would say for so old a politician, made an enemy of Wi Tako a very influential old chief, who Uvea In Wellington. They met ne^ the Parliamentary buildings a, few c^ajs ago, and Sir George rernsec^ to shake the great brown hand Md out to him, because he had heard tbat Wi Tako had been busy <s .'"Yassing the Maori members jn the opposite interest. The old chief shook his grizzled head and said, " Perils you'll want to shake hands with me someday, and then well s <^.h y_ e j etter I read in the 110-^se from some of the Maoris j on Friday was probably the first offspring of thpdark skinned old genil_n»aii's indignation, but it is not likely to be the last, as he is bringing .ill his influence to bear ou the side of the present Government. I observe that Mr Pitt is to ask the Minister of Lands on Tuesday upon whose recommendation Messrs Joshua Bird and John Kerr were lately appoiuted members of the Nelson Waste Lands^Board ; anl if he; will lay before the House any papers oounacted with ' isiich appolptinentq. 'J 1 tie name of' the latter individual is not quite unknown to fin c By the bye. it was said quite in the first days of the sessiou that Mr Hur..t„ouse was going to bn the leader of the Proviuci.il district of Nelson members. Probably it was found that the idea would not work, a3 there seems no great unanimity amoug t^e nine members from the district. energy and sedulous .ittention to his parliamentary duties will raise a member to that pos-t, the most promising of the uumber I take to be Mr Acton Adams. This geutleman and another member from the district, Mr Reeves, have given notice of motions, which are Mkely enough to cause the first splutter ot what will before long burst like a bomb shell in the ranks of the Liberals, I mean the question of protection . freetrade. This great question' cannot fail to come in for some discussion this session, aud of all the subjects destined for debate noue is to all of us of **r«iatcr I interest than that. t > 'i v P Wellington, 13th Oct., 1879 {'