WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 174, 23 July 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(Erooa our own correspondent.) I [By Telegraph] Friday, 10*40 p m. The political horizon has still further brightened on the Government; side, and there now seems little doubt that Ministers will score a majority of at least two and probabiy more. The panic which Mr Ormond's amendment at firßt crested is rapidly dyiDg out now that members have bad leisure to look round them and consider the position, and I find that there are many who deem it fuite consistent to oppose the amendment without supporting the Government proposals, and they are disposed to adopt this couree. There is net the slightest doubt that this wai a serious difficulty at first with several and led them to go about crying that all was lost, fcr they could see at first no way out of the difficulty in which the terms of Mr Ormond's motion placed them, and it seemed as if all who were not satisfied with the Ministerial proposals must, to be consUtent, necessarily vote with him. This miat, however, has now almost wholly cleared eway, the plain straightforward utterances of Meisrs Wsston, Bunny, and Saunders, all of whom had been positively claimed by the Opposition, doing much to diipel any lingering uncertainty that might remain as to whether the cmendment must be voted on according to its ostensible purport, or whether it conld be really trusted as a no confidence motion pure and simple. This latter is the course which the Ministerial party are now • thoroughly united in adopting, and they will vote against Mr Ormond as a party, wholly irrespective of the question whether or not they approve of the Ministerial proposals regarding Local Government. The latter question, indeed, is completely in the back ground now and is only alluded to as a matter of form. It is a case of " confidence or nocoLfidence " row. and until this is Bettled no other issues will really be entertained at all. It is impossible to fix with any accuracy the result of the coming division, but it seems tolerably certain that at least 45 votes can now be depended upon to go into the Ministerial lobby when the bell rings. Possibly one or two of these may be a little doublful nnd still open to adverse inflnences, but I have just been very carefully through the lists with several members on both sides

of the House and the independent conclusion I have arrived at is that the Government is almost sure of a majority of three and has a very fair chance of adding oue or two to this number. The Opposition now adnpit ; that they do not expect a larger majority than ore, but assert that they are Bure of this at any rate, Here I entirely differ from them, for I happen to know a little of the way their first lists, which startled everybody so greatly, were made up The unblushing falsehoods which have been put forward as to pledges of support being received from some of the etauncbest adherents of the Government to support Mr Orniond's motion have altogether exceeded the customary license allowed to Opposition touts. The cool way in which they claimed such men as Saunders, Weston; Bunny, Allwrightj Hirst) Swansoh, Sbanksj.and fright as being i( quite safe" to vote on their side was positively amazing in its utter impudence, as also was their putting down Brandon, Colbeck, Gibbs, Mtiiray, and others as dbubtf ul or wavering. It was impossible, however, to contradict them flatly in the face of the fact that members had preserved a good deal of reticence as to their Intentions on the Local Government question. I find some members are annoyed at it being mentioned that the Opposition claimed them, but however untrue the charge might be it ;is undeniable that the Opposition leaders did most loudly and positively do so, and in one or tw6 instances even professed to show written or telegraphic pledges. Notably was this the case, aa I mentioned yesterday, in respect to Mr Bunny, a leading member of the Opposition distinctly stating that he bad a telegraih f rotn him giving in his adhesion to Mr Ormond. I told you that the Ministerial party had Mr Bunny's assurance ot support, and that he would probably speak on the Government side last, night, as he subsequently did. i find that the 6niy telegram Mr Bunny sent in reply to some dozens canvassing his vote was one simply stating where he was staying, Similar inventions have been sedulously spread. Mr Brandon waß to secede from Ministers because it was proposed to alter his constituency in the new Representation Bill in a manner supposed to be inimical to his interests ; Hirst and Shanka as prominent County Councillors because the 20 per cent of the land fund was taken away ; Wright because 25 per cent of the Waimate Plains proceeds were given to the NewPlymouthHarJborßoard.andso forth. All tbip, of course, was to a large extent pure invention, but it was given forth with the authority of gospel, and only time has ex posed its untruths. I believe lam justified in saying that the only secessions from the Ministerial ranks definitely pronounced are Ormond, Driver, and Reader Wood. Mr Ormond thus stands all but alone in the midst of the Grey Party, and if he could succeed in defeating Ministers he would be left wholly powerless, and must either confess his impotence to command a party, or else must lay everything [down at Sir George Grey's ftet, and give in his own homage. He is generally felt to have placed himself in a thoroughly false position, from which be will find it very hard to extricate himself with any remnants of personal credit or reputation. The N.Z. Times this morning in a very offensive paragraph insinuates that a lady is the motive power, and that her ambition has spurred Mr Ormond on to take bis present course. This breach of good taste has been generally censured, and the Post expresses the prevailing feeling when it says, " We feel bound to condemn strongly the offensive and unmannerly introduction, by one journalist supporter of the Government, of a lady's name in association with the act'oa iakenjty Mr Ormond. Tbese gross offences against social decencies cannot be tco firmly discountenanced, and we hope that public propriety will not again be similarly offended." An equally flagrant piece of brutal coarseness was perpetrated last night by Sir George Grey, who was almost beside himself with rage at Mr Weston'g calm temperate declaration io favor of the Government. This feeliDg evidently inspired the coarse and vulgar personal attack made by Sir G. Grey on Mr Weston whom he declared to have been rightly removed from the Judicial Bench, as his ignorance of the law might have wrought evil to innocent persons. This mean dastardly insult was promptly re senteS, however, by the House, and Sir George Grey was hooted, as he deserved, for his ill-bred personalities. Sir George Grej'a speech last night was, in fact, one of his most miserable failures, weak, spiteful, and pointless, On the other hand, as I mentioned last night, Mr Hallos speech was also somewhat of a disappointment, not at all up to bis best mark, and taking altogether too much of the tone of defeat. This, however, is not strange when it is recollected that he ba? been greatly overworked, and bis nervoili ststetn subjected to a severe strain, while his physical health it by no means too. robnst, and be has evidently been greatly vexed at the churlish and unfriendly action of Mr Ormond who, while professing general good will towards the Government, has evidently been plotting to bring about their downfall at the earliest opportunity, and very nearly succeeded too in defeating them by a sudden surprise, for, had the division taken place lait Tuesday or Wednesday before members had grasped the position there is little dotibt Mr Ormocd's amendment would then have been carried, but now that there has been time to p netrate and expose the Opposition scheme, its failure, I fancy, is practically insured, although of course where the voting is so close it will be impossible to make more of the result till the numbers go up. The debate was very dull this afternoon, and at one time whilst Mr Gibbs was speaking only eight members remained in the House, and a count was called for. When the bell rang, intense sensation was caused in the lobbies, and (here was a frantic rush into the House in the belief that the division bad come on unexpectedly. It very nearly came about ac cidentally after Mr Sbrimski sat down, but Mr Hursthouse saved it by rising just in time. It ia curious that in this debate the mover of ah adjournment baa not once resumed the debate, and this has occurred four times running. There ie still a talk at the time I am writing of taking the division on Tuesday, but as only 27 members have yet spoken to the amendment, j leaving 60 who yet may speak, and of whom I hear quite half are anxious to do so, the debate may lßst all next week. I fancy, however, it will soon collapse, as members seem too much hampered by the doubtful issue before them to speak with freedom or force. The House and galleries were nearly empty this afternoon, but are much fuller to-night in spite of the continued gale and rain which has lasted the whole week. It is tolerably certain that, whichever way the division goes, an almost total obstruction to the business of the session baa been caused by Mr Ormond's action. A return has been laid on the table showing the number of Government life insurance policies taken, out by members of the Civil Service, which have lapsed during the past two years. 179 policies have lapsed or been discontinued; in 73 cases no reason is given, 62 persons had left the Service, and in 44 instances the reductions in the pay of Civil Servants is the reason assigned. Of the discontinued policies three are void, but the othars may be revived on the customary conditions. A note appeared to the return is as follows : — The total number of policies of the class to which this return refers is about 900, and of these 179 have been discontinued during the period embraced by the return. The Rabbit Nuieanea Comroittse (joint Committee of the two Houses) report, that more effective measures are urgently required, and therefore recommend that a Bill be introduced on the same principle as the Sheep Act, Crown and Native lands bearing a proportionate share of the cost. Provision should be made for protecting the natural enemies of the rabbits in the Colony, and immediate and energetic action is needed to avert ruinous results. In reference to the p tHion from printers setting forth that they sustain undue competition through work being executed by the prisoners in Lyttelton Gaol, the Committee report that it is not advisable to restrict the employmeut of prison labor, as such a piinciple would have to be applied to all trades and so would stop all useful employment of prisoners. The report of the late Lupector of Lunatic Asylums was laid on the table %\da evening. It ia somewhat lengthy.

Is there a word in the English languge which contains all the vowels ?—Unquestionably. lhe member for the Huon constituency Tasmania, is likely to be unseated for bribery, having promised the /wife of an ebctora new bonnet if she persuaded her husband to vote for him. Orders have been sent home from Queersland to send immigrants out by every steamer of the new mail service, and generally to push on immigration and increase it from 2000 to 4000 per annum.