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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4527, 23 September 1875, Page 2

At One time on Tuesday night, the monotony of the proceedings in the House of Representatives was broken by a little strong language being used. Mr. Reader Wood indulged in a dismal prophecy as to national bankruptcy visiting the colony within a couple of years, and attempted to use the Treasurer's words and figures to support his assertions. _ The Treasurer rose hurriedly, and in an excited manner accused Mr. Wood of stating what he knew to be untrue, and challenged him to prove his assertion by means of any returns he chose to ask for, guaranteeing that such should be immediately granted. Mr. Wood then charged the Government with placing scandalously false returns before the House. This led to some little recrimination, and Sir George Grey then entered the fray by repeating a previous assertion to the effect that the Treasurer, in making his Financial Statement, had manufactured surpluses to deceive the public creditor, and further that' the Treasurer knew that lie (Sir George Grey) was speaking the truth. Major Atkinson retorted that every word the hon. gentleman said was at variance with the truth, and he could not prove otherwise. Sir George Grey expressed an intention of proving his assertion, and after some explanations the discussion was proceeded with. Few deliberative assemblies are free from bores, and unfortunately our House of Representatives is but too full of these objectionable elements. The hon. member for Bruce is chief amongst sinners, for it matters not what the question, be—constitutional changes, financial reform, or the abatement of a nuisance—Mr. Murray eagerly seizes the opportunity of inflicting upon the House vapid, vain, and pointless harangues. On Tuesday evening this was singularly observable. An amendment, moved by Sir George Grey, had been debated threadbare, and for an hour previous to -what was regarded as the closing speech of the mover, cries of "question" and "divide" rang through the Hon3e, yet when the debate to all intents and purposes had been closed, this intelligent representative rose amid a murmur of indignation from all sides of the House, and delivered one of his characteristic string of empty platitudes, borrowed expressions, and erroneous comments upon the remarks of previous speakers, whom, owing to his innate self-conceit, he had failed to understand, thus creating a necessity for explanations . which consumed much more time. There has been too much .of this sort of thing during the session, and Mr. Murray, as well as several other members of a like calibre, following the example of abler men than themselves, should think more and talk lessupon subjects of which their ignorance is so astounding as to be almost sublime.