POLITICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.
(From the Sydney correspondent of the Queenslander.) September IS. The Parliament of New South Wales opened on Tuesday, September 10, the very day that the Queensland Parliament was, prorogued. The coincidence is not flattering to our collective wisdom, whatever yours may think of it. There is a reminds! in it (let us hope a wholesome one) that the work of legislation here is being begun where it ought to be leaving off—farther evidence, you see, of our claim to the distinction of being the slowest as well as the oldest community in the group. New South Wales emulates the snail in one of its wellknown attributes at all events, if not in the other, and this is espe ; ially the case with regard to politics. However, I am bound to admit that a good commencement . has been made. The present is the second session of the ninth Parliament, and up to the present time everything has gone on smoothly. No attempt has been made to disturb the occupants of the Treasury benches, although they have come in for some sharp criticism from the leader of the Opposition for several of their administrative acts during the recess. It is by their measures they are to be tried, and of these they have certainly enough for one session. The vice-regal speech, which was of unusual length, enumerated. a round dozen of Bills of first-rate importance to be submitted, with a hint about others, besides proposals for a thousand miles of railway, so that there is abundant scope for the exercise of legislative talent in the programme for the session.
The opening ceremony—but there, what need to go into that; you know all about it, I dare say, long before this. It was the same dull old routine, with the same affectation of ceremony and nervous display of puerile pomp that characterises the opening and closing scenes of all colonial Parliaments, But there is some improvement in the appeaiance of the Assembly Chamber since it was .last open to public view. It has, literally as well as figuratively, a more ship-shape cut about it. Looking down from the crannies assigned to the Press representatives, one might easily fancy be was gazing towards the stern end of the saloon of a large passenger steamer. The cross-benches are done away with, and semi-circular seating substituted, so that wo are to have no more “ third parties,” or any other foolery of that kind to disturb the equilibrium of Ministers. The enlargement of the building gives accommodation now for about eighty members, and there is als6 additional accommodation for the public in the Speaker’s and strangers’ galleries. But there is a half finished look about the place now. There aro new cushions ou the new seats, but the shabby old cushions that have been on the Ministerial benches and those immediately opposite for years past are thereyet, on the pr iciple thatperhapa it is notgood to put new wine into old bottles, I noticed that the messengers appeared in uniform for the first time. The head of that useful staff was a great swell. This is a stretch of liberality that the habitmSs of the Parliamentary purlieu* were scarcely prepared for, and some of them were unkind enough to make playful observations at the expense of the unfortunate messengers. But they were as proud, bless you, as schoolboys in new Sunday “ togs.” To Mr. Badgery, who is the youngest member, was deputed the task of moving the address in reply to the vice-regal speech, and I-must here say that tho present member for East Maitland is a decided improvement upon his departed predecessor. I regard Mr. Badgery as a success. He has au open manly way about him, without the slightest taint of either nervousness or affectation in his speech,. and although he was extremely brief in his remarks he made a very favorable impression, and, to use a stock term, he “ caught the ear of the House." Sir John Robertson the Opposition. Parkes sat in a remote corner, looking rather glum, and scowling every now and then at the Ministers, as if lie considered they had no right there, natural or acquired. He was majestically silent during the debate, if debate it can bo called, on the address in reply. * Not so Sic John Robertson, who labored hard to show his superiority, and his magnanimity in not seeking to disturb the Government. His speech had reference to the administrative capacity of the Government and their actions during the recess, and he adopted the playfully sarcastic style of oratory. He spoke of the Postmaster-General as a “ marvel of administrative ability,” and made some fun at that supercilious young gentleman’s excursions round the colonies. Sir John evidently has a down on Burns, for they Were once colleagues, and h«. wishes ti take the Poabraastev-General down a peg. The subjects upon which he specially chastised the Government were tho International Exhibition, the Darlinghurst Gaol lectures, the proposed loan of two or three millions, the stoppage of auction land sales, and tho permission given by tho Minister for Lands to a Herald reporter to go through the Lands Office and reveal its condition. The latter subject occupied a prominent position in the debate, some contending that tho Minister bad done the correct thing, and others that ho had committed a serious indiscretion. However, the whole debate ended iu smoke—indeed, there was very little “ fire” in it, and the address in reply went through by default. People say Parnell is a lucky fellow to got off so easily. His troubles will soon commence.
The Government experienced a check on Thursday. They had to beat a retreat from a not very insignificant position. You remember the very great rumpus there was last session about the “ powers and privileges of Parliament ” (arising out of Mr. Moßlhone’s row), and the foolish attempt made by the Assembly to clothe itself with the powers and privileges of the House of Commons ; and you remember also how the wisdom of the Council scouted the idea and threw out the Bill. Well, the Government, in its wisdom, came down with a proposal on Thursday to refer the question to committees of the two Houses. The notion was ridiculed iu the Assembly, except by a couple of the weakest intellects. It was g»r<led as a proposal to delegate the functions of Government to committees of the Parliament. Parkea and Robertson both spoke on this question, besides several others, and tho two knights certainly dealt some hard blows. Tho Colonial Secretary strove bard, and with considerable acumen, to convince the House that it was the right thing to do, beiug in the nature of a conference upon a matter on which the two Houses could not agree ; but tho’House could not see it in that light, and the Government were constrained to withdraw the absurd proposition, much to their mortification and to tho delight of tho ° Opposition fellows,” Three of the Government measures havo already been introduced and read a first time —the Lunacy Bill, a Bill to prohibit the importation of grapes and grape vines (to prevent tho introduction of disease), and a measure of minor importance to amend the Ordnance Lauds Act. They have also formally obtained leave to introduce their Electoral Bill, tho City of Sydney Corporation Bill, the Sewerage Bill, and Water Supply Bill. These are expected to be tabled on an early date. Under tho last-named measure Boards of Works are to bo appointed, to be nominated by the Government, and to consist of two or three professional men and two Ministers of the Crown —an arrangement which Sir Henry Parkcs thinks will never work ; but It appears that a similar principle works well in Victoria. These boards are to bo clothed with full powers to establish waterworks, and when practicable to hand them over to the several municipal corporations when tho works aro matured. This is a great and very necessary reform, and is eagerly looked for by tho country. The election to the chairmanship of committees of the Assembly—iu the Council Sir George tunes was again re-elected without opposition—though not conducted under party auspices, was hotly contested. Tho choice falls upon Mr. Angus Cameron, tho working men’s r'efcVeVdafoWyo, a] mas ttf no address, no judj>-
meat, and no education, but brimful of conceit, and possessing an inordinate quantity of that very serviceable quality, brass. Mr. Cameron's oratory is of the stump stumpy. 'Tis said .they gave him the chair to atop bis tongue—not an uncommon method of stopping a too glib flow of speech. His opponent for the chair, Mr. Jacob, who was nominated very much against his will, is a man peculiarly fitted for the important position to which Mr. Cameron has been elevated—one of the readiest speakers and most astute reasoners in the House upen points of order and Parliamentary law ; yet of a singularly modest retiring disposition, who has occupied the position of Minister of the Crown, and has never once during the whole course of his Parliamentary career about twice the length of Mr Cameron—been known to infringe the rules of debate or to be called to order. But there really is no accounting for tastes.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5466, 3 October 1878, Page 3
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1,542POLITICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5466, 3 October 1878, Page 3
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