OUR COMMONS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1060, 12 September 1879, Page 2

OUR COMMONS.

Mr. Heabeu G. Wood, after an absence from the Colony for the past few years, has once more been returned as a member of the Colonial Legislature. He has been intimately connected with the government of the Colony and of tho province of Auckland for many years, and has always occupied a prominent position. He is a fluent and, of times, eloquent speaker, and must ever command the attention of the House. Ho is one of the few men who can hit out straight from the shoulder and remain ■ comparatively cool and self-possessed while dealing out knock-down blows to his opponents. He has, like all other members, !;ris failings and his crochets, B but they are., lost siglit of when placer/ contradistinction to—.ifa many admir.xort-1 qualities as a man and a statesman- In ■ the event of Sir George Grey retiy"?ait I any time from the leadership or tile H Liberal party—a contingency that must ■ be looked forward to, seeing that tho ■ Premier has now reached an advanced H age—we know of no man on that side of H the House so well fitted to occupy the ■ position as Mr. Wood. True, lie lias never vet had an opportunity of giving ■ evidence that ho can command a political ■ army ; but he has shown that lie possesses ■ many of those qualities so essential successful leader of a political party. Ho has a very large knowledge of Parliamen* tary tactics, can make a good speech, is • personally a man to be admired, and very good tempered. Members on both sides of the House will hail Mr. Render Wood's return to Parliament with pk-H sure, for he is one of those men who arc missed when absent from the deliberations of the Senate. He is a wonderful provement upon the previous member Waitemata, J. S. Macfarlane. | Colonel Thimble, though known upon the battle-field, is a to the Colonial arena of politics, and «■ are therefore unable to say to what extent ho will add to the intelligence and umtraH wisdom of the land. Of one tiling, ever, we are certain : He must be improvement upon the late member furjH Grey and Bell, Mr. F. A. Carrington, tli« former "old bogie" superintendent o'H Taranaki, who, though a very estimable® old gentleman after his peculiar fashion,■ was not intended by nature to become™ representative man. Judging from ln>H speeches, Colonel Trimble appears tobeaß sort- of fire-eating man of Avar ; but, thenM he may be, like many other.-?, more a m.mJB of terrible words than of sanguinary* deeds, and his presence ill the House wilJB, not probably strike fear into the bosom™ of his brother members of the represent:™ tive" chamber. I Mr. J. Fulton, the new member t<-'« Taieri, has for years taken an active p :ir W in the affairs of the country, but more a® an administrator of the law than as a w l ® maker. He is a man of considerably intelligence, and possesses a fair share oH ability as a speaker. He will add som e W thing alike to the wisdom and respecta® bilifcy of the House. I Mr. F. Sutton, one of the menita® for Napier, has held the dignifie® position of representative of that con® stituency for some time. Ho is a man-"H an ordinary amount of ability, and to® many years was a member of the .. vincial Council of Hawkc's Bay. It here that he appeared to the greatest vantantage, for his influence for a tifflß with the natives gave him some amour® of prestige amongst a body of men ne; . ■ * '. all of whom were fjnyaged in the tion of large tri l °£) of land frciV .' natives. He keeps, or kept, ; Vu|^B. store, wherein were sold rft lll <nici ;•!• prints, both articles much sought rj-* the natives ; and it was the these- two things, but p;utic ,ial ' ; 3 . former, that gave him his power over the Maoris, and prominent part in the acquisition of lli: |,W , large blocks of land. Th<- natives ivoi* . have gaudy prints and intox'ca beverage peculiar to ma'iners and b J and ran up large scoi-3, which, fw r J want of cash were liqudated by lain- "W ? a member of Parliairent, Mr. Sutto" jB.,J not been so as he was 11 ■ | disposal of rum. Che thing, however secured for him a colonial notorie 3■ * J was one of that oand designated ■ Forty Thieves." „ , r.M 9 Captain Russeix, Mr. Sutton* B Jfl league in the representation of JN«ip a man of a different stamp. He is a of culture, and possesses a very' amount of ability, and would make ■ 9^l than useful member of the House v. 1 ; ■ not for the obstinate manner 111 vr B adheres to old ideas and old associ Like Mr. Sutton, he served for so»w »m