WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 220, 3 September 1862, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(KIIoM Ofsl Hi".:-:l\U Ci.tItIUyiMVKKST.)

It had lo;i£ been evident to -even the nyh1. BU[itTiicial o".server, that Uk; Douutt Miniarv were in the agoaius of p.uttii-itiou, !>ut thitt tlare »'.h not strength tobriug forth. Atlloll^:^t tbti.>«.:

whine tfeiu rous syiiij^thk-j* were excited, wm the ex i'ivinicr. who, with a ilu<; appreciation <>t the }i;m-s of sninisterl-iljabor, ha-itcued to the rescue and put si pointed. (jUj.sikm to the Ministry, a- to what «-a*iti> ho done in filling up the appointments of l'o:>tinasU>r-Gcr>erul, Treasurer, and Attorney-Grneriil, which were uiiJy temporarily occupied, ilr, thmtcU in reply to tlii.-i tender erwjuiry, reminded the questioner that a tretHienijn, whu-if cou^h eluitvd the retnsirk, that it was •'a very Icul one-," remarked that it was " the bvH he hail," and that h membcro complain**! of the rnitiistry, he could only mxr tliat it was the In-ht the House; was likely l«> Imve. This' brought ott an amicable, debate- ia whirh "the Prtuiier <-xpiaiiieii that he had desired to form a coalition Ministry, but that Mr. Kux would net acrrpt a subordinate position, ami he had failed in itidudn^ the other nicmheri of the Kite Ministry to join him, but Uiat lv« nhould rejoice, even now, if their valuable .vrvis-ts conid be to the t.-ouiitry. I)n tUU, ihc l;tte l*o.<£nirv«ter-Gfnsrai (^^r, W'avd) %vttti a appn-dalion of tiu« ditliciiitios of the Oniony, expres^'d his wiiiin^. nesH to bold hack no longer, an.] tl:(M'x-'rj-oasijfi"r \Mr. Wood) h^in-,' callt.-d tor. !»y the IIoum?, rosu and di;d;:ri-<l that■ tite tiour h:-..t arrived wlien he would r-.-j mid to Uvj lin-juttion. The scene can ■ wan-ely be dvp:<-ied—though- .spontancou-, some tliou-lit it w:ii u',l premeditated, as kwis graphic beyond ■defcriptinn. 1,.u,l eiiL-urs follow,-.! tb»j aiuioimeement. wh!eh placed the calonv in po,--.HCsiuii of a htmii},' Ministry. On a su!.sc<juf.*it day the- li»t«: A«tonn-y-G«-neral followed and the child is declared hv all hands to be a line healthy fuil-formed babe.

You are aware that Mr. Fitzgerald's Mtwrl nobility resohitittiw came to. grief. The principle remained intact, but the supenUrueture lies f-ruinMing in t!, ; . dust. Sir transit t/lorin mundi. The pan-in disavowed his child m "its new aspect, though all tlio di-itinguishing features remained unimpaired. The Mini t-.-rial non-responsibility resolutions have been passed by the llou*e, thoii-h .siivngelv attiicketl as not ,diflt-risig from those of thr previous ministry. Unfoittuiatdy Hie Upper House entertained v dillerent opinion on the subject, au«l,-under the Iciulyrnhip of the new Attorney General, (Mr Sewell),—oli tell it not it (iath ! — contcm[>tU'.»ii!ily cast them out. to that in the expressive language ot the drill instructor, we are ■'as we wa>," Them appears to be but one opiuioii on this subject, that whether minisUr.-, \>:. re.-.ponsiii!o or n^t, it is the intention of the Governor to do us he lists, whatever that maybe.

You will be pleased to learn that the House of Repn-entatives refined to endorse the Otago Spoliation Uill, which in legally designated as\ bill to amend tiie boundary. The neiise of justice ofthe House revolted at the'idcaofsii'ltienly without due notice, und in violation of the New Provinces Act, depriving Otagoof a largo and valuable slice of its territory. It was not even allowed te go into committee. The Superintendent of Otago a<*ked, on the third reading, to be heard at the bar of the Upper House ; bat, us owing to sonic technical objection, he could not be heard, unless he was prepared to speak at once, he declined the oiler, fearing, it is said, to injure the cause by an unprepared defence. The bill thus came down endorsed by the Upper House,-on what some regard as an imperfect investigation ; and was dismissed. Tim Nominated Superintendent's Uill passed through all its stages but the last. The hopes of iis advocates were raised to the highest pitch, when on tlie proposal that it be read a third tinio, j;n amendment was proposed by the Superintendent of Otago--" That it be struck oil' the order paper," which being carried on division by a majority ot one, the usual evidence ol colonial unity, the question is "disposed of for this year. The usual calculation of noses Jed to the inference that it would have passed, but sonic who voted for the second reading blued at the finalstep. If the people desire such a change, there is no doubt that petitions to that effect would receivo due weight next sessron, but the House justly conceived that organic change*, involving the withdrawal of privileges grunted by the Constitution Act, should not be hastily entertained and disposed of. The promoters have now the opportunity of testing the feelings of the people. The " innocents," as they nre endearingly termed, are now allowed the privilege of another year's grace at least,~may they have grace to benclit by the delay, J

h would have done your heart good to have witnessed the enthusiasm with which the introduction of the Marine Board Uill was received. It had long arrested the attention of a Select Committee, and emerged in beautiful tvpc into the House, and into a committee of the whole House. Uut no sooner was the same heard, than many members felt that the cravings of hunger must be satisfied, and others, that the action of the narcotic weed was necessary to settle their nervous system. All cleared away except a select few, the

martyrs to duty, who attached themeelvcß to the wall with a stoical indifference. The Chairman of Committees, a man capable of great eflbrts, glanced rapidly around, took out his watch, noted the indications of the hands, .and in 7£ minutes had the satisfaction of reporting 72 clauses as perfect specimens of legislation. This was a triumph which seldom falls twice to the lot of a man. I, who sat alone in the gallery, could not refrain from a slight exhibition of the heel of my right foot on the floor.

The Gold-fields' Act, most thoroughly ventilated in committee, was not allowed to pass in a similar style. There were a fiery few ar^un i the table who fiercely debated the Compc-nsation clauses, until the very ceiling reverberate;! the sounds. On divisions being called for, tlia bell was rung and v few members rushed in. and as they saw ucll known faces to the right or left of the Chairman of Committees, arrayed themselves cither for or against the clause ■ —truly legislation must be an easy task.— I really begin to fancy that if I icmain much longer v spectator. I shall be prepared to take an eijicient part iv the debates, or at least in the divisions. Doubtless the bill will be still further mutilated in the third leading, and in the Lords; and were thu select committee, who for weeks worked at it, to see it ngain, they would not recognize their child. Such is legislation—the toss of a sixpence—the prolixity und perrereeneas of a tlebaicr.

The Native- Land Bill, which is oflicially rcpre sen ted to Ik; the Governor's Uill, though not sent by message, has passed through committee. It U a mass of incongruities—professes to acknowledge that the fcule title to the whole of the land rests in the Natives, and then proceeds to appoint a magistrate, in the Title .Settling Court, with a, vote, ami io give the Governor power t» in.tkc reserves. Alas! alas I for consistency. H the Hiil hci-uiuc* law, the Native lands are open to all comers, but we do not know how the purclr.i-iiTd arc to be protected in their right*, v.hcu even our own settlers in liriiibh territory art; unprotected. Av:tiu it is flsked—if thfi xy.4km b to prevail, what is tin; w-e i,f the million loiiii, which is proposed Imt \vU\d\ will never bj STciurcil. Its object was to coaccittro po-.tihuion uttiiiis.i fx^tiri^ settlements. :-ilv what you will, the w-aviug of the presumptiv.:' ri-_rlll, is the <!eat'i l-Uiw i.» tlie M.iorie.s aul vvili Cuu-.ert the Northern IsliJlld i;lt() !.llt>(I> iiiriHS.

T!k- T:;r:i\\-iki l.'eiief ( v >!;cti in was moot fretly fif-h.ited, it brought up ilie. uli \Vaiiara c;mtro-vi-rsy, i»f.j.L-rsioiib on Governor IJ.-ov.-n, and t/u.--aia, te.l deft-nces r.ij.tur.i'i-iy ciicered. Every rnaii'ti hand was aguinst SiLs iic-i{»hl.our'«. Mr. F tz^<-rald moved as an ami.iidiin.ni, that the question by rticrrt-.l to a Svlec: Co-nmitttv, bnt that \ye pay XL'OU.UOU dm a> compcr.SiUioti, leaving the re-payment by the Imperial Government t> a future tiui- Ji-hen account* will b..: udju^ted ; and thus the liiT-ce t-n.lt.-d. Truly, the Session has bii.-n iharaf-U-rizt-d by iheorcliu»le»<iay.-i, and ii.-t-K>s debate*, itu ! ti<i\v, when though: iul it^i^lati'.u is necessary t!ie iii:.'ui'»i-rs are scainiicrii.^ homewards, o"r swaMowuii,' bilbi by the Lu^hvl. The addru- a to the Qu«-.-n on the Duke of Newt:.u"'!;.'* Wiirlil:<J epiftk-i b.is b'-cn rtfi-rrtd, with Mr. I-'iti:gtrrtltl's amur;dmf:iit, to a Select Com:iiiUi» , iiiinv (if the members vi which ure goin^ or an; g. >:•.<: aM, ( y. li Is n,\ Una Tlmichir—your liiai.-h..:-, were n-.»t bt-ic to i.iiMiorialize * tho .Si>M»n. ll.j \,ui lo.st a opportunity. I ..L^l >.tiil h.nuit my old jM.-t—.jj.oj-ii the prime ot i;i<- Si--.-.io» i-i p:i»t, au i ifiin t< is; aiivthing to rt|uiitv( ( !im;iy rvly ur-on luaring Jroia me; if i. )t I f.h.i'l be as silmt a» it is devoutly wished soait- ot ihe lou^-windtd lutsiibcrj iiad been.