Final Debate.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 5 November 1895, Page 3

Final Debate.

" R.A.L." in the New Zealand Times, thus quizzes Messrs Dutbie and E. M. Smith : At ten minutes to three Mr Dutliie plunges his hand into liis poeket, and his words into the middle of his subject. A large subject, sir. Same size as Sir Robert Stout's ; the same subject in fact. He approaches it from the side on which banks do most abound. Everything bad done with these institutions—a most unfortunate history he evidently thiuks it; in support of* which view he reads from a little paper, quoting from balancesheets and kindred documents. This subject he works gradually from the abstract of banking to the concrete of the two banks—B.N.Z. and Colonial—and he approaches a climax. An assault has been made by these bauks on this House, after a combination arranged between them. At this point he catches sight of a gentleman very active in the commercial world. Fibre, grain and other institutions know him—especially interested was he in the J. G. Ward Association. The Association had got into the books of the Colonial Bank to the tune of £112,144 —an increase of nearly £40,000 in the 3 r ear. How could a weak bank like the Colonial give these people so much accommodation '? And was Mr Ward a fit aud proper person to tako a leading part in the negotiations that were undertaken with the Bank of New Zealand ? Why, such a man must be quite unable to resist anything in the shape of pressure. He ought to have retired and left someone else to take up the negotiations.

“E.M.” speaks like the only possible “E.M,” Of course, he hurls rocks of speech at Mr Duthie —“ after the whiniug and the pining, and the whizzing of the honorable member ” ; of course, the House laughs; of course, E.M. rubs the salt iuto the Duthian back, which he flagellates ; of course, the House keeps on laughing. When he gets to himself—Mr Duthies goes out—“ Ah I sir. He never waits for my replies ” —and then he says in that impressive and quite sincere way we all know so well and admire so much, that had the Government only taken his advice years ago, one district in particular, and the whole colony in general, would have been the abode of the blest. But he does not say this in anger; he is all sorrow. When he gets to the details of the thousands that ought to have dug lands, made roads, and bridged rivers, a righteous indignation sends his voice vibrating among lost opportunities. That is his great human sympathy ; but though earnest he is by no means angry. Always considerate and sometimes prophetic is E.M. So with outraged philanthropy, Liberal royalty, sincere belief, prophecy, wrath, and serious eaanestness and innocent egoism commingled, E.M. weaves his last oration of the session cf 1895. The House accompanies him with all the expressions of delight and banter which are the property of licensed favorites. Before he has done he constructs an ideal Ministry, and he is not blind to his own claims to be of the number—- “ That’s me, sir,” and the House gives him a gentle “ Amen.”