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Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 27, 30 September 1893, Page 7

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ROTES by Me W. H. MATHIESOR. IMPRBSSIORS OF OUR LEGISLATORS. We arrived at Auckland one day before due date, the Monowai having made the record for herself. The trip from ’Frisco was very enjoyable —the wind being fair and the sea smooth —while we had a most sociable lot of passengers on board, who each and all endeavoured to promote the happiness of their fellows. Early in the trip a, subscription was started and over £lO collected. Part of this was devoted to trophies, and a lot of well-contested games was the result, while the balance went in money prizes to the sailors, whose obstacle race was one of the drollest things imaginable. A succession of concerts was given, and on one occasion the steerage passenger’s invited those of the saloon to an entertainment, the cTmpliment being afterwards returned. One of the travellers, a Mr Hannelb, a professional singer from Rew South Wales, sang and recited splendidly. He possesses a powerful tenor voice, and gave “Ho ! My Courage,” from “ Maritana ” in a manner I have never heard equalled by the best Italian opera singers who have visited the colonies. He was equally good as a reciter, and could go through the whole of “ Othello ” from start to finish. He helped to pass many a dull half-hour, and being a man after my own heart, we soon became great friends.

The passage from Auckland to Wellington in the Takapuna was the roughest I had experienced on my trip round the world, and I g’ot ten times more shaking than in the Bay of Biscay or when crossing the Atlantic. It was so stormy we couldn’t land the mails or passengers (35) for Rew Plymouth, and luckily those passengers were so sick they couldn’t raise a growl at being taken on —they were so bad they cared not whether they were landed, or thrown overboard.

We arrived in Wellington on a Tuesday afternoon. I walked up to the House of Representatives, and sent in my card to the Hon. J. G. Ward, who came out, and was very glad to see me. He kindly gave me a ticket for a seat beside the Speaker’s chair, and afterwards had a conversation with me there. Mr J. W. Kelly, Mr Mackintosh, Mr Feldwick, and Mr G. F. Richardson and Mr Valentine all came over and spoke to me, and I was therefore doubly honoured. I had a good chance during the afternoon and evening to see how our M.H.R.’s conducted the business of the country, and I left the building in the middle of the night with the firm conviction that a member’s life is “not a happy one,” and that £2OO a-year with a free pass would not tempt me to sit up as our members do night after night till three or four o’clock in the morning, when it is utterly impossible for men who have followed intelligently the varied and complex questions debated to be able to vote on them or discuss them intelligently. I had a first-class opportunity during the afternoon to hear a slashing debate on the adjournment of the House, when Mr Wright asked the Minister for Public Works when “a return of the total number of men employed by the Government at the present time upon relief and co-operative works throughout the colony ; whether such men are engaged upon roads, railways, or any other description of work ; such return to show also in which counties the men are distributed, and the number in each county,” would be produced P The Opposition had evidently made up their minds to have an afternoon discussing the question —Are the Government doing right in carrying on co-operative works at all ? as Mr Wright showed that men were making from LOs to £1 5s per day per man. He said that on a mining township in Otago the men had left golddigging in a body and got work from the Government in preference. He concluded a very sarcastic speech by saying that he hoped he would

not he answered by the Premier in his usual bombastic manner. The Premier was on his feet in an instant, and delivered a slashing speech in a very pleasant and moderate tone. He took up the cudgels fox* the “ poor working 1 man,” and repudiated with scorn the assertion that when he got his large cheque he knocked it down at the nearest grog- shanty instead of sending- the money to support his starving wife and family. His remarks were in good taste, forcibly put, and made a favourable impression on the House. Then the ball was kept rolling by the lesser lights on each side of the House, when Mr Earnshaw, the labour member, g - ot up and played the role of candid friend, and spoke out as plainly as I ever remember to have heard a man speak, telling both sides that they ought to be ashamed of themselves — that this subject had been debated time and again, and it was disgraceful this waste of time and money to the country. This severe rebuke caused a perfect howl of indignation, and the weak, but dignified looking chairman, had his hands full for a short time in restoring- order. I noticed that he had far too often to use the Avord “order” through the persistent loud talking of the hon. members. The House of Representatives should be the model for all other assemblies to copy from.

Mr Kelly kindly supplied me with a ticket, and I came up eaily again in in the evening, but early as I was I found the ladies’ gallery full, and a constant chatter of conversation going on. The future electors (there is no feminine in “ electors ”) had brought their work, and some were knitting, some had fancy work, some were there to take notes, as I found out when the House opened. I saw the g-allery for the public filled with a most respectable-looking lot of men. The giWlery reserved for strangers with tickets was quite full by the time the Speaker took the chair. After a little preliminary business, introducing bills, &c., the first question on the order paper was the Public Revenues Bill to be committed (Hon. Mr Ward). This was a question that Her Majesty’s Opposition appeared determined to give the Treasurer a lively half hour on, and they wanted to put the questions so as to confuse Mr Ward. He replied with great tact, so framing his replies that he told them as little as jiossible, although appearing to be anxious to take them into his confidence. It was an admirable display of diplomacy. I was simply delighted ; and one member facetiously told the member for Awarua that he was fast developing into the mystery man of finance. One thing very much in Mr Ward’s favour is that he is a perfect gentleman, and has admirable command over his temper. Although it was an unfeeling thing for the mem-

bers time after time to get Mr Ward to rise and reply to their questions, pained as he was with his sprained leg, he never showed the slighest signs of annoyance, and replied in a most dignified manner. I left the House with the firm conviction that Mr Ward was decidedly the most dignified Minister, and evidently the coming man. Barring accidents, he will occupy the highest position that Hew Zealand can bestow. I must also say that, giving the Opposition their full justice, so far as I heard them in the afternoon and evening-, they evidently possessed the greatest debating power. I noticed with pleasure that when the member for Mataura rose to speak, as he did but seldom, he got a most attentive hearing. Dr Newman impressed me as being the most ready debater in the House. The labour members, against whom so much was said, conducted themselves, with one exception, viz., the member for Hew Plymouth, with great ability, and I must say that although 1 was at first opposed to Mr Kelly, I believe that Invercargill has never had a more conscientious member, and one who has worked harder in its interests. Unfortunately for Invercargill, our members have nearly always been

against the Government, and the consequence has been that in the past we have never got what I consider from our position we are justly entitled to. However, this cannot be said against her now, and I predict that Invercargill will get justice done her, and that she will rapidly rise to the status her geographical position entitles her to —the “ Chicago of Hew Zealand.”