Our Welling Letter.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2055, 5 August 1875, Page 3

Our Welling Letter.

(FKOM OTJB OWN CpEEESPONDENT.) . . ; . / 29. •The.Atfolitibh'question is yeV in abeyance, or rather there is no tangible question whatever, at present, the Government not having brought down their measures. „ .Theyiare likely to dp so at ,%e.. en£of the week. "But Hie House*income'! degree anticipated the matter on Wednes-j day night by their discussion of the con- j stitutional powers'of the General Assem- | bly. The Government are taking matters;, r very : qmltiy-"in^l feeling i that their position is.too firm to be shaken by the Opposition/notwithstanding the assertion of Mr Bufinr that the Opposition was better organised and more compact than that.which,'pufc.Mr. Stafford-oiit of office^ At presenfep.eriaps ib.would)be imprudent' for'tfie-Ministry' to be verj* forward, inasmuch' as their debating power is limited, in which case it must be obvious to the dullest'cemprehension that the very best thing for 1 hem to do^ is to maintain a dignified retic.ence, and like the. illnstrlbUs Turvey^PrrelyfOT effect upoU their gerieral deportment. The Govern-" xnent trumpet is Mr Stafford, and as a single trumpet in themidst of a chorus of hostile trumpets of extra power, his notes are generally speaking drowned. But as stated before, the Government rely upon a strength which, at the present time at least, is by no means inconsiderable ; and the Opposition show signs of weakness in -the very bluster and pugnacity which characterise the speeches emanating from their side of the House. They resemble the little boy: who whistled inthe dark, in order thereby tomakbany designing per" sonbelieve that he was not an individual to be trifled with. . Sir George Grey's speeches are very telling, but create greater effect in the House owing to the impressivenes3 his' delivery, than from their substance is produced on the reader of parliamentary proceedings in Wellington. ■ His whole atiientiotiitoo, is devoted to the great constitutional question, about the ultimate settlement of which there is yet much doubt.v -Had... not the present doubt been raised, we might have rested assured that those members who pledged themselves •'* -tail .-.M'iabolition " last year would have maintained: the policy ; but th"c' doubt ha? been raised and fed, till many persons have* fgone over to^ the other side. -As is always the. case, .-how-.. eyerV'/c£'tain>m^ it should be needless to say, is selfinterest—are calmly sitting on a rail: and watching the proceedings of the fight out of gunshot till they shall haVe determined to which "4e' will be most, advantageous for them to offer their allegiance. Thus the issue "of the great constitutional. <ju:estibn6 -•': cannot** tie;' anticipated 5 at present. ..•■-- .. -, "■"'.- . „ b ' a telegram iri-the Times of Thursday that Mr ,: Jame? Mackay is :coMmg il-hW6;Vt6' ia«f^i;''h4miself-':i!i':-tlie-matter of; alleged^ttlegal issue of miner?', rigntai Youi will ere this -have been in-' fqrmed. per telegraph- that r an open soin.^. mission is to A be appointed, and that it is to -be held at -hence if Mr, Mackay wishes to 'defenlet himself Tie will have>to;>-return again;- Jlj is, only ■ to b£ hoped that' '"'jome sudden and unldoked for "• calamity swill., not r again - preypnt ihis } attendance.''" 'From what Mr -McLean said ijfc, w^ouid jappearr'tov be,:the-intention of the^Gbvernment to have this matter sifted & succeed. ' ' _ '3 he reply of ministers re' tbe;Foreshorb\was not 'very satisfactory; but we shall "probably hear more thereon atlno 'distant' date. You may rely upon Sir George offering;h6 opposition., As vto tbS yaluei Of the Foreshore, I may mention that the Corporation ■ : of ■Wellington?; disposed of; three-quarters of an acre of reclaimed land to-MessrsW". T.:G. TurribulL of this city, and acquired thereby £14,000—that is :£BopQ;..and ml piece' p£ i land valued, at £6000.; Thus they received for land which had been reclaimed at--the rate ofi £19,000 per acte. Thi3 proved that the scheme land -is-more than^ reproductive,-and it is to he hoped that thei ;timeii^iibt-iar-.distant \rhe'n r' tfieThames (which .has such, enormous facilities); will 'be.-i ina^positionv ? financially,; toinstitute thfeswbrkiof reclaiming, that extensivelaVwMclrftonts'"tbeHown. - 'i