WELLINGTON.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 137, 22 September 1870, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent. ) September 11, 1870. Immediately upon receipt of the communication from the local committee re the construction of the railway from Tokomairiro to Tnapeka, a deputation, consisting of Messrs. Macandrew, Bradshaw, Brown, Haughton, and Main, waited upon the Colonial Treasurer, with the view of endeavouring to iuduce him to include this railway in the bill now before Parliament. lam informed upon good authority that a very long and animated conversation took place — Mr. Brown being especially urgent in impressing the necessity of the construction of the line without any delay, and showing very clearly the great advantages which wouM accrue to the province generally, as well as to the residents in your district. Mr. Macandrew did not seem, it was said, very warm on th<> subject, expressing his opinion that the line to Clutha should be completed first, whereas it was insisted upon by Messrs. Brown, Bradshaw, and Haughton, that to connect Tuapeka with Dunediu was of much more immediate importance. Mr. Yogel was not very satisfactory in his reply ; it pretty much amounted to this, that the Government would, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and Provincial Council, cause surveys to be made, in order that the plans and estimates for construction might be submitted to Parliament next session. So the whole thing is what you may consider "hung up" for a yeai, even if M<icandrew gives way in the matter, which he is hardly likely to do, in the face; of pressure from his Clutha constituents. Your member seems to have done the best he could under the circumstances. It was too late in the session to act effectively in the matter in the House. September 12, 1870. Before this reaches you, the telegram will have given news of the prorogation of Parliament, and a most eventful session will have closed, — unfortunately, in consequence of the very alarming new 3 from Europe, under no very sanguine prospects as to the result of the policy which has been so far successfully carried through. Mr. Yogel proposes to-day, in the event of a high rate of interest ruling in the money market, to limit fresh borrowing to £500,000, and to this thu House has assented, lie states that he sees little hope of any commencement of public works during the current financial year, but will endeavor to get surveys of lines for railways, and of water supply upon the goldfields, effected during the recess. So the great scheme has dwindled down to very little indeed, and affords another exemplification of the mountain in labor. I h;«ve previously had occasion to remark that I cannot consider the results of the present session at all satisfactory as regards Otago — whether we consider the manner in which the readjustment of the representation has been manipulated, or the utter carelessuess as to the settlement of the country, displayed in the legislation initiated by the Waste Lands Committee, and adopted in all cases, without material alteration, by the House. I will not, however, enter again into the particulars of these special subjects ; they are no doubt thoroughly well understood by this time in Otago, and stock taken of the division lists. There being little or no doubt as to the general result to the province and the best interests of your settlers, it may fairly be asked to what causes this should be ascribed. Looking at the whole state of things as ai* outsider, although in a position to be tolerably well informed, I unhesitatingly say that the whole mischief, such as it is, lies at the door of the majority of your representatives, who would hardly seem to understand their position as regards their constituents, although very clear as regards their own interests and tho3e of a particular class. Messrs. Macandrew and Driver really lead some ten of the Otage members in any direction they chose, and as these pure-minded politicians happen to be at present " in with the squatters," the " pastoral interest " entirely absorbs your representation. Birch, Macindoe, Rich, Graham, Main, and Co., what are they but mere blind followers of Yogel and his privy councillors above mentioned? Then, again, look at the men ; are they calculated to carry weight in the Parliament of the colony? I see them here, and they contrast but indifferently with the very shady Auckland team. Mentally and physically, they are a shaky lot, and I should hope you will not look with favor upon their like again. Main, with his love of truth ; the temperate Macindoe ; the sagacious Reynolds ; the elegant Mervyn ; the cherubic Howarth. People here who are not acquainted, perhaps, with local circumstances, are very much puzzled at the carelessness, to call it nothing worse, which would seem to have been displayed by several goldfields constituencies in their choice of members. Weakly (numerically) represented, the influence which the goldfields should legitimately exercise in the House is much weakened by such men as Mervyn, Main, and Charles O'Neill being their ostensible representatives — not to speak of Yogel, who, with his undoubted talents and the advantage of high office, has never moved

in the direction of doing anything for his constituents. Mr. Mervyn was a mistake on his first entrance into political life, and remains so — his intemperate advocacy, joined with his unparalleled selfconoeit, would peril any good cause ; but there is a want of consistency, which is still more damning to his political character. He is shifty as the wind, except when the question of commonage by any chance arises ; then the thought of his few bullocks in the wilderness keep him in the straight course. In the House he sits generally with his hat on, perched on the arm of a settee, and is commonly known in the lobbies as the " cockatoo." Mr. Main is probably pretty well known in your parts. He is a squatter, it is said here, bat does not seem to consort with his kind, who muster strong in the Legislative Council. His chief employment appears to be acting as a sort of deputy- jackal to the ministers, and as flunkey-in-chief to Macaadrew, whose very humble servant he on all occasions shows himself. OccasionaJly he attempts to make a set speech, but invariably breaks down — in fact, his attempts at oratory are one of the established jokes of the House. He is mischievous, however, in his small way, and does a good deal of quiet work for Driver and other wirepullers of the present feeble Government. I dare not allude to the " Main " quality, but can say that it has been very highly developed during the last three months. I will say nothing about Mr. Charles O'Neill, as he has, I presume, no idea of presenting himself for election by an Otago constituency. Should he do so, I have no doubt he will be called upon to give an account of his very extraordinary political tergiversations. In my humble opinion, as a close observer of the proceedings of the House for more sessions than one, Otago has but three Guldfields Representatives — Messrs. Bradshaw, Brown, and Haughton. The former may not be what is termed a talking member, but he does, I am told on all sides, good service nevertheless. A great deal of the real work of Parliament is done in Committees — not to speak of the exercise of those outside influences which affect in no small degree the legislation of the session. Mr. Bradshaw's mission lies, 1 should say, in this work, and you will tincl his vote always recorded upon the right side, and he is never absent from his place in the House. Mr. Brown is, us you know, active and energetic, and possessed of a persevering tenacity of purpose, lie has made way, and will make way, for he has forced every one with whom he is brought in contact to feel that he i 3 thoroughly in earnest, and I assure you this goes a great way in colonial politics. Mr. Haughton is pretty well known to you from his connection with the Provincial Council, and his position in Parliament for so many years. You will regret, no doubt, that it is rumored here that he is about to settle finally in the North Island, and that the special interests of the Otago goldfields will in that case lose his powerful advocacy. In conclusion, I would say that it is the general opinion here amongst those of my way of thinking, that it is suicidal upon the part of mining constituencies to elect gentlemen interested in the occupation of immense areas of land by pastoral tenantry.