WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 238, 22 August 1872, Page 5

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

(From, the Evening Star** Correspondent.)

— , .-,..- ,• 1 August 5. I Daring the past week there have been, some ' lively skirmishes in the House, notably' 1 that between the Colonial Treasurer and' 1 Mr Fitzberbert, in the debate upon the' « Life Assurance Bill It commenced by some ' 1 remarks made bjr Mr Yogel in connection J with the Australian Mutual Provident Society. He quoted from some authority *« that < an office established tun, twenty, or thirty 1 years, ought to hava ten, twenty, or thirty I per cent, of the sum assured. According to ' this rate an office established twenty years 1 ago, which has issued policies for L 1,000.000,, 000. 000, ! ought to have in hand L' 200,000 or 20 per '■ cent." He showed' that' the Australian Mutual had only 17 per oent, while it ought to have 23 per cent, of asseti. This di<lnot : please Mr Brandon and Mr Fttzherbert,- who are both directors of the company in Wellington, and who both got up and defended their protege, and hit hard at Mr Yogel, who, however, had the best of the argument. The member for Roslyn, Mr M'Ulashan, in his remarks, wished to prove that although the European and similar defunct offices, had been conducted recklessly, that many Home, offices did not «ome under the same category. He showed that the L 20.000 security required by the Bill would only be 3 per cent, on the policies issued in New Zealand by the Australian Mutual, and maintained that was not a sufficient guarantee. He supported the Government scheme as the safest and best for the assurers in New Zealand. The Larceny Bill also caused a lively discussion between the mover, Mr Curtis, who is not a lawyer, and the Premier. The latter gentleman, iv reviewing it, caused a considerable amount of amusement. The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be referred to a select committee. The Education Bill in its present shape hu been shelved for this session, if not for ever. The aided clauses would not go down ; and as several of the Provinces have already what they consider a good scheme — notably Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago — it had not the ghost of a chance. It is a pity, however, the country cannot have a national scheme, as the other Provinces of New Zea'and are in a veiy different position in the matter of education. The Tramways Bill has passed through with flying colors, all sides of the House ; praising it. The motion by Mr Shephard (Nelson), regretting that a circular should have been sent to Superintendents regarding Chinese for railway works, evidently intended against the ' Government, being considered a very foolish motion, was at once negatived on the voices. The motion of Mr Steward, of Oaniarn, for the second reading of the Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Bill, was handled by him in • a statesmanlike manner. He is a capital speaker, and his arguments in favor of it were > welt put and ihoroughly connected. Mr O'Neill opposed it on the ground that it was ; contrary to the law of his church ; but Mr M'Gillivray, who also opposed it from his own po : nt of views, demolished Mr O'Neill by showing that the Popes granted dispensations for marriage within the laws of consanguinity, whereby potentates of former i days were allowed to marry aunts and even sieters. Mr Thomson also made a fair speech ) in opposition, but his speech and Mr M'GUlivray's were both from a clerical point of 5 view. » Mr Steward's motion, " that it is desirable . grand juries should bo abolished," will most • likely be carried. I believe Mr Fox will sup- , port it. r The Clerk of Parliaments Bill met with - considerable opposition from apparently want of knowledge of what its objects were, ,ocl casioned certainly by the bungling way it was breught forward by Sir David Monro. Many members declared it to be an infringe- j ment of the privileges of the House by the I l Lords ; and it was quite refreshing to see i how they kicked up their heels. Messrs , Macandrew, Reid, and Bathgate opposed ; - the latter, more particularly, was defiant — " no, he would not yield a hair's breadth ; I he would make no concession ; he would fight it out." The member for Roslyn, who I followed Mr Bathgate, said he would not - fight along with the gallant Major, but would go in for the concession. Major Campbell, , it is understood, was appointed to this office t some years ago, the duties of the Clerk being, as I understand, to present to the Governor , all Bills that have been passed by both L Houses of the Legislature. The office, it , appears, is always held by the Clerk of the > Upper House in the British Parliament, and : hence they (the Lords) thought it ah invai sion of their privileges when it waß known - last session that the Clerk ef the Lower J House had been appointed by the Governor. 5 Hence, to prevent a dead-lock between both i Houses, the Lords acceded to the appointi ment of Major Campbell, on the understandr ing that future appointments should be j according to Parliamentary usage. The i Lords appear to be in the right, as it is'»lso i the practice in Canada and some of the Ausl tralian Colonies. Hence the Bill that paused , such a storm. ■ The best scene, however, of the sesnon I was that on the j§ inging forward of the Wani ganui Bridge Borrowing Bill for its eeoond i reading. Mr Fitzherbert thought apparently i that the dodge of asking pqwer to sell to the b Municipal Corporation of Wanganui would > be gracefully conceded by the Government 3 and the House. You are aware that the I Wellington Province last year Mortgaged b this bridge along with the Manawatu Block . to the General Government, in security for the loan of L 75 ,000. granted to them last session. They coolly asked this to be relieved, and they would spend the money on other bridges and roads in the • Province. Mr Reynolds at once got up in opposition, and said he would have no objection to release : the bridge provided the L 20.000 to be paid . by the Corporation was set against the debt. ; He said "he had been styled the watch- ; dog of legislation by the member- for the r Hutt last session, arid was desirous" of . maintaining his character by TeHgiously , fulfilling the duties of that faithful I animal." The member for Dunedin is raL ther proud of his name, and no doubt he i ia very serviceable", notwithstanding one I of the members for Auckland says of him ; " that the Dog Ordinance should be pat in [ force in his case." However, the duel "bei tween the Treasurer and Mr Fitzherbert was . » most exciting scene ; pretty fcard blows: i were hit. Your readers ought to read the l debate as printed in No. 6 of Hansard, as - your columHS would be too heavily filled i were Ito go into the whole story. Mr Fitz- • herbert apparently bad the best of the arguments, and was rather severe in hia reply. [ One only I will quote' r "Independent members, who were big in little things, like his honorable friend the member for Dunedin, ■ would bear him out in saying that they were not to be preached to by the Colonial Trea- . surer, and told they must not dispose of any- ; thing until they had paid off the whole of, their liabilities. The whole of New Zealand . wenld give an utter denial to such a doctrine ; : bnt he denied in totd that it Wat abplicable." ' *T As there is not likely to be a mail for a week, I will resume my gossip before the "mail leaves. T ; — ; „. 10th August, 1872. I wrote you on the sth, referring generally to Bills brought before, the Houae and debates • on motion* of rariouf member*, v re*JJy ( I

could gite you ho authentic information regarding the -state and doings of parties, such really .exist. 1 have learned, however, that there tow been the first caucus of members persistently opposed to the Government held tbii day, about 20 attending. What their deliberations were 1 have not been able to find out, bat it is sure to ooze out, assome of those present are understood not to be bound neck and -crop to the Stafford, Reid, Kolleston, and Gillies arrangement ; the Wellington members being left out in the cold, not even being aware that there was to be a meeting. What the Wellington members will think of this treatment can easily be conceived, and they will no doubt show by their votes that they are not to be tampered with by an Opposition who have no heart for anything except to indulge their venomous spleen, and at' all hazard to acquire office. Pity the country in the hands of such a crew ! Thursday evening unfolds a tale that wilt, not soon be forgot. To quote > their organ the Evtnimj Pwt—" • Brimfull of anger,' Mr Stafford last night ' gave his will its way.' " Mark the words of Mr Stafford's organ. Ail this ire arose out of an answer to a question in reference to Mr Keynolds's motion for two Provinces. The Government did not wish the motion pressed, and got Mr Kelly to move an adjournment of the debate for a week, ■on the ground that there was Mr Curtis's motion on the Order Paper, which ought to be debated and disposed of first : a reasonable proposition. Mr Stafford rose immediately after Mr Johnston had spoken against the motion, and demanded the opinion of the Government on the resolution. The Premier, in reply, stated that the resolution of Mr Reynolds was bald, and the details as given by him crude and perfectly unworkable, and be could not without further explanation be able to judge of it, and was not then in a position to state his own opinion and that of the Government. He was not to be drawn out by the hon. member until Mr Curtis's motion was disposed of, and Were Mr Stafford in his (Mr Fox's) place, he would object to state his opinions at such a period of the debate. Again, to quote the organ—'* This unhinged the member fur Timaru's temper. ' Impetuous he bade start the leashed-up tires, and ia the fiercest and heartiest man* ncr he denounced ' the miserable set of wretches' — the Micawber Ministry — who now adorn the Government benches." Pretty " tall" wiiting for the Evening Pott — the Oppoaiti n organ. Now having given you the Post's version, it is only right that your readers should have an idea of Mr Stafford's sayings and doings from another source. Mr Stafford, surging with rage at being so foiled by the Premier's answer, told the House " that it was with deep humiliationho heard the exp'anation by the Premier of the position taken by the Government. He denied that he would act as the ministry were doing, and fuming with hysterical anger, bawling so loud that he could be heard outside the House, declared that "he never saw a 'more miserable set of wretches' sitting on the Government benches." Called to order by the Speaker, the position the leader of the Opposition hod placed iiimself in was indeed most humiliating. After the adjournment of the debate, however, to Mr Stafford,* credit, he apologised for the intemperate display of language and temper, which the Ministerial benches at once accepted, and so one of the most un-. pleasant scenes that any one in the position of a leader of an Opposition could place himself in ended, so far as thf) House was concerned. What is thought of it outside 13 another matter. The miserable ebnlition of temper on the part of Mr Stafford to-day is in everybody's mouth ; and what your Otagp friends may think of it you are the best judge, The Permanent Officers Bill has again been before the House, and progress again reported. The Gold Mining Bill, a carefully prepared measure, passed its second reading. Messrs Shepherd. Mervyn, and others spoke in favor of it. Mr Murray opposed the clauses " Mining on private property." The Dunedin Gas and Water Works Bill ; passed ..through the second reading and v?as sent to the Committee on Bills, Mr Parker urged that it was not a public Bill but a private one. Messsra Bathgate, Reynolds, and McGlashan, on the contrary,, all gave rear sons why it should be consideied a public i Bill, 'lhe Chairman of Committees, Mr O'Rorke, and 'Mr Gillies, recommended Mr Macandrew, who has the Bill in charge, to allow the point in question to be decided by the Committee on Bills, which he acceded to, but said that all Municipal Bills should be treated as public Bills, and that ho thought it top bad that* opposition should arise frqm the library Committee. ~ All fees on private Bills, your readers must understand, go to to the Library Fund. A petition against the Bill was presented by Mr Parker <ra behalf of the agent of Colonel Kitchener,' to which Mr Bathgate objected on the cpround that no petition could be received signed by an attorney. • ■' ■ Several members of the Legislative Council arrived per Albion to-day, and the list is nearly complete. All the members of ' the House are at their post/ and a member- for Caver sham wilT complete the roll. •. , In the .Lords, some progress is malting in Bills passed by the Assembly. . The Public Trust Bill, a most important measure; ' in which it is proposed to care "for intestate lunatics, and all other trust estates, is qup'ported!>y the Hon. Messrs Hall, 'Holmes, Hart, and Buchanan; Mr '"Wat«rn<ni«e' ■tipposing, but proposing it should be sttafcto a select committee, is adjourned until Tuesday. Most of the old members of the House are. to-night giving a dinner to Sir David Monro in honor of hia services as Speaker. What a burlesque, a forty shilling dinner, frothy champagne, and frothy speeches ! A. ' hundred pounds would have procured.a piece of plate, which wouhL have been' both ' useful and ornamental, and become an hei'rlooni'in the family. A member, rather imbued with an infusion of wormwood, suggested ihaSf it should have been a gold chronometer; with suitable inscription, as. a reminder to Sir David of the hands of the Clook Scene in the House. At all events, a . dinner is soon forgotten, and it is to be hoped the Belfish promoters will not escape without a headache in the morning. . , .