ESSENCE -OF PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9190, 14 August 1880, Page 2

ESSENCE -OF PARLIAMENT.

.» (Evening Post, 10th August.) In the Houae yesterday, the Premier announced that Sir Hercules Eobinson had been appointed to the Governship of the Cape, r?hich had been offered to him under conditions which he could not decline, and that he would leave for his new sphere of action about the end of the present or beginning of the ensuing month. He felt sure that hon members would receive the announcement with regret. The Premier further announced that Sir A. Gordon, Governor of Fiji, had been appointed to the Governorship of the colony, but it was not yet known when he would be able to leave Fiji. The Treasurer moved a resolution that the House should next day go in committee to consider a resoluiion relative to remuneration of the London agents in connection with the inscription of stock. This being agreed to, the Premier obtained the sanction of the House to two morning sittings per week, viz., Mondays and Fridays at 11 a.m. In committee a resolution approving the arrangement made by tho Government for joining in the scheme for duplicating the cable from Port Darwin was negatived. Upon the motion for going into Committee of Supply for the purpose of considering the Immigration and Public Works Estimates, a very desultory sort of discussion arose, lasting a good many hours, which, as the discussion was likely to lead to no practical results, may be considered as so many hours thrown away. First of all Mr Shrimksi drew attention to the small amount of money proposed to be spent in his particular district ; then Mr Ireland " drew attention " to a broken promise of the Government anent the continuation of a small railway in his district. Next came Mr George Jones, who also had a complaint to make about the injustice whioh he alleged was proposed to bo done to his district in the way of loaves and fishes. Mr Hamlin followed suit, and Mr Pyke trumpeted forth a growl that unless members "wepe in ' accord with the Government they nood not expect to get anything from them. Mr Hursthouse hinted his intention to stick to the Government through good report and through evil report, though he could not refrain from insinuating that Motueka, which he represented, and Nelson generally had mucl} cause to be dissatisfied with the Ministry, Tb,e"se premonitory symptoms of a coming storm wore lulled for a time by the half-past 5 o'clock adjournment. At 7.30 Mr Moss branohed off into a new channel and discussed the question of local self government at some length. He moved as an amendment to the motion for going into supply a resolution for the appointment of an elective conference to enquire into and report upon the best meaus of local government. He took occasion to castigate the Ministry for sins of omission and commission, and apparently looked upon g,n jmppcjved system of local government as a cijre for all evils. ' Sir George Grey suggested thai tho motion should bo withdrawn, and complained of the indifferenoe of the Government to eveiy question of importance before the House. Dr Wallis, who frequently announces his independence as a member of tho House, endeavoured to show that at any rate he was not always in accord with thp views of the Opposition, for he ridiculed Mr Moss' amendment, called his scheme " bald," and said bis motion was an attempt to prepare the way for " the resurrection of provincialism from the dead." He attributed the waste of time to the presence in the House .of men whp had almost been bred and born in Prpvmcial'ins't'jtutions, and who had brought their talkative powers to the floor of the Eeprosentative Chamber. He was careful to explain that he had never been a Provincial Councillor. From this lime the amendment of Mr Moss was lont sight of entirely for the remainder of the sitting. Major "Harris, in h}s qwn quaint way, had a "civil growl" about the money distributed last year in his district, and then Mr Richardson proceeded to criticise the Public Works Statement, and the reports of the various Eoyal Commissions. Witt regard to the latter, ho urged the Government to give some explanation of their intensions, especially in regard to that part of the Civil Service Eepott which recommended the dismissal of Mr Cony ers. He thought the Minister for Public Works should let them know what was intended to be done in the matter pf railways. The present tariff he considered too low, and the uniform rates "were to hjs mind a. curse. Mr Seddon spoke, and of ooui'se dea.lt with Westland affairs principally. The House gradually thinned bb he proceeded, but he was conscious that his remarks would be recorded in the pages of Hansard to bo handed }°W a l 9 future generations, and so the paucity of aftendimco disconcerted him not one whit. Mr • Eichardson's remarks upon the Comratssion'ers brought Mr Saundors to his feet, and he on;ercd. ijjto a loag dsfcuce of tUat Com-.

mission's conduct and report. He was very bitter in some of his remarks, and amongst other things insinuated very broadly that Mr Macandrew had dipped his hand into the public purse to improperly give to a certain person £500 out o£ a vote for railway purposes. He condemned the present high rate of wages, would like to see the drones of the Civil Service swept away, and then went on to denounoe tho "wretched system " of public borrowing, and the system of mak'iDg almshouses for the unemployed. This he spoke in tho interests of the working men, of whom ho 'professed to be one. He also expressed disappointment at tho report of the Railway Commissioners. Then Mr Shrimski fired a shot at the Civil Service Commission, whioh he said should have been styled the Eailway Detective Force. After some further discussion the debate was adjourned, and the House rose.