THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3853, 9 July 1891, Page 2

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

Speocfc. 1)7 Mr Suohtmaa, \ In its political notes to day the N, Z. Times refers to a speech made in the House by Mr Buchanan, M.H.R, last night, as follows:—Mr Buchanan advances into action, grimly •• attacking " the argument of the hon. ■ member who has just sat down." Having made the hair fly from that train of reasoning, Wairarapa steps ,up to the Financial Statement, and in presently to be seen hewing his way through it with measured strokes, and slow, and untiring. On returning his weapon after each stroke he contrives to caress his friends, the late GoveriK ment. • He reads from Hansard in very effective fashion, his countenance wearing an air of great satisfaction tho while. He makes a tirade Against bursting up. In the course of it he , says that the owners have bought and paid for their land fairly, hedenounceß the attempt to despoil them now, ' he asks who could blame the Maoris if they were to adopt the ejime tactics towards tlie men who hate i bought them out fair and square, "Not the Government," says Wairarapa in his quietly determined way. The House is thin, and with the exception of two or three Opposition" ists in Wairarapa's immediate vicinity" is engaged in reading pat ticular conversation. One ber slumbers. A. stranger suddenly would say at once that this is tho bad quarter of an hour which precedes dinner. After dinner Mr Buchanan reads from Hansard, and many of the House read from other publications while others carry on little conversa* tious, and one or two flit about. Mr Buchanan says be won't weary tho House. The flitters call out "go on it appears that flitting is tho best method of listening. Mr Buchanan makes clear his meaning, which is that in the matter of tho settlement of the land all Governments aro equally responsible fcr.. failures. Ho dissectß dummies from the-JMinister's point of yiew, which has say about the Beethamß, the Wi]liamse\and the Buchanans. He dofcnds the all imputations. They are and foremost of good says, with some Are,. service he does for the He protests against on the the go greatly reasons.

acre of Crown land ; lie has operated in the open market, and the confidence in his fellow settlers is a proof of the manner in which he has always done his duty hy the I.md he occupies. After that he makes great play with in the Stock Department, defends the old officers warmly against the Ministerial aspersions, making particular mention of Mr Foster, of Canterbury, as Sir John Hall did last night. Prom the Stock Department he goe3 to the history of the Stout-Vogel Government, and talks long of land rings, big companies, travelling expenses of Ministers, and such things. He returns to the present Government, and lashes himself into a state of indignation with special trains, SDeciau coaches, and doubtful utter the ftew Plymouth breakHe returns to the Stout- » along iu the company SrTnat bygone Go ; . erument for quite a time.

He gets into the Estimates, and worries them in a voice which has grown weary as well as wearisome. It is half-past 8. After one hour of Wairarapa we count ten members who appear to be listening, out of a House of 41. The balance are attending to other matters, openly and palpably. When ha gets to Mr Stevens' case, the House listens. Mr Buchanan says boldly that the Crown law officer has given the opinion thai the bankruptcy of that gentleman is no bar to the grarriflj of his pension. He challenges the' Premier to disprove that statement, he inveighs against the cruelty.of the treatoient accoided to Mr Stevens: Going to other matters, Mr Buchanan loses the grip of the House once more. When he sits down, after asking the Government to alter their proposals, he has a little applause, of which the Labour members contribute the lion's share.