MR. DONNE in the PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 510, 29 May 1869, Page 2

MR. DONNE in the PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

(communicated.) The consummate impertinence—for no milder term can be used—of the member for the Grey District, Mr Donne, during the present session in the Provincial Council, had, perhaps, better be treated in the manDer adopted by the Nelson Press for the three last sessions, namely, with silent contempt; but when we learn from so many quarters tbat he is not only looked upon by every member of the Council as a hindrance to business, on account of his continued superfluity of verbiage, but that he has made assertions on several occasions calculated to injure, in place of advance, the interests of the West Coast, it is scarcely fair to refrain from commenting upon them, however contemptible they may be. One of the assertions made, last week, while that member was advocating the placing of £SOO on the Supplementary Estimates for the construction of a track from Brighton to Bochford's Terrace, and when met with some enquiry as to the population of Eochford's Terrace, was that as large a population existed there as at any of the terraces adjoining the Buller. This was not enough, but, on finding that one of the Buller members (Mr M'Dowell) seconded the amendment of the Provincial Secretary for a reduction of the £SOO sought to £2O, this member for the Grey (Mr Donne) retaliated that he was surprised at such an occurrence of opposition, when no less an amount than £3OOO had just been voted for the Buller protective works and wharf accommodation, which he designated as " a useless public work, the money for which might as well be thrown into the river!" Fortunately when the vote was passed for the £3OOO, this member was absent from the Council whether purposely or otherwise may be left to inference. The old sore of not being reported has become visible by a notice of motion in Mr Donne's name for having the reporters removed from the body of the Chamber. Ordinary people would be inclined to think that the opinion of three newspapers upon the question of what speeches are fit or unfit for publication, is worth more than the opinion of this loquacious member for the Grey, whose repeated risings are useful only in saving the lead-pencils of the reporters. The majority of the members have tried in vain to put him down, but the assumed pomposity and impertinence are maintained, whether the subjects under discussion are the Scab Act, the Land Boards, or the Motueka Ceinetry; and despite the sudden retirement of many, tho restlessness of the others, and tho ironical " He-ah! He-ah!" of one of the members for the city, the colonially termed " rot" is nightly repeated. There is no one who visits the Council who does not heartily endorse the wish expressed a few evenings ago, that there should be " a little less talk and more work." It would bo well if tho one member for the Grey took a leaf from the book of his colleague (Mr Hennelly), who seems to have exercised a wiso discretion in most of the woz'k he has undertaken, and has thereby gained some influence among the members, without which an abundance of speech rather tends to mar the chances of obtaining the objects which may be sought.