The Great Smith on. Harbors.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 660, 17 September 1891, Page 3

The Great Smith on. Harbors.

Tax writer of Poetical Notes in the Wellington Times gives an amusing descrip’ion of a discussion on harbors. It does not improve One's opinion of the House, but the reader cannot help laughing at the burlesque. The New Plymouth Harbor Board engages the afternoon in close discussion, continuing the discussion of the other day. MrjMcGuire does battle judiciously as becomes one who has not been always a friend of the breakwater. Dr Newman objects to the proposal to take over the debt, the Premier dreads ths consequences, so does Sir John Hall. Mr E, M. Smith takes the whole burden of the matter on his shoulders. The Premier and others have every goodwill, but they want a policy, by which they can give relief. ,He is ready to furnish that policy. That policy has, we gather, been recommended by the special committee. “We have been badly treated in the past.” With that as his motto, the Taranaki champion goes off into history as far back as the Provincial days ; he talks prisons, and prison labor; he reviews lands and land administration, he tdks of bonds and bondholders. He is full •f details of. Government policies and Govern ment promises—the policies we notice are Crooked, and the policies iilnsory. The upshot of all this is that the justice of the portend the good faith of the Colony require that the bondholders shall be protected by the Colony. Mr Smith works himself up by copious use of the vernacular at a high rate Of speed into a state of great excitement. Very downright, he is, and very bluff j and as emphatic sg a steam hammer. He goes on the breakwafer and gesticulates wildly on the structure, invoking wildly the genius of trade, and assailing his enemies. Loud laughter accompanies him, like the surf of the ocean, which has been already oor.querei; a victory he wants to be allowed to follow up interjects something about the sand, ’ Mr Stnitb feces him with loud fierceness—going eff toward him at a tangent—without B pause io his eloquence. M I have been asking for a railway train to take you to the sand and rub your head in it, 1 ’ be shouts, flapping his arose like wings in front, while the surf of laughter leaps up all round the House. He details plans, “My plan,” which beau all the engineers-whioh has the support of ail the “ pop lar captains ” including the Government captain, whose words he retails, unconsciously conveying the impression that that shrewd old salt was “ taking a jise. oat of him. Ha does not realise that this gives point to the laughter that again leaps up about him. He is presently back among the bond* holders, they have offered to take £4oooa year less if the Government will only give them the bonds. There are cries of derision which he meets with a powerful resolution. ” You are not going to shuffle me away from th-it.” The subject fascinates him. This U a colonial work I Make the loan colonial! ' Fnt it in the big pot, and stir it up with the rest,, he shouts, making a ciroulai motion with bis hands, while, in his exciteinent, his eyes become like shining aauoera in hk head, The House finds the scene irresistible and gives itself up to unreserved delight. Leaving the bondholders, he goes back to the ureakwater in search of his enemies, and Boon be io buoy with Dr Newman. He f?l‘? him with the “ little ocheme all hie own, he scouts him ae a man who gets no at banquets snd talks of the one people one harbor—he flings him from him with dramatic gesture most comical. " The hon. gentleman's little brain ie not expansive enough to carry him outside of Welling ton.” As the House laughs uproariously Mr Smith nods his head vigorously as if to intimate that he has done for one of the wretched crew of obstructionists. (Continued on our fourth page.)