Third, the Transportation
Question, which, under the startling emergencies of the moment, was
perhaps second to no other before us.
It was rather amusing to see how business went at first, for nearly all
of us were quite inexperienced in public life. But Mr. Barker, our first
Clerk of the Council, took bravely to his duties, and soon became a
useful referee. There was much looking up for authority, and O'Shanassy
indulged in many a profane joke at "May" having taken definitive
possession of Speaker Palmer's brain. One most decided obstacle to our
legislative progress was the fact that the vast incessant tide of
business thrust upon the colony made it hardly possible to spare any
time for other than each one's own private concerns. In my own case, the
only "leisure" I ever had then in the six days was half-an-hour for a
walk and a thought in the early morn. The entire remainder of the day,
and great part of the night also, were one succession of private
business, public meetings, and deputations, Council Committees and
Council sittings.
The unprepared speeches were in due accordance. Dr. (now Sir Charles)
Nicholson, the Sydney Speaker, happened to pay us a visit during these
early legislative throes of baby Victoria; and as I sat by him in the
privileged place near the Speaker's chair, he remarked that, prepared as
he was to find a crude spectacle, he had never imagined an assemblage of
such helpless incompetency.
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