PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1277, 11 June 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, June 10. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions,—The Hon Mr Oliver said 300 forms of surrender for the Government Insurance had been printed at the Lyttelton gaol two years ago. The printing was ordered by Mr Thorne, with whom litigation was'now pending, and therefore he would not be more explicit.—The Hon Mr Oliver said it had been found impossible to prepare a return showing all expenditure from loan ia the different counties. BANKRUPTCY ACT. The Hon Mr Wilson gave notice to amend the Bankruptcy Act, so that all bankrupts whose debts were under L2O might be dealt with summarily. GUARDIANS AND INFANTS. The Hon Mr Waterhouse brought in a Bill to amend the law relating to the guardianship and custody of children, which was read a first lime. PENSIONS TO NATIVE CHIEFS. Sir G. Whitmore moved for all the papers connected with the cases of Ropata and Te Kooti, strongly condemning the action taken in reducing Ropata’s pension. The motion was carried. bills. The Hon Mr Hart’s Criminal Code Bill, and the Hon Mr Oliver's Land Transfer Registration Bill were read a first time petitions. The debate on the appointment of the Petitions Committee was concluded and the Committee was appointed. The Hon Mr McLean said there were evils connected with the present sys|«m of dealing with petitions. The Hon Mr Wilson opposed the appointment of a Petitions Committee, which he thought was an unmitigated evil, and considered the presentation of the same petitions ,over and over should bs discouraged. The Hon Mr Scotland and the Hon Mr Oliver defended the present system, and the Hon Mr Waterhouse refused to serve on the Committee. The Council rose at 4.30. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. NEW MfiMBER. Mr Richardson was introduced by Messrs Macandrew and C. J. Johnston, and took the oath and seat. notices of motions.

Mr Steward gave notice of amendment on the Address in Reply—“ That Government as constituted does not possess the confidence of the House.” Sir George Grey gave notice of motion for the abolition of the postage rate on newspapers, and a Bill to regulate the admission of persons to the practice of the law.

i Mr Seddon gave notice of the introduci tion of a Gold Duties Abolition Bill. Sir George Grey gave notice that he , would move on Friday—“ That this . House has no confidence in the Govern- , meat, either in its adminia,ration or general conduct of affairs.” QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said the restrictions hitherto placed on the alienation of lands vested in the natives and specified in the Gazette of May last, had been done at the request and in the interests of the owners, with the exception of one case recommended by the West Coast Commissioner, Sir W. Fox.— That the Government would shortly be in a position to make a formal recommendation to the House as to • the route of the North Island • Main Trunk Railway. He hoped to make his Public Works Statement in a fortnight, and the report and maps would be attached to it, if not previously published. —That the Governor did not consider a penalty of LSOO had boeh incurred by the Bank of ' New Zealand in neglecting, within the statutory time, to send in a quarterly return of assets and liabilities to the Government, as they did not consider the Bank authorities had contravened the provisions of the Act. The detailed reports of the branches had been sent in in time, and it was a question whose duty it was to prepare general abstracts. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were introduced, and read a first time:—Lind Act, 1877, Amendment Act (Mr Rolleaton); Married Women’s Property, Alienation of Land, Local Courts, Bankruptcy Act Amendment, Supreme Court Registrar, Taranaki Empowering (Mr Conolly) ; Auckland tfarbor Board, Timber Floating (Mr Mitohelson) ; Otago Harbor Board Empowering Act, 1875, Amendment, Regulation of Elections Act, 1880; Amendment Representation Act, 1881, Amendment Parliamentary Electors (Mr Dick) ; Pensions (Mr Shrimski); to Amend the Anatomy Act, 1876 (Mr Fulton); to Amend the Auckland College and Gram- 1 mar School Act, 1877 (‘dr Dargaville). > THE NO-CONFIDENCE AMENDMENT. 1 On the motion for the appointment of a 1 Select Committee to consider Bills that ( may bo introduced affecting lands. ’ Mr Seddon objected in view of the ad- < verse motion that had been given notice t of. He called on the Government to state s what course they proposed to pursue in c the circumstances. 8 The Hon Major Atkinson said that as a the amendment on the Address in Reply t had not been tabled by a recognised t eader, the Government did not think it v would be right to delay the business until v

that motion had bean disposed of. . If a recognised leader of the Opposition asked for the delay the Government would be prepared to acquiesce. Sir George Grey objected to the busl ness going on, and suggested a postpone' ment of the debate until the amendment had been disposed of. 1 The Hon Major Axklnson said the Qo- | vernment at once recognised Sir George Grey as the leader of the Opposition, and willingly accepted the proposal for postponement, which was agreed to. I It was then agreed that the..motion lor I the Address in Reply should be taken dp at 7.30. . . I The House adjourned at 3.40.

EVENING SITTING. The House met at 7.30. TUB REPLY TO THE ADDRESS. Dr Newman moved—“ That an Address be presented to the Governor In reply to the Speech His Excellency had been pleased to make.” The Speech had much io it that could not fail te be satisfactory. He saw no prospect of any marked nse being made In the price of wool, consider, ing the prospect of the wool growth. Then it was the same as regards the wheat crop. In that case it would be wise for them to turn their attention to other pro*

| ducts. He advocated as necessary to a I return of prosperity an increase of their { exports with a corresponding decrease of I imports, and frugality such as was praoII sed by the colonists in the earlier days { was also advocated as an antidote to the I commercial stagnation. The direct steam I trade established by the New Zealand I Shipping Company deserved every en- > | courageraent, and he regretted that no ; I substantial recognition ef their-„ energy I I and enterprise was proposed. The coal I brought from other countries showed a : I marked diminution, which proved that 1 1 they were utilising their own coal deposits * I with reasonable facilities, and Westport , I might not only supply their own wants, 11 but do any export trade. With regard to 1 1 immigration, he deprecated free immigraI j tion as having tended to swell the popuI lation of towns to the disparagement of I the country. What was required was a I better class of immigrants. Settlement ' I on the land was an old subject of such I addresses, still he looked upon thereferI ence made to it in the speech as one of its I most important features. The _ State . (.should continue to hold the laud it now ' I'possessed for the purposes of the State. IBy that means it would go _ towards r 1 reducing the general 3 taxation. _lt r I would also tend to prevent the organisma I tion of latge estates by private indi* » I viduals, w'hich in the past had operitbd r I with so much prejudice. In the past the r I hunger for land had been so great that 9 I too much money had been paid for it; and d I by this means many persons had crippled a I their efforts. The plan of leasing bn long » I tenure would be a means of mitigating the I evil, and would otherwise tend to the I general well-being. They would have real 0 I settlement on the land, something very II j different from that which had, been the 0 I case in the past. He would operate against I absentees and the evils arising from large ( land speculation companies. He was cona tent to find that Customs revenue was , e I falling off, as it meant that the colony i, I had become more thrifty and self-reliant. I With regard to federation, he was one \ who believed in combination. The hise tory and experience of small struggling a States was eloquent in this direction. As s matters stood in the South Sea Islands, >• they found all the refuse and criminals of older countries sent there, and on that account .alone it was necessary to* do. e something for tkeir self-p r otaotioa. He d looked on this proposal as a step towards a federation on a much larger scale, which would bind the whole Empire together. He lauded the Civil Service, and hoped e the day would come when all political inti terference as in-Victoria would be_obviated. If pat on a proper and right ® basis they would be more zesleus and >f diligent in the discharge of their duties. Electoral reform was also mentioned. He >- regretted the franchise was not extended h to women, or as a beginning to those on d the burgess rolls. By a united well ie directed effort he believed they would s- have that prosperity, the absence of which the address deplored, n S{ r M. W. Green seconded the motion, i, The Address shadowed forth a broad and ’ 0 liberal policy, which ought to recommend itself to chem all. Oh the details of the Government policy he reserved full- right of action, but of the general policy ef the Government, as indie rted iu the speech, he entirely approved. Mr Steward, after expressing his concurrence with certain portions of the y address, went on to say it was not with i, what the speech contained, but with what it failed to contain, that he disagreed. He did not believe the House and the t country had confidence in the Government - to carry out the proposals of the speech, j and an expression of that kind ought to be added to the Address in Reply. It 1 was in mercy the Opposition desired to a relieve Ministers from their burden and e enable them to escape to the quiet of his e side of the House. He believed the country would concur in saying that the - noblest act they could perform was to retire from office. The tenacity with a which they clung to life was not by any , s means evidence of a high order of organl- ■ sation. One change after another had r been resorted to by the Government, each one being of a lower grade than the former one. ft was not only their personnel but I likewise their policy that changed. Ini deed their whole conduct was characteri ised by shiftiness and -want of decision. After criticising adversely the National Insurance scheme and the Roads aad Bridges Act as failures of the Goyetni ment, the speaker went on to say that, he - • regarded the cry about an attempt to separate the North and South Islands as an attempt to get up a row, and distract the public mind from important points. They had shown plainly their conviction that there was no one capable of governing <he colony but the men to be found in their following. Had they acted otherwise, more rearstatesmanship would have been Ishown than was the case. In evidence of their want of decision the various changes effected in their Native land policy were fully detailed. Public works had been prosecuted with the utmost possible indifference. The present system of taxation be also condemned as pressing unduly on the population. Last year they were told that economy in the public service was impossible; this year they were told that such economy would have to be given -effect to if it was possible this year. He asked, how was .it not possible last year? Had that economy been practised last year they would not have had the deficit they now had te deplore. The depressed state of the colony was admitted, but attempts had been made by the Premier to ascribe it to anything bat the right cause. In 1879 Major Atkinson ascribed a similar state of things to maladministration of their Government. If that charge was true then it was doubly true now, and he therefore conjioted him of the charge. They were promised Oivil Service reform, but he was afraid the Government was so closely identified with that service that any reform was hopeless, especially when he found pensions proposed. He would repeat that their whole policy had evidence of a want of fixity, and in that way they had lest the confidence of the country. If they thought they possessed that confidence he challenged them to-get a dissolution, and go to the country at once. After passing an absolutely necessary measure dealing with the depressed state of the grain trade, he contended that it was do wnright cruelty to handicap the grower farther by an oppressive railway tariff. He explained that he had not voluntarily taken up the position he UOV(

occupied. The duty had b e placed in his hands as an executive oliio r uf his ‘ side of the House. ' He was satisfied a majority in the House as well as the country had no confidence in the Qoverunu nt. While he gave every credit to Sir Geo - Grey,- he would not, in view of the motion Sir Geo. Grey had also tabled to the same effect, give way to any man in hia zeal for the general well-being of the people, and he had as much right as Sir Qec. Grey to bring forward such a motion. He had no desire to aspire to the position of Premier. All he desired was an appeal at once to the country. He moved, as «n amendment —“ That the Governor’s Address had not the confidence of the country.” Mr Lkvkstam seconded the amendment. > Mr Macandrkw moved the adjournment of the debate to enable a number of members who had not yet arrived to be present and fake part in the debate. The motion for the adjournment was pot and carried. The House rose at 10.15 p. m. A DISSOLUTION PROPOSED. [by telegraph.] Wellington, To-day. . Mr Sutton gave notice that when Mr Steward’s amendment comes before the House, he will move a further addition to the effect that in the opinion of the House it is extremely . unlikely that any other Ministry could be formed from the present House, which would be able to command a majority, and that therefore the Heme prays His Excellency to forward the Estimates necessary to carry on the Government, and thereafter immediately dissolve the present Parliament.