PARLIAMENTARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1278, 12 June 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, Jose 11. 9 \ The Council met at 2.30, and On the Hon Mr Ouysß’s motion, at once adjourned, pending the result of the no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, June 11. The Hon e met at 2.30. THE NO CONFIDENCE MOTION. On the motien of Sir Geo. G-.ey, the debate on the want of confidence metion was resumed by Mr Shrimski, who intimated his intention of supporting the amendment. Mr Ivbss thought it unnecessary to formulate charges agaiuoi the Government, for none of those already formulated had even been attempted to be replied to. Despite the efforts of the Opposition last session to make redactions in the estimates, which did not succeed, they ware now told that reductions of this kind were to bo made this year. .He held that the time for making these redactions was more opportune last session than this. He charged the Premier with having attempted to set the South against the North Island in attempting to foster the separation cry. He blamed them for keeping certain portfolios open foe the purpose of influencing votes in favor of the Government, and also for the increase af fees made in the Resident Magistrate’s Courts. Mr J. W. Thomson criticised the speech, commenting specialty on the reference made to the general depression of the colony, adding that it was most extraordinary that they offered no feasible remedy for the evil. Mr Smith spoke in favor of the motion, and said they ought to go to the country at once on the question of taxation, aa he believed that the present mode of imposing taxes was obnoxious to the bulk of the population. The House adjourned at 5.30.

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7-30. 9 Mr Hursthotjse resumed the debate on the no confidence motion. He made a long speech, in which he declared his intention to support the Government in this instance, although he had not done so last sessiou.

Mr Moss denied that, the motion was one worthy of the Opposition, of which he had been a member. He' thought the Opposition was untrue to itself in supporting a motion like this brought forward by anyone . but a recognised leader. . Who was prepared to form a Government if such a motion were carried 1 He deplored that the Opposition should have been broken up in this way, and a number of raw recruits enlisted for a day or week without any fixed aim or object. The Hon Mr Conolly criticised the motion as tabled as one of the moat extraordinary of the kind ever made. The apparent intention was to conduct this debate on the part of the Opposition without a single person of any note on that side of the House taking part. The whole thing showed a great want of personal courage on the part of the acknowledged leaders, whom he likened to the class of commanders who told their men, in the thick of the fight, to go along rather than to come along and follow him. The Government had not been attacked on any point of policy. All the complaints made against them was this Canterbury grain tariff, and he asked, was that a sufficient reason for men with whom they had been allied now turning round against them? He thought these men, when they would come to reflect, would see the insufficiency of the plea for a dissension. The division would show the colony who these men were, who acted like a certain proverbial animal that was said to desert the sinking ship. These members were urged on by the same selfish and cowardly constituents who had howled down the Premies* in Christchurch. A complaint had been made against the Government that it had brought forward more measures than ever it had been able to pass into law. That was a complaint that could be made against any and every Government that had ever occupied these Benches. Since last year Ministers had gone carefully over the duty of every servant in their departments, and after careful enquiry aod consideration had resolved upon, as announced in the Speech, to make a reduction in the Civil Service. That .was how they could not meet a p opoaal which last year they resisted. " Really the fate of the Government depended on the raising of the Canterbury railway freights. On all other matters the Government possessed the confidence of a majority of the House. It was not because the Government had not done its duty to the country, but because it had not yielded to the selfishness of a small section of the colony, that they would owe defeat. Mr Wakefield said never had there been an occasion when the speech was more an outline of what was not going to be done during the session than the present. He complimented Dr Newman on his speech, and was glad one of the natives of the colony was coming to the front. Dr Newman was now very radical, but would no doubt end as a good conservative. He commented on the fact that while Mr. Green seconded the Address in Reply, he reserved to himself the light to vote as he pleased. That was a novelty, and he hoped to find himself in the same lobby with that gentleman. . The Governor’s speech itself was one of the very worst he had ever seen. It had a long paragraph about the weather, and such other trifling and uncalled for subjects. The scheme for perpetual leasing was the first point of policy it contained. He was opposed to that system, and in the address it was supported by the very worst possible reasoning, ' The reasons advanced for an alteration of the kind were die advantages that existed under the present system. He would always vote for giving the settlor the prospect of making the land his own. The perpetual leasing system would create a host of Crown tenants, who would materially affect the legislation of the country and soon convert this leasehold into free* holds. It was a measure without any substance in it, and should not oe counter nanced. The congratulation given to the goldfields enterprise was next referred te. That would, he hoped, counteract the prejudicial reference made to this industry by the Premier in Dunedin, when it was stated that a large amount of capital had been thrown away upon it. He eulogised the policy of the Native Minister, which had been characterised by firmness and determination. After criticising, the Government’s intentions regard to federation, the speaker said_ that he was astonished at the prominency given to the question of the nuvey UnS|

Xt was plain what was mr' t ' y this little cam. It was what they -c ito for . the purpose of sowing dissension between the North and the South. Ho was glad to s6e that no one appeared to be deceived by this false issue. 'He would just add that the very reasons advanced by t..e Government condemned them. It the Government raised the tariff why did • they ever lower it, and if they lowered it why did they raise it? The fact w*a, they lowered it to save their seats. The plea set up by the Government on this point wds a most untenable one. It simply amounted to this, that when times were good they should lower them, and when times were bad they should be raised. That was a false argument, and if it was to be persisted in they bad belter been without railways in New Zealand alto* Sther. The fact was that however fitly they had been spoken of by the I Government, it made a difference of 2s 6d an acre to the farmers. It was, however, the way in which it was done that was the chief objection, and no sympathy nould be shown to this attempt to raise an antiCanterbury farmer, cry to servo the purposes of the Government. The fact was that the Speech kept back a good deal, so as to prevent the House from discussing the whole Government policy. He deprecated that fact, as it would have been a great convenience to them all to have , known what was the Government policy. He had been absent from Parliament tor two years,' and on hia return ■ the other day found the Government in a minority, and the Opposition numerous, but cut up by dissension. He set about trying to get the latter to bury their differences, and to some extent succeeded. It was of the utmost importance, in parly politics that the majority should be an assured and effective one. He commented adversely on the treatment given to Mr Steward '.by the Premier as mover of the amendment. Major Atkinson talked of Mr Steward as not being a leader, and actually proposed to go the length of refusing to accept the amendment as a . vote of fio-confidence. It was an in- ■ dignity that ought not to have been heaped en the head of any member, far less oh one who had been honm ably con- i nectad with the politics of the colony for t many years. He looked upon this vote ■, as one which was likely to abolish a great, snam. For the last two years they had the anomaly of an Opposition in the majority, but unable to operate against a Government in the minority. The recent proceedings were calculated to put an end to that state of things. They were told that a double honorarium would be the result of this proceeding. The fact was that that was nothing compared with the system of maladministration that bad been goingon for years back. Far better pay a doable honorarium than pay the dost of keeping the present Government i - in office. The position of the Opposition that night was a proud one, of which the colony would be proud. The Premier bad said over the co.'ony that there was not an Opposition that could do Us duty. If they could only get a united Opposition, what was it they could not do. Major Atkinson’s prayer had now been I answered. They had got a -united Opposition, and ths first thing they were • about to do was to turn the Government out. .Mr Hursthouse had argued .that 3 although the government was in a minor- f ity, it should remain in office. That was 1 a most absurd argument. A Government I in a minority could do nothing, and the v sooner it was removed|the better. Being c in a minority they could do nothing. The . first measure they brought forward would f be thrown out, and so on to the end of the chapter. By that means far greater t . financial wrong would be done than 1 twenty double honorariums and election ..expenses. Separation had long since Bee&ltiHgd, and now they were to have j its dry bone&-»ua)soitated for no purpose -.i whatever. He wohlAuever support such r, a thing, and if Mr Montgomery supported ® such a policy he hoped he would not vote tl with them- They could spare his vote, s He regretted having to vote against men with whom he had worked in the past, but he recognised the fact that they hid t not the public confidence, and the beat • course was to get them out of office, and 11 leave the Government to these who could s command a majority. A dissolution was t the shortest Cut'to a solution of the diffi- C culty into which they had drifted an exis- a tence for the last two years, j. Colonel Tumble spoke against the motion. The Hon. Major Atkinson moved the adjournment of the debate. _ Mt Sbddon objected. Adjournments 8 in these cases were always dangerous. t , Messrs Macikdebw and Suiton oppo- ( Bed ths adjournment. c The Hon. Mr Bryce said the Premier T would have to be very ill before he gave „ in. He. would not urge the adjournment - on that account. What was wanted was '

to give the Premier an opportunity of re- 1 Eradiating in a fuller House the imputai lions .made against him with respect to having treated Mr Steward with . i Mt Momtoomeby defended the course t taken in patting forward Mr Steward, and ~\ cited the Victorian Parliament as affording . a cue in point, which precedent was 1 founded on a case which occurred in the * Imperial Parliament. Under ordinary * - circumstances they would have granted ( Major Atkinson ,the adjournment asked i for, but after the contempt burled upon | £» them they insisted on a division at once. ■•' • The House divided on the question for adjournment. Ayes, 33 ; noes, 37. Mr Steward’s amendment was then put, and a division took place without debate. 1 '■i v-j Ayes, 41; noes, 32. ; • Ayes—Barron, Bathgate, Bracken, J. s CadmaD, Daniel, Dargaviile, ~'. DeJLantour, Duncan, Feldwick, Fish, ! Grey, Hams, Holmes, Hutchison, , ' Montgomery, Morris, 1 McKenzie, J; McMillan, < Pearsbp. Petrie, BichafdHCddoPj *-Sheehan, Shephard, lSaiith, t ’ Steward, Sutton, Tole > Tomoana. i 7?hhaker. ... - - ISaw-a>Bßy.'iiWwriirfit, Atkinson; Beetham, I^Pml^^i^^#B^fCe<':. : iWi-,-C.--BaefaahaP;- - - ' Fitz Gerald. Fnl. ■ Green, .Hobbs, > _ Johnston, ■ -I Mason, Moll* { Peacock, ) Salter. ■ !!■■■■■ . - consideration ght^ndition. iialMgßaiwMMfrwwiTO the m other imw rea hope tofcr-' ewtimatee' for' fot’prorequirements, »U - be 'further the House Mr. w» likely to • the debate was "° tlon nf Mr Shaw, atkiuboit. 11 1 r " '■ ■■ for