PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 10 November 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Saturday, November 8. The Council met at 12 30 p.m. CONFERENCE. The report of the Conference of the Ma agers of the Legislative Council and House of Reptesentatives relative to the Westland Education District Bill was adopted. NATIVE LANDS ALIENATION RESTRICTION BILL. This Bill came back from the House of .Representatives with the announcement that tiiat Chamber could noi agree with the amendments made by the Council. After a short discussion it was agreed by 18 to 12 not to insist upon the amendments. . Av 1.40 p.m. the Council adjourned till 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 5.30, when a quantity of formal business was transacted, and the Appropriation Bills were passed through all their stages, after which the Council adjourned till 11 a.m. on Monday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Saturday, November 8. The House met at 2.30 p.m, BILLS ASSENTED TO. A message was received from the Governor, stating that he had assented on Her Majesty’s behalf to the various Bills passed during the session, QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said:— That the Government would take immediate steps to reserve and fence in the burial ground of the officers and soldiers who fell at the fight at Buapekapeka, or remove the remains to the cemetery at Russell- —That it had not been considered expedient hitherto to join the Postal Union. —That the Government was willing to encourage the manufacture of paper in every way. As regards the printing of telegraph forms, the Government had already called for tenders, so as to ascertain whether theproject was feasible or not. —That Mr Maurice Fitzgerald had offered to undertake the work of compilation of Hansard reports previous to the issue of the present publication, without further remuneration than a bonus on the work performed. The Government determined to avail themselves of hia services. The amount of remuneration will be paid out of the unauthorised expenditure, and a vote would be asked for the purpose next session.—That all information as regarded the Government contracts in respect to district railways would be laid ou the table. PRIVILEGE. Mr Joyce called attention to a breach of privilege that had taken place about tea days ago by the publication of a letter in the New Zealand Times reflecting on the conduct of a member of the House. He had been under the impression that the letter was written by the member for Invercargill. Mr Hatch said ho knew nothing whatever of the letter in q lestion. He had been much annoyed at the tenor of the letter. The motion for reading the letter was then put and lost. APPROPRIATION BILL. Major Atkineon asked whether the Government proposed reading the Appropriation Bill a third time be ore disposing of the federal resolutions. If so, it would be a most unusual course of procedure.

Sir Julius Vogel said the business had been brought on in that shape in order to meet the arrangements of the other House. Ha moved the third reading of the Appropriation Bill. Maj or Atki ' SON said Sir Julius Vogel had taken office with a great flourish of trumpets, and he had assured the country he was going to do great works, but ha was very shortly ejected from office. Ho sooner, however, had he got into Oppo- ( aition than he declared if he had been allowed to remain in office for only one month all the promises marie in the Governor’s speech would be fulfilled He had undertaken to push public works on with greater spaed than had ever occurred before, the taxation was to be reduced, and that the Departmental expenditure

was also to be greatly reduced. The way in which the Treasurer had been supported by the Canterbury section of the House reminded him of an incident in the history of the people to which the Treasurer belonged, when Moses had disappeared for a while and the Israelites demanded that a golden calf should be made for them. The hon gentleman had set up the golden calf, and the Canterbury members had fallen down and worshipped it. He (Major Atkinson) thought they would bitterly regret doing so before a long period had elapsed. He would ask how it was possible to push on the public works as vigorously as the Treasurer promised to do with only L 450,000 a year. The Government had further promised to reduce the departmental expenditure, but be contended they had not attempted to make any reduction. On the contrary, they had increased it. They had also given salaries to two Chairmen of Committees, which the House had been opposed to. As for his own action when in office* he ventured to think that when the conntry found what the late Government had done they would be proud to find they had such a Government to reign over them so long. He asserted that they ware simply borrowing in order to remit taxation and to increase the consolidated fund. The policy of the Treasurer was, “ Let ns eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.” He thought the Honse should recognise that their laws were not satisfactory, and that their falling down and worshipping the golden calf would not carry them into that land that flowed with milk and honey. Sik Julius Yoobi said the member for Egmont had made a rather singular speech, but he would endeauour to let him off as lightly as possible. He thought it was a peculiar course fur the hon. gentleman to adopt to defend his action and his government at this stage of the session when so many members were away. As regarded the paymest of the Chairmen of Committee he desired to say that the two Select Committees had strongly recommended the Chairmen to be paid. He defended die action he had taken as to the sinking fund, and said the Government would carry out literally their obligations with the bondholders. As regarded the question of the golden calf, he thought it was a somewhat aacrilgioua reference on the part ot the hon member. He thought, however, the Canterbury members would prefer to worship a golden calf than a brazen one. Their proposals with regard to the District Railways were to acquire them cheaply, to-do what the member for Egmont had been trying tut years-**. An ten-wu not able. He concluded by saying he thought he had conclusively proved that the present session had not been a barren one.

The Appropriation Bill was then read a third time and passed. The Immigration and Public Works Bill was read a third time and passed.

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7 30. p. m. THE CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS.

The Hon Mr Stout in moving the Convention resolutions, regretted that he had to do bo at such a late stage of the session.. After explaining the nature of the resolutions, he said that since the meeting of the Federal Convention in Sydney, as was well known, the British Government had issued a protectorate over a portion of New Guinea. Several colonies who had to pay L 15,000 originally agreed upon as their proportion, had since refused to contribute more than that amount, and the Government did not think themselves warranted in committing this colony to a further expenditure than that already promised. He held that New Zealand had an enormous interest if it looked to the future in considering how the Pacific Islands were to be governed ; and if they could provide that the whole of the Pacific Islands should be bound together in a common interest they would be doing a great deal for their future prospects. As to the Federal 0 mncil, about which there was the most difference of opinion, he desired to point out that the idea was not a new one, as it hae been ventilated many years ago, The idea of Federation had grown with their growth. He asked the House not to do anything to put an end to the union of the .colonies. He said if the resolutions were passed there would be no interference whatever with the Legislature of the colony. They could not afford to stand aloof from Australasia. He thought the closer the colonies were bound to the Mother Country the better it would be for them. He then moved the resolutions as follows;—“ That this House resolves that it agrees generally with the resolutions of the said Convention, but in order that its views may be specifically expressed, it resolves as follows’—That it approves of the steps taken by the British Government for the establishment of its rule over New Guinea, and hopes that like measures will be taken for a protectorate over the islands of the Pacific Ocean not under the dominion of any stable Government; that it desires respectfully to protest against the transportation' of criminal*—to- the—French possessions ia the Pacific ; that it request! the British Government to make such representations to the European Powers as. will prevent the maintenance of pensl establishments in any of the Pacific Islands ; that the establishment of such a Federal Council as is proposed in the Convention Draft Rill is premature ; that so far as the Bill aims at enabling the colonies to jointly initiate legislation on the questions of common interest and importance to the several colonies, it has the cordial support of this House ; that to place the proposed measures in accordance with these opinions it will be necessary to vary the Bill, so as to provide, first, that the Federal Council shall not make representations to tne Imperial Government direct but to the several Colonial Governments; second, that any measure it initiates shall not have any force within any colony, nor affect any colony, until it is adopted by the Legislature of such colony.” Sir George Grey said it . was intended that in a thin House, when so many members had left, the decision of the colony should he given in such an important matter, the Government would ta*e a very improper course. He contended that the matter should not proceed further under those circumstances than the discussion of the question, and he would speak on the question with that obieot in view. He proceeded to refer at some length to the relations of the colonies with the Mother Country, and concluded by moving the following amendment:—“ That in the opinion of this House the confederation of the whole of the English-speaking nations into one great confederation is an object of the highest importance, the attainment of which is worthy of great efforts and large sacirfices ; that the outlying portions of the British Empire, already confederated to some extent with that Empire, and capable of being still more closely united to it, should take no steps for confederation amongst themselves which may embarrass the r closer union with Great Britain, or which may hereafter render more difficult the confederation of all the English-speaking nations.” yM joc Atkinson said what be wanted to see'was the bond of union between the Mother Country and the colonies drawn closer ; also to see law and order established in these islands. He held that if they were to preserve their liberties it would not be through iaolatioq, but through federation of some form or other. He was as strong for federation with the British Empire as any man in the House, but he had come to the conclusion that

the only way they could Induce tS© JEn> pite to look at the ooloniee was to make .themselves powerful enough to do so. ~ 'l’he whole history of the world told them 'they wore powerless without combination, and if they were to be dominant it' could only oe by union with the British Em* pire, and a'so union with themselves. Sir Janos Vogel said it was wellknown that the Imperial Government could not be moved In kind without outside pressure, As regardod the consideration to be levied, he thought it was a matter of#erf*ltm&*lihportance in comparison with the interests involved. There was little doubt (hat New Guinea would become wself-support-ing colony, as was the case with Fiji He thought there was entire unanimity of opinion with respect.to to stoppage of the convict labor. They mast not lose sight of the fact that New South Wales had virtually withdrawn from the Convention in refusing to pay the amount required to be contributed, and it was quite clear that Queensland would refuse come in also. On that Recount it possible, therefore, that the colonies be represented would only be and Tasmania, and probably South traits. The view of the Government that they were in favor of the federation of the Empire, but they did noc favor that federation being effected by federation of the Mr Wakefield said it was quite evident that the Treasurer had not heard the speech oi the Premier, as both speeches were of a most exactly opposite nature. He confessed he could never understand the object of federation, or what advantages were to be derived from it. He believed New Zealand in sixty years would be the most populous of all the Australian colonies, and that they would lose nothing whatever by remaining as they were and not taking pact in any scheme, the advantages of which were by no means apparent. Mr Bektham supported the resolutions. Mr Holmes moved the adjournment of the debate for a week. He thought it was desirable before coming to a vote on the resolution that the country should have an opportunity of reading the speeches just delivered. The Hon Mr Stout pointed out that the motion for adjournment meant shelving the resolutions altogether, and he would ask the House not to agree to it, but to come to a decision on the resolutions themselves. The motion for adjournment was then put, and was lost on a division by 25 against 22. Sir George Grey’s amendment, wavthen puV b.tti loot oa ar division by 25 against 19. Mr Samuel moved the adjournment, of the debate. >• - The House divided—Ayes,. 25 21. The adjournment was carried. Sir Julius Yoosl moved the adjournment of the debate till Monday at eleven o’clock.

Mr Samuel moved the adjournment for a fortnight. The motion for adjournment resulted, hi a tie. Ayes, 23; noea, 23. The Speaker gave hia casting vote with the ayes, the result being the adjourn* meat of the debate till Monday nest. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HODSSI A long discussion then ensued on the question of the adjournment of the House till Monday at eleven. An amendment was moved that it adjourn until two o’clock. 1 During the discussion, Sir Grey said if the Government attempted to force such very important resolutions as these through so thin a house, he would on Monday, at all move* a vote of want of confidence in the Government. The motion that the House adjourn till eleven was carried, and the House rose at 12.55 a.m.