HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1884, 4 July 1888, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

lhe Houre met nt 2 30 p.m. The Premier said that thn Houae would hear with regret that Mr P<-a r soa, member for Ashley, had died that morning. He felt sure that he would only be expressing the feelings of the iioaas when he proposed an adjournment till 7 30 p.m., out of respect for the memory of the honorable gentleman, And to show sympathy with hit family. Mr Lanoe seconded the motion ; as one of tho f<lde3t friends m the Rouse of Mr Pearson's family. The deceased gentleman had been brought op la a s.erllng sobool, and he (Mr Lince) wis sore the House woa'd ft^ree that he was worthy of the stock from which he oame. Mr Mtlla, as one of the New Zealand born members, added a tribute of respect to Mr Pearson, as a promising young member. . Mr O'Gallaghan, as one of the deceased gentleman's oldest friends, expressed deep regret at his death, and suggested that the few worda whioh had been spoken that afternoon Bhoald be engrossed aud forwarded to his relatives. Sir George Grey added a fow words of regret and sympathy. The Speaker said that he w uld nee th?t a minute of the proceedings was forwarded to Mr Pearson's widow and fami'y. The motion wob agreed to, and the House adjourned till 7 30 p.m. The House renamed at 7.30 p.m. HOIION FOB, QOINO INTO O/MMITTBB OF POPPLY. Dr Hodgkinaon continued the debate on going into Committee of Supp'y. After criticising the previous speeches at length, he dilated on the advantage of soiling the railways, and begged tho Houae to get on with the business of the conntry Mr Marcbnnt Btated thut Mr Monk was not the spokesman of the committee of economy, and his amendment was not prompted by thorn, though he personally agreed with it. They did not mind being called mines. Ho justified tho notion of that section of the Houss and their demand for reduotjona lo the extent of £100,000 more. Government had do»a many unpleasant things and must do many more before tbo finances of the colony were put m good order, so that all the odium must not be placed on their shoulders. Mr Hutohlaon was glad to see signs of some sort of guarantee that the publto services of the oolouy In fa tare would bo oonduo'ed at lest coßt. He commended the work of the committee, who had been considering the estimates privately,. The amendment touohed only on the fringe of the question. In his opinion not nearly enough had yet been retrenched. He went largely Into figures to show that many of the so-called savings were merely of non-reonrrentamonnte, which would not m natural oourse have appeared on the estimates thin year. He prooeoded to point out In detail the items which oould be out down or diminished. Sir George Grey thought that the House ought to Agree to the Amendment They bad a right to aek that they might be allowed to deal with tho salaries of legiilativo officer?, and not leave thorn to the option of one man. Mr Monk's amendment was then put and negatived by 52 to 21. Mr Sooble McKonzte aaid that the Freetraders did not feel It Inoambent on them to vote on the question of going into Supply, as it was merely a question between the Government and the Protectionists. Mr Hobbs spoke In favour of retrenchment, and hoped Government would give It their attention during the recess. Sir George Grey said that he should divide the Hoase again on the main questioo, as a protest against the Civil Service m Us present position of uncertainty. Mr Seddon said he imagined that eide of the House did not want to jeopardise ihe Customs Duties Bill, and atked Government, after asserting their posl.ion by going on a abort way with the estimates, to take up that Bill again. He hoped to have come sort of statement from the Premier. I Mr Maoarthur said the Protectionists would find that once they began with the estimates they wonld not get back very readily to the Tariff Bill, unless, indeed, the Premier had receded from the position he ttok up on Friday night. Mr Reeves (St Albans) said that Mr McKenzie was now prepared to keep the Government m and keep himself out. There had been no pledge by himgelf or other members to uupport the Government to the end of the session as bad been openly stated . He intended to vote with the Government, although he had not done so on Friday, beoauae everyone knew that the Protectionists wanted to ■cc the Tariff B 11 safely thtongh, Mr Moss thought they ought to have a dear understanding before proceeding to vote. As to the state of the Tariff Billwas it printed or did Government Intend to propose* still farther amendments ? Mr Samuel said that the debate had degenerated Into mere wraugllng. He trusted that members would go to the vote at ouoa, Mr Leveatam said that It was the Freetraders who had voted against the Government on Friday* The Protectionists bad been quite content, and he for one would Bupport the Government again on this question. Mr Menteath twitted Mr Beeves with Inconsistency In voting one way on Friday land another tc-nlght, Dr Fltohett said that there had simply been a mlsundorntandlng between iho Government and that side of the House. They bad thought Government had m tended to use the Tarty' Bill as a lever to force tbrcbgh the estimates, but they wore satisfied now that it was not b,o. No doubt It was one of the Freetraders' movee to try and sow dissension, Mr Allen asked how simply walking out of the Houae oould oanso dissension. As for a misunderstanding they kneif that Mr Reeves had told thetr that Government must pay a price for the support of the Opposition, and he supposed they had now obtained that price. Mr Seddon said that tho only reason for his action on Friday was to givo the Premier warning not to continue the dictatorial behaviour he had adopted for oome days, and because be felt the necessity of caution. The latter reason bad been accapted by the statement ton'ght the t tho Freetraders did not Intend to vote. ' He bad boon told that the | Premier now consented to a motion i being tabled^ that Government should ' during the reqoea endeavour if possible to make further reductions to the extent of £100,000. If that were the case the division on Friday was a oompleto vlotory for those who believed m the necessity af further economy. It was not the first Irae the Premier bad found hlmaelf cbhj'pelled to aoqept such a resolution. There wag, however, no nooret qbaut it. It had been done openly. He hinted at tho possibility of a stonewall if the Premier was too otiff-neoked, Mr Waid annouuoed that he intended to support all Government tneaiuros this session . M» Ta-~ 2* , , , .._. -«jner, as a Freetrader, dlaola'md ! any intention of walking out of the House. He Intended to tote for the Government.

Captain Rtmell siid that he was satis fied the conn try wa? &gi'nat the tariff, »nd he for one would do all la his power to prevent (he Bill becoming Uw, even to upsetting the Government, and, by making administration Impossible, to foroe an appeal to the country. The Premier said that the action of the Freetraders was unaccountable. They wanted to defeat the Tariff BUI, and now they had a chance of making Government oooeldor its position, they were going tp walkout of the House, He twitted Mr Seddon with wsatlng more time than any m«D Id the House. He was always professing anxiety to have measures passed, and did more lhan any one to hlook the b&ulness. He reminded the House of what hu had stattd before, that Governm< nt lad nevei professed • have finished tf c work of retrenchment. Ttiey were going on with It now, and Intended to do so. As to the resolution mentioned by Mr Seddon, it would be time enough to deal with it when it oamo on. He denied that there had been any comoaot with the Opposition of the kind hinted at during the debute. Government had only been actuated m their measures by what they believed to be for tbo good of the country . They wished to get the Tariff Bill passed, and then, if there were any who thought they should be turned out, that question oou d be tried and fought out. He might mention th »t the Tariff Bill wag not quite ready f.r the ih'ri reading jet, as there were two or three lLtle alterations to iDßerfc, for whioh it would have to bo recommitted With regard to the amendment he might say that the queetion involved would bo considered along with othera duriug tho recm Ho waß not indisposed to soe a paid Chairman of Committees abolished aud tho office filled by vote from the capable mcrabeis of the House. The House divided on tho question of going into Bupply — Ayes 59, Noes 4. THB ESTIMATES. Sir Maurice O'Rorke culled attention to what he thought a mOBt unconstitutional and unwarrantable innovation m tho estimates. For the first time and without reference to him, Govern moit had thought fit to interfere with officers of the Houaa, and he feared it was merely a step towards makipg them officers of tho Executive. He strongly deprecated such action, and pointed out all the cv Is that would ncorue. The matter had been fought out tffonty-five years ago, and Speaker Mnnro had boldly stood up for the right of the House to keep their officers free from the lcflufnoe of fleeting Executives. He did not refer to the matter as It oonoarned him personally, bat on the broad ground that the offiaerß should be servants of tho House and not of the Govornmaot, He felt It hard that a maa like the Premier should have been the first to introduce such ■ ohanga, Mr Seddon supported tho aotton of the Government, The Premier said the Government had only oarrled out the wishes of the House, but the question raised was no doabt important He would ba glad to Uke tho sense of the Committee on it. There had always been a difficulty In dealing with the legislative estimates m oonaequance of the Speaker being supposed to I be lv charge of them, and he should obtain an expression of opinion from the House on the matter before the session I ended. I Sir John Hall supported Sir Maurice O'Borke'a views. Mr O'O >nor hoped that etlU further redactions woald be made m the departments. \ After bo me furjfcr discussion, the Premier anggeated^wt progress should be reported, and he*woafd givo the Hoase an opportunity of expressing an opinion on the whole question at Issue. The Houeo rose at 1 ,20 am .