GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 525, 26 July 1881, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

In the Legislative Council, on Thursday, a motion by the lion Dr M?nzies in favor of Bible reading in schools was carried by 15 to 13, the Hon. F. Whi taker having moved tho previous question. The following is the division list:— For Dγ Menaiea , motion—Messrs BailJie, Miller, Pliarazyn, Scotland, Acland, Holmes, Wilson, Peter, Robinson, Nurse. Reynolds, Martin, Brett, Mantell, Menzies. ( Against — Messra Pollen, Williams, FrayeiyChambcrlain, Digcan, Wood, Lahmanis. Buckley, G, Jomiston, Peacock, Whisker, Hart. Tho Regulation of Elections Bill wna paaaed through Committee, an amendment by the Hon W. H. Eeynoldu to niaka voting , cotnpulsory under penalty of being struck off \ho roll being rejected. The Oainnni Harbor Eoard Bill was partly paused (hrou/d! Committee. Tho Council rose at 5 p.m. In tho llonse of Representatives, Sir W. Fox gave noiice that he would move in the direction of prohibiting tho sale of intoxicating liquors in Parliament Buildings. Mr Suttoii resumed the debato on tho no-confidence motion. He adiuittecl that Mr Wood'u speech had been an attraclivo

one, but said that it did not (-ouch on the

real question at ifssue. The only practical GUggestion it contained v.t.s that the Government should iiJioys'e £200,000 for

opctiiug up ihe Crown landn of iho North .'i-larul. ])' they could carry on their v/orlvG proi»orly without borrowing, he woidd bo in favor of doing so, but he uiucjji doubted it. The n&l object of the motion of *tbe mover was hatred of tho property tax. Failing' to get rid of that tax he wza deicrPiined to get rid of tho Ministry. Presuming tiuit ho s;ic-cecdfd in driving , tlic-rn to i.i.e country, then lie could (ell i.heui that iuey would reiurn to Parliament rUOi»,?;cf tiiaii ever. Captain Ruaaell tsaul that ii the nmorulrnent was carried, tho eil'eet womlv! be u> bring info ofli f ;-. : . k c" r ?: i>l f.i;: ; ,-iVO'//r?..J p!uh:y writ: .i ic-:'nvr. xc i>. o>; ■ -:w'.Vli(}\' ijJiJ'.C'K;>l->j. Ll v Cl Si OTi'..-Mid i!V.;l' woii-i/ig in ?!i:i;io!i '-villi ;-.;•.« wUI. vA.i.-ii>h'.j v/'/.i ir;jj;-!iOi'i. V,\i !.C')i7;;ii'; {\:\l ;i-.,iiy iieu'.:Ei>;.;y, "r ;,r;e -:.oas;i)'.:.-; poiver ■•■ \,:lo o>\:b i'-'.\\:-.r l ;rl J:. «.1h0..----tV''.-/.!t \)n>].o:-s.\ ii:, to ?'.-:o *--><>.k\ j ,S • i , , . ~ , 7 ~.■!. I ■■•. . ■.-■■ .. .','-i :■.:.• ;•..,..-'. t ,',»i> , .: , il I ;i ■■■:'m vi -■•:. j Oj'j-'.Vd i=. ■'.-::'. Ii L .'...'1 aOv vi."': . i ■■.■}■„<■ : j I;OC',V l\'.:'i ,•.:.:..-.■-.■ .iv ! ..-0 ,^;'-!■.-_.' 'i;- j Y>"-{i!.-- klw ■■■•••r-..; , '-. ■".- ■• :■.:-■. viAilvi,-;. j

posnl to rate Native lando. He complained that the Government hnd acied most unfairly towards the IMUoii prisoners, and also towards himself,

Mr Bunny announced bis intention oE voting against the amendment. Tho action of the Government durirur the present t-easion hnd strengthened his purpose of .supporting them. Frequent chiagcs of Government were not beneficial to the colony. They had had the offect of handing ovorthe? Government to the permanent heads of departments. The Government had done good service in reducing expenses ; (hey had put their financial affairs on ft satisfactory footing, and, in his opinion, they would not be wise in turning this Government out, and putting in they could not cay who. What need was there for them to go to the country now. They would, in the natural course of events, go to the country soon enough for some of them. But let them first finish the work Ihey had got to do, and then go to the country at tho proper time. Mr Weaton said ho utterly disagreed with the proposals of the Government. They were unworkable and not tor the good of the country. They did not go far enough in certain respects, and they appeared to go too fnr in other respects. Having utterly demolished the Government Bills, he Announced his intention of voting against tho amendment, that is declining to affirm that they were unsatisfactory, after which he would also vote against the Bills themselves.

'i'he HonJ, Hall said that tho terms of the amendment left the Government no alternative but to accept it as a vote of no confidence, The appearance of the lobbies also indicated that this was a no confidence motion. If Mr Ormond did not mean to unseat the Government, it was plain enough that the Opposition meant to do it under his auspices. He denied that there was any discontent with the existing local government institutions, or any demand for a new form. The ouly real complaint was a want of means to carry out their work. What was wanted was assistance to work out existing institutions, and not to alter them. He defended the Government against the charge of having wasted the session. With regard to the charge of not having brought down the Redistribution Bill at the commencement of the session, it was impossible to have done so until they had the census returns. Government propoEed to decentralise so far Sβ possible, but they did not wish to see the Colony cut up into a number of feeble states, unable to do good themselves, and preventing the Colony from doing any good either. They proposed to extend and improve the County and Koad Board system. They proposed to delegate many powers to the counties at present vested in the Governor, and to givo them reasonable pecuniary assistance for opening out their districts. He then reviewed their proposals for main and district road purposes. Mr Ormond's conduct in deserting them without giving them warning vas a proceeding that he was sure -would be resented by the country. Tho essence of party government was that the members of a party should trust each other. Mr Ormond's conduct struck nt the root of party government, and deserved severe condemnation. Whatever might bo tho rosult of the division, he and his colleagues on those benches could look back to their two years' administration of the Government with feelings of satisfaction, and with the warmest gratitude for the generous support given by their party.

Sir G- Grey said that here was a Government deserving pity. They had lived from hand to mouth without any policy, and they were now getting to the "fend of their tether. They deserved pity and assistance. He denied that he and his friends had attempted to restore Provincialism. They never thought of anything go insane. They knew that a nation could not go back, "What they proposed was to take a utep in advance. He for one complained against the county system, as it meant to deprive them of what wore their just righta. It was a system that gave 'as many as forty-five votes (o one man, while others had only one vote. That was the cause of his hatred of the system. It was a system devised by men who desired to save their ill-gotten wealth. He stood there a wronged man ; the whole population stood forth wronged men at the hands of such an inferior and unjust system. If men did net feel degraded under uuch a system then they were unworihy of tho name of men. Tho House had been misled about the llepresentation Bill. He counselled them i not to be afraid of the threats used. They were able to frame a much better Bill than the present Government, and if they were sent to tho country without that Bill then Ihe fault would not be theirs. It would be the fault of those gentlemen who forced it on them instead of resigning office. That was the view that would be taken, and he asked them not to be afraid, as the electors would be sure to return them again. He called upon them to dismiss all such fears from their inindo, and vote for what was undoubtedly the right. Again he told them that it was their duty to turn out men who were governed by circumstance/?, and who could not govern circumstances. He begged those who loved their country to follow him into the lobby in order to givo New Zealand free institutions and deliver it from the restrainte which now pressed so heavily npon it.

Mr Saunders eaid that when he rose on Tuesday night he little thought he was taking part in a movement that would bring about this important crisis to the country, While there was a danger of the two tiieuibare for the Thames and the member for Port Chalmers getting upon J jo bcncl i lc to M not tuppoit the r 11 0 n i <■ ! r <■ rl o Adjou iiment to Cjuseroie>it I? 30. t ' 'i vii i3^nk no'ment Bill md t t p i >'i Bill \tio lotid j r<\ i n r[ ei a «iioi»- dobitte, ' i i H •> , n imenuuicnt to ie '! lues y oemg j i»» '< ' ( i "0? '■> Wiiarl & lie • 1)1" McvCa lie-) 15ill V en ttec / o m c tntijte , ! i petiMon, if, icd \ .Iμ ICS , Of i , B.U 1 i vcnhl 'i , \< t i Ue j v in (n ) i ito i ip> ; -* nitxu I ti 1 the HO i lit enucxuiud Lia ■

intention of supporting the Government. Hβ considered that the Kond Boards were useful institutions, which hnd in the past performed n deal of useful work. Provision was necessary for enabling the local "" bodies to discharge their functions more efficiently, and this the Government proposed to make. He considered that the House was competent to deal with every ■" legitimate claim for redress that came before it.

Mr Harris called attention to the etate of the House, a quorum not being present. The requisite number having boen brought in, Mr Gibbe resumed, reiterating his intention of voting for the Government. Mr Reid said that the proposals made by_ the Government were in many respects suitable to the district ho represented. Hβ was not opposed to those proposals, but he was opposed to the Government itself, as they had not done their duty in the past. He had no confidence that they would carry ont what they proposed. He agreed in the opinion that the country had got local government enough, and if they went to the country he imagined that the County and Road Boards system would be approved of. Of the various schemes before thefn on local government, he gavo the preference to the scheme propounded by Mr Saunders.

Mr Shrimski also avowed his intention of voting against the Government. He charged them with having neglected the interests of his district. Hβ was also opposed to the proposals brought down. He charged Ministers with dangling the vacant portfolio before the eyes of the members for the purpose of receiving support.

Mr Hursthouse criticised Mr Wood at length, saying that he had ability and prestige enough to make him a political leader, whereas he had by hit unstable conduct eiinply dragged constitutional Government through the mire. The true issue before the House was a concrete form of local administration on one side, and, on the other hand, no administration at all. That was the position of affairs as between Mr Ormond and the Government. If the Government resigned and he consented to take office, what would the result be ? It would not be him, but Sir G. Grey who would form the Government, and then, in that case, Mr Ormond would be bound to retire from such a party. They could not possibly work together. They did not require the dual form of Government* They had either to sweep away the counties or the Eoad Boards, and he thought the Road _ Boards the moat useful. The exsuperintendents he considered mischievous men, and thought they ehonld be disqualified from occupying eeats in that House. Mr Gieborne eaid that the issue had assumed more importance than the subject matter of the original motion. It embraced the whole policy of the Government. Local self-government permeated every view of the Constitotion. He dealt at some length with the early state of the question as it existed in thia Colony. The Groremmont held out as a threat that if thisamendment passed redistribution would not pase. He would ask why it was not passed long ngo, They could have passed it in 1879. It was not necessary to secure mathematical accuracy by waiting for the consns returns. The Government complained that private overtures had not been made to them before this step was taken. Why, the fact wae that they were accustomed to look to that side of the House for counsel and direction in all they did. While they had been in tho Opposition had provided the measures, but unfortunately the late Government had not left a Local Government Bill in the pigeon-holes for their successor!? to appropriate, as they had appropriated every measure they had carried. Of course there was a limit to this; they should not try to abuse their good nature. The duty of an Opposition w«s to criticise, not construct. They had to remember the example of the wise virgins, and retain oil for their own lamps. Believing that the Government proposals tended to perpetuate a bad state of tkings, he would vote against those yroposals, and in favor of tho amendment.

Mr Whyte said he did not think the Government proposals altogether perfect, but nothing better had been suggested. Aβ be did not think the present Ministry likely to be improved on, be should vote Against the amendment.

Mr Moss thanked Mr Ormond for having brought this local government question to a crieie. Whether the amendment was lost or carried, it had been brought under the notice of the public, and until the question was satisfactorily answered it wonld not be allowed to rest. Kedistribulion was the card that the Government was going to play. They would keep on the debate unlil they had enticed one or two members to go over to them,. and thoj would then bring down & Redistribution Bill that thuy knew would not paes. They would then go to the country, and say that horrid Opposition prevented us from passing this Bill. Mr Harris moved the adjournment of the dobate, and the House rose at midnight until Tuesday.