FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 169, 5 October 1877, Page 3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.

Mr Curtis had never before known a want of confidence motion depend on so utterly insignificant a question. It had been absolutely proved that no charge to the revenue had been imposed by the continued publication of the paper. He believed the majority of those who voted against the Waka item last session, did so simply to save the £100, not to kill- the paper if it could be conducted without cost to the Colony. Had Sir D. M'Lean not been absent: through illness the vote would not have been struck out. He thought siibse-' quent representations fully justified the Government in continuing the.publication on the terms they did. There was no doubt a. thoroughly substantial guarantee had been given Government. Mr Montgomery reviewed the changes in the position of both parties since--1873, and pointed to tl 'a two wings Ai the present Opposition as working harmoniously together. As to the Waka Maori c-ise, he contended that .the Government, by pleading justification in the Hon. H. Russell's case, adopted the libel as fully as if thfey had. written or published it themselves. He I read 'correspondence 'relative 'to Mr

Sheehan's libel case, in 'which the poverty of the editor"' and printer was pleaded by the Solicit pr- General n? reason for not giving LIQO as well as an apology for a libel published after the present Government took office, in a jmper published by authority, with the r ßoyal arm's at its bead. The [louse had a. right to ask who were the guarantors, and was the contract 'made in writing? Who ordered the paper to be printed I ■ And - also to ask for a great deal more information about the terms of this most extraordinary bargain. Even if beaten on this question by members nbt voting for it, they thought it right the Opposition would not give up,, but would strive earnestly until they placed, men on the Treasury benches with convictions and determined tO stick to them, not merely, doing anything in order to retain seats ; men also who would not, when they! have a vacancy, go and try. to steal a: man from the Opposition. . Mr Sutton would oppose the motion. He considered the Opposition case hadentirely broken down.

Mr Takamoana said Government was not so ready to attend to the request of tbe Maoris in other cases as they were about continuing the Waka Maori: They had not read communications from Natives on other subjects of great importance to the Natives. He denied that the Maoris supported the Waka Maori. Great evil would rise if the present Government remained in office, and carried on as they had been, for if so there would be fighting in this Island next year.

Tawiti defended the publication of the Waka- as useful co the Natives.

Mr Hamlin said that not one-tenth of the Maori people ever saw the miserable abortion. He condemned the means taken by the Government to get up an agitation in favour of the Waka Maori, The East Coast Natives were not anxiotis that the paper should be

continued.

Mr Pyke knew only that the Government had defied the House in publishing the paper. In some of the Ministers he had no confidence, for others he had the greatest respect, and what was really wanted was a reconstruction, so as to get a strong and united Government.

Mr Carrington was satisfied with the explanation given by Ministers for continuing the publication.

Mr Rolleston considered the case against the Government proved. They did not possess the confidence of the majority sufficient to enable them to carry their measures, and would consult their own relf-rfSjiect by retiring. Till the} r resigned good Government was impossible.

Mr Wason objected to Mr Rolleston lecturing the House.

Mr Gisborne thought there cuild be no doubt the Government had done what the motion said. That they should be able to do so in defiance of the vote of the House showed what a farce the, Audit system was. He would vote for the motion to vindicate the authority of the House and Parliamentary Government. It was time the country had a Ministry which was hot servile during the session and defiant during the recess.

Mr Stafford replied at length to the speeches of Messrs Wakefield, Gisborne, Travers, and Montgomery. He defended himself from the charge of having deserted his party in 1873, and narrated the whole circumstances connected with his retirement. The present Ministry was really his party, being formed . of old colleagues and political allies. He saw very little chance ot forming fixed politicalpartifis. Certainly these two wings of an Opposition without a body but with a crowing head, did not. contain the elements of an abiding party. He thought the Government had acted rightly in regard to the Waka Maori. During twenty years seventeen successive Ministries had felt it necessary to have a Maori paper.

Mr Stout objected to Mr Stafford's autobiographical and patronising style His position, as now avowed, was that of the irresponsible wire-puller of the Ministry, "which was unconstitutional. The country had lost faith in Mr Stafford. If political parties were impossible, then parliamentary government was a failure. He considered the allegations of the motion abundantly proved ; and as to attacking the general policy of Ministers, lift denied they had any to attack, for they stuck to nothing. If the Waka was valuable, why it had now been discontinued?

Mr M'Lean moved the adjournment of the debate.