MONDAY, OCTOBER 1.

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

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1.

The Commissioner of Customs replied at length to some of the previous speakers, and contended that all that could be charged against the Government was errors of judgment-, to which all v/ere liable ; but such a matter as this Waka one was altogether too paltry to affect the fate of a Government.

. Mr Toiaroa admitted sighing a letter asking the Waka to be carried on under certain conditions, but these had beep disregarded in the .conduct of the

paper,

Mr Beetham thought it necessary Government should h*;Ve a Maori newspaper to convey their Views 'to Natives, especially to counteract the injurious •influence, of 'the " Wahanga regarding 'repudiatioii. ; . ;. ,

Mr Murray held that the .-present

Ministry wns,fnlly respOsiblia for all Sir J. Vogel's Government had done, inolndir*<r the publication of the libels. The Maoris had far more trust in. the Wananga than the Waka Maori. The Hon. Mr Kusscll hid been willing to "accept; 'au apology and L2OO to ia charity, but Ministers preferred bringing the power of the Government to bear to crush a personal and political opponent, and the result was the Soun.try had to pay L6OOO. Considering hovy Mr bussell, in 1869, 'came to Mr Stafford's assistance, and so earned the enmity of the Hawkes Bay land ring, Mr Stafford's remarks about him were most ungenerous.

Mr Ballance regarded the issue as badly chosen, and too small to determine the fare of a Ministry. He condemned the Government for seeking* colleagues amongst the Opposition ': shch a system destroyed all parties. He hoped soon to see two "strong permanent formed on the principle of Conservatism and Liberalism.

Mr Hey holds did nbt think the Opposition sincere, and there was nothing to justify the motion. He would like to see a dissolution next session, when the representation should be re-adjusted. Mr Fisher thought the motion not half strong enough to vindicate the proper position ofthe House. The House then divided, the motion being lost by 42 to 33. The division-list on Mr Larnach's motion is as follows': — "For the Government :— Messrs Atkinson, Baigent, Ballance, Beetham, Bowen, Burns, Button, Curtis, Douglas, Fitzroy, Gibbs, Harper, Henry, Hunter, Hursthouse, Johnston , Kelly, Kennedy, Kenny, Lumsdon, Macfarlane, Mauders, M'Lean, Moorhbuse, Morris (teller), Murray- Aynsley, Ormond, Iveici, Richardson, Richmond, itowo, Rus« sell, Sharp, Stafford. Stevens, Sutton, Tawiti, Teschomakor, "Wason (teller), Whitaker, Williams, and Woolcock, For the Opposition : — Messrs Barff, Brown J. C, Brown J. E:,. Bunny, De Laulour, Dignau, Fisher, Gisborne, Gre)',' Hamlin, Hislop, Hodgkinson, Joyce, Lornaeh (teller), Lusk, Macandrew, Montgomery, Murray, Nahe, O'Rcurke, Rolleston, Scaton, Sheclian, bhrimski, Stout (teller), Swansou, Taiaroa, Takamoaua, Thompson, Tolc, Wakefield, Wood W. Pairs: -For tho Government— Messrs Cox, Fox, Key nolds, Carrington, and Seymour. For the Opposition- Messrs Reader Wood, leavers, Wallis, Bastings, and Pyko. Messrs Bi<yco laid Brandon were absent.