The General Assembly.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 173, 2 November 1877, Page 7

The General Assembly.

«• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25. Wi-NT OF CONFIDENCE. Major Atkinson in moving a vote of want of confidence in the Government, spoke but briefly. The following are ■ the leading points upon which he based his motion. We quote from his speech : — In the first place it appears to me that though the hon. gentleman occupies the position, he is not head of the Government by the vote of the majority of this House. It is perfectly certain and beyond dispute that there were more gentlemen who voted upon the late division against the late Government than the majority which displaced them, who would not so have voted if they had believed that the hon. gentleman would succeed to power. If this is true, or if there is a suspicion that it is true, I will ask the hon. gentleman whether he deserves to occupy that place and that position when he has been challenged and told that he does not possess the confidence of the House 1 \ . But putting this aside, let us suppose that the hon. gentleman did obtain his seat by a small majority, then I say that even if that is true he has altogether failed to collect around him such a Ministry as this House can have confidence in. It is quite evident, and indeed it is common talk, that the hon. gentleman cannot even command the services of the best men in his own party. I should like to know why, if the hon. gentleman has the real confidence of his party, the hon. member for Akaroa is not now Colonial Treasurer 1 and I should like also to know why the hon. member for Auckland City East is not AttorneyGeneral 1 In the Legislative Council we have the distinct statement of the gentleman who represents the Government in the Legislative Council that he has undertaken the duty very reluctantly, and only for the purpose of getting them out of a difficulty, and that he only considers himself bound to them till the end of the session. Then another reason why this House should not have confidence in the hon. gentleman is that he has already departed from some cardinal points of the policy which he laid down to this House as essential, or he has entirely failed to apprehend the importance of them. The hon. gentleman, in a speech in which he shadowed forth the policy of the Government, said that one great desire of his Government was to have a thorough sifting* and investigation in to the finances of the Colony. The. dark places were to be made light ; all the misdoings of the late Government were to be exposed, and the hou. gentleman, in order to do this, was prepared, if necessary, to defy this House, and to retain those seats until he had an opportunity of doing it. The finances were to be j placed in a perfectly clear and simple light before the public, and it is possible that the hon. gentleman may be able to put them in such a light that no other person has yet been able to put them, and if he does that he will certainly receive my thanks, for 1, too, have endeavoured to do so to the best of my ability while I was in the Treasury. I have endeavoured with all the power I possessed to make things simple and clear. I have endeavoured to do that, and I was willing at all times to give fall information to anybody upon the subject either privately or in public, and if the hon. gentleman, as I say, is able to put the finances in a better light, the thanks of the Colony would be due to him. Another point which he laid great stress upon was that the public works were to be carried on with economy and vigour ; that the Government, profiting by the experiences and shortcomings of former Governments, would be in a better position than any Government he had seen to carry them on with vigour and economy. The finances were to be made simple, and a thorough investigation was to take place upon them,' and the public works were to be prosecuted with economy and vigour. Now, Sir, how has the hon. gentleman proceeded to give effect to this desire 1 I He confers both offices upon a gentleman who is absolutely without political experience, and who has never taken any but a very languid interest in public questions, and the hon. gentleman freely accepts the duty and he undertakes to do the work during the session ; he undertakes to give a full exposition of the finances aad to carry on the public works with economy and despatch. I I would say that any hon. member by acI cepting such duties as those shows his I absolute unfitness for either office, and I I will say it must make it exceedingly I doubtful to this house whether the hon. I member is really competent to perform 1 tbem, and I would ask who would 1 make such an appointment for such I purposes ? The hon. member then proI ceeded to refer to the delay that had ocI carred in making the financial stateI ment, arguing that the facts upon which 1 to base such statement were patent to 1 the Treasurer, and that there was no I necessity for delay. He continued — I Then, Sir, I am told by the followers of I the hon. gentleman that, although this 1 ' s not much of a Government that we bave now, there are great materials in the party, and that if we will only wait ; a short time, and especially until the \ end of the session, we shall see a Government of which New Zealand shall be proud. ? Well, I confess, for one, 1 I™ am. not prepared to wait for that time. *> for one, am not prepared to place in

the hands of the hon. member for the Thames the power to select colleagues after this House has risen. I claim my right as a representative of New p Zealand fo know the Government under which we are to pass the recess. To . my mind it would be absolutely useless to wait at this period of the session, when hon. gentlemen are stopping with very great difficulty, and especially those who are engaged in country pursuits. It appears to me it would be entirely unreasonable to give those hon. gentlemen longer than we have don_. I challenge them, to bring down their financial policy or their expositions of the shortcomings of the late Government. Undoubtedly, as a party move, had there been time, it would have been a very great advantage for the Opposition to have waited until those hon. gentlemen had displayed their hands more fully; but, as I say, there was absolutely no time, and by the dilatory action of the Government we have been obliged to take the course we have done. We were told that the present Government did more work in ten days than we did in two or three months, but, Sir, I would ask what is the work they have done 1 they have discharged many of the Bills which we put on the Order Paper, and they have carried, with our assistance, other Bills which we also put on the Order Paper. This is the great work which those hon. gentlemen have done. 1 do not propose to go into the general policy of the hon. gentleman at the head of the Government. T might indicate great inconsistencies between his statement the other day and the statement he has repeatedly made as leader of the Opposition, but I think I have adduced amply sufficient reasons to induce hon. members to pass the resolution of which I . had the honour to give notice. Mr Reynolds moved an amendment : "That the Government having not yet declared their policy, the House declines in the meantime to entertain any vote of want of confidence in the Ministry." The hon. member, in support of the amendment, said he did not think the House was justified in voting for ' the motion until the Ministry had an opportunity of declaring their policy. It was not easy to bring down a policy : immediately on taking* office. He believed ; the people of the Colony were watching closely the action of the House, ' and if without any reason they voted against the present Government, the public would not support them. It ' would be said they were simply trying to replace one set of men by. another without any regard to the interests of the public. To vote for the motion was voting for men not measures, until tbe ' Ministerial measures were before the ' country they had no proper standard by which to judge the men. Four of the present Ministry represented onefifth of the whole constituents of the whole Colony, and it could not, therefore, be said they were not fit men to govern the Colony. Mr Manders intimated that he intended to vote for Major Atkinson's motion. Sir George Grey, after a few introductory remarks, said : The hon. member for Egmont has made the accusation that I have not been placed on these benches by the vote of a majority of this House. Sir, it is not at all unusual when an hon. gentleman is requested to form a Ministry that he should decline the principal office himself, and select some other gentleman as chief. That is a constitutional rule — a rule which is constantly observed, and one which was followed on the present occasion. Another ground of objection was that I was unable to obtain the assistance of the greatest minds of my own P a rty. To that I reply that the statement is absolutely inaccurate. One or two of those gentlemen did decline to join the Government at present for reasons honourable to themselves, honourable to me, honourable to this House, and honourable to the country. They said they had recently become members of thepSrty, and that it should never be said that they dad determined to help me in carrying out my views from a desire to hold office. They declined solely on that account. Contrast that conduct, Sir, with the conduct of some of those hor. gentlemen who occupy the Opposition benches. Other hon. gentlemen .belonging to my own party told me that they desired not to take office in order that I might, if possible, ultimately constitute a Government composed of gentlemen from every Provincial District of New Zealand. The universal thing said t-y me by all the gentlemen was this, " Neglect us, we ask for nothing ; we desire the welfare of the country ; don't put me into office and thus disappoint the inhabitants of the Colony who might see their own districts not, represented in the Government; all the ability we have shall be at your service, whether in office or out of office ; what we wish for is the prosperity of New Zealand, not ■ office for ourselves." Contrast that conduct with the conduce of. some hon. members on tbe Opposition side of the : House who yearn for office at any sacrii fice of principles. Sir, lam glad this great occasion has arisen, because many i questions of importance will now be considered, questions which must form s a precedent for ail time to come. The ■ House is ranging itself into two great I parties, and the first question to be i decided is what constitutes political . honesty, what examples during this det bate are to be given to the country at

large and to all future ages. Upon these benches, and on that side of the House, sit hon. gentlemen, who, unasked by me, pledged themselves in solemn terms, and in friendly language, to give me their support throughout the session. I will not believe that those gentlemen will depart from those pledges until I see them in the lobbies against me. Let the question be determined, What is political morality 1 " What is it which constitutes political honour, political honesty, and political morality 1 We have to determine what is to be the example to be p.ven to New Zealand for all time—that is the one great question which must he decided on this occasion. Then, Sir, there are other great questions to be decided. Hon. gentlemen on my side of the House who think with me have been taunted with what are called their Conservative principles. Sir, we care nothing for their taunts; we are determined to establish a policy for the people, a policy for the country at large, we have resolved that m New Zealand there shall be a party of progress, and not a party of Conservative notions. With them (the Opposition), Sir, Conservatism is a Conservatism of place and power, a Conservatism of privileges' which they have usurped to themselves above their fellow subjects in this coun- ! try ; a Conservatism of acquiring place and public wealth. Let them strive to '■ preserve that ; let them strive to keep their fellow-countrymen out of a clue ; share of the influence and direction of public affairs of this House, and we will try to allow the people to have that fair share of the direction of public affairs. ! For years they have withheld advan- '' tages from their fellow-men, and heaped those advantages on their friends. A ' new era is dawning ; new times are coming, and new men will soon be found in this House ; new principles ■ will prevail, and I believe that in New '• Zealand will be established that great ' principle that all men have equal rights ' in the property and in the lands of the ] Colony ; that the Lnds are the property 1 of all, and not the property of a party 1 of squatters. And there are in this ] country thousands who will leap to ' their feet and aid myself and my friends ' in the struggle we are engaged in. I ' don't fear that when we appeal, as I ' think will be necessary, to the con- 1 stituents, but that ono triumphant voice * will shout to me in reply, "If you are ( told you have not the voice of a majority J of the House, you shall be elected by a majority of the people of New Zealand ; you shall be supported by their voices and their authority in claiming* for ( them those rights to which they are - entitled." I feel sure that the time is * coming when these principles must be ' carried out. I know the objects we have in view are great. I feel sure ■ that they will commend themselves to * all liberal minds, not only at the pre- ' sent day, but in all time to come, and I ' am contented patiently and earnestly to ' struggle on for these ends, certain that ' in due time they will be attained. We ' have been taunted amongst other things ] with not having rapidly developed our ' financial system ; and the hon. gentle- ' man went on to say that we should de- ■ serve well of the whole Colony if we ■ put the accounts before the inhabitants ' of New Zealand in a simpler form — if we placed the accounts of the Colony before the people in such a form that ; they might be understood by all (and he admitted that he himself had failed in doing so) ; but when my hon. friend the other night described the hon. gentleman's financial scheme, he expressed I extreme anger with him for having used accurate language. Sir, the accounts of this country are understood by none, and can be understood by none, except experts. The system of transfers from one' account to another is such that as a whole they' are incomprehensible to any but a person who is really an expert in reference to them, and the public of New Zealand has been greatly misled by the accounts put before them, accounts absolutely unintelligible. On one occasion lately, while trying to understand some of these accounts, I came across the Provincial liabilities account, and found set down sums as Provincial receipts which were not receipts at all ; in some instances they were sums borrowed out of loan balances. Many of the accounts are absolutely delusive, absolutely deceptive except to an expert, and then to an expert would be incomprehensible unless each item is taken and resolved into its separate component parts, which ' would be an extremely difficult task. But I believe the Colonial Treasurer will be found fully adequate to the task he has before him. His knowledge of accounts is great, his integrity is great, his industry is unbounded, and of such men in a short time the greatest and best statesmen have been formed. To give the House an idea of the difficulties we have had to meet. I have prepared a short statement of the liabilities which must be instantly dealt with. I shall read this to the House, when they may see the difficulty under which New Zealand is struggling. These, large sums must immediately be raised in some way or another. There was according' to the statement of the late Colonial Treasurer a necessity for a loan of L 2,000,000 for the completion of public works, nnd the reduction of the guaranteed debentures ; then for additional Provincial liabilities unprovided for at the present time, it is ascertained that L 2,000,000 will be required ;v. but that sum tru-st be swelled to, a s-jtilli'" V

greater amount. There are Treasury bills 'outstanding to: the amount of L 832,000; there is m- deficiency- of revenue, as estimated by the late Colonial Treasurer, of L 167,000 to be met. Then it is absolutely necessary to obtain this session the means of raising a further sum of L 1,000,000 to repay loans by the Bank of New Zealand and the Bank of New South Wales. It is also necessary to obtain a sum ot L 1,000,000, 000,000 by the Ist of January next to meet a loan incurred upon account of the Lyttelton harbour ; there is also L 2,000,000 required to meet further Public Works and supplementary estiI mates of the late Government. We shall have to provide another L 200,000 to meet discount on tbe two million loan if issued at A\ per cent , assuming the bonds being L9O net, which gives us a total of L 4,699,000 which has to be raised at once. But in addition there has been borrowed from the Public Works loan account L 300,000. I am satisfied that that sum will also have to be provided for in some way other than out of the Consolidated Fund. D is strictly a floating debt. The late Government were authorised to borrow L' 300,000 for the Public Works account, and what has been done is this — such sum having been borrowed and used last year, it was repaid into the account on the 30fch June, so the account was squared and the amount disappears ; but early in July and August the sum was re-borrowed. The fact is it was not a payment at all, it was a nominal payment, nothing but that; it was paid in and borrowed again instantly. Then there is another account which must be brought under the notice of the House, and that is j claims of which the House has never I been informed ; but claims lor extra j works and other contracts for railways amount to L 171,237. It may be said that the whole of that amount may not be found to be due and payable. I i have only to say this, that the very first ; item contested, LBOO, was found to be j wholly due, every penny of it, and I believe that nearly the Ll 71,000 will be I required,' or at any rate that there will , be a heavy charge against the Colony' on that account. I have this further to add in reference to the statement I have made in regard to our liabilities, that in point of fact they include a debt of a most objectionable character. It in« eludes what I may call a floating debt. In that I iaclude L 1.000,000 borrowed from the Banks; L 832.000, Treasury Bills, and LIOO,OOO required for the Lyttelton Harbour; that is a floating* debt of nearly L 2,000,000. Now, what I ask the attention of the House to be directed to in this most importantmatter which has been done is this — the Government have gone into the open market, and in the open market have raised loans at a comparatively low rate of interest, and then the Government have withheld from the persons from whom they so borrowed the fact that they were raising from private individuals, or in what I may call the " close " market, large sums of money at a high rate of interest. Whpn that fact comes to be known, I am afraid our credit must be c*eriously shaken — in fact it is a system of finance of a most objectionable kind. With regard specially to the Treasury Bills, it will be within the recollection of the House that tbey authorised L 400,000 to be borrowed on Treasury Bills, the agreement being that these Treasury Bills were to be repaid rapidly ih succeeding years from sums saved out of the consolidated fund. That expectation not only has not been fulfilled, but from that time they have gone on borrowing on Treasury Bills. There is absolutely no end to it, and one of the first things to be done is to pay off these in some manner. The system of borrowing in the open market at a low rate of interest, and from private persons at a high rate of interest, is a semi-barbaric system — it is a system of a most discreditable kind, and one which ought not to be allowed. To ascertain the fact which I have put before the House was no easy-matter. It is very difficult indeed to ascertain from the accounts in the form they are presented to the House, the material facts connected with the finance of this Colony. We have clearly ascertained our'position. We had devised a scheme 1 of finance which 1 hope early next week we could have presented to the House. I believe that the reductions which we j would have shown could be carried out I would have satisfied the House that once it placed us in a stable position we could hastily reduce tbe existing expenditure. I think we could have shown that a system of taxation would be established which would relieve the people from many of the burdens under which they now labour, and would place equally on all shoulders the exact proportion of public burdens which they should fairly bear, I believe all that could be done has been done. But the hon. gentleman is pleased, and his friends are pleased, in their avidity for office, not to wait for a few days, to see if what was proposed was objectionable. They rush in at once to stop what is going on. lam satisfied they, do not wish that a more liberal system than their own should have the approval of the House. I would have shrunk with shame from sooih of the expedients which some of the late Government have had recourse to in reference to those sums which they proposed to take without the authority of law : from • the : Land Fund of Canterbury and Otago. I would have scorned to have been a

■■_M_______M__---_MK--W-IMI_-i«aw*^^ f party to such a transaction. I would f have known that in those .Provinces f every individual who bought land - aud "paid his money for that land . had so paid his money under the pledge - that it would be expended upon ceri tain public works which would give j r value to the property he had purchased, 1 and that the fulfilment of this pledge 5 was a solemn contract entered into with _ him by the people of the Colony. I t would have scorned to brake a contract : of this kind. The contract was as > solemn as could be entered into. So * muc'i money was paid upon a certain . condition. I say, fulfil the condition ! with et-ery man who has paid his money. I Myself and my friends who sit on those ; benches with me, have determined to • set our faces against proceedings of this i kind. If the House can select better men to occupy these seats, by all means do so, and I say if they prove their capability for solving this difficult problem in a proper manner — if they propose to do so in a way that is fair and honest, plundering no one, and securing to all their rights, then I will cheerfully and gladly assist them in such measures whatever they may be. There are one or two other subjects I ought to allude to. During* the short period of time we have been in office we have devoted ourselves to the . question of native policy. That was if possible in a more tangled state than the finances of the country. What was the condition of the native question at the time we took office ? People were mnrdered even in the neighbourhood of towns, the murderers fled to places of refuge, and the Government dared not speak upon the matter, but meekly held their tongues. Prisoners were rescued where they were taken, and the Government was powerless throughout the greater portioG of the country. Even during the few days we have been in office the natives have evinced confidence in the Government, which would have enabled us to put a speedy end to such a state of things with the assistance of the native population themselves. The late, j Government were unable to carry ) roads through a great part of the ' country. From communication I have received I believe that within a few months we could have carried roads throughout a portion of the country from which they are now excluded, and that we could do so with the intelligent consent and hearty concurrence of the native population. There is one thing further I wish to say. I firmly hold the belief that when you are saddling enormous burdens on tbe people of this Colony — burdens in the shape of public debt, which are heavier than those borne by any other country in the world, — they should have conferred upon them equal electoral rights. The system of rotten boroughs or small constituencies returning members should be done away with. The duration of this House of Representatives should be fairly adjusted, so as to bring it always under the control of public opinion. By no other means can you hold that the inhabitants of New Zealand are bound to provide the interest and principal of the enormous debt which has been entailed upon them in direct violation .of the principle that taxation and.representation upon a fair basis must go hand in hand!, lam confident that with the assistance of this House, and with the aid which would have been given to us throughout the whole of New Zealand, within a very short period of time such a system as I speak of would have been established. lam told here, especially amongst members for Wellington, and also amongst other hon. gentlemen, that I am held to be a " Separationist," and that no confidence is to be placed in me. By all means I am to be dislodged from position and power, and notwithstanding* the violation of any pledge they may have entered into, they hold themselves justified in doing this ori account of my being known to hold those views. To that I answer that the study of history, the study of the interests of mankind, a large experience of public affairs continued through many years, an intimate acquaintance with many of the greatest minds that have existed in my lifetime, have convinced me that the one system which is most conducive to the benefit of a nation is Federalism, which is by no means Separation such as they pretend. Devoutly holding these views, am I to be silent upon the subject 1 No, Sir. But this Ido say, that I know that the duty of a good citizen, and the duty of a wise man, is to submit himself to the form of Government which prevails for the time in the country in which he lives, and to do his utmost for his country, whether he approves of its institutions are not, and to make those institutions as beneficial as possible for the country ; and I say that to ostracise a man because, sacrificing his own views in this way, he works for the good of his country under the form of Government which he finds existing* — to ostracise him because he is known to believe that a better form of Government could be introduced, is an unmanly and unwise course to pursue. Honorable gentlemen may try in that way to ostracise me. They may try to prevent me from serving New Zealand, but every effort they make in that direction, every pledge which they break, and which they solemnly -made * to me, will only endear me, more to the people of this country, will .insure, speedily Amy return to power if * I am * driven from it, with the power of carrying out view, and intentions whicli the great majority of the people will, recog-

nise as those upon which the greatness of their country and their own future welfare and happiness depend. Feeling that, I unhesitatingly accept the challenge the hop. gentleman has given him, and let this House decide as they please, I shall feel I have done my duty. Mr Gisborne explained why he felt obliged to vote for the motion, after so lately having voted on the other side. He opposed the late Government because of their improvident, shifty finance and unsatisfactory administration. He had hoped by joining the middle party to put in a moderate Government under a moderate and experienced leader; but the middle party were deceived. Ihe last thing they wished to do was jto put- Sir George Grey in power. While declining to accept Sir George Grey as leader, he said he would not vote against him unless his measures and policy proved repugnant to his principles. They had proved so on tbe all-important question of the unity of the Colony. Sir George Grey had surrounded himself with a Ministry last year pledged individually to financial separation, and federation, and he could not believe them so insincere as to change by being on the Government benches. Indirectly or directly, they would work in that direction. He could not therefore support them. Mr Montgomery at considerable length reviewed the past conduct ol Major Atkinson's Ministry to show that they did not deserve restoration to office. Since 1875 they had increased the public debt, by Lff,682,000, and seriously injured the public credit. If the present Government were turned out without an opportunity of declaring their policy they would not turn the other cheek to be smacked. Their successors would not have a pleasant time of it. .Such an attempt as the present one was contrary to constitutional usage. Dr Wallis strongly condemned the motion as unfair, and at length reviewed the policy of Major Atkinson's Ministry. He believed the country rejoiced over the radical change of administration. He hoped the present men would retain office till the finances were placed in a better condition, the shattered constitution restored, and real loc-d government established. They should also be left free to fully investigate the conduct of their predecessors. No greater public misfortune could occur than a return of the late Ministry to power, however disguised or reconstructed. Although a separatiomV, he was content now to accept the unity of the Colony with a common purse and land fund, and a colonial revenue. Mr de Lautour strongly condemned the conduct of those members who, having a fortnight ago assisted to turn out the Atkinson Government, now wan red to put him back, crowning their infamy \ by seeking office under him. He I thought the proceedings of the late j Ministry required investigation. He j condemned the present motion as indecent and unconstitutional, and urged an agreement between North and South on the Land Fund question on tbe basis of a fixed proportion being localised. MONDAY,~OCTOBER 29. Mr Shrimski said that against any attempts to maintain Provincial institutions, or obtain Separation, he was pre pared to maintain the unity of the Colony. He saw nothing- in Major A tkinson's speech beyond a desire to get back to office. He thought the manner in which the present Ministry i conducted the business was far preferable to that, of the late Government. Major Atkinson used to set ' ; *n exceedingly bad example to the House when in office, and might learn a useful lesson from the conduct of his successors. The policy of the last Government was " give a loan and let us alone." They had introduced an Education Bill, but they sadly needed education themselves in political honesty and morality. Mr Curtis said it was a remarkable thing that all the speakers on the other side asked them, to consider Sir George Grey as a new man, and to forget all his past career and past speeches. Had he moved the vote which Mr Larnach did, it would not bave been carried, for his views, especially on Separation, were well known. Every member of the Government held similar views, and no Government which advocated Separation should have his vote, nor could he have confidence in the gentlemen who in office were willing to abandon the principles they had advocated in opposition. So far from retrenchment proceeding in the direction recommended by Sir George Grey, he thought it would go in the other direction. In railways, for instance, the Committee now sitting 'would probably recommend a system of local management. As. to the --proposed reduction of 'Ministerial salaries, a similar policy had some years ago been adopted in the Nelson Provincial Government.- An executive got into office on a cry of the kind, and it Speedily ended iD the salaries of the members of the Government' beingraised instead of decreased. Sir George Grey did not venture to say that the heads of departments were overpaid, but proposed to reduce salaries simply because they could not afford it. It would be a very uncourageous thing* to reduce salaries which were already low in comparison to those paid in mercan- * tile establishments. He had joined the middle party on the most distinct assurances that neither Sir George Grey nor . his immediate followers would either seek or take office. He therefore voted

for the no-confi lence morion, and very soon after, Sir George Grey, through his friends, expressed his desire to take office. He and others of the middle party at o nce refused to follow him, and promised to support Major Atkinson in tbe present motion, which he hoped would be carried. Mr Evans Brown desired to know how many of those who, like Air Curtis, had deserted the middle party, expected to be in the new Ministry. Humour said four at least. Major Atkinson presented a pitiable spectacle, seeking to return to office by the votes of those who a fortnight before had d. dared him unfit to hold office, and had turned him out, declaring the late Government showed the maximum of political profligacy and the minimum of adminisira'ive policy. That, Sir George Grey should have had a difficulty in filling the Ministerial seats showed the Opposition was not hungry for office, but was supporting Sir George Grey from principle. Sir George Grey" had no sham about him. He would not go in for sham finance, and would, if left in office, place before the country a real and fair statement of the position of the country, and boldly ask it to do what was necessary to restore the public credit — whether it was to generalise the Land Fund or impose a property tax. The preserifc Government showed that L 330,000 had been borrowed by the Public Account from the Public Works Account. That was tbe reason why money was short, and Ctago had to complain of her railway works not being carried on. Thus the whole railway system was t'.s bad as it could be. Mr 'Thomson ascribed the desire of Major Atkinson to get baok to office to something akin to a cat's instinct of locality. He reviewed at some length travelling and other allowances received by the late Ministry during their term of office. He reviewed also the policy of the late Government to show how unfit they were to be restored to office. He urged it was only fair to give the present Government a trial to see whether they could not do better than their predecessors. The conduct of the Opposition on the present motion was unprecedented in constitutional history. He believed the country was proud of having Sir George Grey in his present position.