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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3773, 18 August 1883, Page 2

It is impossible to conceive anything more foolish than Mr Bathgate's motion last ni'i-ht on the House going into Committee of° Supply. The motion was of course merely made witli the object of wasting time, "or, perhaps, it would bo quite within the bounds of parliamentary language to say that the proposal contained in the motion was to " play tho fool" with tho Government of the country. It is ridiculous to suppose that there was any serious intention to authorise the Ministry " to enter into provisional negotiations for the purchase of 2000 acres," in tho Middle Island, as a site for a legislative capital. There is no money to spend in the shifting of tho capital of the colony, and every member of the House knows perfectly well that it could not bo done under half a million of money. The cost of administration, added to the interest upon the jiublio loans, has so vastly increased since the abolition of provincialism, that it is with the very greatest difficulty a few pounds can be scraped together for tho absolute wants of public accommodation on our railways. In face of the fact that poverty is pleaded by the Government for turning the Corporation out of its two poor halfrotten rooms to give more accommodation to the Registry of Deeds Office, ancl that the cost of building a railway station at Napier is the reason why wo arc to put up with a miserable shed, Mr J. Buchanan, tho member for Napier, voted for Mr Bathgate's motion. Perhaps Sir George Grey told him to do it for a lark. And Mr Buchanan figures as our representative !