NO CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 812, 9 November 1877, Page 3

NO CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Mr Pyke, who resumed the debate on this question on Thursday evening last, said he thought the Opposition were satisfied with might against right, hut the country would not, and the Opposition would find this unless they pave much better reasons than thev had yet done for their action. It was to their constituents that they would have to account. Major Atkinson was simply fighting for place and power, and from end to end of the country there was hut one sentiment that the Ministry had not fair play. Their defeat would excite an universal howl of execration and indig. nation at men charged with ho offence being tinned out simply l*conui.o others wantel their places. There was hut one remedy for the present confusion, and that .was an appeal to the country. Ho was quite prepared tofmeet the land fund question by

determining that a fixed proportion being appropriated to local public works, tho balance should go into common purse so as to avoid living on Treasury Bills. Ho quoted Sir George Grey's and Colonel Whitmore’s speeches to show there was absolute unanimity of opinion in thorn, and that both were pledged to preserve tho unity of the Colonv and not revive Provincialism. He objected altogether to two or three families monopolising all political power. The ice was now broken, however, and the old state of things would never return. The present Ministers were men of business, from whom yes or no could promptly he obtained ; but the late Ministry always pursued the Fabian policy of delay from month to month, and sometimes from year to year. He severely censured those members who were now prepared to vote for Major Atkinson after having recently voted against him, and pronom oed them politic illy dead. Neither side would ever tolerate them in office.