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PARLIAMENT.

(Condensed from ‘Hansard.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. June 2. ADDRESS IN REPLY. Mr Edwards (Nelson City) moved the address in reply. He said that he believed that it was usually understood, and indeed accepted as a matter of fact, that the mover of the address in reply was to be looked upon generally as a supporter of the Government. To some extent he admitted that to be the case as regarded himself, but still he reserved to himself his right of private judgment and vote whenever he was called upon to exercise his political privileges in that direction. He thought it would be a matter for congratulation that the session had been called together earlier than usual. As to the period of the commencement of the war, no doubt there were some who might be disposed to blame those in power for permitting themselves to be found obliged to meet the rebel natives with a force totally inadequate to the emergency of the case—a matter which, taking into consideration the departure of the Imperial troops from the Colony, whose removal was, no doubt, the opportunity of the rebelliously inclined natives, ought never to have arisen. But, nevertheless, since that time the Government had taken advantage of every means at the disposal of tile Colony. He thought it must be admitted that by the ’slmr?a time" and with the of meat. He woiiltl indorse the: bpituom^icl^aAt^i^Tt!'a&wSpfc to-express, that-the thanks of the Colony*; were due to Colonel Whitmore afld the traces,' t European and native/who had sOtmath' towards driving back the rebel natives wher- • ever they could be met with. Whilst he was not piepared to say how the sore difficulty of the country was to be grappled with ; whilst he could not pretend to suggest a remedy for the evils which existed, it must be evident to all that something must be done to relieve the country which now lay with its industry in a great measure paralysed, preventing the progress of the settlement of the country, and restricting its trade, Such a state of tilings required for its remedy, no doubt, that the Colony should have at its disposal “ a highly force organised, embodied for a definite period, established in the best stategical positions and occupied in perfecting their communications.” Although he agreed in a great measure with the policy of the Home Government in the removal of the troops, still he did not agree that the Colony had not a strong moral claim to be afforded some assistance by England of another kind- It resolved itself into this, that the war might be called an Imperial war, and we have a right to look for aid to those who had been somewhat, at least indirectly, instrumental in bringing these troubles upon us. But to effect this desideratum of putting down the native rebellion we must begin by considering the question of ways and means. The way suggested in the speech pointed to another loan. There might be many lion, members who considered that another loan ought not to ba incurred j but those members should consider that, with a tariff so high as that which now existed, it was impossible to look for an increase of customs revenue in tliat direction, a heightened tariff meant depressed trade generally. The taxation was now as heavy as tha country noijjd hear i and he believed that heavy taxes would only lead to a decreased revenue, and not to an increased one. An income and property tax could not be brought into" immediate operation —and being slow in its operation, it could not be used, even if agreed to, for the purpose of meeting the present emergencyHe had no doubt that, under all the circumstances, lion, members would look forward with great anxiety to the production of the estimates of expenditure for the ensuing financial year; for they would show how far the Government had already been spending unvoted money m the exertions they had made to put down the Native war. It was, meanwhile, —gratifying to have the assurance that those estimates, with the exception of the requirements for defence purposes, would show a redaction of the expenditure of the country. Amor .gsi the many subjects of a depressing (haractcr which were t<) bo found itt - the speech, it was gratifying and- chweuU to allude to the paragraph" which sltqgfll the successful results of the operation iflnOT consolidation of loans, whjqh had been bppiight about under the veiy* ! *ble managejnefit of the hon. the Colonic Jfifreasurer. , M 6. (Mr Edwards) might be jßerniittid tO- say that while he did not appsfcof the nttid**' operandi resolved approved of the consolidatiqn^B^^fcSrovinOMiloans; and he was one of recognised that one been done was a about £30,000 a ycar .jkn charges, and and when it (was that the

crecßr of the Colony in the English money marfct had been very much raised, something miglut be said on both sides, and perhaps the resullts might be accepted as balancing against the %ad mode of procedure. The electric telegraph had been by some called a 1 of Government; but still, by thosi knew large had been the benefits ( telegraph to the country generally, it ■ be learned with satisfaction that the ext( of the system in the Northern Island

awaited the suppression of the rebt While wp could look to those singular!; Gold Fields in Auckland, which, taken gether with those on the West Coast of the Middle Island and in Otago, made New Zealand the (largest gold-exporting country in Her Majesty’s dominions, it could not but be felt that the riches of those fields would eventually have a large bearing on the pacification of the country. The House was, in the speech, invited to consider a bill for making undevised real estate distributable amongst next o£ kin, iu the same manner as personal property. The need of this measure shewed the great injustice that might occasionally result from a man dying intestate, the eldest son assumingp ossession of the property, and leaving other children wholly unprovided for. It might be said that the laws of the Colony on the subject were at present such, that even Judges of the Supreme Court were often not able to decide what was real and what was personal property. This bill, and other measures indicated iu the speech, would no doubt receive full consideratiou ; although it must of necessity prove that the native question would occupy much of the attention of tho House.

Mr Swan (the Thames) seconded the motion. Ho should like to congratulate the House on the determination expressed, or impl 01 rather, in the’speech, to put down this Maori rebellion with a strong hand. There were only two or three points in the address of which he would take any notice at present. He wished to congratulate tho House upon tho fact that, at last, we had a Commander of the Forces, who was able to go into the field and to meet the Maoris upon something like equal terms. Certainly the country was to be congratulated upon that fact. He should like to see the Native and the Defence Offices united, and put under very strong management. He thought that, so long as we had differences of opinion between commanders and civil commissioners in native districts, so long we should not have the Maori rebellion put down. "With respect to the proposal to ask the Home Government to guarantee a loan for the expenses of tho war, he must say that he should like, if wo could do it, to see those expenses paid out of current revenue; but if that were not poss - ble, and if we are to raise a loan, and ask the Home Government to guarantee it, it should not be a loan for war purposes strictly, and not in any way in aid of the regular expenses of the country. He was glad to See that the Government had tho intention of introducing a Representation Bill; he trusted that that bill would be based upon a fair principle with respect to country districts. It was his firm opinion that the cities of the Colony were over-represented at present. There was an omission' in the speech—it was. that no reference had been made to the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh. He thought that that- must have been an accidental omission. 1 Mr CBacroen Wilson, C. 8., rose for tho ' with of the speech. With regard ending with the words “ and .to eiprear<MQSbelicf that the question cannot ZRo fmp&K r prußed by the legislature here with orau 7 beneficial result ’piwyfff of New Zealand,” ho should like to'seeftjtFer words inserted such as “ in its present form,” because he believed there was another way in which the tiling could be done, and if the present phraseology was accepted by the House he should have ne chance hereafter of amending it. He must refer also to the sentence next but one after to which he had referred, “to express our belief that the conquest of a permanent peace will require an exceptional expenditure beyond what it is is advisable to levy in the shape of annual revenue, and a portion of it should bo borrowed by loan.” He was opposed to any loan whatever being ra’sed in addition to tho already heavy loans that now pressed so injuriously upon tho country, Mr Boelase wished it to bo understood that he was not ip ipcMned to adopt the address in reply as proposed. Mr Potts desired to state that he did not agree with the principle contained m that part of the address in which they were informed that an application for a guarantee to a loan had baeu made to the British Government. He must entirly object to the raising of loans in the present financial condition of the Colony. Mr Fox said that he merely rose on his own behalf as an individual member, to follow the members who had spoken in protesting agsvnst acciumrcoig in all the o intents of h : s Eicellency’s Speech, although he was not prepared to move an amendment to any particular port’on of it. There we-o manv port'ous of the Address against wln.oi he entirely protested, and with re'ereuce ’.o whioh he reserved to himself the right of repressing bis npinmn on a future occasion, when the House would he better prepared to arrive at a right conclusion. T.iere was a total absence of any information as to the financial position of the Colony and the expense o: the war, and the necessity tnat might or might not exist for obtaining a, fresh loan; so that it was almost impossible tQ d’seass the subjects referred to in the Address at present. He dnl not see any indication of a future pokey in the opening Speech. On the mokon of Mr Edwards a committee was appointed to draw up an add ess upon the resoUitmn agreed to, the comnrtoee to consist of Mr Staffo-d. Mr Fitdierbevt, Mr Hal), Colonel Haultaio, Mr Richmond, Mr Swan, and the mover.

June 3. POSTAL COMMUNICATION. The Hon. J. Hall moved “ That a select committee be appointed to enquire into and report upon the steam mail sendees wldclx it may be deshalde to subsidise with a view of provid'ng efficient postal commumcaoion between this Colony and the Australian Colonies and Europe, such committee to consist of Mr Burns, Mr Edwards, Mr Taylor, Mr Peacocke, Mr Ormond, Mr Williamson, and the mover ; three to be a quorum ; to report on the 17th June.” Major Heathy, V.C., suggested the addition of Mr Vogel’s name. Mr Cargill thought that the Committee ought to be a larger one, and suggested Dr Featherston as an hon. member, who could throw considerable light upon the subject. Mr Travers said that a subject which might very properly come under the con-

I a House was one which be l discussed in some of the lely, the expediency of m communication between Queensland, and Singapore, a the advantage of the fortication now carried on by aid Oriental Company wifh a. It appeared from the i he had seen in the newsels of moderate size could ervices, as the greatest disl have to mu f rom one place ot some five°or six days. They would thus be connecting the Colony with Singapore and with the telegraphic communication, which was sure to be established at a very ear y period, with Europe. He thought it would be well to consider that proposal m connexion with any other for establishing steam communication with the Australian Colonies. He had been led to understand by a gentleman who occupied a position of influence that that qopA would be prepared to entertain a proposal for the establishment of . such a service ; and he conceived that, ui ail probability, the Legislatures of other Colonies which could be easily placed in connection with the same line might be induced to join in it also. It would undoubtedly giva to, all those Colonies increased advantages to those derived from the fortnightly communication now established by the P. and O. Company with India. It would have this advantage, over doubling the communication via King George’s Sound, that they would meet vessels at Singapore, which is midway between Suez and China, and would thus be b-ought in communication with China, Japan, aud Asia generally, anti also with Queensland. It was important that communication with Queensland should be increased, because it was not a grainproducing country, and useful exchanges could be made by the two colonics. He would suggest the expediency of that subject coming under the consideration of the Committee. Mr Vogel explained how the proposal mentioned by Mr Travers bad arisen. An eminent colonist of Queensland, Mr K. Tooth, while in Canterbury, a short time back, made a suggestion that the colonies of New Zealand and Queensland together could establish a direct mail service with England, cheaper and more efficient than any other service, and which would also have the advantage of bringing into communication colonies who have interests which did not in the least conflict, aud who might assist each other a great deal. Queens and grew no grain, and New Zealand yields no tropical produce. Mr Tooth led iu his hands a series of notes, pointing out the advantages of this proposed route, and proceeded back to Queensland to bring the matter under the notice of the Queensland Government, with the view of endeavoring to induce the New Zealand Government to co-operate in carrying out the service, which, according to Mr Tooth’s opinion, would cost these colonies very little more than L 1,200 a month each, less the contributions which would be received from other Colonies. He might say, fdso, he had reason to bedeve from wbat took place in Mel- . boui'nedwo years ago, that the Government of Java would very willingly subscribe towards the service, and he had every reason to suppose that the Government of New Caledonia would do the same. That service would he extremely economical, and would bring into communication not only the Co'ony of New Zealand with, the Colony of Queensland, but would bring New Zealand into communication with other tropical countries, to which it would be able to supply grain. It would also break down the monopoly of that direct service with Victoria, which that Colony had been bent upon obtaining for some years past, to the exclusion of every other service. He, with other members who were not now in the House —one, he was sorry to say, had passed away for ever, the late Mr Crosbie Ward—and Mr Fitzgerald, used to take a great interest in the mail question, and at that j;l m e there was a mail service devised, which, he took leave to think was infinitely usefulto the Colony, and they had had no improvement upon it since. He was quite aware it was expensive, but it was a service which, year a', ter year, would have become cheaper, and if continued in its integrity, would have become a very useful service by this time, then, however, the service had been so about and changed, that there was where it was. They had heard ' a good deal about it not being des’rable to pivyi subsidies to mail-.services, and it not •, 'Seingasecessary to do so. He beheved that t bad the former mail service continued, and • had trade been allowed to grow up, the Colony would hardly have at present to pay any subsidy at all. But he was not prepared to say that they could retrace their steps now, and it might be they would have to pay more. He thought that Mr Tooth’s proposals would Strike hon. members as the best suggestions that could possibly be made for a service which would be infinitely useful to the Colony, apart from its advantages as a direct mail service with Great Britain, By this proposal New Zealand would lie absolutely the terminus, vessels coming straight down

p] ight be received. He bad no doubt that, iy an.ftuiy opportunity, communications dressed to the Government on subject which was well worthy by the Committee and the a S Wl t^ l the hon. mcm« T.ftypJih t6jsJMpg that tlie committee should not overlook the presumed advantages of such a route as he had spoken of ; but he did not think that the motion, as worded, required to be amended to enable that route to be considered. It seemed to be complete in its terms as regarded all communicaiiou between Europe and hew Zealand ; but he should like to suggest, that after the word “ Europe ” the words “and America ” be added, because, in view of the early opening of the x-ailway to San Francisco, which they wore told would take place in July, he thought that they should ... not.iJvse sight of the possible advansifagpQ ■'ftesulting from that work. He felt '?iCort<pi£' that, before long, that would gnat highway of communication be- , ■ tween. Australia and Europe, and the action bf Colony might materially hasten or ./ Jfetird .the establishment of a line between ■' "San' Francisco and the Australian Colonies. The Singapore route, via Torres Strait, was one which should bo well considered before it was rejected ; and if it were found that they could have a fortnightly communication without too large an expenditure, it would havecousiderablcadvautage—but, if on the other hand, it was only to be a branch service connected with the same b«at which , brought the mails via Melbourne, they would always be liable to delay in receiving the

mails whether brought by way of Melbourne' or Torres Strait, if any accident occurred to the boats in the Mediterranean. Still as the P. and 0. Company were running' boats to Calcutta and China, and he believed to Japan, it could possibly be arranged to have an alternate hi ew Zealand mail which might be delivered at Singapore and thence taken on to Sydney or Queensland. He did not think much of the reception which was accorded in Queensland to Mr Tooth’s proposals—indeed, it could not well be otherwise, as that Colony would be largely benefitted —but he was not at all sure that they would receive the support from the other Colonies which the hon. gentleman seemed to imagine. The Torres Straits route was coldly looked upon by the majority of the delegates at the Postal Conference • and now that the Panama scheme had lapsed, mainly through the opposition of Victoria, aud the narrow-minded views entertained there, he was not at all sure that she would be more liberal or far-sighted in regard to a service via Torres Straits. Victoria was determined to favor no scheme which did not make Melbourne the first and last port of arrival and departure either by Suez or the Cape of Good Hope. That, however, should not debar New Zealand from taking independent action in the matter. Mr Ckeig’lTON' agreed that the Committee should also enquire as to the best means of communication between America and New Zealand. Perhaps hon. members were not aware that an eminent Boston firm was making enquiries with a view of establishing steam communication between Sail Francisco and Melbourne, and he apprehended there would be very little difficulty in securing the benefit of that route for New Zealand. The Torres Strait route had its own advantages; but he thought that the consumption of Eastern produce in this colony could not be compared in extent with the intewhanges that would take place with South America and the United States by a line iron New Zealand to San Francisco. He believed the Pacific railway would be opened vithin a month from that date, and no doubf they would see the advantages arising torn the establishment of an ocean line of steamers by United States firms, which tiny were certain to do with a view of monoplising the trade of the Australias. If conmiiuications were established by way of San Francisco, in connection wdth the Pacific nilway, we should have the mails deliveredhere from London iu the space of about 32 days, estimating from London to New York at 10 days, five days across the continent, and 17 days by a first-class steamer from San Francisco to Auckland. That would be a great advantage iu point of time, and it would offer conveniences for the carriage of light merchandise. Last year the growers of grain in California took advantage of the mail steamers by way of Panama for the shipment of grain to Europe, and they found that, notwithstanding the heavy charges, a very handsome return was secured; and he had no doubt that both the passenger trade and goods traffic would be largely increased if wo could manage to connect this Colony with San Francisco by direct steam communication. Mr Hail, after explaining that Mr Stafford occupied the office of Postmaster General, said that he was agreeable that the motion should be amended, as suggested. The Queensland route was a proper one for the Committee to consider, but he did not look upon it with so much favor as the non. member for fhe gold fields, as there was a good cifoivr-tcHie said on. the other side than that gentleman was aware of. The subject was fully gone into at the postal conference a few years ago, and although it was thought that there should be a combined service by Torres’ Strait between Australia and Europe, the recommendation was made almost entirely in deference to the rep 'Cseutatives of Queensland. After enquiry into facts, of which they had a Letter supply at their command than was the case here, it did not appear that the advantages of that l:ne were at all paramount; still it was an important question, and he thought no member of the Committee should enter upon his duties with aay prejudices, and he, for one, was quite open to conviction. The subject should be considered in connection with the rente by San Francisco; but it was hardly passible for them to overrate the advantage of bringing the colony into communication with the important country of which San Francisco was the capital, the trade of which, he thought, would iu a short time exceed that of-all other cities put together. The motion was carried.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18690615.2.12

Bibliographic details
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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1906, 15 June 1869, Page 2

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3,881

PARLIAMENT. Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1906, 15 June 1869, Page 2

PARLIAMENT. Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1906, 15 June 1869, Page 2

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