THE NO CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1915, 25 June 1869, Page 2

THE NO CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Tke following summary of the speeches delivered on Mr Fox’s “ want-of-confidence ” motion, is taken from tKe Pcening Post .*—

On the 17th the debate dragged a good deal, and considerable difficulty was experienced in getting a few small pieces of artillery to go off. .Several times it seemed as if the debate was going to come to an inglorious conclusion, and more than once the Speaker had actually called on Mr Fox to reply before any lion, member called up sufficient courage to throw himself into the breach. Major Heaphy having moved the adjournment, of course, opened the proceedings, making a very bitter attack on the Government—declaring that Mr Stafford’s speech showed a total absence of argument, being merely a personal attack on Mr Fox ; that the House had listened to four-fifths of it before in similar debates last year, and that the only thing it showed was arrogant confidence in himself and his colleagues—a confidence neither shared in by the House nor endorsed by the country, judging from the result of all the recent elections. The intention to dissolve was simply a last desperate attempt to secure even a temporary extension of the tenure of office, with a hope that smuo lucky chance might save them. He strongly advised Ministers to imitate the well-behaved domestic animal, which went out before it was kicked out. The country would be glad to see a change of Government. The gallant Major then criticised at length the military operations of the past year, and strongly condemned the Government’s management of them. Mr Ball came next, and spoke on the Government side. He was succeeded by Mr H. S. Harrison, who announced his intention of voting against the Government, on account of the utter disregard which they had shown to the lives and properties of his Wanganui constituents. Sir F. D. Rich, the new member for Waikouaiti, followed with a vigorous condemnation of the self-reliant policy. He blamed the Government for not sending to Australia for troops, and for not sending home an earnest and real appeal for assistance. He was certain that if they had done so, they would have got what they asked. Tareha, the Maori chief, was the next to rise, and he gave a long account of his proceedings on the East Coast. He strongly condemned the conduct of the Government in removing Ropata’s Ngatiporous, describing the removal as very like kidnapping. Ha also condemned Mr Richmond s conduct in interfering with the land question at Poverty Bay at a time when ha should have made Whitmore follow up the enemy. Mr W. H. Harrison thought it a pity the vote had been brought on before the Government declared its policy, and that Mr F> x had not declared his. As it was, neither side had declared a policy, and the question was, therefore, a mere struggle for power. He did not think this fair to the country, and would like to sto a dissolution. He personally preferred the present Government to the gentlemen on the other side, and, as the question was purely a personal one, would vote tor them. Mr Graham, in very strong terms, charged the Government with having caused all the evils from which the Colony now suffered, and said Mr Stafford looked on New Zealand as a iittlc kingdom of his own, as he showed by declaring he would not re ign. He ridiculed the idea that a real appeal for assistance from home would be disregarded,- expressing his opinion that the Queen herself would use her influence to prevent such a refusal, Hq strongly condemned the pioposals to throw off allegiance, and seek other protection than that of England, hoping he might never to see the connection severed. Mr Mervyn moved the adjournment, which was agreed to, after a protest from Mr Reynolds against adjourning so early as 10.45. At seven o’clock on the ISth, Mr Collins resumed the no-confidence debate by declaring his intention of voting for the motion He gave a variety of reasons for this course, and refused altogether to believe that the dignity of the Colony would be injured by imploring assistance in men from the Home Gov. rnmeut. He was, he said, quite ready to put his dignity in his pocket, and thought that of the Colony more compromised by the refusal of the Maori King to meet the Governor, than by any action which could be taken regarding troops. The Hon. Mr Richmond, in a speech of upwards of two hours’ duration, ably defended the past conduct of the present Ministry, and made an earnest appeal to the House to sink personal differences, and, before separating this session, to make provision for the future by chalking out a line of quite action. He and his colleagues were willing to compromise differences, and even sacrifice for a time (or, if need be, altogether), those subjects which in past sessions had proved so distracting to the House. Divided councils he looked on as even a greater evil than divided islands, and therefore, worse than even separation, for the fo-mer could only induce utter paralysis in the present, and national bankruptcy in the future. Peace was not, he declared at our command, and the idea of having troops from Home was a wild one, as being contrary to the declared policy of the Empire, a policy which bad been growing for years past, and one which, however hard on us now, was undoubtedly founded on prinoiples of justice. In proof of this Mr Richmond cjted a number of documents to show bow the responsibility in native matters bad been forced on the Colony by the Imperial Government, and then he went on to advocate a vigorous prosecution of the war, pointing out the great evils sure to ensue if we acted simply on the defensive, and allowed the rebels to return to peace just when it suited their own convenience. He highly eulogised the growing usefulness and discipline of the Colonial troops, and quoted letters from various civilian gentlemen to prove this. Mr Richmond then entered into a long explanation of the East Coast proceedings, and the steps taken, but taken too late, lor the probation of Poverty Bay. He concluded by saying that he already saw daylight appearing through the dark cloud now lunging over the Colony, and implored the House to try and hasten the return of permanent peace, to apply itself to a remedy for our present critical state, instead of wallowing in a sea of vituperation. Mr Rollestou said that although he could not give a vote affirming confidence in the present Ministry, for he had none, he did not think the House ought to have been placed in the position of being called on at a crisis like this to take the resp risibility of turning a Ministry out entirely on personal grounds, and in ignorance alike of their policy, and that of those who would be called on to replage them. He had intended to move an amendment to this effect, but would not do so, as he found insuperable objection*

prevented such an amendment having the effect he intended. He admitted the great ability of the members of the Ministry, in their several capacities ; but characterised it as a body, as a powerful piece of machinery working out of gear. He said he felt most strengly that to call in Imperial troops would be to do ourselves a great wrong, and to cringe for such assistance was a thing he would never consent to. He would not even consent to receive such assistance on any terms, except the suspension of the constitution in this island. The home Government was also determined, he thought, not to guarantee a loan for us, and without such guarantee we could only raise one at a ruinous aacrilice, which he would never consent to. He quite recognised that the two islands were one Colony, and that the ruin of one was the ruin of both ; and that, even as a matter of sentiment, the South could not see their fellow colonists in the North ruined. He thought the only policy was to limit our operations as to put the war on the revenue, We must reserve the scale of operations, and defence must have bo relation to land. We must not rashly, hut as opportunity offered, withdraw those settlements which we could not defend conveniently, and giye up all the confiscated land we could not profitably occupy —above all, the present fruitless system of pursuing the natives in the bush from place to place—a thing which might go on for years, at enormous expenditure, and without result. He regretted that the natives had not the confidence in the Government th«y should have, and justly so he feared. Major Brown, in a few words, expressed his intention of voting with the Government, as he saw no indication of policy on the other side. He thought the Colony would he lucky if no leader of an Opposition could ever bring heavier charges against the Government than Mr Fox had done. He spoke highly of the conduct of the colonial troops. Mr Creighton in a very able speech of considerable duration, exposed the mal-adminis-tration of the Ministry, especially in regard to their conduct of the war. He answered the objection made by several membeis to Mr Fox’s party, that they had declared no policy, by showing that there was no occasion for such a proceeding. The present Ministry was on its trial for its past conduct, and not having its future policy canvassed. He very keenly and successfully criticised Mr Richmond’s speech, saying that the drift of it was that the Ministry was just asking the House to give them a policy and allow them to retain their seats to carry it. From the pitiful account Mr Richmond).arc of the difficulties the Government had to contend with, it seemed as if “the stars in their courses fought against our New Zealand Sesira.” He blamed the Government for endeavoring to injure the Colony by destroying Provincial Institutions, and condemned the expensive structure of the civil service. He concluded, amidst great- applause, by announcing his intention to vote for the motion. Mr Bunny defended the Government generally, and asked what the Opposition intended to do for and with bankrupt provinces like Marlborough and Wellington. He hoped soon to see provincial institutions swept away altogether, and appealed to the House to support the present Government rather than place a man m power whose antecedents proved him so dangerous and untrustworthy as Mr Fox. Mr Ormond moved the adjournment of ihe debate, and the House adjourned till Tuesday.