PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4215, 30 August 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[By Telegraph.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, August 29. The business in this Chamber was purely formal. Complaint having .been made by Colonel Whitmore of the want of courtesy shown to the Council by the Government making no intimation of the rumored Ministerial changes, the Colonial Secret ary said at 7.30 he would give an explanation similar to what would be made in the other Chamber.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

In reply to a question as to whether the Government intended this session to bring down a Bill to amend the Regulation of tions Act, so that the nomination of members may be written and not by show of hands, the Premier said that it was proposed to take the question into serious consideration during the recess, with the view ©f bringing down a measure on the subject next session.

The Abolition Financial Arrangements Bill was discharged from the Order Paper with the view of introducing a new that would be more in harmony with the Counties Bill.; and the Public Works Bill was withdrawn, in order that it might be introduced into the Legislative Council with the view of providing that Chamber with some business. The Rating and Building Societies Bills were passed, and the Municipal Bill further considered in Committee. In committee on the Debtors and Creditors Bill, Mr Stout moved as an amendment to clause 14, which makes the Registrar trustee n the first instance, the addition of the following words : “Unless some person be appointed Provisional Trustee,” which the Government resisted as being violently opposed to the spirit of the Bill; and on a division the amendment was rejected by 31 against 16. The rest of the afternoon sitting was spent on the Bill, on which no material alteration had neen made when the House rose at 5.30.

MR MAGANDREW’S MOTION is to be moved on the motion to go Into ComS t te e xtl- UPPIy 0n ***** aeXt ' its Whereas the Abolition of Provinces Act. 1875 is ♦ the w , ia^ eß aad detrimental to the sn! *. the P®PP 10 in the Province of Otago, and highly subversive of the first of.good government to deprive any mo. 8 Ejects, against their Trill and without their consent, of those poUticia iartU tutions which were conferred upon them by th» Imperial Parliament, and under which they have grown up and prospered, it is therefore resolved ad ®“ Bß transmitted to bis E*. oeUenoy the Governor, to the effect that he may be pleased, at the earliest possible date, to dissolve the Provincial Levislatare of OtAgo! Sanf ■ a • re s? l election of Snperintendent and Provincial Council, so as to afford the people m the and Province an opportunity of consideling ana determining as to the form of load MW-pTermnent most suitable for their requirement. And that, pending the will of the people as aforesaid, his ExoeUencymay be pleased to take the neessaiy steps so m that the provisions of the said Abolition Act shall be nti'L, 111 abe ynnceas reß P6°t« the Province of ° j* o, Resolved, farther, that in the mean time, and pending the decision of the newly elected Pro! vmcial Legislature, the affairs of the s&id Province shall continue to be administered in terms of the New Zealand Constitution Act.

MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION. At the evening sitting, The Premier said, m reference to the promise he made on Friday, that it was very well known to all hon. members that ever since the subject of the appointment of Agent-General had been mentioned, his name had been connected with it one way or another. The Premier then gave a personal explanation that while at Homo he was so Ul as to make any speedy return to the Colony inadvisable, and that while there certain inducements of a pecuniary nature “een held out to him to remain. i health was such as to main* * lengthy stay in England advisable, yfct. feeling that his return to New Zealand Would be looked for, he came back as soon

as hia health permitted. On bis return he informed his colleagues that he feared the • statC'of his health would preclude him . remaining long in the Colony—and hia experience this session had not changed his opinion—and probably prevent him taking part in public life any more. He had discovered, too, that public life was inconsistent with attention to' one’s affairs. Considering he had been seventeen years in public life in New Zealand, he thought the welfare of his family had claims upon him that he was not justified in ignoring. He hoped that, under these circumstances, he would not be accused of deserting bis post. Upon bis return to tbe Colony, and when his colleagues were kind enough to request him to resume the Premiership, he told them he could not retain office longer, anS. that as soon as they could relieve him he would be pleased. At that time it was not known that any vacancy would occur in the Agent-Generalship. When he had been asked on a former occasion what was to be done regarding the Agent-General-ship, the matter had not been referred to in the Cabinet. But within the last eight or ten days they had discussed the matter, and his colleagues being aware that be was not going to remain in tbe Colony, suggested his acceptance of the office of Agent-General. On his return he told them that in any case he conld not promise to perform the duties of the office foralongerterm than twelve or eighteen months. It was manifestly impossible that he could appoint himself Agent-General, so that office remained still open. Under the circumstances the only course open to him was to place his resignation in the hands of his Excellency, which he did, advising him to send for Major Atkinson, who had been sent for, and who had waited upon the Governor at 5.30. The Premier then went on to -say that New Zealand was the land where he formed his dearest ties, a land to which he owed what reputation or distiction he possessed, and he only hoped some future day to be able to take part in the affairs of the country. It was not without sorrow and regret that he was pursuing this course, though he felt he was doing what was right. The Hon. Major Atkinson informed the House that his Excellency honored him by . asking him to form a Government, and that he requested a clay or two to consult with his friends. He thought it was reasonable, therefore, that he should ask the House to adjourn till half-past seven on Thursday. Mr Rolleston said that the situation was one of an unprecedented character. A Ministry which had existed longer than any other in this country had resigned because of a vacancy in a subordinate office in the Government. The Premier now asked the opinion of the House on this subject, and he (Mr Rolleston) felt he should not be ful- 4 filling bis duty if he did not express his opinion that the Ministry had not had that confidence placed in them which ought to have been. The Premier bad done his colleagues wrong. It was new to him that the Premier owed his existence to his colleagues. There were .many men who had sacrificed their health and their all in the service of the country, but it should not be pleaded as a justification that the Premier was resigning office on the ground of ill health. The precedent was a most dangerous one, and he hoped an opportunity would be afforded for the discussion of this question. Mr Andrew said that it was unusual to speak to a question of this kind, hat it was very strange that, in the middle of a session with a glowing majority, and while great Constitutional questions were being discussed, the leader of the Government should resign in order to take a petty office in London. He regretted that the Premier’s health should compel him to forfeit the public esteem. Mr Stout thought that neither of the previous speakers had adopted the Constitutional course in bringing on a discussion on a question of adjournment when the Ministry had resigned. He declined to go into the discussion, and hoped the House would consent to an adjournment. The House adjourned.