PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4220, 5 September 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[By Telegraph.] HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Sept, 4. On the House meeting at 7.30, the formal business having, been disposed' of, Major Atkinson said, in accordance with the pledge given the other evening Sir George Grey rose to a point of order. The law said the Attorney-General of New Zealand should cot be a member of either House.—(Cries of “No, bo.”)

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT, The Premier said the House had for some time been of opinion that there should be a political Attorney-General, and in accordance with that wish Mr Whitaker was appointed. The Hon. Mr Hall consented to assist the Hon. Dr Pollen in the Upper House without portfolio or pay. Mr |G. MT.or.n also consented to aid the Ministry, at present also without pay. Before the ,«ssiou closed ho would have to'ask the « !>•; to increase the number of salaried . ...v in order .that the work of the

.v ; might be carried on effectively. Sir J » M‘Lean did not intend to remain Jo..;' iu office, but would remain some months { witn :> view of endeavoring to assimilate the I -jdvemmont ’ of the Natives with that of M y, v. L.ms. Dr Pollen was also desirous of Mb : relieved from his duties. He explained bI..M coat bon. gentleman had been many ye-r/i in public life, and that the time he was Minhtc-r of the Crown would not be counted iu hi-s term as a civil servant. Mr Eichairdson bad asked that he might also be relieved as soon after the end of the session as possible, The Premier then referred to Sir J. Vogel’s retirement, and said that the Colony would suffer a great loss by his departure, and that when the history of the Colony came to be written* b® would be found to be one of her foremost statesmen,. if not the first one, whose heart alike conceived and dared. They proposed to offer him the office of Agent’Goneral, though they believed SirJulius would not be prepared to hold it for more than a Very short period, when they would ask the House to consider the whole question of the Agent-Generalship. On their main policy, he said he must make the avowal that Abolition would be carried out, and that Provincialism in any form would not bo resuscitated. It would be the duty and the care of the Government to see that the transition from old to new should cause but little friction. For that object the Government had already taken steps, butnothing would be more effectual than cordial co-ope ration with existing Provincial Governments. Upon the questions of the land fund and Separation, the House would expect an avowal, and hi© whffigd to make it as distinct as possible. Those questions had been d©; cided this session, and that decision the Government would accept whatever might j

to th* opinion <>f individual members thereof. With regard to Loans and Public Works, they proposed to ask authority to raise two* inuuons, but only on© million this session, the chief portion of which would be required to meet Provincial liabilities. They deemed it necessary that the main trunk lines of the Colony should be carried on continuously, but not at such rapid rates as heretofore. If the House deternuned'to continue the system of public works, it would be nocesshry to give the Government power to raise the money. To stop publiq works at present would be a great disaster/ He did not think it desirable to sell the LBOO,OOO guaranteed loan. _ In connection with loans he would mention that the Act for the inscription of stock was a measure from which the Colony not only derived present advantages, but that.it would greatly, facilitate .the raiding of future loans. The credit of this arrangement was entirely duo to Sir Julius Vogel. The Government proposed to continue immigration, and especially to encourage the nominated system, in the hope that inno'* long tune nominated immigration, now increasing very fast, would meet all the requirements of the Colony. Touching the financial arrangements following Abolition he said new arrangements would be made regarding hospitals and museums. The question of education would be considered next session in the shape of some general measure for the whole Colony.' The Counties Bill was also to bo so modified that it would be left to each County after being mapped out to decide whether they should avail themselves of the new Counties or. make use of the system of Boad Boards, and so make .the County Councils merely distributive bodies. The Native Lands Bill would be abandoned, and the Native Lands Purchase Department handed over to the Crown Lands Commissioner, with the view of doing away with that department as soon as possible. That was the policy he had to submit, and if it met the approval of the House he had no doubt that business could be got through in a month. The hon. gentleman concluded as follows : “I have submitted a policy which I hope will be acceptable.There is nothing in it, probably, whichthe Hffiise will not have anticipated, for so fair aS ( we can see there is but one policy open to the Colony. On the one hand a steady perseverance of our public works within the limits of. ,our means, and on the other prudent and efficient administration in all branches of the public service.”

Mr Andrew asked leave to move, without notice, that the House disapprove of the proposed offer of the Agent-Generalship to Sir J. Vogel; but this being objected to, he gave the usual notice. Upon putting the question of adjournment, ~ Sir G. Grey again put his question with regard to the Attorney Generalship. . Mr w hitaker made a personal explanation to the effect that it was well known that he held different views regarding Separation

to the other members of the Minisriy but pointed out that while he was still of the , opinion, he felt bound to accept the decision of the House in the matter, and would endeavor loyally, to cany out the wishes of the House. At the same time he held himself at liberty if he saw a majority of the House hold same views as himself on financial Separation, to separate from the Ministry and to act as he thought proper under the circumstances. ;As to his appointment as Attorney-General, he explained that he was not appointed under any Abt upon the subject, but under the general powers of the Government in such a case. In replying to a statement by Mr Rees, Mr Whitaker said he did not give the Government the legal' opinion as to Ids appointment, but that he Concurred in it. Mr Rees took objection to. the number of Ministers as being illegal, and’ quoted from statutes on the question. Mr Whitaker said he would be happy to meet Messrs Rees and Stout (who “hear bear'd” him) in the Supreme Court, that place being the proper tribunal to discuss the point. Mr Thomson proceeded to take objection to the composition of the Ministry, whom he considered not a happy family. It appeared to him that the chief members of the Ministry were about to retire shortly. Take away the Native Minister, the Minister for Public Works, the Colonial Secretary, and, he would ask, what was left? Why, they might as well form a Ministry by shaking the names of the members in a bag as have such a residuum left as they would have trftor the resignations referred to. He said if plan were adopted the composition of the Ministry would at least have been fairer and the different parts of the Colony better represented. He thought if they had an Executive , Council at all, they should all remain at Wellington to consult together.

and not have such, ah important officers! Attorney,-General..resident in Auckland eight months of the year. They might as well cany out the principle by getting members to forward their speeches to Wellington by telegram, and h6t having a meeting of ParUament at all, He also took exception to the number of Ministers, saying the Gpvemmen.t might as well at once place their majonty on the Government benches. The policy propounded was unsatisfactory. Mr Stout said the Premier's policy was not very new. Its root seemed to be abolition only, and that of a very wide kind merely the abolition of the policy of the late Premier. He would not discuss the policy on that occasion, but would say that the way in which the Ministry was formed was altogether unprecedented. What amounted to a vote of confidence had been moved, and so soon as a reconstruction took place the mover of that motion was taken into the Ministry* It was nothing new to have open questions mjhe Cabinet, but it was not usual to see different members of the Cabinet holding opposite views upon questions that must of necessity be Government questions. He also objected to taking gentlemen into the Cabinet without salary—it was a bad precedent, and was calculated to throw the Government of the Country into the hands Cf moneyed classes. If it was necessary to place any number of gentlemen upon the Ministerial benches, they should be paid. This practice was like putting gentlemen on the Government benches as apprentices to learn their duties, receiving no salary in consequence. Touching the appointment of Agent-General, it seemed highly improper to discuss the question whue the member for Wanganui was a member of the House. Such a course was quite unconstitutional, and calculated .to restrict freedom of discussion. The Ministry should have had the courage of their convictions, and appointed .Sir J alius Vogel at once, instead of practically asking . the House to lead therein. _ What position would the Government be in if the House refused to grant the appointment? Why, they would hive to resign.—(Hear, hear, from the Ministerial' Benches.)

Another point referred to by Messrs- Stout and Thomson was as to an idea that was abroad, namely, that the Attorney-General was to take precedence of the Premier at Government House. Sir G. Grey pointedly asked if such a statement was true. The Premier said the question was not very clear to him, and he requested that notice be given in the usual way. Mr Bolleston asked how the two were to be raised. The Premier said, when the matter, came oh in'due course all necessary information would be elicited. Tfce House adjourned at 9.8 Q.