Parliamentary Notes

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 5, 21 June 1884, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes

On Thursday night, "when Major Atkinson moved that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr O'Callaghan moved aa an amendment that, while willing to grant supplies, the House desired to express its disapproval i of the course adopted by Ministers in ' recommending a dissolution without 1 1 first affording the Opposition the opportunity of forming a Ministry. He objected to the Ministry remaining in confidence ofthe House. ' Mr Macandrew .supported . the amendment. -He sal^thff OpposHfejn could form not only ,one t but thre|y>r 'four Slifiistries, if reauired.*"lle" was reticent as to •the-ii^es. Mr Seddon condenmedrthe cirndtrct : and policy of tiie G^vernnSeht.' He-aj : said maladmii^trMion l^d been * ; showu^.ihe^del^in-hiMJl^ng^CDon- | oghue, Jihej^eßt'l^ ! MfMuhroVa^yera^nli^iii^^oi^er, thought Ministers snoul&fiave€ccepted ! the verdict of the House andgi^eri-'th'e Opposition the task of forming. * a Ministry; ■ ■•^' '■ " ■;■ ' : -Y^':r.AK Mr Moss said he -would support 'the Government on, this occasion, as he did not think the Opposition r w»s working for the public good, •♦ -:.'y; • Mr Sutton did not think the Opposition could form a Ministry. •:'A' "* Mr Wakefield said that there -wWno portfolio-hunt, but he teit aporfioh «bf the slight thrown on the Oppositidtt, , that they could not form a Ministry. . There were dozens as nt ac those who sat on the benches. : At the same time he regarded- the amendment a« a mistake, and could not support it. .-"-' •"- Mr Fish accused Mr Wakefield of betraying the Opposition. He could not apparently be true to any party, and it was no wonder after what they had just heard that Mr Wakefield only represented a party of one, himself, , and had never taken the political position to which his talents entitled him, if he could only run straight. The Hon Major Atkinson denied that the no-confidence motion would have been carried had it not been on the distinct understanding^ a dissolution. In the present state of the House no Government could carry any measure. AE the Opposition were naw fighting for was to get into office through the elections. The Government had advised the Governor as the House desired. After the experience of 1879 he would always do his utmost to prevent a certain, honorable gentleman getting on the benches to manipulate the elections. He quoted from Sir George Grey's memorandum to Lord Normanby in 1877, in defence of the ; action taken by the present Government. Had the Governor demanded written reasons for their advice the Govetnuaent -would have furnished them. He hoped fox an Opposition not ashamed of. its leader, and a leader not ashamed. . of bis followers. For the few hours remaining ihe House should address- itself to considering the state of the finances of tho country. Thia motion was merely a waste of time.