AN ATTACK ON MR. FERGUS.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 36, 7 September 1889, Page 2

AN ATTACK ON MR. FERGUS.

When the House met at 7.30 last even- . ing, Mr Grimmond moved, as an amendment to the motion of Supply, "That this House regrets that.the Minister of Justice should not have recognised that in iairness to his late colleague an explanation by himself of his own conduct in connection with the Christie case was due to the House and to the country." Mr Grimmond quoted from the correspond- _ ence that what Mr Hislop did was endorsed by his colleagues. —Mr Hutchison \ seconded the amendment. The Premier asked whether the leader of the Opposition was aware of this amendment. Mr Ballance: I feel bound to say that I approve it. (Opposition cheers.) The Premier: Then, sir, I. shall move the adjournment of the House, and tomorrow I shall state what I propose to do. The House has had enough of this. (Cheers.) I call it nonsense. (Oh!) Yes, I say its nonsense, _and wasting the time,, of the country. (Cheers.) - I shall do no business to-night, and shall ask the House to adjourn. It is absurd —under the circumstances unconstitutional —as the hon. gentleman is aware, for the leader of the 'Opposition to be a party to this without due notice to the Government. (Cheers.) Mr Ballance had no objection to the adjournment of the House. He taunted the Premier with accepting everything from the Opposition side of the House as a want-of-eonfidence motion; it he liked to do the same now, let him do it I The Opposition did not object to the Govern^ irient controlling the business of the House, but they, did claim the right to express their views. He explained that he was not a party to the motion, although he had said he approved it He wished to shirk no responsibility in the matter. The Speaker, pointed out that if the adjournment of the House were carried it ■ woiild supersede both the motion for Supply and the amendment. The debate was adjourned, till next day and the Premier moved "the, adjournment of the House. The Premier said; the Opposition did anything " to pull th'e^Mimstry down: one by* one." The leader of the Opposition' sat there a partisan,, and he ought to ■bfr^ ashamed of the manner in which • hisV party were acting. Mr Ballance raised a point of order that the hon. gentleman was speaking to the main question. - The motion for ths adjournment of the House was carried on the voices, and the House rose at IKS p.m. *

Friday, September 6. Sir Harry Atkinson said that with respect to the amendment moved by Mr Grimmond, neither he nor the Minister of Justice would make any explanation on the Ward-Christie correspondence till the amendment was disposed of. The amendment was lost on the voices. The House went into Committee ofSupply for the further consideration of the Estimates. Working Eailways Department, 000. —A lengthy discussion ensued on the appointment of Eailway Commissioners. The vote was passsed. _„•_. - - The various |Public Works Estimates were also passed, and the House rose afc 2.45 a.m.