PARLIAMENTARY

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 29, 25 August 1892, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPBESENTATIVES.

Wellington, August 23. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr Rolleston thanked the Premier for fulfilling the promise he made last week to afford an opportunity for discussing the memoranda laid on the table with reference to the appointments to the Legislative Council. He referred to the correspondence before the House, and expressed the opinion that the advice tendered to . the Governor from time to time by Ministers was misleading. He failed to Bee why the Government refused to accept the nine appointments offered to them, and he denies that the Legislative Council had rejected reallj Liberal measures. He felt sure the voice of ihe people would be expressed in condemnation of the Government over this matter. He thought the correspondence showed not oolr a want of respect to the Crown, but that it also showed a want of considera* tion to a man who alone nnd single* handed was asked at the point of the bajonet, after being only two days in the colony, to take an important step of this kind. The Hon Mr Bnllance defended tbe position taken by the Government io referring the matter to the Secretary of State, and said that this was undoubtedly a case in which the Governor should have accepted the advice of his Ministers especially an the Government possessed a majority in the Honso. He quoted from Mr Tod to prove that the Govern* ment were perfectly justified in appealing to the Home Government with reference to the exercise of power by the Governor acting as an Imperial officer or on his own responsibility. He con* eluded by expressing his opinion that the Government had taitep a perfectly constitutional course in referring this correspondence Home, and said they had abundant precedent for that action by several eminent statesmen of the colony, Mr O'Connor proposed, as an amend' ment, "That the Government be requested to introduce this session a men* ■ure to provide for the election of members of the Legislative Council, and that, pending legislation on the subject, no further appointments be made to the Council." The divisien resulted in Mr O'Connors' amendment being lost by 31 to 8. The House rose at 1.35 a m. August 5. Replying to Mr Housten, the Hon Mr Ballanoe said the opinion of the Government Insurance Department was, that it was not advisable to extend the benefits of the Government Insurance so as to embrace the Bail way Accident Insurance Scheme. Beplyin.' to Mr Shera, the Hon. Mr Seddon said the Government could not recommend Parliament to guarantee to a company 3 J per cent interest on the cost of the construction of the railway line to complete the connection between Auckland and Wellington, as that would be indirect borrowing. On the motion of the Premier, it was decided that for the remainder of the session Government business take precedence on Thursdays. Tbe Hon Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Wellington Fruit Growing Association Leasing Bill to authorise grant to the Wellington Fruit Growing Association of the perpetual lease of a block of land of 8729 acres for the purpose of a. special settlement. The matter was postponed. The second reading of the North Island Main Trunk Bailway Bill was carried. Tbe House rose at 1.35 a.m.