House of Representatives.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 12, 14 July 1893, Page 2

House of Representatives.

Tho House mot at 2.30 p.m. After a eh art debate, thoMangatu Empowering Bill was read a second time, a hostile amendment by Mr Mitchelsou being withdrawn. The Premier moved that Mr Guinness, member for Groy, be appointed Chairraun of Committees in placo of Mr W. L. Rees, resigned. The motion was agreed to on tho voices. Mr Guinness thanked tho Houso for tho honor conforml on him. He would endeavor to act impartially and to tho best of his judgment and ability, and he hoped to have the cordial assistance of members of both fides of the House in currying out tho duties appertaining to the office. Mr Buckland resumed the debate on tho Financial Statement, speaking at considerable length in condemnation of tho Government policy. Ho behoved tho Ministry wore borrowing in two or three way a. and wrro getting pn tty short of uioiicv. too. Am to iho LhevMt purcnaeo bo thought tho money would bavo beeu bettor *nent in tho King Country. His speech was interrupted bj the 0.30 adjournment. Evkning Sitting. Tho House resumed at 7.80. Mr Buckland continued his remarks, and said ho nhould opposo as strongly as ho could, the proposal to hand over the railways to Government. Mr Geo. Hutchison said the method of debate in tho House must be degenerating, for they had seen one of the Opposition leaders challenging the Premier of the colony on a matter of fact, but the Premier sat 6ilent. He supported Sir John Hall's defence of Sir Harry Atkinson, and said the Premier's attack on tho dead statesman wns most unfortunate. Referring to the present surplus he advmed Mr Seddon not to tnnke too much of it, ns surpluses were proverbially uncertain. He censured the Government for not removing some of the taxation from the necessaries of life, and said no party had ever a better opportunity of doing so, as they had the most magnificent majority ever possessed by any Government that had yet held office in the colony. They had relieved from taxation the people who could well afford to pay it, but they had not relieved the great mass of people who had returned them to power. Mr Earnshaw sincerely regretted the Premier should have seen his way to drag down tbe stannchest section of his party in the way he had pandered to tho brewers' interests in the colony. The Government had plainly burked the temperance question, and their action was a disgrace to them. In spite of the fact that he, and others, had been dragged down to tbe gutter he did not intend to leave his party, although, in future, he would not act the part of a blind buffer, and would make one to force the Ministry to face this great social reform. The debate adjourned on the motion of Mr Moorhouse. The House rose at 12.15 a.m.