GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1026, 9 October 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Telegraph.] [PEB PRESS AGENCY.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, October 9. HAWKE’S BAT LAND DEBATE, The House met at 2.30. The Reporting Debates Committee brought up a report shoeing that material portions of the original report'on Mr Ormond’s Hawke’s Bay land debate had been omitted in “ Hansard.” After some discussion, the matter was referred back to the committee to enable it to report similarly on all other speeches in the debate. In the meantime, the interim report was ordered to be printed. NO CONFIDENCE. Mr Larnach gave notice that he would to-morrow move —“ That the Government does not possess the confidence of this House.” EXPLANATION. Mr Cox, as a matter of personal explanation, denied a certain statement contained in Mr Russell’s statement regarding Sir G. Grey’s connection with the Taupo Land Company. Ho had never heard of Sir G. Grey’s offer of £IO,OOO to the company until he read it in the papers as an extract from Mr Russell’s statement. BILLS. In Committee of the whole, the Public Health Act Amendment Bill (Atkinson) was introduced. Major Atkinson moved for leave to introduce the Patea Harbour Board Bill. Dr. Hodgkinson objected to one harbour being favoured at the expense of others. Unless the Government would also allow the Riverton Harbour Board Bill to be introduced, he would oppose this one. He moved that the Chairman do leave the chair. On division, the ayes were 38, noes 38. The Chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the introduction of the Bill. On the House resuming, the Speaker, as a point of order, voted that Monday, being a Government day, and Major Atkinson slating this was not a Government Bill, it could not regularly be proceeded with. THE NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE. DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT. On the Orders of the Day being called on, Major Atkinson asked Mr Larnach to proceed with his want of confidence motion at once. This being agreed to, Mr Larnach moved his motion. He referred to the circumstances under which the “ Waka Maori ” motion was brought forward. He desired now to show that he was not afraid to assume the responsibility which Mr Whitaker then warned him against. He was now hitting direct from the shoulder, because he had felt for sometime that the present Ministry was utterly incompetent to conduct the business of the country. The Education Bill had only been passed through the House by the consent and assistance of the Opposition. The Ministerial financial proposals this year are without finality, no better than last year, and were a sham. To make up a deficiency in the revenue their only expedient was to plunder the land fund of Otago and Canterbury. If Government had taken active measures many railways uncompleted might have been running and earning money twelve months ago. For some of these contracts had only been let since the House met. Another matter was the sale of the Luna steamer. He knew a firm willing to give £ISOO more than Mr Kennedy had paid for her. No one could support the disposal of Government property by private contract in that way. Her value was nearer £4OOO than £3OOO. The coal contract entered by the Government with Mr Kennedy was another matter. He complained of Major Atkinson’s conduct in reference to the alleged disqualification of himself (Mr Larnach) as showing bad taste, if nothing else. Major Atkinson knew well that he (Mr Larnach) knew nothing of the transaction with his firm, and the charge was made through pure animus. Why, when the Queen Bee was wrecked, had not the Government sent one of their steamers to her assistance. What assurance was there that the Hinemoa or Stella have not been sold privately, like the Luna. The Government had shown great remissness in not opening up the coal fields of the colony, as part of the public works policy. While this was not done, large sums were being spent on works in Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki of very little value to the colony. The whole police force of the colony had been disorganised, causing great hardship by reducing the pay of the men and increasing that of the officers. This was itself a serious act of mal-admiuistration, which, combined with others, bad deprived the Government of the confidence of the House.

Mr McLean thought as the Opposition could not through jealousy find a leader to bring forward a motion, he, as the weakest member of the Ministry, would reply. He complained that the Opposition hud not availed themselves of the opportunity given them on the “Waka Maori” question lo traverse the whole policy of the Ministry. Ho hoped this motion would settle the platter once for all. Mr Larnach’s hit from

the shoulder could be clearly replied to ; he would be knocked over. He continued that in reference to the Education Bill, it, I.ke every other Bill, had been carried by a mixture of parlies, and very properly not by a block vote on either side. In that Bill the religious and capitation clauses had, he admitted, been struck out, and he regretted that; but otherwise the Bill had passed almost without exception, and it was a most important one. Surely the qviality of Bills passed was more than the quantity of Bills passed. It was no reproach that the Government had not passed more Bills. Another important Bill was the District Railways Bill, which also was supported by the Opposition. He was glad to say, as to the financial accounts, that the Government, in the face of great difficulties, were gradually getting them into position so that everyone could understand and t ake them up. The partnership accounts between the colony and the provinces had caused great trouble, and under the present circumstances finality was impossible. If given another year the Government would produce one satisfactory to the House and country. He did not believe that Otago and Canterbury were averse to the proposals of the Ministry. He did not believe the Opposition could do this. The Government had endeavored faithfully to administer the funds for all railways throughout the colony, favoring none. Inquiry would show that full justice had been done to Otago in this matter. They had, however, acted prudently, not undertaking works till they had money to pay for them. The Government had propounded a liberal Land Bill, which probably had a good deal to do with Mr Larnach’s opposition. This Land Bill was the cardinal point of the Government policy. If the Opposition really desired to promote settlement, why did they not let the Bill pass before the present motion. Regarding the Luna, it was known last session that she was for sale. A Sydney man offered £3OOO. The Government refused it and asked £SOOO. Subsequently an offer of £4OOO was made, and the offer was communicated by telegraph to four Ministers, who were absent. They all replied “sell her.” He was told it was a splendid price. £2OOO was since spent on her, bnt he would still sell her to Mr Larnach for very considerably less than £BOOO. The Government knew nothing of Mr Kennedy in the coal contract. Tenders were advertised for and the lowest tender was accepted. It was for members to look out for themselves, not for Ministers, when accepting tenders, to take care that the Disqualification Act was not infringed. The reason that the Hinemoa had not been sent to the Queen Bee was that it chanced to be at a time her machinery was in pieces being overhauled. The Government had spared neither pains nor expense in sending the earliest possible relief to the Queen Bee. The Government had done all they could to open up the coal fields on the West Coast. They had done a great deal in this direction. Large sums had been spent at Greymouth, Westport, and North Auckland in railways to open coal fields. The Government did not desire to protract this debate, and hoped it would speedily come to an issue, so that the business of the country might proceed, and the j session be brought to a speedy close. Mr Lusk said Mr McLean had admitted that he was a weak member of the Government, and it would have been better if he had been able to make a statesman-like speech, instead of pleading for mercy on the ground of weakness. He proposed to deal with the question on a broader platform. Neither the House nor the country had confidence in the Government. He reviewed their action in the House in reference to the Education Bill and Native Land Bill. The first owed its present shape to the Opposition, all its original distinctive features being lost. The second had been dropped after universal condemnation. The District Railway's Bill had also been greatly altered. The Government had no policy, and if it had any it had not strength in the House to carry it on. He believed the Land Bill would not satisfy any section of the community or part of the colony. He strongly condemned the financial proposals of the Ministry as in the direction from bad to worse—a mere policy of expediency while the colony was becoming involved in an abyss of bad finance. It was high time to check progress in this direction by putting in a different Government. Ho very strongly condemned the county system introduced by the present Government, and the manner they had administered it. In Auckland the system was a complete failure, and main roads were falling into a lamentable state of decay through the neglect of the Government. They had not dared even to bring down their proposed Amending County Bill. The debate was interrupted by the dinner hour. THE DIVISION LIST. 9.40 p.m. The following was the division on Mr Larnach’s no-confidence motion : Ayes, 42—Baigent, Ballance, Barff, Bastings, Brandon, Brown, J. O. (Tuapeka), Brown, J. E. (Ashley), Bunny, Curtis, DeLautour, Dignan, Douglas, Fisher, Gisborne, Grey, Hamlin, Hislop, Hodgkinson, Joyce, Larnach, Lusk, Macandrew, Montgomery, Murray, Nahe, O’Rorke, Byke, Rees, Rollestou, Seaton, Sharp, Sheehan, Shrimski, Stout, Swanson, Takamoana, Thomson, Tole, Travers, Wakefield, Wallis, Wood, W. Noes, 38 —Atkinson, Beetham, Bowen, Burns, Button, Carrington, Fitzroy, Fox, Gibbs, Harper, Henry, Hunter, Hursthouse, Kelly, Kennedy, Kenny, Lumsden, Manders, McLean, Moorhouse, Morris, MurrayAynsley, Ormond, Reid, Reynolds, Richardson, Richmond, Rowe, Russell, Seymour, Stevens, Sutton, Tawiti, Tcschemaker, Wason, Whitaker, Williams, Woolcock. Pairs—Ayes : Reader Wood, Taiaroa; Noes: Cox, Stafford. Sir R. Douglas had paired “No ” with Bryce “ Aye,” but got locked in, and accordingly voted “ Aye,” and explained why he did so. Mr Johnston did not vote. The House adjourned till 7.30 to-morrow.