GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1694, 25 July 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, July 24. After the formal business, Mr Waterhouse drew attention to the fact that the Premier, under coyer of laying a paper on the table, had indulged in abuse of the owners of large estates. Hs considered it most improper. Mr Wilson notified the introduction of a Bill to amend the District Law Society’s Act. The debate on the address was resumed. Colonel Whitmore made a speech of two hours, being an elaborate defence of the Government, All the Maori trouble was the fault of their predecessors in office. The Government merely carried out the intentions of the former Government. On the West Coast Te Whiti was averse to war, but if hostilities broke out the Government were now in such a position that they could settle the whole difficulty by force in lees than a month for ever. He alluded to the rapacity of districts for works, which was partly the cause of the present state of the country. The cagarness was so great that even a prelate was lately writing in favour of his district. He hoped whoever was in office would have the courage to resist demands so clamourous. He defended and explained all the principal charges against the Government. Dr. Pollen followed, and expressed the fear that there would be war. Taking prisoners was bad policy. They, according to Maori usage, suffered an insult which could only be washed out by blood. It mado them perpetual enemies. The crisis was so grave that it was above considerations of party. Ho strongly blamed all the items of the policy of the Government.

Tuo debate was again adjourned, and the Council rose at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENT ATI YES. Thursday, July 24. NEW MEMBER. Mr Stewart, tbo new member for Dunedin, took tho oath and his seat. PAPERS AND PETITIONS. A number of papers wore laid on the table, including reports of the officers of the Native districts, a letter from Sir J. Yogel relative to the Agent-Generalship A petition was presented from the Thames miners asking for an inquiry into alleged evil practices by the Resident Magistrate of that place. DEBATES COMMITTEE. Mr J. O. Brown asked leave to propose without notice a motion re the report of the sessional debates committee. Several members suggested that tho report should bo referred to a committee first. Leave was refused, and notice to introduce it was then given. RAILWAY RESERVES. Mr Goldie asked the Minister of Lands if ho will lay before the House as soon as possible a return and plans showing in detail tbe quantity of lands that have been acquired by the Government during tho twelve months ending 30th June, 1879, also the area in negotiation in localities through which tho proposed trunk lines of railways in the North Island aro likely to pass. The Hon. Mr Thomson said the return would bo supplied as soon as possible. MR LARNAOH. Mr Stevens asked the Premier whether any understanding existed between tho Government and Mr Larnach that he should receive any remuneration or allowances in respect of tho visit to England in 1877, either in his capacity as one of the loan agents, or in any other capacity; also whether Mr Larnach received any remuneration or allowances, and if so to what amount, and on what scale tho same was calculated. Tho Premier said an arrangement had been mado. £2OO was to be paid. It was thought that a considerable saving would thus be effected upon the charges of tbo loan agents. APPOINTMENTS OP JUSTICES OP THE PEACE, Mr Ormond asked the Minister of Justice if ho will lay before tho House all letters and papers with reference to the appointment of Justices of the Peace in tho Provincial District of Nelson since June, 1878. The Hon. Mr Sheehan said tho request would bo complied with. NAPIER AND WAIBOA HAEBOIS. Mr Sutton asked tho Government whether

i I any report has been received from Sir John Ooode in reference to the harbors of Napier and Wairoa. Tho Peejiiee said no report had been received, although an opinion has been expressed by him adverse to tho work. LYTTELTON POLIOS QUAETERS. Mr Mubeay-Aynslby naked tho Minister of Justice if he is aware of tho unfit state of the police quarters in Lyttelton for people to live in, and if not will ho make immediate inquiries and have the case attended to. Tho Hon. Mr Sheehan said new quarters were required, but a difficulty lay in an agreement between the Q-overnment and the Town Council, but it was proposed to make independent arrangements for better accommodation. LIGHTHOUSE AT OAPE EGSIONT. Mr Oabeington asked tho Government when they will commence erecting a lighthouse at Cape Egmont. The Hon. Mr Sheehan said the work required some consideration, but it would bo done as soon as possible. THE SPECIAL WISE. Mr Q. M'Lean asked, without notice, whether it was true that the Government intended to grant tho nso of a special wire for that night’s meeting, whilst parliamentary reports were shut out. Tho Peemiee said it would be better to put the question when the Hon. the Telegraph Commissioner was present, as he could not answer from any information he had. ADDEESS IN BEPLY. Mr MacANdbew, who had moved the a 1 - journment tho previous evening, allowed Mr Turnbull to speak first. Mr Tuenbull contended that the question seemed to be who should occupy the Government benches. The speech of tho leader of tho Opposition reminded him of the oration of a vender of patent nostrums with its theatrical effect, whilst the charges had all vanished into air. It was a mountain in labor, bringing forth a mouse. It was the sound of thunder without the ligheuing. Tho charges were of so loud a nature that they could not place their fingers on anything distinct. Ho hoped to see the Native Department abolished and Cabinet secrets kept inviolably close, instead of being read a few hundred miles away in tho space of twentyfour hours, as lie had seen exemplified in his own district. The Native Department was a den of infamy. They should get rid of iu at once. At the came time tho Government had done tho best they could to bring matters to a satisfactory issue. Instead of tho Press being gagged by the withdrawal of advertisements, papers he could name, circulating in Christchurch and Dunedin and Timaru, were continually nagging at the Government, and so long as they were able to resist those attacks they deserved credit. The hon. member went on to deprecate the course adopted by the member for Geraldine, and strongly condemned the tone , of his speech of the previous evening. He , said the hon. member drew upon his imagina- | tion for tho facts. He was sorry to weary the House, but at present they had nothing else ! to talk about. He characterised the Opposi- ( tion as the would-be mask and stiletto , Ministry, Ho would never content to be , ruled by a party who might be fitly described ( as ruled by one with the brain of a country parson and tho tongue of a lawyer. He ' appealed to hon. members whether they were ( not viewed with mistrust and suspicion. , [Cheers.]

Mr Macandhew then rose. As one of tha unfortunate subjects arraigned it was necessary he should say something in defence, but he should not do so at any length. It might be expected from the terms ®f the amendment that they had been guilty of gross maladministration, but the worst charges against them in the general terms employed were accusations of incapacity, and they only had the stock accusations of the Opposition papers, whilst the speech of the member for Geraldine was confined to a rechauffe of the arguments contained in his paper during the last twelve months. He told them he travelled by express through his district on public business, but there was nothing in that as it was only in carrying out the duties of his office that he did so, and to effect a saving in the conduct of business. The hon. member had given them a great deal of chaff, but very little grain, a volume of fiction, but very little fact. The speech was unworthy of the hon. member. The attacks had been completely repelled so far as they referred to the Public Works department. He would refer i o the appointment of Me In o’d , which seemed to have been opposed solely because it was not made by the leader of the Opposition himself. Tha appointment was an onerous one, and Mr Luckio was the right man in ths right place. If he had been actuated by party spirit he would have opposed the appointment, because Mr Luckie was one of the strongest opponents of that form of Government for which ho (Mr Macandrow) would always entertain the highest respect. The hon. member for Wanganui, in hia assertions against the Department, showed a want of respect for truth. He challenged the hon. member to show any work promised by him which had not been undertaken, unless good and sufficient reason could be shown against the same. No Minister had devoted himself so entirely to public business in the recess as he had. In the interest of the colony ho was sure the. two islands ought to be separated if the work was to be done satisfactorily. The hon. member for Nelson referred to his district as the most neglected, whilst the fact was that the extension of their railway could not be proceeded with in the absence of surveys, which wore most difficult to complete. Some thirty new lines had been arranged for, and plans were in course of construction. The working of the railway department deserved great praise for the success that had been achieved, but ho took no credit to himself for that, which was duo to the excellent officers who were over the department. Ho ventured to say that more money had been squandered by the Government Jover which the hon. leader of the Opposition presided than had ever been squandered by their Government. They had abandoned one line, for which they had to thank the late Government, and also for many ether failures. Referring to what was called tho Tapanui job, ho said it was assented to by that House, and he only wished he could point to fifty more suoh excellent jobs. It had been said that the Thames Railway was commenced at the wrong end. If any misunderstanding had occurred it arose from himself. On visiting the district he found it would be folly to commence it at any other place than Grahamstown, because it was intended to enable the people to get their produce to that market. And assuming the lino was to be carried to Hamilton the amount in the statement would be exceeded. If tho sum of £168,000 mentioned by him was not to be exceeded, the work must atop. But he contended that tho spirit of the Act had been adhered to in this matter, and tho line ought to bo continued. At present tho House wrs only committed to £30,000 for that lino, and it was for them to eay whether it should be continued. He did not see anything in tho opposition to Ministers beyond the old reason — “I don’t like Dr. Pel', the reason why I cannot fell.” Ho feared tho main business of tho_ session would bo absorbed by tho Opposition, and as parties were so evenly balanced, he thought they should agree to go to tho country 'at once to decide their superiority. He had been treated by the Premier with the greatest courtesy and consideration, and he did not think the attacks upon him were warranted. Ho only wished to clear hia department from the several charges brought against it, and having done so, would not occupy their time longer. [Cheers.] Mr A CION Adams rose to support the amendment of the member for Wanganui. He thought it a sign of tho weakness of the Government party that they should seek an appeal to the country, and was sure if they did so, they would return with far less support than they oven how possessed. There wore too many broken promises slrewn around as thick as leaves in Yallambroea. He would take the ease of Nelson, with which he was acquainted, to show tho broken faith of hon. members of tho Government, especially of the Minister who had just eat down. Sir J. Vogel promised them railway works at a time when they intended to raise money to construct tho some locally. They had intended to raise n loan for that purpose. At present they were excluded from participation in tho life and civilization of tho colony, but in consequence of tho antagonism raised a sum of £600,003 was put on the estimates for a lino, and he was glad to hear it was no bogus vote. Whilst the last loan had been industriously spent in the South, ■ve"y little had been spent in tho North. He (Mr Adams) waited on the hon. Minister for Works and asked why the work was not proceeding, when he was told thatit was proceeding, but telegraphing to Mr Blair he was convinced of tho reverse, and not a sod had yet been turned, although ho was distinctly

promised that a section should be let before the 301 h June, The hon. gentleman knew well what work* he wished to proceed with and what to postpone. Mr Adams then went on to refer to the absurdity of the system of advertising practised by the Government, whose aim seemed to be to patronise certain newspapers in Auckland, Dunedin, and Christchurch, even if the notices had no reference to the localities referred to. He instanced several advertisements affecting works which were exclusively confined to papers in those towns. The debate was adjourned at 5.30, EVENING SITTING. ADDBHBS IN EEPLT.

The House resumed at 7 30 p.m. Mr Acton Adams continued, and replied to the arguments of Messrs Turnbull and Wallis at some length, and contended that the Government had committed a gross blunder as regards the Land Tax in the information they sought from the people of the colony under the pretence of collection of the tax. This caused people to employ solicitors and agents who had no taxable property, and placed everybody to considerable inconvenience over the tax. He wished to take a seat as a representative of the entire colony rather than as a local man, but ho must call attention to the neglect which his constituents had suffered at the hands of the present Government, who cut them off from the trunk system of railways, and compelled them to pay much more than they ought for freight. Every man who oared for an honorable policy and free Press would go with him to the rank and file of the Opposition. Mr Bowen desired to call the attention of the Minister for Public Works to his statement in reference to the Tapanui job. It had been said by him that he (the speaker) referred to the Public Works Minister as interested in that railway. He had since looked at the report of proceedings referred to, but found nothing of the kind. He thought the Tapanui and Thames railways were important as showing that the Government had been guilty of jobs in commencing works unauthorised by the House. He thought the Public Works Minister did not consider dodging the votes of that House any offence. Mr Beeves spoke inj favor of the address in reply, and in defence of the Government. He pointed out that they had recognised the importance of his constituents more than any former administration. They had given them roads and started their railways. They had given facilities for travelling through the district far ahead of any other Government, and his constituents were duly grateful for the measure of justice done them. Mr Bkyce objected to the method adopted by the Opposition in bringing down their nonconfidence vote before allowing the address to be disposed of. But ho could not support the Government after their failure in administration, and so long as he saw such little difference between the policy of to-day and the policy of two years ago, which they had not carried out. Ho noticed one essential feature, and that was the absence of reference to retrenchment, which they talked so much about, but accomplished very little. On the subject of Native policy he contended that the mistake made was in not letting the Natives severely alone instead of falling into all the errors of former Administrations in their dealings with the Maoris. Ho contended that a gentleman of autocratic tendencies should have no place in the administration of this country, and he could not give his support to anything of that kind. Mr Woodcock rose to support the amendment. He said the Premier would give them all the great things he delighted to refer to in the form of legislation, but he would have obeisance paid to him in all things. The people’s representatives were simply to become so many machines for recording votes in their favor. What was wanted was men who would act liberalism as well as talk it. Before they took office great things were to be done in respect to Native affairs, but really the outcome of their administration was as nearly as possible to bring about a Native war. All the Premier’s efforts had proved an abortion. As to bis action in connection with electoral reform, why the very Bill he introduced was not so liberal as the Bill of the hon. member for Waikato, for the Bill of the latter dealt with bribery, and reform, and the Maori franchise in a much more concise form than the Premier’s Bill. Because the Premier could not rule as he thought proper on this question he withdrew his Bill, and allowed things to remain ns they were. The Premier’s conduct had been strange throughout. In the Civil Service he had initiated a system which would culminate in under-secretaries going in and out of office with changes of Government—a system which they had seen worked so disastrously in America, Many of the appointments to the Commission of the Peace were made without any reference to the fitness of the persons appointed. Taking all these things into account ho said truthfully and sorrowfully that he had no confidence in the Ministry, and ho said from his heart, in the interest of the working class as well as himself, from such friends good Lord deliver us. Mr Fishes said the hon. member for Wanganui, the leader of the Opposition, had teld the House that ho had removed an old postmaster to put a young man in his place, on the ground that the father of the young man had done some political service to the Government, whilst ths real fact was he did not know who the young man’s father was. He contended the Government bad acted with prudence and caution in Native matters.

Honb Nahe said he could only refer to Native matters, in the conduct of which the Government had boon blamed, without occasion for it. It was the former Government who wero responsible, for they brought on the difficulties. The cause of the present trouble was the taking away of Maori lands, also the work of the former Government. This Government could not bo expected to get over all the difficulties sa soon. The minds of Natives had been poisoned against the Government, ind even Tawhiao himself had b sen tampered with, as they know when they attended the Native meeting at Kopua. He would ask the House not to make bad laws affecting the Maoris of the two islands, or extend laws to all Natives which should be considered bad, or make laws which would compel them to pay rates, for they had no money and were not energetic. If such laws were passed, the Maori, who could not pay, would have to lose alibis land to pay the same from time to time. The Europeans had not been able to perfect their own laws, and every session amendments wore produced, and when the Government wore turned out the same charges wore brought against their successors. Mr Hobbs said it was not without reluctance that he rose to support the amendment. He came there last year to support the Government, a honest and liberal one, but he had not been there long before ho found out his mistake. The Maori Electoral Bill was introduced, giving a franchise to those who did not ask for it, and when the Government were remonstrated with, the Bill was withdrawn entirely rather than excise the Maori dual vole. Ho did not intend to sacrifice his principles for expediency, and when ho could no longer act honestly and independently he would retire. He had been born and brought up amongst the Maoris, and_ know something of their position and circumstances. He knew that the Government had committed great wron gs in the matter of survey s and titles, and the whole Native administration ought to be enquired into. They came into office under favorable circumstances, and no Government had made a greater mess of it. He went to the Kopua meeting. The Premier arrived and ho (Mr Hobbs) mot him and told him, as the result of his enquiry, that nothing would come of the meeting; that the Natives told him they had never spoken about giving lauds for railway purposes. Ho did not think they need have waited for an invitation, as

it was unnecessary. The Natives had nothing to arrange. Although they were quite willing to receive Europeans, they objected to the Government entirely. They did not want to be interfered with, but to be let alone, that they might do what they liked with their own. With respect to Tawhiao, he did not approve of the uncomplimentary remarks of the hon. member for Parnell against him, for they would be interpreted to Tawhiao. Any scones they had heard of took place at Alexandra, not in the King’s country, and they did make him feel ashamed of civilization in comparison with the Maori at Kopua, He then proceeded to condemn the conduct of the Native Minister, and regretted that members could bo found to follow them into the lobbies like so many sheep. He intended to act honestly and fairly by his constituents, but would not bo tempted to swerve from the path of honesty in his political life. He was a thorough believer in the old precept that righteousness exalts a nation, and wanted to see business conducted righteously. He would like to see the vouchers for the extravagant expenditure at the Native Kies-i g, for they

w tuld be curious. He approved of healthy public feeling, and hoped they would hare enough of it. Mr HusaTHOTJaB wished to give his reason for voting with the hon. leader of the Opposition, and in doing so said he had watched the way in which the Premier had endeavored to set class against class. Who framed the regulations under which the eyes were picked out of the land but Sir George Grey ? Thousands of working men were thrown out of employment through the action of the Premier in shutting up saw mills, and that was the course pursued by the working man’s friend. He told them he could reduce the expenditure of the departments byr £IOO,OOO, but he had not done it. He considered political honesty was an indispensable principle of a statesman’s character, and he should liko to see more of it than he had in either the Premier or Minister of Public Works.

Mr Mubeay said ho wished to giro his reasons for supporting tho amendment, and then proceeded to give e history of the circumstances which led to tho present Q-overnment acquiring tho reins of power and the failure of their administration. Mr DbLautoub rose to speak and continue! up to tho ad journment.