THE THAMES-WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1705, 7 August 1879, Page 2

THE THAMES-WAIKATO RAILWAY.

[Bv Teleoeaph.]

Yesterday, in the Council, in reply to M r Waterhouse, the Colonial Secretary said ths Governor had approved of the plans for th* Thames-Waikato railway on July sth. Sir D. Bell then gave notice to ask next day what was the lapse of time between the first contract being let and the date of the approval of .the plans by the Governor. Mr Waterhouse moved, “ That, in the opinion of this Council, the action of the Government in commencing a fine of railway from Waikato to the Thames at Grahamstonn, was a violation of both the letter and the spirit of the law.” The hon, gentleman related, at very great length, the history of this railway, contending that the action of the Government had been illegal and in direct violation of the legislation of Parliament, and that it was their duty, as a branch of the legislature of the colony, to express the strongest condemnation of an infraction of the statute by those whose duty it was to be most vigilant in upholding the decisions of Parliament, Colonel Whitmore said the whole of his hon. friend’s arguments had turned upon a mere quibble as to the meaning of the word “ Thames.” He contended that the action of the Government had been perfectly legal, and quoted from documents to prove the contention. The action had been upheld by the late Attorney-General, and other high legal authorities. He deprecated his hon. friend bringing forward a political motion of this kind at such a time as the present, and delaying the dissolution of Parliament. Dr, Pollen said that he was filled with compassion for his hon. and gallant friend, in that he should now be so often compelled to defend his colleagues, and was obliged to defend, not only the obliquities of the Ministry as a whole, but individual Ministers’ obliquities. He would venture to say the hon. Colonial Secretary did not himself believe the statements he had made upon this subject. He contended that the construction of a line between Hamilton and Grahamstown had never been contemplated by the Legislature last year, and that the action of the Ministry had been a direct and gross violation of the law. The Government had, in fact, undertook the railway to buy political support. Mr Hall thought that if any one could put a very bold face upon a very bad case, it was his hon. friend. He thought the case against the Government so strong as to need no further argument. He most strongly deprecated the assertion of bis hon. friend that this was a contested political motion. It was a motion to express their opinions on and condemn an act of illegality by those whose duty it was to uphold the law. It was not a question of policy at all, neither wore they delaying the dissolution of Parliament, for the Lower House was wailing for a financial statement. They could not better spend the time on their hands than by denouncing this shameful iniquity. If the Council were to sit and pass by such things silently, the eooner they were abolished the better. Sir D. BeJl would vote for the motion, and would endorse all that had been said by his hon. friends, Messrs Hall, Waterhouse, and Pollen. The lax way in which the Government had interpreted the law in this respect should be a caution to them to take extra care in the schedules of the Loan and other Bills. He hoped the Council would express its sense of the conduct of the Government most strongly. The motion was carried on the voices.