GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1758, 8 October 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, Octobeb 7. TheriLegislativo Council mot at 2.30, and after a few minutes of formal business. Colonel Whitmobk made a statement on the political position. He said he did not propose to take any further business, as he only held office till his successor was appointed. -He therefore proposed that all business oc the Order Paper be postponed to a future sitting day. Colonel Whitmore then made a personal statement. He thanked the -Councillors for their kindness and assistance ■when in difficulties, and said ho had accepted office with reluctance, feeling incompetent for the duties. Ee would not have attained any success but for the help and forbearance of -the Council. (He thanked the Speaker for his courtesy and help, and sat down amid applause. Sir F. D. Bell read a note from Mr Hall, explaining the state of affairs, and hoping the , Council would adjourn for a few days, when he hoped to have a Government and a policy acceptable to the -Governor, Parliament and . the country. The Council adjourned at 2.45 to 4 p.m. At 4 p.m., the Council again met to take an Imprest Bill, but -the Bill not being sent up from the Lower House, the Council ad--1 journed to the usual hour next day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, Qotcbeb 7. iTho House met at 2.20. AUCKLAND WBSI •The Spbakbe intimated that he had received .a petition from Joseph Newman, of .Auckland against the return of Dr. Wallis . aad,-Mr-W. J, Horst for Auckland City West, .and .it would be necessary to name a date on which .the petition should -be referred to a . committee of the House. The committee uWould require to sit within fourteen days. .Mr, TTrjt~ ot* rose to question -whether the . the petition could be received on-two grounds —-First, on the ground that two, cames could , not ho. joined in one petition, because , the Act! clearly set forth that <coly one jperson ..cpnld, the words being ■“.■against -the return of any member.” -He sub- , mittad, therefore, that the petition was i not in accordance with the Act, and could not -ba received by the House. The other .ground , of, objection he raised was that the petition .did /not sufficiently set forth the grounds of .objection. It.v7ac.in his opinion necessary to .do.ao more fully. The Beeakbb.said all that was nocesssay ■on. that occasion .wae to fix a date for the apf (Ointment of a committee, and it would .he or -that committee -to decide whether -the petition was formal or mot. Me HnSSTHOuaB : moved— ,e That Friday,! 17thiiastant, at three, olelock, be the day and, hour for proceeding to .the appointment of a committee to take into conaideratk m the petition of Joseph Newman;” Mr DeLautoub asked .if it would' be competent to add to the motion: —“ And to report to this House if .there is s.affieient grounds for proceeding with .same.” The Speaks® said he did mot consid. w the addition would be in order. It was m erely their duty to appoint a committee witl 'out offering any instructions to that committee. The motion was pat and carried. OHEISTCKUEOH EXE CMOS'. The Speakbb intimated that he had re-’ ceived a petition from Edward Richardson, of Christchurch, complaining of the undue election of Sir George Grey for Christchurch city, and it would be necessary to make a similar appointment in the matter of this petition. On the motion of Mr Bowes, Friday, 17th instant, at three o’clock, was appointed for selection of a committee to consider this petition. MISCELLANEOUS. A number of private petitions were presented. Colonel Tbimblb gave notice of the Waitara Harbor Board Land Transfer Bill. Mr Thomson laid on the table the Reports of Emigration Officers; the Report'of 'the Commissioner of Crown Lands for Otago on Deferred Payment Land Sales in Southland ; Return of Revenue for the quarter ended 30th September. EXPLANATION, Sir Geo. Gbby rose to make an explanation to the House. He said that a few days ago, in speaking to the House, he made a statement respecting what hod taken place during the famine in Ireland, during the delivery of which it was ejaculated that he had not put the matter fairly, and had exaggerated the _ facts. He wished now to quote from hia authorities to disprove these ejaculations. He had before him the statements of eye witnesses to the dreadful effects of that famine. One _of them stated that bodies were left unburied and eaten by rats, and another said that it was necessary to bum the homes over the dead nnbnried. A doctor’s statement was quoted shewing that he had met a man with a rope over hia shoulder dragging two dead children to the grave. Other statements equally. shocking could be quoted, if necessary, toi •how that he had not exaggerated the picture. : With regard to Lord Beaoousfield's statement, he said that landlords appeared unconscious; of the thousands in distress around them at I the time. He had shown to what the fwgfoA was attributable,

'I The Spbakbe thought the hon. gentleman was enlarging too much in his explanation. Sir Gkobgb Obey said he would not do so, but would merely quote from tho “ Times to show the deplorable condition of Ireland five years ago, when tho people were so reduced that the state of affairs was appalling, and yet at that time at a banquet three cheers wem given for tho famine, and Disraeli saic that three cheers had been given for worse things. [The hon. gentleman thou read a quotation to that effect.] Colonel Tbimblb said he rose .to ask _ e hon. gentleman for the context, wbichhe maintained would not bear out tho construction put upon the words quoted by the hon. gentleman. Ho had the context before him, but would of course like the reading to come from the Premier instead of from himself. Mr Kelly asked the Premier for tho authority he had quoted for part of tho statement. The Pbbmibe replied,Realities of Irish . Life,” by Trench. FEESBNTATIOK OF ADDBE3S IN’ tEBBLY. The Sfeaebb intimated that it was time to wait upon His Excellency with the address in reply. An adjournment of the House, then followed to wait upon His Excellency with the address in reply. After which the Speaker ~B ai d the Governor had been pleased to receive them graciously and accept tho address, to which he had replied, expressing his thanks for the same, and for the assurance that all ~measures would receive their earnest -eon-; Bideration. His Excellency thanked the House for their congratulatory address. MINIBTBBIAL STATEMENT. - Sir Geobgb Gbey said he rose, with -the . permission of the House, to state that he end his colleagues having placed their resignations in. tho hands of his Excellency, bo .had accepted the same, but had joined the acceptance with a request that they should continue in office until their successors .wore appointed. They now only occupied-that; position until a new Ministry was formed. \ THE NEW MIHIBTEY. | Mr Hall said that on the previous after- 1 . noon he had been sent for by his Excellency,l and informed of the resignation of the Ministry, and had undertaken the formation, of a new Ministry. He had since been engaged in that work, and had to ask for an adjournment of the House to enable him to complete the work. He intended to ask for an adjournment until Thursday, but had been informed by the Premier that supplies were absolutely necessary at the earliest posebla date, and had to ask for an adjournment until .next day, in order that supplies might be be token into consideration, and an adjournment. afterwards until Thursday, when In would, be in a position to announce that a i Government had been formed, which ho hoped would command the confidence of the House. -Sir. Geo. Gbey said he rose to second the .adjournment, but without committing himself to that part of the statement which indicated that the Ministry to be formed would command the confidence of the House. The House then adjourned until 230 on •Wednesday, when it will resolve itself into Committee of Supply.