GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1759, 9 October 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF BBPEESENTATIYBS. Wednesday, Ootobeb 8. The House met at 2.30 p.m. miscellaneous. The report of the Oommisaionera of the Public Debts Sinking Fund was introduced by the Speaker and ordered to be printed. Mr Beeves gave notice of a Bill to amend the Mines Act and one to amend the Mining Companies’ Act. SUPPLY. On the motion of Sir Gbobge Obey all business was postponed, so that the House might go into Committee of Supply. Sir G. Obey moved in committee that £200,000 be granted by imprest for the financial year ending 30th June, 1880, The motion was adopted and reported to the House. leave was given to bring up the Bill, and the House went into Committee of Ways and Means, when leave was given to introduce the Imprest Supply Bill, which passed. THE NEW MINISTRY. Mr Hall said since the House last met he had been entrusted by his Excellency with the duty of forming a new Government, and had submitted certain names as members of the new Government, which he was now able to propose as follows : —Mr Whitaker, Eepresentative of the Government in the Upper House and Attorney-General ; Mr Hall, Colonial Secretary and Premier ; Major Atkinson, Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs; Mr Oliver, Minister of Public Works ; Mr Bolleston, Minister of Lands, Immigration and Education; Mr Bryce, Minister of Native Affairs ; Mr Tomoana, Native Member of the Executive Council. The Ministry was not quite complete, the full number not being provided for, but he thought it desirable that it should not be completed so long as they had sufficient to proceed with the public business. They could complete the list at an early date. Provision would hereafter be made for the offices of Minister of Mines, Minister of Justice, and Postmaster-General. When those were provided for there would be a redistribution of some offices, which would bo tilled by persons from some parts of the colony not yet adequately provided for. The gentlemen with him had considered this the proper course to pursue, and decided to ask for the adjournment of the House until Tuesday—[Oh, oh.] —to enable him to make a statement regarding public business and the Native measures they intended to introduce to the House. [Oh, oh.] This was the course usually pursued and always consented to by gentlemen who wished really to facilitate the dispatch of business. If this course was not approved of, and they were expected to proceed at once, it would bo apparent that considerable delay would ensue before they would bo able to proceed with the business. He moved that the House, at rising, adjourn until Tuesday. Mr Montgomery thought the hon. gentleman was asking more than the House could grant. He had been in his position for a considerable time, and had consulted with his party, and it was only fair he should go on with the business of the House, and state to them on Friday the course he intended to pursue. If at that time he was not really prepared to do so he could then come before them, and ask for a further adjournment. The request for further delay would be met courteously, and if necessary would be granted. Although opposing the adjournment until Tuesday, he would not propose any amendment, but thought sufficient reason was not shown for such adjournment. He hoped it would not bo pressed. [Cheers.] Mr Macandrew quite agreed with the last speaker. He should have no objection to adjourn from day to day if necessary. He, might state, however, that it was his intention when they had taken the oaths and occupied the Ministerial Benches, to give notice of a motion of want of confidence in them. [Loud cheers from the liberal party.] He intended to move this very important notice as a Srivato member of the House. He hoped the on. gentleman who was about to take his seat as head of the now Government would only adjourn till Friday, and then further adjourn if necessary. He hoped this would would bo done without the necessity for any amendment, but if it was not acceded to he would move it by way of amendment. Mr Wakefield was constrained to say that the opposite side of the House was not fair to the House as a whole. He disagreed with the hon. gentleman. The amendment was unfair to the hon. gentleman wii.o was about to assume the leadership, and showed

a want of taste on the part of the member for Akaroa, who had proposed it. He asked them to return and meet the House under most extraordinary circumstances. He was surprised that such an unreasonable request should come from the hon. member for Akaroa. They would only lose time by the course proposed. If they adjourned until Tuesday members would be able to go on with their own business, or to go to their homes instead of hanging about the House, ao would be rendered necessary by adjourning from day to day. He hoped no obstacles would now be thrown in the way of the adjournment. Mr Shebeait said he thought time should be given, and would move—“ That the House adjourn until Friday, and if necessary adjourn from day to day until Ministers were ready to proceed with the business." Mr Rbadeb Wood seconded. He deprecated any delay, but at the same time he thought as the hon. member for Port Chalmers gave notice that he had an important amendment to bring forward when Ministers took their seats, the party to be thus dealt with should not persist in postponing the bringing down of such a motion. Mr Bbandok spoke against the adjournxnsnt until Friday. Mr Hall said the hon, member for Waitemata expressed surprise that he had not given way when a notice of a want of confidence motion was threatened. He was equally surprised at the notice of such a motion, because it implied that they were to be asked to give way before they had actually taken their seats. They did not want to burke the matter, but they wanted a fair trial for the question. He insisted that the country would demand it. Ho wished the hon. member had made this statement about delay and loss of time to the gentleman who had so recently led his party, when the last want of confidence motion was under discussion, for then they only gave way for shame’s sake. They had taken three days to try and keep -themselves together, and now demanded that ■their successors should bring down a policy in twenty-five hours. They only threatened -to divide on the question because they knew a number of members of his party were away, not anticipating such objection to the usual course to crop up in their ab tease. It would be impossible for him to come down with a statement of policy on Friday. ([A voice—“An outline.”] He wanted to give them a full statement, not mere outline. It was unconstitutional to press such a course. He appealed to the common sense of independent members not to delay proceedings in the way proposed. Mr Moss understood it was the intention of the party to carry out the old policy ; but they now heard that it was intended to propose a new policy. They were not even sworn yet, and all sorts of delay might arise. He hoped the suggestion of the hon. member for Port Chalmers would be assented to. Mi- Mooehousb thought it impossible to examine all the offices of the public buildings and bring down a well digested policy in twenty-four hours. It would be necessary to examine into the condition of the colony. He was an independent man, and could not say with what party he might go at a future time ; but he dad think the request for a few days to bringdown a policy should by granted by all parties in the House. Mr M-ttr-cat claimed for the new Ministry time to bring down a policy, instead of asking the House to condemn them before they actually took their seats. It was only hunger for office that prompted such a course. The country would say it was fear of exposure prevented the granting of such a request.

Mr Adams thought there was an amount of business which might be proceeded with, and would ask for no delay in doing so, but he must support the adjournment until Tuesday in order to give the new leader a full opportunity of making himself acquainted with the position of affairs.

Mr MoLban said time was wanted to investigate the scandals which had been discussed. It was no use their attempting to burke a full investigation by objecting to a reasonable time in which Ministers might make themselves acquainted with the scandals they had heard so much about. He was pot bound to any party except one pledged fairly and honourably to conduct the business of the country ; but he did believe in giving time to bring down a full statement. It mattered little whether it was Friday or Tuesday, so that time was given. If the matter went to a division he should vote for the longest delay. Mr Sattndeeb thought the time asked for was short in comparison with the three days which tho defeated party had taken to tender their resignations to his Excellency. He was surprised at the action taken by the hon. member for Waitemata who spoke of the delay as unprecedented in his experience. He thought nothing could be more unreasonable than to expect that Ministers not sworn in should come down to the House with a matured policy after only one_ day’s delay. There was no instance on record in which eo little time was asked for. Mr Hislop thought the hon. leader of the Ministry showed his unfitness for tho position he aspired to by his statement. He asked for an adjournment until Thursday, and then came to ask for an adjournment till Tuesday. He did not see any reason shown for such a course. It was a sign of weakness to vary the request by tho adjournment now asked for without showing any real reason for the same. Mr Cowbn would recommend his hon. friend, the member for Selwyn, to accept the amendment proposed because an unfair advantage would otherwise be taken of the absence of a few members of his party, who had gone away never expecting such a matter would crop up. Mr Hurst also hoped the hon. member for Selwyn would accept the amendment, because the delay could not be reasonably asked for under the terms of the no-confidence motion, which placed them in the position they now occupied. That motion was not one of no confidence in tho policy, but in the formation of of the Ministry. It was only reasonable tc give defeated Ministers the opportunity of coming down at the earliest moment with a new formed Ministry, able to carry on the Government of the country. If there had been any other intention he would not have supported the request for going on with the business without delay. Mr Sutton deprecated delay.

Sir G. Grey said that to some extent a constitutional question had been raised as to the day on which he tendered his resignation to his Excellency. It would be remembered that it was on Friday night that the motion of want of confidence in the Ministry as at present constituted was passed. Those words implied a reconstruction of the Government. The House did not meet on Saturday. It was not lawful to meet on Sunday, and not the practice to meet on Monday, aud on Tuesday the address was to be presented to his Excellency. According to the constitutional rule, the Governor did nothing until he had been advised. The leader In presenting the address should have given advice. On Saturday a question arose as to whether a re-construo-tion of the Ministry was intended. He believed it was intended, and further believed his withdrawal from the Ministry would meet with the approval of the Opposition, On Monday he waited upon the Governor and told him of the resignation of Ministers and of his withdrawal, but that he thought it better to wait until the address in reply had been presented, and then announce his intention. His Excellency differed with him, and his resignation was given in on Monday. He met the House in his seat that day, not from any choice, therefore, but to oblige the hon. gentleman opposite. It was understood Ministers would have been sworn that morning, and then he would not have been compelled to suffer the indignity of occupying the position he did. He had endeavoured, in all that he did, to act within constitutional usages, and held that their resignations should have been accepted, and at the same time ho should have been asked who was to be sent for. He should have done so if the constitutional usages had been followed, and he would have recommended one who could form such a Ministry as would be acceptable to the House. He did not think the hon. gentleman had done his duty in not telling his Excellency he had failed to form a Government, when his Excellency would have known what to do. He did not intend to have taken any part in the debate, if the opportunity had not been taken of objecting to men and not to measures. Why should the new Government not come to that side of the House at once, if they were to take office that afternoon, as ho understood they were by swearing in ? Then let them ask for an adjournment. If (bey had really accepted office they should take their seats, and then it would be competent for them to ask for an adjournment. The vote on Friday night was a tie, and he was assured that gentlemen on the other side could not command a majority. The hon. gentlemen opposite might shake their heads, but if it was not true let them

try it at once, on Friday, if they had a majority. They need not object to do so. Let them then come on Friday when they were sworn in and were on the benches, and if they had a majority let them ask for whatever time they liked. That majority, ho was sure, would allow them and allow matters to go on at once. [Cheers.] Major Atkinson said it wes the common course to ask for time to form a -Government, and further time was usually given to bring down statements. He differed from the hon. gentleman as to the interpretation of the amendment. What according to-the custom of the colony was an absolute vote of noconfidence should have been taken as such absolutely, and the resignations -tendered to his Excellency at once. He did not lose an hour in doing the same himself when a vote of the kind was passed against him. He maintained that the late Administration had no intention of passing the measures they had dangled before the country so long. He would ask his hon. friend, the member for Selwyn, to accept the amendment and then come down with a further request, because that would be absolutely necessary if the Bills were to be passed this session, and the business of the country to be proceeded with. Mr Hall said he was prepared to accede to the amendment, but it muot be understood he must not be expected to come down with a full policy on that day. Mr DbLautoue opposed the idea that they should be controlled through the absence of any members of a party. The question of adjournment until Friday was then put and carried. The Imprest Supply Bill from the Legislative Council was reported, and the House adjourned at 4 30 until 2.30 on Friday,