PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1268, 22 August 1872, Page 2

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

MR. STAFFORD'S RESOLUTIONS. Wellington, Aug. 20, 8 p.m. ' ,Mr Stafford, hi moving his resolutions, said he felt the responsibility attached to the position he occupied in moving reso--lutions directed against the administration of the special course of policy which the present Government had initiated, and which the Legislature and the country had accepted and sanctioned. If the failure had been an ordinary one, the matter would have been less serious, but in the present circumstances failure meant disaster, and. grave disaster was impending if by bad administration the scheme disappointed, the hopes of the country, and instead of producing the expected benefits, had resulted in prostration which would be felt to future generations. More depended on adrainislation now than ever before. The Legislature and the country, at the invitation of the Government, had superseded the Provinces in colonising operations, and it was, therefore, incumbent on the Government to use every exertion to make the administration successful. The scheme owed its origin to the inventive genius of a member of the Ministry, who, though possessing great honesty of purpose and zeal, lacked steadiness of action and prudent foresight and calculation regarding details which, in carrying out such a scheme, the

country had a Tight to expect. Mr Vogel's career was a long list of failures. First came, the hastily-entered-into San Francisco service ; then four other contracts within a year, ending in one less certain in operation, and least within the means of the Colouy of the series. By hastily making these contracts he had destroyed pending negotiations by the Commissioner -in.England with an English company who were able to maintain an effioient service, and who would> unlike a foreign company, have had the interests of the Colony at heart. In all his contracts Mr Yogel had studiously disdained being bound by the monetary limits prescribed by Parliament, and had shown that it was not safe to entrust him with any sum for any purpose with any assurance that the amount' would not be exceeded. The same administrative advice, (?) cropped up through the whole administration. Before the necessary railway lines had been determined; before any survey had been made, or reliable data procured ; Mr Yogel, pursuing a sensation policy which had pot the better of his really useful qualities, had imported English contractors under the assurance that one of two large alternative contracts would be given to him. Mr Brogden came, believing that reliable data of surveys were procurable,' to enable him to tender with little delay, but he found nothing On which he could roly, and noh even an engineering staff. Brogden's firm had made pecuniary arrangements for large contracts,%and the Colony would indirectly, or directly, have to compensate them for loss, disappointment, and delay they had experienced. -Then the Government, instead of anxioußly,,:i earnestly, consulting the best means to- remedy the deficiencies existing, and doing what sane earnest men would-dopwent ;. flying away from the seat of Government— Mr Yogel to Australia, Mr Fox to the West Coast, and Mr M'Lean to Auckland. He, however, excepted' the latter from censure on this score, as duty required the, Native Minister's absence. There was one Minister known to the.law, and one not known to the law, and, without legal functions, 1 but both of whom seemed determined to keep anywhere but in a place where engineers and all data for public works were. Scattering .over the icountry so . : as to render consultation , impossible, was Ministers' method 'of Remedying _jnrave deficiencies in carrying thGcPublic. Works Policy into operation. The unsatisfactory, character of the administration proceeded largely from this habitual absence from the seat of Government, and which not only caused delay and confusion, but involved the Colony; in heavy expense for extra clerical assistance, telegraphing, &c. Ministers, however, being entrusted to administer millions, seemed to think that thousands were a bagatelle. Even with all this absence the Minister for the Middle Island never visited the Nelson and Foxhill line, saw very little of the disputed line of railway in Southland, and knew nothing of the Blenheim and Picton line. Ministers had got the machinery of administration into such a mess that prompt action in any matter, was impossible, however necessary. The Premier had done the Colony good ser-. vice in the past, but it was a lamentable fact he, was now but a memory of himself. Mr Gisborne was an admirable man to manage departmental affairs if left to ; that work. Mr Yogel lacked steadiness of purpose and power. Plodding over details, he was a most able man ; but he required an amount of ballast which he had failed to find in his present colleagues. Mr Ormond, however great his administrative capacity, could not possibly have done his duty satisfactorily while refusing 1 to remain at the seat of Government. Mr Vogel's liking for sensation, large figures, and millions,, had: marred his ; public i usefulness. The Government, having failed by foresight to provide for difficulties, in the ' most suicidal manner ignored accumulated information of survey staffs and surveys, existing in the provinces, and instead of availing themselves thereof, hopelessly endeavored to hurriedly' build ug> rival organisations — this while Mr Brogden was daily pressing for information) which 'could have been supplied; by provincial officers. Immigration, too, had been grossly mismanaged. ' Contradictory instructions were sent to the Agent-General by Ministers scattered all over the Colony, and yet everything was* practically (left to the discretion of Dr. Featherstonl The character of the immigration was not' satisfactory. He had no objection to 'Scandinavians, but he saw- no adequate provision being made for the settlement of immigrants on land, or avoiding the danger of having a mass of ! discontented people, devoid of means, introduced, and no employment for them. He thought that the complaint that Ireland was neglected as an immigration field was well-founded. The north and south-west of Ireland could supply admirable immigrants. With respect to employingProyin? cial institutions in working out the! policy^ . he meant the whole machinery of the Provinces, such as engineers and surveyors. Maps and records should be taken; advantage of , as well as the services, advice, or assistance of any of them capable. The Superintendents: were /willing to work harmoniously with the Government, and the most rabid ultra-Centralist would not object to • take good advice or assistance from a Superintendent, . and he saw no inconsistency with the opinions he always held in what was now proposed. 9 tner speakers would enter on the details of the maladministration of the Government. He would not discuss the Budget at the presentj and it would probably not be necessary to do so at all. He would simply say it showed, the old practice of drifting into debate simply to carry on a' normal administration of affairs. The .Government toolcr offiSe with a floating debt of L 276,000, which- was now in- . creased to L 610,000, being an increase of L 108,434 a year during their administration, for the ordinary expenses of the Civil Service. This,'. although definite expenditure, had been transferred to the loan, and they had enjoyed facilities no Other Government ever 1 did of lessening ordinary expenditure. He regarded the present position of the Colony as a very grave one, and shrank from the responsibility of taking part in any future administration of affairs. .He would not do so had he not be«n not only asked, but pressed on all sides to do so, and he had felt it his duty either to comply or resign his seat. He had a profound conviction that a great crisis had arrived, and if they would not see industries paralysed, and public credit endangered, if they would do their, duty as representatives of the peo - )le, they must demand a sweeping and sea: shing reform, such as it was hopeless to expect from the present Government.