HOUSE OF KKPKESENTATIVES.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 91, 5 November 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF KKPKESENTATIVES.

Barff continuod tho debate critising the conduct and policy of tho late Ministry The feeling of tho country, especially tho West Coast, was decidedly in favor of Grey, Sepcration itsolf would scarcely be a greater evil than the restoration of the Atkinson's Government as it would oven endanger the peace of the colony with tho natiyes, and irjure its credit abroad. Fitzroy k new enough of tho principles ai Grey and his colleagues to oppose them, ' Tho cry about fair play was only got up to excite public sympathy. Grey had appealed to the gallery, but the working men of the colony were too conservative to be deceived by him. Ministers could not reconcile their views on the Land Fund quostion, and though they | offered a sop to Canterbury run holders, he remembered how Grey had talked of those runholdors last session. Fisher thought tho views of tho present Ministers on the Land Fund quostion we-e quite as easily reconcilable as those of the lac Ministry. Tho Government would give Canterbury runholders justice ; have a fair valuation, and fair rent fixed. He condemned the miserable country policy' of the lato Government. Ho felt proud of Grey's position, which ho owed to tho honest advocacy of tho rights of tho pooplo. Ho was a man of tho pooplo, but no violent democrat. The pooplo wero tired of boing governod by men who thought thoy bad a vested interest in government. Since Vogol left the lato Ministry was always willing to chum up with any dangerous opponent as it had neither brains nor policy of its own. If given a chance the present Ministry would show thoy were not such duffers as some people thought. Murray urged retrenchment by reducing members of the Houso. Either the Lund Fund would have to bo seized or additional taxation imposed to reconcile tho difference botwoon ordinary expenditure and income. He accused Rowo of having attended the meetings of the middle party as a spy and boiraying all he hoard to Atkinson. A continuation of such misgorornment as Atkinson's was what would bring about separation most quickly. Ho had no fear of Grey promoting separation. As a Minister Swanson thought Grey the only man in a position to effect any real retrenchment iv the Civil Service. If Atkinson got back and Whitakor not to return, how was Auckland to bo represented in the Ministry. Only Douglas, RoWe, Morrin, and Williams, would bo available, and certainly nono of them would do. Ho strongly condemned Rowo's boasting at tbo Thames of having got things in tho House by scheming. He would rather go without them than uso such means. Now was Rowe's chance to get land and justice in favor of tho Thames by working with bis colleagues. Tho country would insist on the Ministry getting fair play. Hislop condemned the scheme of tho lninisteriftl side. They had showed no rea«6n for their action at present. Separa* tioa #as merely an abstract quostion, but such conduct as Gisborne'd was calculated to make it a practicable ono. Stout rose, not to speak to tho motion, but to raise a question of privilege of an urgent character. Ho referred to the last paragraph of the Governor's speech about calling Wilson to the Legislative Council, in which a motion pending in the Houso was alleged by the Governor as a reason for refusing the advice of Ministers. Ho condemned this was a breach of the priveleges of tho Hou,se As the Crown waa not supposed to know anythiug which took place iv Parliament till constitutionally and properly communicated. Because a motion was pending in the House, the Governor could n,ot refuse Minister's. advise. Clearly no responsible Ministry aa ( 4 tl^e Uoyeriior,

virtual dictator. He cited authorities to show this. H 0 n? 070^ " that the reason assigned by tl*o Governor for refusing Ministers advice was not \u accordance With the privileges qf Parliament. "' Eolleston without expressing any opinion rm the question, «t first thought tUp House should not issue till the Crown was proßprly represented in th.o House. Barff insisted that tb.e question was mosf impqrtant, aa it effected tho relation of the Cqlony to tho Crown, apd should bo dealt with immediately. Travers said the question should bo discussed irrespeptive of party. On the face it seemed that the privileges of Parliament had been invaded, but timo was roquirod to look up authorities. No doubt the Crown had no right to know what was going on in the House till officially informed. Gisborno agreed with Travers, but thought an address to the Governor expressing regret at the course pursued would probably be bettor than Stout's motion. He moved tho House adjourn till to-morrow to consider tho matter. The adjournment was agreed to, and the House rose at 5.