MR. ANDREW IN THE HOUSE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 172, 12 July 1876, Page 4

MR. ANDREW IN THE HOUSE.

It will be remembered that it was owing to Mr. Andrew's objecting to allow a resolution to be withdrawn, that the division took place on the Piako Swamp question, which resulted in the Ministry only being saved by the casting vote of the Speaker. The following is Mr. Andrew's speech in the debate which ensued, as reported in Hansard: — Sir, I must say that I and a great many other gentlemen are placed in a very peculiar position by this motion. Under the pretence of probing the Piako Swamp (and all about it) we are j_ow discussing a vote of confidence or no conGdence brought forward in an unusual manner, and at a most inconvenient time. Our progress, so far, in .business has been something less than nothing. It reminds me of the more active movements of the crawfish and .the lobster. There is a jerk and a flop of a curiously-jointed tail, and we advance backwards. I envy the optimism of the honorable member for Wellington (Mr Pearce), who can see in this everything working for good. It seems to me that there has been an error somewhere — I might almost say everywhere, not excepting myself, certainly not the Government. My own action I attribute perhaps, to error in judgment, but there is always some hope for a man who has judgment to err. I erred in supposing that the Ministry on those benches were the Ministry of last year, with forces well organised behind them. I should be glad to think tbat I erred in judgment in supposing that the honorable member for Auckland City West was proceeding in the same manner as he did last session: that is to say, attempting under pretence of some flimsy motion, or first reading of a Bill, to fix accusations that could do harm and yet not be enquired into. Honorable members who were in the House last session, or who, in preparing for the elections, or from possessing true patriotism, may have read Hansard, will have seen that on several occasions last session this was done, and that the honorable gentleman, with his followers, too often shrank from a division. But when accusations are made it is not right that tbey should be simply withdrawn. They leave a nasty trail behind, which should be washed out with the carbolic acid of a division. There was one notable exception to that line of conduct, the honorable member for Newton, for whom I have the highest respect, as I have for every man who has the courage of defending his opinions. Sir, I do not rise now to defend myself, but to say that the Government are to blame for tho position in which they find themselves. Tbey were taken by surprise that day when the hon. member for Auckland City West brought his motion forward ; and they bad no business to be taken by surprise. To adopt tbe characteristic style of my old friend Sir G. Bowen, the present Governor of Victoria, I would say that they presented themselves in the lists of this Parliament with their girths not tightened, their harness all unbraced, their lances not ready to hand, their squires haphazard and out of call j they advanced with helmets not barred ; and they got a slap in the face. I think this is in part due to the too great security and overweening confidence of chiefs gay with relief when the champion whom they most dreaded in the field was withdrawn from the melee by being promoted to the honorable post of wardour of the tournament. I hope I shall not be suspected of flattery in pointing out, Mr. Speaker, what appears to me a genuine and magnificent compliment to your ability, not expressed in words, for verbal expressions are often conventional and sometimes deceitful, but involved without design, and implied in the present fix of the Ministry. Perhaps something more may bave contributed to their want of readiness. It was, I think, in August, 1874, that we last saw the Premier representing a constituency in this House. Since then, he bas been absent on a mission — I think that is the correct term, as I gather from the papers laid before us — a mission despatched by himself. In that mission he has entered into negotiations with great Companies, and National Banks, with Governments Colonial and Imperial. He has been a plenipotentiary appointed and instructed by himself. " Sic volo, sic jubeo," has been the style of reasoning most ready to his purpose. If any accusation were brought forward or inquiry proposed into his proceedings last year, we were told that he was absent and that he was ill, but if the great eagle should appear, the chattering jays would cower in silence before him. Sir, I hope he will not think rae a chattering jay. He is present now, and it seems to mo that the unueiml sight of a House with bo many independent members in it, their generous impetuosity— -a good sign ia Parliament aa well as other youth j their eager alacrity for inquiry at once and without delay into any alleged wrongSir, this new spectacle may well have added something to tbe unreadiness which the Premier showed when taken by surprise. Be that aa it may, the Ministry have met with a great rebuff. Their communications have been interrupted, their basis of supply cut off. They cannot even forward the despatch of a simple Crown Grant for the comfort of their supporters without fighting a pitched battle on which their existence is slaked. But, with all this, Ido not think there has been a great gain, hut

but more likely a considerable loss j to the Opposition. There is a certain ceremonial law— there are certain' conveniences nnd proprieties — in every condition of life. In domestic life, the; observance of these proprieties tends at; any rate to present a decent exterior to the world ; it may ripen affection into habit ; it promotes mutual respect. On a larger scale in society it is the chief; characteristic of civilisation, which is j far more conservative than skill in | mechanical arte, or scientific knowledge ; it is recognised in war ; it is of the utmost importance in politics. Sir, I think one of these convenances was broken the other night during the salute, as it may be called, which followed the reading of the Governor's ; address, wben a motion that the Standing Orders be suspended was brought forward withont motion. I do not think tbe result of this breach of propriety will tend to weaken the Ministry. It will rather weaken the respsct — a respect which has been decreasing gradually since I first heard him — with . which this House has been used to listen to the hon. member for Auckland City West, Sir G. Grey. We have a specific vote before us; but the motion looked at in itself is almost an absurdity. It is as unnecessary, taken absolutely, as a motion to the effeot that this House is of opinion that there should not be any interference with the payment of a Resident Magistrate or a Treasury clerk. Bat we cannot look at the motion simply as it stands — it is really a motion of confidence or no confidence. We have an amendment from the honorable member for Dunedin (Mr Stout). Tbe substance of tbat amendment is exactly the same as the motion of the Government. Some members at the other end of the House have told us that they do not wish to make this a party question. If they do not wish to make this a party question, if they fail in carrying their amendment they should vote with the Ministry. The only difference between the two is, that in tbe amendment they state reasons, and in the Ministerial motion there is no reason mentioned. But if a reason exists, it should be acted on, It is nevertheless real, because it is in the mind and not on the Order Paper. There is a great inconsistency between tbe amendment of the honorable member for Dunedin and tbe original action of his principal, the honorable member for Auckland City West. The one proposes that the Crown grant should issue in due course, in order that legal proceedings may be instituted; the other attempts to delay the issue of the Crown grant. I shall make no attempt to account for the motions of these satellites. The orbit of the primary is beyond my power to reduce to a formula or political expression. It were easier, if the orbit were an astronomical one, to calculate and account for the course of some wandering star, some lost Pleiad, which, shaken from its proper place, has become a vagrant in the sky, shining sometimes with a flicker of its former brightness, but useless as a guide to the traveller or the pilot, or to a party of marauders. I will not occupy the House any longer. I will simply say that in spirit ray vote upon this occasion will certainly be with the Ministry; and on ail such occasions, when such an attempt is made to take them by surprise, or to suspend their executive aotion on accusations, unless those accusations are proved at once I shall continue to support them. On tbe present occasion it appears to rae tbat, though accusations have been brought, no proof has been given.