MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 218, 5 September 1876, Page 4

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Wellineton, Sept, 4, The House met at 7.30. After a little formal business, Major Atkinson said that, in accordance with the pledge given the other evening (Sir George Grey rose to a point of order, saying tbe law said that the Attorney General of New Zealand should not be a member of either House. Cries of No, No.) The hon. Premier then read the numes and offices of the different Ministers. In reference to the y formation of the Ministry, he said the House bad for some time been of opinion that there should be a political Attorney General, and in accordance with that wish Mr Whitaker was appointed. Mr Hall, consented to assist Dr Pollen in the Upper House, without portfolio or pay. Mr G. M'Lean also consented to aid the Ministry at present; also without pay. Before the session closed he would have to ask the House to increase the number of salaried Ministers, in order that the work of the country might be carried on effectively. Sir Donald M'Lean did not intend to remain long in offioe, but would remain some months, with the view of endeavoring to assimilate the Government of the Natives with ; that of the Europeans, and not for personal gain. Dr Pollen was also desirous of being relieved from his duties; he explained that tbe hon. gentleman had been many years in pubiio life, and that the time he served as Minister of the Crown would not be counted in his term as a civil servant. Mr Richardson had asked that he might also be relieved as aoon after the end of the session as possible. The Premier then referred to Sir J. Vogel's retirement, and said the colony would suffer a great loss by bis absence, and tbat when the history of tbe colony came to be written he would be one of the foremost men in it. As a slight reward for bis services tbey proposed to offer him the office of Agent General, though they believed he would not be prepared to hold it more than a very short period, when they would ask the House to consider the whole question of the Agent Generalship. On their main policy he said he must take the avowal that Abolition would be carried out, and that Provincialism in any form would not be resuscitated. It would be tbe duty of the Government to sac that the transition from the old to the new should cause but little friction. For that object Government had already taken steps, but nothing would be more effeotual than cordial co-operation with tbe existing Provincial Governments. Upon the question ot the land fund and Separation tha House would expect a distinct avowal, and he wished to make it bb distinct as possible. The House had this session decided the question and the Government loyally accept the decision, whatever may be the opinion of individual members thereof. With regard to loans and public works they proposed to ask authority to raise two millions, but only one million tbis year, tbe chief portion of which would be required to meet provincial liabilities. Tbey deemed it necessary tbat the main trunk lines of the colony Bhould be carried on continuously, but not at such a rapid rate as heretofore. If the House determined to continue the system of public works it would be necessary to give Government the power to raise the money. To stop public works at present would be a great disaster. He did not think it desirable to sell the £800,000 loan. In connection with loans he would mention that the Act ior the inscription of stock was a measure from which the colony not only derived present advantages, but tbat it would greatly facilitate tbe raising of future loans; The credit of this arrangement was entirely due to Sir Julius Yogel. Regarding immigration, the Government had proposed to encourage the nominated system, in the hope that in time; nominated immigration, now increasing very fast, would meet all the requirements of the colony. Touching the financial arrangements of abolition, he said new arrangements would be made regarding hospitals and museums. The question of education would be considered next session, in the shape of some general measure for the whole colony. The Counties Bill was to be modified, by which it was to be left to each county, after being mapped out, to decide whether they should avail themselves of the new counties, or make use of the system of Road Boards, and so make the County Councils merely distributive bodies. The Native Lands Bill, he said would be abandoned. The Native Lands Purchase Department would be banded over to the Crown Lands Commissioners, with the view of doing away with that department as soon as possible. That waa the policy he had to Bubmir, and if it met the approval of the House, he had no doubt the business could be got through in a month. The hon. gentleman concluded as follows: —"I have submitted a policy which I hope will be accepted. There is nothing in it, probably, which the House will not have anticipated; but so far as we can see, there is but one policy open to the colony— on the one hand a steady perseverance of our public works within the limits of our means; and on the other, prudent and efficient administration in all branches of the publio service." The hun. gentleman then moved the adjournment of the House. Mr Andrew asked leave to move without notice, that the House disapproves of the proposed offer of the Agent-Generalship to Sir Julius Yogel.

This being objected to, he gave tbe usual notice to move. Upon the question, of adjournment, Sir George Grey, again put his question with regard to the AttorneyGeneralship. Mr Whitaker then mad 6 a personal explanation to the effect that it was well known that he held different views regarding Separation to the other members of the Ministry, but pointed out that, while he was still of the same opinion, he felt bound to accept tbe decision of the House in the matter, and would endeavor to loyally carry oat the wishes of the Hoase, but he at the same time held himself at liberty, if he/saw a majority of.the House hold the same views as himself on financial j separation, to separate from the Ministry, and act aa he thought proper under tbe circumstance.. As to his appoint- i meot as Attorney-General, the hon. gentleman went at some length into the provisions of tho law of the matter, but explained that he was not appointed under any Act on the subject, but under the general powers of tbe Government • in auoh a case. In reply to a state- i ment by Mr Rees, he said he did not ' give the Government the legal opinion [ as to the appointment, but that he con- I ourred in it. Mr Rees took objection to the number of Ministers as being illegal, aud quoted from statutes on the question. . Mr Whitaker said he would be happy to meet Messrs Rees and Stout (who ; hear -beared him-) in the Supreme Courts that House cot being the proper '■■ place to discuss the point. Mr Thomson proceeded to take '■. objection to the composition of the Ministry, whom he considered not a very happy family. It appeared to him tbat the chief members of tbe Ministry were about to retire shortly. Take away the Native Minister, the Minister for . Public Works, and the Colonial Secretary, and, he would ask, who was left? They might as well form a Ministry by shaking the names of members iv a bag as have such a residuum left as they would bave after the resignations referred to. He said that if that plan had been adopted the composition, of the Ministry .wqu!d ; at least have been fairer, and the different parts of the oolony better represented. He thought if they bad an Executive Council at all, they should all remain in Wellington to consult together, and not have such an important officer as the At-torney-General resident in Auckland eight months out of tbe year. They might as well carry out the principle by getting members to forward their speeches to Wellington by telegram, and not have meetings of Parliament at all. He also took exception to the number of Ministers, saying that tbe Government might as well at once place their majority on the Government benches. He also took exception to the policy propounded as unsatisfactory, Mr Stout, who followed, said the Premier's policy waß not very new. Its root seemed to be abolition only, aud that of a very wide kind. It seemed to be merely the abolition policy of the late Premier, which he would not discuss on that occasion, but he informed the House that the way in which the Ministry was formed was altogether unprecedented. What amounted to a vote of no confidence had been moved, and 80 soon as a reconstruction took place the mover of that motion was taken into tbe Ministry. It was nothing new to have an open question in the Ministry, but it was not usual to see different members of the. Cabinet holding opposite views upon questions that must of necessity be Government questions. He also objected to taking gentlemen into the Cabinet without salary. It was a bad precedent-, and .-calculated, to throw the Government ofthe country into the hands of the monjed olasses; and if it was necessary to place any number of gentlemen on the Ministerial benches) they should be paid. This praotice was like putting gentlemen on the Government benches as apprentices to learn their duties, and they received no salary in consequence. Touching the appointment of Agent-General, it seemed highly improper to discuss the question while the hon. member for Wanganui was a member of the House. Such a course was quite unconstitut o_a*, and calculated to repress freedom of discussion. The Ministry should have bad the courage to act .upon their convictions, and appoint Sir J. " Yogel at once, instead of practically asking the House to lead tbem in legislation. What position would the Gogernment be in if the House refused to grant the appointment ? Why tbey would have to resign. (Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches). Another point referred to \ by Messrs Stout and Thompson was aaidea that wßa abroad, namely that the AttorneyGeneral waa to take precedence of the Premier at Government House, Sir George Grey pointedly asked if such a statement was true. The Premier said the question wss not very clear to him, and be requested that notioe be given in the usual way. Mr Rolleston asked how the two millions were to be raised. The Premier said that when the matter came on, in due course, all necessary information would be elicited. The House adjourned at 9.30.