PARLIAMENTRAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 183, 2 August 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTRAY.

HOUSE. Wellington, Saturday. On the House resuming at 7*30 last night, Mr Barton intimated that he would ask the House to endorse a series of very grave if not libellous aspersions on the judicature of the colony from the Chief Justice downwarda. The House remained perfectly silent whilst the Hon. member read them. Sir W. Fox said that the resolutions read were scandalous and libellous and ought not to appear among the notices of motion. The Speaker agreed and said he could not allow the notice to appear till some objectionable passages were expunged. Regarding the political situation the Premier said he had consulted the Opposition in reference to the measures that could be carried through before the dissolution. He had been informed that that body would not allow any other measures than the Supply and the Loan Bills to pass. He had asked that the Electoral and Chinese Immigration Bills should be allowed to pass, the Government hoping that such measures would meet with no opposition. The following was received in reply ;— " Sir W. Fox presents his compliments to Sir G. Grey, and in reply to his memorandum begs to state that his Excellency the Governor having clearly defined the terms of dissolution, the Opposition do not presume to take the matter out of his Excellency's hands. The Premier having stated that the Loan Bill and Supply are not contested motions the Opposition are prepared to afford every assistance to the Government in carrying out those measures, but they cannot go in for any other, because the terms on which the dissolution is granted preclude other measures from being brought forward by a Ministry which does not possess the confidence of the House." Replying to some remarks by Sir W Fox, the Premier said it never entered the heads of the Government to ask for a supply without fully stating to the House the present financial condition. A full statement was impossible, but all public information would be afforded, and under the circumstances the House could not expect more than a general statement. Sir W. Fox then referred to the position of members on his side of the House in reference to the dissolution. There was a constitutional right for the House to refuse supplies, and though his Excellency had made no reference to that right, that memorandum should be read by the light of the correspondence that had passed between his Excellency when Governor of a neighboring colony and Lord Carnarvon when reference was made to a dissolution without supply and with conditions. This concluded to the effect that under certain circumstances the House was justified in refusing supplies, and his Excellency was not bound to dissolve Parliament till he had exhausted every combination to carry on the government of the country. By the light of those events he considered that to separate without granting supplies would be demoralising, at the same time it was possible for His Excellency not to grant a dissolution if supplies were not granted, and he could ask the majority to form a Ministry, but he and his party only wanted to maintain all constitutional rights, and they would do nothing to create a deadlock. They were prepared to grant supplies, to go to the country, and to get a new Parliament in the shortest time that circumstances would permit. There was nothing to prevent this, but they would insist upon restraining the Ministry in the meanwhile from the exercise of any authority beyond what was necessary to bring about the elections. The Hon. member pointed out that it would not be right to have the election* till the Bay of Islands Roll had been purged, but that a Bill could be passed which would rectify that evil, and another similar one on the West Coast by which several hundred people were virtually disfranchised, and the Hon. member for Grey Valley diaqualificd - Summing up briefly, the condition of the Opposition to granting supplies would be :— lst, no new contracts ; Snd, no elevations to the Legislative Council ; 3rd, that those defects in the electoral rolls he had mentioned, which originated solely through Government officials, should be rectified The Premier said that Sir Hercules Robinson meant what he said when he authorised the dissolution. There was no notice given by the Opposition with regard to supplies being granted, bat in asking for a dissolution they asked to set an example. He would tell them His Excellency knew he waa Governor of New Zealand, and that the people of this conntry would not allow any Opposition to refuse supplies. Why, if they did such a thing, they knew very well not one of them would come back to that House. He dared them to refuse supplies, and told them unhesitatingly that the dissolution Bhould take place. He said again that they dared not do it. He said again they must give supplies and they should do so. Then they had brought up the question of that wretched Bay of Islands ♦1° w d the E!ectofal Bo* l of aome part of the West Coast because of some hon. member whoßupportedthe Opposition not being on tbat roll, and he must be reinstated otherwise the people of New Zealand would not be represented. If the Opposition allowed tne Electoral and Representation Bills to be paMed, the House could have met at the latest by tne beginning of December. Jt