HOUSE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 223, 1 October 1879, Page 2

HOUSE.

Mr Andrews moved the address in reply at considerable length, advocating all the measures contained in the Government programme, but especially in regard to the extension of the franchise. He advocated greater facilities for registration of the right to vote, bringing it down to some simple and easily understood regulation, whereby a man at any time possessing the necessary qualification might register his vote as easily as he could obtain a telegram or register his dog. He also referred to the necessity for better arrangements in the use of polling papers and the extension of the hours of polling, especially for the accommodation of working men, who were aow often compelled either to ask their employers for permission to vote or else relinquish the privilege. Mr Hurst seconded the address, and in the course of his remarks said that in conversation with the Premier he had asked him to say plainly what were the real points of the Ministerial policy, and the Premier said to him, " Look here Hurst, we want nothing that is not really the best for the country." He. was persuaded the hon member at the heud of the Government desired nothing that would not add to the advantage and prosperity of every individual in the colony. The hon gentleman then condemned the action of trying to remove the Government and preventing them carrying out Liberal measures, and so casting a blot upon the fajr fama of the colonial history. They would yet Mgret it. He strongly supported the way the Government dealt with the Native trouble which had arisen. Mr Hall then moved the following amendmet: — " While we are bound to give support to the Liberal measures desired by the country, we arc bound to submit to your Excellency that ycur Excellency's Government, as at present constituted, does uot possess the confidence of the House," He then spoke for an hour and a half, arraigning the Government on a great number of charges of maladministration and unconstitutional practice. He first dealt with the failure of the Government to carry out their proaiises of economy. They had been two years in office, and the first year they exceeded the previous limits by £8000, and the second by £15,000. Even the expenses under tneir own personal control they had not curtailed but had increased. They had promised economy beginning with themselves, but had not carried it out. lie spoke of cases where their own supporters had voted against Ministers as to the reduction of the Ministerial salaries, and the latter had punished them by making them Justices of the Peace. The next charge was the unreasonable use the Government bad made of the Hinemoa They used the Government steamers when they might just as well have gone by ordinary boats. Next came Native affairs, and the expenditure on these they did not know, but there could be no doubt that it [exceeded the estimate by at least £20 000. The hon gentleman condemned the conduct of the Government regarding the Waimate Plaint, aud quoted an extract to show that the fault lay with the Government, On the matter of finance he said it was pretty clear that there was a large deficiency, and before undertaking auy new loans a most comprehensive explana tion of the position and resources of the colony must be given. He ridiculed the so called Financial Statement made by the Premier last session Mr Hall complained that no record had been taken of what Sir George Grey had said on the subject when, on the eve of a loau of so large un amouut, it was imperatively needed. He asked whether such a course was not calculated to shake the confidence of any capitalist. The next complaint was that Government tampered with the public press. The Government could not take mouey fioui the public chest to subsidise the press, hut they influenced the public press by giving Government advertisements. A paper was started in Wellington eighteen months ago, the chief shareholders of which were members of the Goverumeut, aud what was the result? The Government advertisements were takeuaway from the old established newspapers anil given to that paper. The same thing occurred at Christcuurch. This was a gross and scandalous abuse of power. He condemned the way the Civil Service was treated, and instauced the rewarding of Mr Lnckie for journalistic support. After referring to matters of complaint regarding the administration of justice in Canterbury and the treatment of lunatics, he said he never knew a previous instance when the Government property and Government railways were used to furtner the interests of any Ministry, but during the late election oue Government steamer was sent north a:.d another south to convey Ministers fur tLe purpose of influencing the elections. The railway employees were told oil" for duty on Suudiiy iv order to allow the Premier to travel by specal train to the South. Had the Opposition possessed that power many different results would have happened llu then referred to the abuse of the telegraph, as instauced ia the iuglea telegram. He

read an extract from the Committee's report on the subject brought up some years ago, in wbich it was recommended that the Government should have no power to send political telegrams. He pointed out how suddenly the Minister found out after the dissolution that public works were required where candidates hd to be elected, and instanced the bridge at Napier as an illustration. He spoka of the Mikonui water race, and the part the Hou. Mr Gisborne took in refereuce to it when canvassing the constituency ; how a clock had been presented to Christchurch before the election, aud borough subsidies had been paid that were never paid before, and he called on the House to put its foot on these abuses. In conclusion he poiuted out that the party working with him were desirous of passiug all the Liberal measures. The Premier denied all the charges made against the Government. It was said that there were two parties iv the country, a personal and a party Government, but there was no such division. It was merely whether the law 3 should be fairly administered and he hurled the statement back in the teeth of the Opposition that the Government had not fairly adniiuistercd the laws. What estates had they acquired ? That was what he called unfair admiuist ration of the laws. It had been charged that they had no iutention of reducing their own salaries, aud that the gentleman who opposed the reduction had been rewarded by being created Justices of the Peace. He denied that there were any such base motives, the creations having been made because the gentlemen were suitable by their position for such an honor. With respect to the Hinemoa ho urged that those governing a country like this should always have the services of such a vessel. They did not order the Hiuemoa; they found her there, and he claimed that if he considered it his duty to inform the people of New Zealand of the measures the Government proposed, he had a right to use that vessel to address large mass* s to tell them what was designed for the benefit. The Native Minister would defend the Native policy. He denied the charges against the Native policy, and aho those regarding the Civil Service, as he had many dear personal friends in that service, and he always fostered public institutions. He accused the Opposition of leading the people astray after having" destroyed their provincial institutions aud giving them nothing to replace them. One liberty after another had been taken away from the people till they had nothing left, and all the power was being concentrated in the bands of a few. The bon. gentleman then dilated upon the Irish famine, and the wretched state of the people at home and in Europe. Mr Saunders made a powerful speech, attacking the Premier and the Ministry. Referring to the Premier's charges regarding the gridironing practices in Canterbury, he said that such a practice was certainly very objectionable, but on inquiry he found that only about 2000, certainly not 500J, acres had been so gridironed. The Hon. member proceeded tocondemn the Premier for the very liberal use he had made of the Hinemoa after the manner in which he had condemned the purchase of that steamer, and he advocated its sale. Mr Speight moved the adjournment of the debate till 2.30 to-day.