PARLIAMENT.

Patea Mail, 31 August 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

{Press Association Telegrams .) HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. The House met at 2.30 o’clock. DIRECT STEAM SERVICE. The report on direct steam communication witli England was brought up by Mr Macandrew, the Chairman of the Committee, and ordered to be considered on the 13th prox. (The report appears in another column.) sir jdlius’s letter. Mr J, B. Fisher gave notice that he would ask Government to point ont the passages in Bir Julius Vogel’s letter to which they took exception, and in virtue of which they considered,themselves called upon to return the letter to the writer. LIFE ASSURANCE. Major Atkinson laid on the tabic the English Actuary’s report of the Life Assurance Department, together with the Commissioner’s report, and said he would give notice of a motion to-morrow embodying the scheme for the division of profits proposed by Government. NATIVE SCHOOLS. Replying to questions, it was stated that the cost, of erecting and maintaining Native schools was defrayed chiefly out of vote. A small sum was contributed from land leased in Stewart Island. * coast lights. Provision would not be made in the meantime for the erection of a light at Kaipara Heads, as there were other works for lighting the coast of a more urgent nature to be attended to. COLLECT TELEGRAMS. 'Government could hold out no expectation of the collect system being extended to delayed telegrams. Any alteration they might suggest would be in the direction of a reduction of the tariff. OBSTRUCTION. Mr Reeves asked if it was the intention of Government to have a light erected at French Pass. On Major Atkinson objecting, the Speaker ruled he was importing debateable matter into the question, whereupon Mr Reeves abandoned bis question and moved the adjournment of the House, continuing liis remarks until the adjournment at 5.30. Evening Sitting. The House resumed at 7-30 p.m. STONEWALLING. SIR GEORGE GREY’S GRIEVANCES. Mr Reeves continued the debate, speaking till 9 o’clock. Sir George Grey said they stood at a very great crisis in the affairs of the colony. He wished to say a word on the form of Government they would have to meet in the future. The plea that if a wrong was done they could easily put it right in the future, was a delusion. He referred at some length to the' Legislative Council, and its actions in various matters. He argued that in rejecting the Abolition of Oaths Bill the Upper House had committed a further outrage on humanity. No tyrant in olden times had ever acted in a more outrageous manner. He also blamed them for having rejected his Law Practitioners Bill. He contended that those who were opposing the Representation Bill were making a noble stand against the predisposing cause to the wrongs he had alluded to, and posterity would bless them for their endeavor. Let the squatter and the large land-owner say what they liked, the masses would bless them and sing of their- praise. If the representation was handed over to a few families, as was proposed in the Middle Island, then God help the population as a whole. If this plan was persisted in, woe betide the people of the North Island. He asked those who had always stood with him to rally like men, and say that this injustice should not be done. He believed the news of the struggle being made by this sturdy few will spread throughout New Zealand, and although their efforts were now being coldly received, a tide of sympathy and support would yet set in their favor. He counselled that trusty band not to be discouraged because they addressed empty benches, not to be discouraged because representatives preferred the facinations of the concert hall and dance room to the parliament as it now stood. Their noble endeavours would reacli bejmn'd these men. They would reach the ears of the thousands who were then threatened with wrong, and they would yet be roused to aid them in their self-denying efforts. It was but a thin House to speak to, and the numbers were but small to ask to come to assist him.

Still, liu thought the thing might be done. Let (ii in then rise as one man and demand ill dr rights—demand their liberties. Let them n<>t la} - the flattering unction to their souls that if they gained a personal advantage they would be able hereafter to redress wrongs done. He invited the noble band who had fought so ban 1, to continue the good fight. Let there bo now a solid determination to walk firmly along the path of duty. Groat wrongs had been done in the past. It was a pleasant thing to have power to people the land with sheep and drive off human souls, but the responsibility was dreadful to there ought to be abundance, poverty where there might bo riches. Let (hem rise. The cause was worthy of the effort. It was the cause of justice and truth.—Sir George Qroy spoke l ill 10’30. premier's reply. Mr Hall replied at some length to Sir G. Grey’s remarks. The question now at issue was of even more importance than the bill itself. It was whether a small minority of headstrong men should be allowed to coerce the majority, and rule by an unscrupulous use of the forms of the House. Those forms were never intended to allow a minority to impose its will on the majority, and paralyse the action of Parliament. This could not be tolerated either by the House or country. At all hazards the Government \tas bound to maintain the fundamental principle of represenlative institutions that the will of the majorit}' must and shall prevail. All business was now practically suspended by the new form of obstruction, initiated by a member, Mr Speight, who had no concern with the provisions of the bill which were objected to. The present abuse of the forms of the House was grievous and scandalous. No deliberative body could tolerate such a state of affairs, and day by day the anger of (he country was being excited by it. . The Government could have sympathised with the Nelson members in any reasonable They know what they owed to those members, and regretted the course duty had compelled Government to take. Had any concession been consistent with duty, the Government would gladly have made it to the Nelson members, but it was not. Now of course compromise was impossible, and Government would make none. A DEADLOCK. No other business should ho gone on with until this hill was dealt with by the House. The Government would suffer nothing else to be done now until this bid became law. The majority would not allow themselves to he sot at defiance, and the House to be made a laughingstock to the couutr}'. It would assert its authority, and show that the majority must rule. COUNT OUT. Mr Speight, Mr Levestam, and Mr Seddon continued the discussion until 12.30, when, while the latter was talking, the House was counted out.