HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Southland Times, Issue 552, 3 September 1866, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, 23th August. At 2 o'clock thi* afternoon, tlie Hi:i. Mr Stafford said he had to state to the H-*use that he had been able to nresent to hi-* Rxcellen -y a Ministry of which the offices would be' held as follows :— " The hon W. Fitzherbert. C L.nial Treasurer; the hon John Hall, Postm s^erGeneral ; the hon J. C. "Richmond, Commissioner of Customs : the hon John Johnston and the hon Miij>r Richardson, m tubers of the Executive, without portfolios. The government st on;ly hoped in a few days ti> make some arrangements by which a member of the cabinet woull assist the Hon. Mr Johnston in r-ond iching the Government business in the Legislative Council. The House would naturally expect aorae flight indication of the views of the Government on the subjects which ha 1 already excited attention in the House. He and his colleagues. believed the strong feeling and interest of the House was in finance, and there were before tho Government intimations of motions more or less bearing on that subject. The Government had felt it its duty to strain every nerve to enable the public works and undertakings of the Pr vinces to be carried on as far as the means at its disposa would allow, but he (Mr. Stafford) was nr>t to be raiscons trued into definitely binding the Government to hand over any specific am unt of the revenue to the provinces. All he woul 1 say waa, that after the just interests of the colony had been attended to, every other shilling of the Customs' revenue would be dcvi led a-nong th un fhe Colonial Treasurer would, on Tuesday or Wednesday next, move the House into Committee of Supply, and then the fi ancial policy of the Government would be gone into in detail. In the mean time he mig \t aay that the views held by him at th- 3 eonwunecm-snt of the session had been consideraoly mo lifie 1, and th it especially a,* regarded the question of defence. Within the last few days a de-patch received by the mail informed him that it was the intention of the Imperial Government to maintain one regiment in the colony, and that body of men would be so located as to give satisfaction to every one and prevent the necessity of a large colonial force. Ho would not enter at large into the policy of the Government at present, but might say that if the House granted sufficient ways and means, ho and his colleagues saw a silver lining to that dark cloud which had hung so long over the financial pisiion of the colony. (Cheers.) Mr CKOSBtE. Wabd enquired who was to be tho Native M nister. The hon. Mr Staff >rd replied that it was not proposed that there should be such an ollice for the future, as the native affairs were in such an improved condition, and that the duties of the office would be performed by some member of the Cabinet in addition to those of his own department. — " Post."