THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Southland Times, Issue 1626, 30 August 1872, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH) Wellington-, August 27. In the House of Representatives today, in reply to Mr Reid, Mr Reeves said there was no correspond ence available relative to the alterations in the schedule prices of the railways from Dunedin to Clutha and from Invercargill to Mataura. He also said Mr Brogden furnished no schedule of prices with tenders for the CJutba and Mataura railways. Mr Reynolds gave notice of motion for an inquiry into an alleged statement by Mr John Martin, of Wellington, that " he would punish Mr Andrews, a member of the House, for a vote given last session, even if it should cost him £500." In resuming the debate on Mr Stafford's resolution, Mr Macandrew admitted that the administration had been unsatisfactory, but urged that it would have been equally bo under Mr Stafford. He pleaded the inexperience of the Ministry, and said that time was required to carry out a great policy. While disapproving of the attempt to administer from one centre, he held that the visits of Ministers to various parts of the colony were necessary in order to learn what were the actual local requirements.. He admitted that a system of public tendering for railways would have been more economical than letting contracts to Mr Brogden exclusively. He defended the San Francisco mail service, and especially Mr Yogel's contract with the Victorian exPremier. He thought the control of public works and immigration should rest with the Provincial Councils, but would not vote against the Ministry upon what be considered was merely a party question. He upheld the appointments of Messrs Birch and Seaton, saying that " if the Government sent home the Angel Gabriel the appointment would be an unpopular one in Otago," and concluded by condemning the action of the Wellington party. Mr Wakefield supported the resolution. August 29. In the House of Representatives yesterday Sir David Monro supported Mr Stafford's resolution. Mr White, of Hokitika, severely attacked Messrs Luckie and Harrison. He said that if the latter were more "independent," and less servile in his support of the Ministry, he would do more benefit to his constituents. He described Mr Luckie as a mere attache of the Ministry, and attacked the exercise of the Government patronage, especially in reference to the press. He said the Press Association was a mere Government institution, under the patronage of two Ministers of the Crown, and that Mi Harrison was an unscrupulous supporter of the Ministry. He asserted that attempts had been made to influence his vote by means of the wires. Mr Yogel followed Mr White. H< delivered a speech nearly five hours long in the course of which he made a verj able defence of the Government. H< defended their administration of th< public works scheme, and showed that th< prices in Mr Brogden's contracts hac been fixed by the Government engineer! conjointly with Mr Brogden ; and als< that Mr Reid, some time ago, in a speed at Duuedin, had estimated the cost of th< Clutha railway at £375,000, whereas tb< actual contract has been taken a L 176,000 ; yet Mr Reid now charged thi Government with making a bad bargain He also showed that the Provincia Government of Otago had offered £15,00' to any one who could raise £400,000 t construct the same railway at 8 pc cent. He showed that the Sai Francisco mail service had cos less than the previous services, tha there bad been a reduction in the Civi Service, that the present balance in th Bank was £318,000, and that after pay ing all liabilities to the end of th quarter, there would be a balance c £116,000. He criticised the speeche of the Opposition, and defended the actio: of the Government in re the Pree Association. In the House to-day, Mr Fitzherbei delivered a long and able speech in suj cort of Mr Stafford's resolution. 11

referred to the principal Provincial questions, and promised that he would criticise the financial statement. The speech, however, was interrupted by the adjourment for the Birthday Ball, given by the Governor, which takes place to-night.

The following, from the Otago Daily Times, completes the continuity of our report of the debate on Mr Stafford's resolution: — Wellington, Aug. 23. Mr M'Lean resumed the debate on Mr Stafford's resolution. He reviewed at length the •whole Native and Defence policy of bhe Government since their accession to office. He declared that he had received earnest and valuable cooperation from his colleagues, especially from Mr ~Fox, and that no difference of opinion had ever existed in the Cabinet. The expense for Defence purposes was now less than one-third what it was when the Government took office, and be hoped soon to be able to do with a smaller force, and to spend the money so saved in employing natives on public works, and utilising the services of the chiefs to maintain order in their respective districts, so as to make them feel that they were an integral part of the Colony. He believed that the time had now arrived when the Ministry^ might advise the Governor to proclaim a general amnesty. He alluded to the great efforts that the natives were making, under Government encouragement, to establish schools to teach their children English. He announced that, after mature consideration, the Government had decided to appoint one or more chiefs to the Executive Council, so aa to form a sort of Board of Advice to Ministers in Native matters. He declared most positively that it was not possible he could join a Ministry under Mr Stafford. It was only under special circumstances that be had joined any Ministry ; and whatever happened he would feel deeply grateful to the officers of the Native Department and to the chiefs for their great assistance and cordial co operation. The present Government had done their utmost to secure peace, and had brought Native affairs into a state that they had never hoped for when they took office. He believed that whatever trifling difficulties might hereafter arise between the two races, peace was really established on a firm and permanent basis, and if the Government were put out, they would retire with the consciousness of having done their duty. Mr Creighton expressed bis deep regret at Mr M'Lean's decision not to join Mr Stafford, and hoped he would re-consider it, as it placed members in a dilemma between anarchy and civil war on the one side, and wasteful and reckless expenditure of public money on the other. Another reason why he should re-consider his decision was that the proposal of a general amnesty would come more acceptably from an entirely new Ministry than from one headed by Mr Fox, who in the strongest terras had scouted the idea when suggested in 1870 by Dr Pollen and Mr Firth. In his own heart and conscience he believed that Te Kooti had been more sinned against than sinning 1 ; but aince 1870 the amount of £250,000 bad been spent in hunting him round the Island to the place from whence he started, and now Ministers were willing to accept what Te Kooti offered of his own accord two years ago, viz., to settle down quietly if allowed to do so. The Ministry had pleaded guilty and been convicted of maladministration of the public works and immigration, and were ' now endeavoring to shelter themselves behind the shield of their A jax— the giant they had in their camp. If Mr M'Lean succeded in saving them this year, next session he would disappear with them with the unanimous consent of the country. The Government, instead of being excused by the mistakes of their Engineers, were responsible for employing such men to the exclusion of those experienced officers that the Provinces had. The present Ministers were without the slightest idea of business, and were utterly regardleis of the decisions of the Legislature. Their retention of office could only prove ruinous and disastrous i to the country. Taiaroa announced his intention to i support the Government. i Mr Gillies said he desired to draw the House back to the consideration of the i real questions involved, with which Native ; policy was not in any way connected. • The question was not one of men merely. 1 The Opposition had no desire for office • for their own aggrandisement ; but they ; believed it essential to the welfare of the i Colony that the administration of affairs should pass from the hands of proved in--3 capable administrators. Any reversal oi , policy was now impossible. He had opT posed the present policy as beyond the 5 means of the Colony, and if it were tc ? be initiated now, he would do the same : 3 but the country was now committed to it, I and the only question waa that of judib cious administration. In the same way 3 any reversal of the present Native policj i was now impossible. The honesty oj c Ministers waa not impugned, but theii B incapacity in administration had beec t proved. The only element of greatness c in their scheme was the amount of monej i. borrowed. He referred to the Financia II Statement of 1869 to show that after meet 0 ing the liabilities of their predecessors o Ministers had a balance of £65,000 ir r hand out of £150,000 referred to by Mi d Fox as borrowed over past expenditure it The administration of public works ii it Auckland had been an utter failure. Ii il proof of this, he repeated the statement! c with regard to work in North Auckland r - the Thames "Water Supply, Native lane c purchase, and the Kaipara and Druri »f Bailways, which he made when speak • ing on Mr Curtis's motion. TJndei n the present system of finance, th< is country was going to the bad yea: by year at the rate of nearly a millioi ■t a year for current expenditure ; whiL )- the- expenditure of the Provinces ex c I ceeded their income by nearly £100,00(

a year. Two millions of the Public Works Loan bad been raised, of which £1,600,000 were spent, and £88,600 of liabilities incurred. It was admitted that a few surveys and a few yards of earthworks were ail "that could be shown for this. £110,000 had gone in charges for interest and departmental expenses ; £100,000 to Road Boards ; £162,000 in liquidating old debts; £273,000 for defence, and £120,000 for roads in the North Island. None of these were reproductive works, and the North Island roads were merely pack-horse tracks. After referring to the San Francisco mail contract, the Brogden contract, Ministerial travelling allowances, the disorganisation of departments, and the attempts made to misrepresent his and Mr Stafford's Native policy, he continued by saying that he doubted if any set of Ministers could now avert the ruin which was certainly impending if no , change took place. The Opposition had I been asked to announce their policy. It would be peace, although perhaps at less expense than at present. It would be the efficient administration of public works, and not the crushing of hordes of immigrants into the Colony without providing for their settlement upon the land. It would be prudent finance, and the rtductionof Civil Service expenditure. It would be ' proper Parliamentary and Constitutional Government, instead of Government by Engineers, Undersecretaries, and Contractors. In their administration they would embrace and utilise existing organisatiens, for the Provinces were willing to work cordially with the General Government, as coequal powers in their own spheres ; though declining to accept the position of inferior and little important powers. Mr Gisborne said the Government did intend to spend the promised amount in North Auckland ; and what was not spent in one year would be carried to the credit of the next. It was impossible to spend £15,000 in seven months. He referred to the settlement of the Busby claims as an instance of Mr Gillies's idea of Constitutional Government. The Government courted enquiry into their administration. They could have courted ephemeral applause by rushing the expenditure, but they could only have done so at the expense of the country and of their successors. They dispensed with shams, and did what the besfc in teveab of the Colony demanded, preferring to lose support rather than accede to the demands of those who regarded the Ministry of the day as a sponge to be squeezed for the benefit of their own particular localities. The Brogden Contract No. 2 was within the terms of the Railway Act, and the House had ratified what the Government did in that matter. The question now was, whether the terms of the subsequent contracts were fair and reasonable. Mr Curtis's remarks regardingtbe Blenheim line were unfounded. The contract was only £15,000 in excess of the authorised sum, and the Superintendent of the Province had approved of the charges in the specifications, and handed over 250,000 acres of land as security for the extra cost. The Hutt Railway, which had been expected by the Provincial authorities to cost £8000 a mile, would only coat £5000. Mr Bunny waa the Paul Pry of tbe Government offices. He had volunteered advice upon evervtbing, but their duty to the Colony obliged the Government not to take much of it. The Government had let two hundred miles of railway, and more could not have been safely done within the period. He denied that immigration had been a failure. Mistakes had been made, but immigration was now placed upon a satisfactory basis. The Ministry never refused Provincial assistance in carrying out public works, but it had always insisted upon retaining the control. He denied that the Government had added to the cost of the Civil Service. Putting aside new departments authorised by the Legislature — such as Land Transfer and Public Works — the cost of the Civil iService had been reduced since 1869. He failed to see any unity of principle amongst the Opposition. Its members notorioualy differed regarding the Brogden contracts, tbe seat of Government question, land regulations, and Native , policy. In the interests of peace and of the great colonising policy they bad initiated — in the interests of the Colony — he asked the House to reject the motion, and to refuse to place, for mere party i reasons, the administration in the bands i of a confused and incongruous Opposition. Mr Reader Wood made a very amusing ■ speech in reply to the Ministerial ones. • The first resolution raised a plain issue, I and would be carried by acclamation by i tbe House and the country had not the . Native question been cleverly imported. f This, however, would not save the Mi- . nistry. The Ministerial speeches were a » parcel of excuses, summed up in — ) " Be to our faults a little blind, Be to our virtues very kind, But place a padlock on the mind." . The policy was not merely months old, but waa in its third year, when, according ' to the Financial Statement of 1870, the f lines of railway already running should r yield a profit of £100,000 for the year. t Instead of this, £250,000 were spent, 3 and not a line of railway made. Members r of the House had been made to see that 1 to support the Government would be to . their direct pecuniary interest, and to that of their constituents ; and if the 1 Legislature wished to retain its character r and purity, it should rise as one man, .. and condemn the manner in which Go--3 vernment patronage waa exercised. 2 Mr Macandrew moved the adjournment 8 of the debate.