House of Representatives. "Wellington, June 13. Major Atkinson's Address.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 55, 21 June 1884, Page 3

House of Representatives. "Wellington, June 13. Major Atkinson's Address.

When the House met at 7.30 last night to hear the promised address of Major Atkinson, there was a full attendance of members, and the galleries were thronged with an interested audience. After the reception of a few petitions and Mr Dargavitle had given notice of hit' motion re federation, Major Atkinson rose amidst cheers of his supporters, Mr Shaw, who had moved the adjournment on the previous night, waiving his right to speak. In the course of his remarks, the Premier said the majority the | Opposition had got together was only a temporary one, but he congratulated them on having achieved a victory. He proposed to examine their position and see how far it was a victory for the Opposition, for he claimed that the result would redound more to the credit of the Government than to the Opposition. With reference to the action the Government intended to take, he would be guided by the advice of his friends, and not by that of his f oev. There actually had been no charge brought against; the Government worthy of the vote of condemnation which the House had, so far, agreed to by a majority. Mr Steward had been compelled, much against his will, to move the no-confidence amendment. It was perfectly true that eveiy hon. member had an undoubted right to submit any vote he thought fit for the consideration of the House, and when he previously referred to the action taken by Mr Steward, he was in the position that a direct want-of-confidence motion had been tabled by the acknowledged leader of the Opposition of that night. He would like to congratulate the House that the debate, so far, had been conducted with so I much good feeling on both sides of the House but he thought that on such an occasion as this a bill of indictment might be preferred against them by some gentleman recognised as a loader by the country. The charge preferred by Mr Steward was no indictment at all. A charge had been made against the administration of the Land Department, but he ventured to think that if his friends go into office they would be unable to show a better record than that made by his colleague, thepresont Minister of Lands. Had any charge been made against the Native Department? No. Or against the financial administration ? Not so far as he could see. Then what indictment had been framed by the mover of the amendment against the Public Works Department? Th.c fault committed by the Government m respect to the railway rates seemed to be, not that they had increased the rates, but that they had done so at a wrong time. His only charge in regard to public works was that the Government had been too dilatory, and had not pushed on public

works fast enough ; •whereas the fact was that they had been pushed on as rapidly as they could be, So that that charge fell to fcho ground. As to the deficit in the revenue, had he (the Premier) delayed the payment a little, he could easily have reduced tho apparent doficit by a considerable sum ; but he preferred to meet liabilities as they came. It was said that the Ministerial policy was like a weathercock, that tho Government brought down bills and did not attempt to carry them. Ho claimed that the Government had in five years placed on the Statute Book more important measures than any Legislature in the civilised world. Ho had been twitted about his national insurance measure, but he might say that he intended to ask the country to pass that measure. If it did not auit tho hon. gentleman, what did he propose in its place ? The country had the right to domand that of him. The hon. gontleman had had a diflicult task to perform, and lie did it woll, but ho had tailed utterly to lodgo a bill of indictment against tho Government— it was general. As ho had nothing to answer, ho would havo to contont himeolf with rof erring to tho virtues of the Government. (Laughter). Ho had to go to the seconder of tho amondmont for the first serious charge. It was that the Government, had sent a carpenter from Canterbury to erect shear legs atNolson. When ho hoard that, he felt the Government was doomed, but the worst cut of all came when the member for Selwyn got up and said it pained him to vote against the Government, but he found them in a minority (laughter), and voted against them. If Mr vVakefield had worked as hard for tho Government as against it, they would not havo been defeated. Ho accused Mr Wakefield by implication ol writing himsolf up in tho " Timaru Herald," " Canterbury Press," and "Otago Daily Times," and of indicating himself as tho leader of the middle party, and then proceeded to show from Mv Wakefield's speech that he had no sentiments in common with Sir George Grey or Mr Montgomery, and hinted that he was paving the way for a leadership for himself. He then proceeded to give a history of the administration of his Government since 1579. Six months after coming into office there was a deficit of £1,000,000 and in the London market our ! 5 per cent, debentures were at 98, and he | had to sell 4 per cent, at SO. At tho same timo they could not raise £25,000 on the ctcdit of the colony, and tho agents of the colony had to become personally liable Ho contrasted that with the present excellent state of the colony's credit, and said friend and foe must give the Government credit for the management of finances. Then look at the state of the natives when they took office — a war imminent. Contrast that with the present state of things, when they were actually surveying a line through the seat of the native country. Then with regard to the land administration ho might say that never in the history of the Government had mare people settled on land and' more land been taken up. Ife claimed credit to the Government tor the provifion of liberal electoral laws, more liberal than those existing in any other colony. The majority of these had been draftod in ISjS by Sir "F. Whitakcr, but they need not wrangle over who did that or who did this. : The Go 1^'!!!!!©^ had passed them into law. Referring to federation, he said that the desire to place the Civil Service on a proper footing had prevented him from visiting the principal centres and explaining the views of the Government on this important question. He then proceeded to state the intentions of France with reference to the islands of the Pacific. They would be inimical to the interests of the colony, raid ho assorted that we, as part of the British Empiro. were bound to take our part in maintaining law and ordei in the South Seas, and in protecting tho coloured population. The British Government told colonists that they could only deal with the colonies collectively, and if New Zealand stood aloof from the rest ot Australasia, in the cvont of war they would have themselves to blame if they wu'o left to take their chance. All the members at the Convention had felt that a confederation liko that of Canada was out of the question, but they nleo felt the nocessity for a Federal Council. He then came to the question of the wonderful union of tho Opposition, and in alluding to it said that they had been so afraid of each other that they would not postpone the motion for a couple of days. He asserted that the principle upon w Inch they had joined together was that none of them should take on" ice till they had been to the country. He did not know whether the loaders oi the Opposition expected the country to settle their differences for them, but he predicted that when they came back from the country things would be in much i the same position as they wete now. Go- ! vernment would be in a majority, Sir George Grey would have one or two more [ staunch supporters, and Mr Montgomery a | few less. He claimod that the Roads and Bridges Consti notion Act had been a sucoess, as since its passing into law no money for roads and bridges had been placed on the Estimates. It was merely the machinery for dividing the money which the House decided should be spent on these works. He then proceeded toexamineintothenature of the adverse vote. Government had been partially defeated on Wednesday night by a majority of nine, the real reason being that Government had raised the graiw tariff and had said that there should bo no moro speculation in native land. Ho contended that Government had been justified in reducing the rate. In ISSI it was lowered by way of experiment, and with the view of fostering the farming industry ; but last session they found the traffic decreasing and the railway receipts much below the estimates. They knew in raising the rates before Parliament met that they would lose the Canterbury vote, but if they had waited till Parliament, met there would have been a further deficit of £50,000 in tho revenue, as the season would have been over. The Canterbury farmers no doubt felfc, and still feel, that an injustice had been done them. Ho respected the Canterbury members for their action, but thought they had taken a rather narrow riew of the subject. Six votes of the nine had been gained in that way, and two of the votes had been lost through the Native Land Bill—those of Captain Morris and Mr Whitaker. Referring to the latter, he said he heard with astonishment that gentleman soy that all Liberal measures had been introduced by Sir George Grey, and that if he was to be dragged at chariot wheels, he preferred to be dragged at Sir George Grey's chariot wheels. He had been surprised when he heard him aay that, and he felt sure Sir F. Whitaker would also be surprised when he heard it. But that gentleman believed in the general policy of the Government, while neither Mr Sutton, Mr Petrie, nor Mr Levestam had anything in common with Government. He need not go further. Mr Wakefield denied that he waa the author of tho articles in the "Times" and "Press" referred to by Major Atkinson. Sir George Grey, who all through Major Atkinson's speech had been assiduously taking notes, and was consequently expectid to address the House, now rose amidsfc considerable applause. He Bftid ho felt unequal to a great ocoasion

like the present. The House had affirmed that they had ceased to hold confidence in the Ministry, who should therefore havo held their tongues, and not endeavoured to violently retain possession of their seats. The jocose manner in which the Premier had dealt with so great a crisis as the present was a disgrace to the House, ana unworthy of a member of the Government. The Ministry had robbed the country of its lands ; and in the name of New Zealand and its outraged people, he I charged the Government with > nav|ing filled offices with their friends; with hiring at public expense a libellous newspaper to keep them in office; with having improperly allowod native lands to be acquired by their friends ; with having ! placed in a favourite bank large sums of money ; with unlawfully having used the Houso often for party purposes. He charged them with wrongfully sitting where they were, and wrongfully continuing this debate. The Premier had ascribed unworthy motives to account for certain members having recently joined tho Opposition side 'of tho Ilouso. He (Sir George) denied that there had boen any agreement between the members of the Opposition not to take oflico until they had an appoal to tho country. One gentleman, a member of the press, had been dragged through the House as though he had been a criminal. There was a reign of terror inside and outside tho House. One writer to tho press in Dunedin, who had long fawnod on the Premier and had abused unduly those who differed from him, had been put into a Government office as a reward, and thus the Civil Service had been robbed of a pri/e which was properly theirs. The Premier had danced and jumped about the floor of the Houso like an actor in a comedy for tho amusoment of the House and those in the galleries. He ought rather to have mourned for the wrong ho had done. That night everybody entered that House, ho believed, with a feeling that they would not breathe a single word to irritate the Government or prolong the debate. Such a speech as tho Premier had uttered^ ought never to have been made. The Premier had no right to the seat which he occupied, or to take any part in the proceedings of the House. The effort which the Opposition was making was a good and proper one : it was to further the common interests of New Zealand. They had agreed to bury the past, and consolidate a party which should represent the whole colony. They would strive to make New Zealand what it ought to be, to try and save something! from the wreck of property brought about by Government, to alleviate the miseries of the masses, and to prevent a recurrence in tho colony of the abuses existing in older countries at the present day ( Hear, hear). They would not attempt to make slaves of the youth by a nationa insurance scheme, but by education nnd good laws enable the people to provide « themselves sensibly and well. They would have neither slave) y nor pauperism here, but absolutely free men. Touching federation, he denied thai the British Government had ever said they would refuse to listen to the \ iews of the colonies s-epaiately. He thought New Zealand ought to have nothing to do with federation, and disapproved of the proposals made. He claimed that the state of the native population at the present time was no bettor than when the Government took office ; in fact, it was worse, for greater dissatisfaction prevailed among the natives. Government had wrongfully given P:\tclcro to a large company. They had gone to Parihaka.— [Mr Holmes : On a white hoive.]— They had destroyed gardens there and drugg°d men into captivity, and to-day the meetings were going on the same as ever, and the natives were back again. He charged the Native Minister of mal-administrcition, and asked why had Government not fulfilled the pledge they had made to introduce a measure for the reform of the Legislative Council. Mr Bryce said that the Address had not yet been passed, and the Ministry had a right to occupy their seats till it was passed. They intended acting in a constitutional mannci . Mr Holmes demanded that Mr Conolly should withdraw certain .statements made | concerning Cantcibiuy last night. Mr Conolly denied having made the .statements referred to. ! Mr Sutton rcse and asked leave to with draw his amendment. Colonel Trimble and other speakers objected, and the Speaker ruled, as the llous-e was not unanimous, tho question ■would re quire to be put. The question was put, and Mr M. W. Green called for a division, which resulted in the amendment being negatived by 67 to 7. Mr O'Callaghan explained his reason for voting against the Government on Wednesday night. It was not solely on account of the grain question. Mr M-ohi Tawhai baid his reason for voting against the Government was that the Premier had neglected to answer a letter of his with reference to the £100,000 voted for the 'districts north of Auckland. He was opposed to Government because of their reduction of Kapata's pension, and for their changeable policy respecting native lands, The address was then formally put and carried on the voices without amendment, and on Mr Steward's motion a committee, consisting of Messrs Levestam, Be Lautour, O'Callaghan, and the mover were appointed to draw up the address. Of course, this was a mere formality, the committee merely withdrawing and returning momentarily with the address. On the motion that it be read a second time, Mr Whitaker rose and explained that his remarks about the " chariot wheels " had been misconstrued. Mr Seddonalso explained his vote. The address was read, and the House having assented to it, the Speaker put the formal question that it be presented to His Excellency by the Speaker and members when the House should deem fit. It was decided that tho House go into Committee of Supply to-morrow. On Major Atkinson's motion the House adjourned till 2.30 to-morrow.

A doctor, attending the other day a worthy baronet, received by mistake as his fee a couple of mint lozenges rolled up in paper. In the evening the baronet found the sovereign and shilling in his pocket in lieu of the mint lozenges, and on meeting the doctor asked him how he liiced his fee. " Oh, it was very sweet," was the reply. The real fee was soon after presented, enclosed with the following :—: — The fee was sweet— l thank you for the hint. Thes» avo as sweet ; they've both been through the Mint. The well-known Honry Erskine once met an acquaintance, a barrister, who dealt in hard words and eircumlocutious sentences. Percoiving that his ankles were tied up with a silk handkerchief, Erskine asked the cause. " Why, my dear sir," answered the wordy lawyer. " I was taking a romantic I ramble in my brother's grounds, when, coming to a gate, I had to climb over it, by which I came in contact with the first bars, and have grazed the epidermis of the shin, the accident being attended with a slip! extravasation of blood." "You may thai :► your lucky stars," replied Erskine, ''that your brother's gate was not co lofty as your 'style,' or you might have broken your •etk. 11