GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1232, 28 August 1884, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, August 26. On Tuesday the Council met at 2.30, and adjourned shortly after for the Speaker to present the Address in Reply to the Governor, On resuming, the Speaker announced His Excellency had been pleased to receive the Address, and ' thanked the Council for its.expression of ’ loyalty. • ADJOURNMENT. On the motion of Sir George Whitmore the Council, at; 3 p.m., adjourned till Thursday afternoon at the usual hour. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. SUPPLIES. The Hon. Mr Stout stated that if no Ministry were formed in the meantime ho would move on Wednesday that interim Supplies be granted. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. Mr J. .W. Thomson : explained that since they last met he had been in communication with Members on both sides of the House, and had received many as* surances of support from them. When, however, they came to discuss the pblitcal situation, he had reason to believe the state of parties was such as would prevent him forming a stable administration, or One capable of carrying out the work of the Session. He therefore lost no time in communicating that fact to, the Go-' venor, and he hoped the House would give him credit for not haying wasted a' single moment unnecessarily. Sir George Grey said he )iad been sent' for by the Governor on Friday afternoon, and was asked to undertake the duty of forming an Administration to carry on. the .government of the country. He replied that ho thought the task a most, onerous one, and he took some time to consider the matter. He was unable to determine the point np to the Monday evening, and he had asked the Governor to grant him an extension of time for consideration until this morning. Accordingly this morning he had had another interview with His Excellency, at which he assured him he had done his jbest to bring about some arrangement by .which some person other than himself bmight be enabled to form a Ministry. -He had not succeeded in forming a Ministry himself, and it was with an expression of deep regret he gave the Governor to understand that fact. He then ventured to suggest that Major Atkinson was the who would, subceed in forming a stable Government, and he was much satisfied .to find that the ?efv same opinion was held by the Governor bun self. The Governor had been pleased to authorise him to make that statement to the House.

Major. Atkinson said the Governor was pleased to send for him that morning, and asked him if he thought he could undertake the duty. He asked tor a short time to enable him to consult with his friends. He was hot in a position to make any definite statement. He’ was however, fully alive to the importance of having this interruption of the business of the country brought to a close at the earliest possible period., He hoped on, Wednesday to be in a position to state something satisfactory, ..The present was a time when he woijld strongly counsel them to lay minor differences aside, and unite together in bringing, the present' state of things to a conclusion. He had gre'at hopes of being able to do something, satisfactorily by Wednesday, but at all events they could rely upon this one thingj that he was alive to the fact that whatever was to be done must be done quickly.' y Mr Seddon, the member for Kumara, rpade a long speech, condemnatory of Major Atkinson and Sir Qerge Grey, and eulogising Sir Julius Vogel, stating that if the vote were to be taken over again it would be found that the latter had a majority in the House. He wound up by blaming the Governor for not sending tor some of the younger politicians and allowed them to make an attempt to form a Ministry. . Mr Stout said that he did not wish to complicate matters. All he would' wish to say was that he regretted they had noc observed strict party lines in following their leaders of late into the lobby. The House rose at 3.25 p;m. till 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday,