GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1647, 15 October 1887, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council on Wednesday, after the delivery of the Governor’s speech, Mr Wilson was granted leave of absence for the session. The Attorney-General announced, his and Mr. Stevens’ acceptance of office under the present administration. Ths session would only bo continued sufficiently long, to carry through the more urgent measures of the Government. After the usual notices rt the Address-in-Reply, Sessional Committees, and Chairman of Committees had been carried, the Council adjourned. On Thursday, Mr Randall Johnston presented • petition from Gisborne in fsyor of assisted immigration. The adoption of the Address-in-Keply was deferred until next day. Mr Waterhouse asked the AttorneyGeneral if tho agreement for the construction of the East and West Coast Railway in the Middle Island had been duly signed, and if not under what circumstances and under what understanding certain works in Connection therewith have been commenced,—The Attorney-General said that the only contract signed was in 1884. Tho work being pursued was being done under the agreement signed that year. Captain Baillie was appointed Chairman of Committees, The usual Sessional Committees wore appointed. Dr Menzies moved that copies of all papers and correspondence between the Government and the leasing authorities with reference to any applications under the provisions of the Public Bodies Leaseholds Act 1888, be laid on the table.—The motion was agreed to. Tho Council adjourned at 3.30 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The usual notices re Chairman of Committees and Sessional Committees, were given. Amongst the notices re private bills Sir George Grey intimated his intention of bringing forward the Law Pradiiioners Bill and Limitation of Votes Bill this session.

The Speaker read a letter from the general manager of the Manawatu railway requesting him to inform the House that members would be conveyed during the session on that line at half rates, on producing a Government pass.

The Premier introduced the Riven Boards Act Amendment Bill,

Mr Graham gave notice rt the Addrssa in Reply. The Speaker read a message from the Governor conveying a copy of a despatch from Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State respecting the address to the Queen from both Houses of the General Assembly on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Jubilee. Sir Henry Holland intimated that “ if the address had arrived in time for Sir William Fitzherbert and Sir Francis Dillon Bell to take it with them when they attended on Her Ma jetty for a similar purpose in connection with the Colonial Conference, the opportunity could have been taken for them to present this very beautiful address ani its covers to the Queen in person ; but it would not have been convenient to request Her Majesty to receive the same gentlemen again after a short interval. I have therefore caused the address to be transmitted to the Queen, who was pleased to receive it very graciously, and to express Her Mojasty’s admiration of the beauty and artistic merit of the ornamental work." The House rose at 2.55 p.m. On Thursday— Mr Joyce gave notice to ask if the Go* vernment would introduce a Bill to amend the Constitution Aet in the direct tion of making Governor the elective by the colonists. Replying to questions it wss stated that the Government could not at preaent grant a ha'f-hoUday on Saturday to sur* facemen on the railway lines, but the matter would receive consideration; that Railway Boards of Appeal for railway employees would shortly be established at Wellington and Auckland ; that no further appointments would be made to the legislative Council, unless necessity arose fop doing so j thaj; the lowest tender for the Wellington Postroffice was wpll within the est mate, but the Government could not s«y whether it would be accepted till they knew something more about the finances of the colony ; that as there wtpi always 4 quantity of old powder in stock the Government saw no harm in using it to fire salutes on the opening of Parliament.

A large number of Bills were introduced. M«j >r Atkinson moved that the Addressin Heply be taken at half-past 7 o’clock. Sir Julius 7ngal said Msj ir Atkinson had not yet made his p-otflispd statement, Major Atkinson said be would be pre ; pared to make jt on Friday fortnight. Sir| Julius Vogel said it was a very unusual course that the Government should occupy toe benches for several weeks without making a general statement of policy, which was eipected of all Governments. The motion was a«raed to. Major Atkinson moved that Mr Hamlin be fflectpd Chairman of Comm jt tees.

The motion wis seconded by Sir Julius Vogel nnd was agreed to. At 4 p.m. the House adjourned till

7.30. . 1 Mr Graham moved the Addresa-m-Reply. The remit of the Imperial Con* ; ference was particularly gratifying as ( showing that the colonies would soon take < their proper place in the counsels of the | Empire. He sympathised with that 'portion of the speech regarding retrenchment. No such opportunity had been offered before, and he urged that the Government should be backed up in any reasonable measures they proposed for reducing the expenditure. The settlement of land was also a vital question. In his district they particularly felt this, far they had something like 4,000,000 acres of land not opened up. Ministers should see that men with knowledge were consulted in drawing up land regulations, and ingreased po vers should be given to local bodies. He would resist the rumored abolition of the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, as it would do great harm to districts like the East Coast unless a suitable substitute were found for it. He did not know much about the railways, as there were none within 100 miles of hie county, but he was of opinion that they ought to be made to pay. He deprecated the want of finality in the past in dealing with native titles, and Natives ought to be allowed to deal with their lands as they liked. If a°y saving could bo msde in the cost of education let it be dene, but he begged Ministers to consider the country districts in the matter. He coinplirnented the Premier on the rapidity with which ka had formed his Ministry, and thought it was a good one. Mr Macgregor in seconding the motion referred to the loss the House bad suffered in the retirement of the gentleman whose seat he held. The speech was clear and to the point. They would be arrant humbugs if they did not help the Government with all their might to carry out retrenchment which was so urgently needed, beginning with themselves snd going down through every grade. It was the great question of the hour. He proclaimed himself a thorough-going Freetrader. He concluded by saying-that the men now occupying the Government benches would, he thought, rise to the occasion. Sir Julius Vogel characterised the manner io which the present Government had been formed undesirable. It reminded him of the manner in which sheep were led to the slaughter before being frojsar. Why, at the last caucus, the Premier had a list of the new Government in his pocket cut and dried. Did the hon. gentleman deny it f Yet all the while ha was trying to get pledges of support from men who had been returned to vote against him. He proposed to criticise the penorml of the Government, remarking that it would hive been bettor to drop the Native portfolio altogether than tack it on to Public Works. He approved of the selection of Mr Fergus, Mr Richardson, and Mr Mitchelson, but said it was notorious that Mr Fisher had threatened to make it hot unions he had a seat in the Ministry. This was the first time he had ever heard of a man asking for a place in a Ministry. As to Mr Hielop he quoted from his election speeches to show that he had characterised Major Atkinson as too vaacillaling and communistic to be Premier, yet he had Joined that honorable member's Government. Why had old and faithful followers been thrown over to make room for these two! It was because fear waa felt of their turning against their party unless their claims were recognised. Turning to th# speech be reviewed it in detail, *nd admitted that there was a universal desire for retrenchment, which waa not confined, to tha Government aide. Regarding the Tariff, to which allusion waa made, why did they keep the House in suspense about what they admitted to b« a pressing matter! The Customs Tariff ought to be dealt with this session even if they had to sit long after Christmas. With regard to the Education question,' he reminded them that the gentleman now holding that portfolio had exp r essed himself in favor of altering the school age, and appropriating endowments for secondary education. He objected to the long adjournment asked for. The figures were already in the Treasury and of courao Ministers had not taken office without making up their minds beforehand as to the coarse they intended to adopt. He would say for ■himself he was not anxious to sit on the Government benches, and possibly the Premier might find more support from him than from his own party, especially if his policy commended itself to him (Sir Julius Vogel), Sir Julius concluded by saying that ho he did not think tha Ministry would last many weeks. _ ! Ma|or Atkinson said that Sir Julius Vogel's criticism of the ptnonnel of the Ministry waa degrading to the House, aod unworthy of such a debate. He did not think Sir Julius Vogel would succeed in

making a breach between him and hie supporters. If he made hie Financial Statement is the ex-Treaaurer had done he could easily do it in a day or two by putting on extra taxation, but he scarcely thought that it wa« what the House wanted. With regard to the Tariff, if the House would pass a resolution on the subject he was quite willing to take it in hand, but it would require several months to revise it, Mr Ballanos said it was laid down in the last Financial Statement that further economies were to be brought about as time perrailti)d ; and Major Atkinson had overlooked this. Major Atkinson had asserted that the sole question of.the election was retrenchment, but in reality fh» Tariff question had been throughly threshed out, with the reault that a large ms’ority jjad come there pledged to en-. oour»ge local Industries. Tet the Premier refused to consider this io please those of his supporters who were pledged to Freetrade. He defended the land policy of the last Government, but insisted that if the? went in for |Ve«tr»de in N«tive lands they would give satisfaction to none.

Mr Fisher said the mission of the Governmentwis retrenchment. Protection wbs a question no doubt ef great interest, but it was over-shadowed by ths importance of putting their goqfqsod finances into « SHfitgfnQtory oft >ditiqo. He wished to siy he had been misrepresented on the education question! but he would t>ke another opportunity of patting light* Mr Seddon twitted Major Atkinson on

his eagerness for retrenchment now, whereas whm last in power be had refuted to make any reductions. Retrenchment was serious thing, as they would find out when they came to realise the heartburnings and misery it would entail. He sajd that if the Minister of Education

attempted to enforce the views on edueation he had formerly expressed in the W House he would soon be driven from hil ' position, aad would not be misled. Mr Mackenzie (Waihemo) moved an amendment to the Address-in-Reply to the effect that in view of the financial j condition of the colony the number -of p >id Minister* could be reduced to five. He hud not consulted anyone before bringing it forward. Mr Taylor supported the amendment, Sir Julius Vogel said be was unaware of Mr Mackenzie’s intention, and would not support the amendment, as it was a direct attack on the Government. After a short debate Mr Mackenzie said he would withdraw the amendment if the Premier would give a pledge to allow the matter to bo disenased later on, Major Atkinson dedined to do ao. The amendment waa loat by 67 to 7. The Addreas-in-Reply was voted on the voices. A message from the Governor asking 1 for a supply of £150,000, was introduced. The House then adjourned at 1,30 s.m, 1 till 2.30 p.m. to-day.