THE INDICTMENT OF THE MINISTRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2075, 22 July 1890, Page 1

THE INDICTMENT OF THE MINISTRY.

(Speech delivered by Mr Hutchisonf M.H.R., in the House of Representa: tives, July 3,1890.) | (Continued.) | That contribution, I understand; would amount to the sum.of £23,000 a year or thereabouts. I protest thai this Parliament is not Hound to any contribution whatever iu respect of the reinforcement of the Imperial squadron. We did pass an Act on the subject at the very end of the second session of 1887, but it was passed under circumstances which detracted a great deal from any authority, in p legislative sense, such as ordinarily attaches to an Act of Parliament. But, taking it as it stands, it is an Act which, in its preamble and throughout its provisions, is conditional upon the other six colonies of the group passingidentical Acts. I have before now directed attention to the tact and I would now again call attention to it, that one of the seven colomep has not passed an identical Act; anji therefore I contend that there is no contract whatever in respect to any contribution. But I do not coneidejr that this would be the most fitting limp to raise a discussion upontjiatquestiorj. I have in every session of tips Parliament taken eccasion to protest against this colony being bound,—nqt that I think we should-be wanting in the observance of those claims whiejh: may he said to be reasonable in themselves, but I have throughout contended, as 1 do still contend, that this contribution to the Imperial squadrpn is a claim which Has no proper foundation. I think it derogatory to the dignity of England that she should ask a contributiqn fromany ot her colon's m respect of external defence. l ap not going into this matter further qt present; a better opportunity fill present itself for doing so. I only wish now, in connection with thjia suggested additional defence expepditure, to direct attention to whpt occured m Melbourne at the Federation Conference early in the presept year. The honourable member for Wanganui referred to ,the fact that the Colonial Secretary and tpe honourable member for Selwyn wept over to the Conference, and appeared, according to the telegraphic.accounts at any rate, to have to some extopt committed this colony to the propqspd federation scheme; and the references in the Governor’s Speech indicate further perseverance in chat direction, With regard to the delegates, I shopld just like here to say that the Ministry were not very courteous to the leader of the Opposition in notcommunicating with him as to the. second, delegate {to attend the Conference, The Ministry had reproof in the matter from tjhe Press of Australia, which referred| to the honourable member for.SelwynJas a member of the Opposition. Tp.e delegates from the other colonies wpre so chosen ; but, so far as I know, thqse two honourable gentlemen, who pit close together and who always pet together in the House, were spot without any references whatever jto the Opposition. The Colonial Secretary, who was a very creditable representative in many respects, seeped somewhat to have exceeded the authority that could have been implied from the previous discussions on the question in this House. A fpll report of the deliberations of tfhe Conference has been laid upon t[he table of this House, and I would suggest to honourable memhexsthat document will repay perusal. J hqve been principally interested in |he speech of the Colonial Secretary. He will be found to have revelled {in metaphor—a pastime which is i somewhat dangerous. He opened His Conference speeeh by reference, to a remark made by a former speaker who likened the question of Federation j to the boughs of a tree, and as descending rather than springing from the roots. Our Colonial Secretary improved upon that. Headmitted tliat the sentiment Had not taken root, put likened it a tree with its roots (floating in the air. He however, remembered his position on this side of the wpter as an agriculturist, and then likened himself and His colleague toseedsipen whose duty it was to' return to tfieir colony and in its fertile soil to pljant the : seeds from which would germiqate the tree of ” Federated Anstralasp.” These were His expressions. B ut j he did not adhere long to the agricultural interest; his metaphors also ran upon lions, opossums, elephants ; < and tpen came the traditional mountain andjthe ridiculous mouse. But he said i all these difficulties would disappear. Then He launched into "bathe called a short historical sketch and he pras sanguine enough to say this pore UPPU the question of federation. Speaking of the colonists of New Zealand, ho said, “ Our hearts and policy ,have beep softened bv missionary zeal./ We are always glad to get contributions t® jtbe materials for an authentic history. of the colony, but I do tr.qst .thal, our

future historian will be a little discriminating in the use he makes of this speech delivered in Melbourne. The Colonial Secretary confessed that our Hearts and policy were not softenea only by such means; but also by “ the controlling numbers *‘ r of the aborigines and tHeir” skill as riflemen “ therefore,” he said—apdl quote hii very words-” therefoi;e jr,e recognised the right of the Maoris, to , their own land.” Then he ipdulged in more metaphor. He likened Australia to P lusty bridegroom and New Zealand to a beauteous bride/but said that it must be % marriage of, convenience and that the marriage settlements would have to be carefully and strictly drawn. No union of hearts or inter* change of loving sentiments, but strictly a marriage of convenience ! And then he ended with a thrilling simile, tq.which I ask the the attention of |fbuse. Australia, as the bridegroom, is supposed to be fiddressing New Zealand as the bride,: “ Tou do hot feel diisposed at present to l throjv yourself into my arms, but here is .a hand to help to consummatathis magnificent upipn ‘■jrhphc.-yhP' ,f«$H/j|ls. posed!” An honourable ,gentleman Suggests that this speech was delivered after dinner. Ido not know whether it was after or before. In the .presence of such exuberance, my poor sentiments on the subject of Federation may be summed up very shortly. We ought, I think, in every way to act in a friendly and fraternal spirit to our neighbours in Australia, biik it is not to pur interest, nor should ,w® contemplate it as to.our probable advanbecome federated with our “brethren on the Australian ■ continent. In that Book of Destiny which hasj been foretold ascontaining so much that is glorious in the future of New Zealand there is, I doubt not, a chapter ityriU not be the desire of any p&rty jn this House to accelerate that time, yet we ought to keep the probability of our future independence cleprly before our eyep. Npw Zealand is made by Natqre for a separate Power, aqd, planted as wo are in the midst .of—or, I should rather, say, contiguo^tp—tbosearohi-; palagoesof the Pacific,—‘‘summer isles of Eden ( ” the Laureate calls them, “ lying iu dark purple spheres ,of sea,” —we ought to strive to forecast a noble future in conncct ion with such opportunities# .These myriad islands should be qur shining Orient, these pur glorious East; sod to them we should look as requiring assistance and to some extent .' in the,future. While,: therefore, we should cultivate every sentiment of fraternal interest to our neighbours in Australia, jwe ought to keep.in view the fact that we can never, without neglecting our d ujky, surrender that independence which ought to bo ours in the future. A,nd now, Sir, I will' refer again to the Financial Statement, and come ‘back to consider the present position of the colony. I take the same exception to this Financial Statement that I took to the Speech of Hia Excellency the Governor : I object to it for what it does not contain. Our attention is sought to be engrossed by the .movements of the Consolidated IJqod. The Treasurer displays the revenue and expenditure with engaging vivacity; he has the money, as it were, on the table before him, and ho shifts it to and fro; he makes it fall in glittering cascades to attract our adm ration; he collets, a little pile and calls jit a.surplus, fqd .He qqiprs over .the deficiency with the Financial Statement! But while he is seeking thus to engross the attention of honourable members : with the beauty of the Consolidated Fund, in the next room his confederates have beefr,amusingthemselves with a larger fund—rthe Public Works' Fund-—to which our Consolidated Fund ,is a mere trifle, as regards at least the opportunities for speculation. I jvill ask honorable .members to bear with me while I touch on the occurrences of the last three years with reference to the Public Works Fund—that ,fund which is made,up of borrowed money. It will be remembered that in 1888, just before the second session of this Parliament, there was a Hitch in respect of the proposed two-million loan. The loan, which was to Have ,poen , authorised the previous year, had been bungled—it could not He irajsqd. It was a period of great anxiety, It waa a crisis in the history of the colony in more ways , than one. ■ln /.the ujsual coots*, early in that year a certain monetary institution had to present its half-yearly report and balancesheet. I refer to the Bank of New Zealand- I mean to refer often to that bank, but never except in so far as the bank is connected with : the finances of this colony; outside of that I Have. no concern with it at all, but inside of that I have ; and every member of this Honse has, a deep concern in its transactions, It was necessary, then, tor the bank directors to present,their fftport and balan ceshqet. . jTo h* con,tinucd.J