Dissolution of Parliament.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3310, 31 July 1879, Page 2

Dissolution of Parliament.

■Mlinisterial Statamont.; ; \

, : , v ., Eyejiiag Sitting^ j The House met at 7 30,,. T , „... I lKßir George Grey/said V Sir, I'fcsTc Hi* House for a short indulgence in ordef that I may make a statementAto£ fh^ House as to the present position of affausi and as to the course the > Ministry might think it their -duty to purj sue. I waited to-day upon hia Excellency the Governor and related what had transpired in the House, las^ night, and tendered to tlie.Gorcrhor aavic^ on my own behalf and that of riiy colj leagues, that he should grant adiwopjon 1 of Parliament (hear), in order that an appeal might be made to the cbiWtituen-j cies. Sir, the Governor 'was pleased to reply to my advice, at the same timej stating that he was aftiibii^ that the deci-| Sidn atlwhichhe, ftrriyed g|ho;u!|d^.;<J»pi veyed to Parliament in his ewn words^ I, therefore, Sir, move, with the per-j mission of the House, for leave to read the reply which His Excellency! gave me in writing. His. Exeellericy'si reply is to this effect :—"I : havej carefully considered the position in; which Ministers are placed by the defeat which they have sustained] in the House of Representatives.uponTa! no-confidence motion, and I am clearly? of opinion that they have a fair cons ti-j tutional claim to a dissolution. (,XVem,en-i dous applause from Government suR-i porters.) Wo doubt a general elections would be inconvenient at the;, present; moment, and having regard to the! financial depression and^ the [[.ipir-j cumstanees of the Colony t generaljy.j and especially to the native difficulty on the: West Coast, I therefore presume that ministers have carefully con si dered the consequence of such a step before tendering to me this advice, and I am therefore prepared to accept their reoom-

mendation (renewed and long-continued cheering on the Government side), leaving with them the entire responsibility of such a proceeding. At the same time I think it right to stipulate that the wellrecognised constitutional principles which Governments like the present are bound to observe, should be strictly adhered to. Ministers have lost the confidence of the Kepresentatives of the people, and are about to appeal from them to the country (cheers). A majority of the House of Representatives has declared'thatMiniMfgfr%lW'W«oeßted and mismanaged.the administrative business. <of * the iCbuntryj/andlthlft they no Joncer possess the confidence of Parliament. It is indispensible unaer such circumstances; fif'mjflisters do not at once resign, that Parliament should.be dissolved with the least Possible delay, and. that,'meanwhile, no iaeaiure shijiljbe proposed that may not be imperatively required,! nor/any contetfeftditnotion whatever brought -facmwlv&fa :WIJHW"«"y writs are returnable.. If Ministers accept a dissolution upon, this nnaerMairanig, 1 beg that any ■■explanation which the answer which 1 have giveir upon His tendered advice may be readin.mjLOwn words.—Hkbculeß Bobinson. (Load cheering anp/p|^sj^§ f/[fdjourment.")— Sir, —I have only, under such ciroutn stances,^ tq »44-i 4*aTo tendered 'bur rfdvic6 that tms flfsswotion shall take place. It will require some time to deeidb'whatJmeaiu'res we may feel it our duty to bring before Parliament previously to a dissolution. I called the Governor's attention to the words " cob-. Mfefr motion ";' he underttiridi Tithat does not embrace the Loan Bill or the supplies 1 for' car'ryitfj^lvait'He public service. (Cries of, oh, oh, and hear, hear.) Sir, we shall be happy to communicate with the Opposition, and to act in the most 1 cbfdikV^piVit ill'simply'-fcringing before Parliament such mattemtas are absolutely necessary to the welfare of the 'coufitry? ' W^^ilfclrefuirylalsliil from pressing any matter upon the attention of the House yhichis'ndt'absolutely necessary, for the immediate welfare of the 'p^b^S fdf^ew-ZBalknJlfP'mfln«#4slPlw House to agree to an adjournment until 'frMa'f rfe!^t, m.m fWem\emti?&mt. mine exactly what course we shall pursue in reference to the public busihMs¥eftfre a dissolution is actually yarned out. Sir, I.t « if*' 1 TT* -"'"*• *.t*U I fill '*Wiif!l^>fls move that the House do now adjourn unfil 7>;3P.p.?a. on Friday (loud and pro* longed cheering). .hMt Barff: Sir, in speaking to the fes« tion of adjournment— The Speaker: I have not stated'the Tquestioft|ye^ (Jhe Speaker th#nj|Utihe motion for iajqummenrtF >M W Mr BBS:ft 'wii&taofely abourto suggest «o the JffqW. t^e TPrejnier the advisability of supplying the leader of the aicppy; of .the .aommuii. calioh^eceived^fdrri nitUtceHeliy^W BSPVW 'Fix* 1 82f,-«P «ftst«t&t the suggestion which ha»-been made by the hon member }for'lHokitikarowilt nottibe thought unworthy for notice bj^lbe/ton member at the head of the Governtwit. I think the f .prbper course will be^krnßly the letter on the table of this Hft«ts#tfitit it may be printed and placed in;th'obatfos oTmemDerWl^^arly MMl^i^|r/ I can,, say. the "course which HislJfiJx«llency mj'aoft&d is; «»1n accordance' with' 'cbnsfitutieriaPprli'etice, but in his acquiescence in the advice to prant a dissdlatiin, he lefßHaibirarii HouW to fednsidei-: !fhe /qtfestioiriirfiiupplies^ afad/tliat wjIL bo brOOßhtibpfDimiiie House before the-other question of a dis* ?ftolufion. .Under theseicirbumstances I have no objection to the adjournment (Hear^ hear t), --——, «_^» rr7^ , Sir Q. Grrey: a record copy, lean only fay it'" temp%'rar% oi*ffie table on the understanding that it wiflibe replaced by a copy, so that it may be printed immedTal»l/A I will have it printed to-night, and send the leader of the statement that the Governor has made the .^ijantipg oor.suppliesf r .supplies necessary as a condition 1 6f dissolution. I only guard myself against being supposed by silence to acquiesce'in :i the statement made by the hon. member who leads the Opposition that .the Gpv.ernpr had.made Supply a' cbndition 1 necessarf to dissolution. There is nothing of that kind in the.memprandum,, ..„. ff .,^ H;4 A Sir W: Ftixrl did^ot4nMmat§ that was a condition in the memo., but I intima' e^tbat. ppnstitationalljf. it y Ua *ondition of-aMissolutWnf'- <■•*•* J'JXh

A resolution that the memorandum be tion to one matter arising out of the words of the conteste.d,,mot[oQ.^^Sjr, I presume that these/ word* 1 'siriipry tottsr to the matters to be brought forward either by the Government.ot.Oppoiitipni but, sir, I do not understan^that 1 Ws;will prevent any hon. member who has % grier*nce .to, brine- forward affecting.the Dmitry; (jr'persontf whfmfiy havVfcfieT. ances, it is proper to bring forward^jfrom doing so either> before, or on mofl§n for Supply, if the'hoitfmembeYthillcrpper to do so. ■' \ The Premier : If. X may be c allqwed to explain to the Hdtt^nWoiW^joii. tested motion " mean those which are always, under such circumstances aa hare arisen here, agreed upon by the leaders of the two parties in Parliament who always settle! what Matters the House, These are regarded as Govern* ment measures, but no person has any power to interfere with members of the Hq&sft bringing forward an^njpt^n $hgj like. The adjournment t 7.,30f, on Friday evening 'was' agreed 1 tWn 'the voices amidst loud cheering from Government supporters. ♦A!-"'-Jl' U''!V-