Evening Sitting,

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3371, 11 October 1879, Page 2

Evening Sitting,

Mr Moss quoted from a party authority to show it, was not competent for a Government to use its position to call in question acts of its predecessors, winterer informatiut] they obtained they would therefore have to bottle up until thej wore again in opposition. ■ Major Aikinson quoted from Hansard to show that when the Bill was last before the House in the session of 1876 Messrs Ataeaiidrow, Grey, and Sheehan rot<-d against the Bii!, and he (Major Atkinnon) veiled for it. • * Mr Gisborne spoke in favor of tho adjourumerit, of the Bill. He believed that Iho question pi" no confidence or otherwise took the precedence of this or aby oth r measures. 'iho debate was resumed by Mr'Kelly,who strongly urijed impolicy .of. the, course pursued by tho 'Opposition Ih;i attempting to delay the business. Mr Adams followed on the, same tide* and quoted from an authority oii parliamentary practice to show that a want of confidence should not be brought forward until a ministry had an opportunity for disclosing their policy. Mr Saunders said that it was singular thai; members of . the. late > Government; should be anxious to claim =■ the bill, while another member wanted to repudiate it altogether, the 'fact was it was Sir George Grey's measure and the other members of the late-Go-vernment, had had very little to say in the matter. They had been told of grogs 1 malversation of officers by the late Go* ▼eminent, and yet in the face of these they -wanted to get back before'-the i charges could be investigated. The questiou of adjournment was thea put and division taken as follows :— ',''; ; Ayes, 38.—Andrews, BalUrice, Barrbn, Brown, Bunny, DeLautour, Finn, Fisher » P. B. (Buller), Fisher, J.(Heathcote),- ---; George, Giaborne, Grey, Hamlin. Harris/ i Hisiop, Hutchinson, Ireland, jLundon^ Macaadrew, McDonald, Montgomery*' i Fyke, Keeves, Keid, Seddon, Sheehan, > Shepherd, Shrimski, Speight, Stewart, I Swanson, Tainui, Tawhai, =Te .Tjyheoro, • i Thomson, Tole, Turnbuli, Wood.' i Tsvzs, 36.—Adams, Aliwrigbt, Atkins i son, Bain, Beetham, Bowen, BranoTon, ' Bryee, Fulton, Gibbs, Hall," Hirst (YV»I----i lace), Hursthouse, Johnson,Kelly, Kenuy, r i Levin,' Masters, McCaughan, McLean,' 1 Moorhouse, Mirny, Oliver, Pitt, Kich- ) mond, iioUcston, Saunders, Seymour, i Stevens, Button, Tomoatia, Trimble, I Wakefield, Whitaker, Willis, Wright Tr Pahis, ayea—Colbeck, Wallis, Mbisji Shanks, Hurst; noes—Wbyte, Driver, j. Dick, Mason, Studliolrae. ; , ;<j;/ ■,_■ * Mr Hall said two of -their, supporters r were away, and had not-paired; ■<;■. rr: ■■>;'. Mr Allwright said that the Government;*: Benches must not take it for grajftt«d hri • would vote with them in the no-confidence . motion. His object in' voting with jttle noes in the present division waditnathe f wished to see the business got on. wit'<ras far a< possible. '"' ■"" ■'''[ ;: " ''^ ; Mr Sheehan moved that the debate bii L i the Bill be resumed next sitting day., Mr Wake field denounced the conduct * ; of the late Premier and his friends' as bad ; and unconstitutional. He caationed the , young members of the' Liberal party ; from too much demonstrative action, especially the excited young member for . Auckland City .East. One good effect!, of 1* the day's proceedings was that the leader^ of the Opposition had been disclosed. Mr (Sheehan however, had in a-great measure taken the work out of his hands. He went on Co quote from a speech made! by Mr Sheehan 2 years ago to.ihow.that' his conduct to-day in moving the amendment just carried was in direct,, opposition to the' sentiments' Jex*A pressed by him , on that occasion. I He scouted the idea that because ojae'pr,^ two,men who; supported them in, r their) late proceedings but who now. thought fit t - to waddle o?er to the other,side, .that'! ' therefore the House had no confidence iaf! the Government as constructed; theteD same men might waddle back again to* morrow, or else they. might drop into oblivion as they so richly merited. -He,, combatted the opinion that the wording of. the late want of confidence motion,, justified the late Government in insisting : that a re-construction of the late Govern* ment should have taken place. Motion was directed against the Premier, and it was a well known fact that if the Premier was defeated, his colleagues must of./ necessity resign. He was quite confident < that the Opposition was afraid of dis- f closures that would be'made regarding', the public finances, if the Government J: were allowed to investigate matters. ' The Government would not be swayed by , this attempt to force a march.on them,;' were he (Mr Wakefield) in the place of;; the Government. He would keep^ghif,^ place until he hud fully investigated these' matters, even although fifty want of con* iidence motions had been put forward; ' ■ Mr Speight spoke in favof of., v th© motion,' and deprecated the .brjr'aDoiit^* rushing on the work. If members could not afford the time to. give. to business 6L~ an important nature consideration, then they should npt be in the House'at all;: \/[ Mr Holleston deprecated the temarks -} made by previous speaker The member '\ for City East had been heralded as a work- 1'" ing man, but would' vow be' knowh;c^*.'; talking man. . ..,:,,'•- Mr Stewart defended the course he Ki*d f , pursued in voting with the Opposition, he came to the Hou.se, pledged to vote - against the late Premier, but lie certainly was at liberty to support MrMacandrew. He contended that the Premier ought to have made some effort to carry,out.the „ resolution of tho House, and attempt si J . reconstruction, if he could,not succeed,in - doing so then it was his duty to leave the Governor send for .spme.^; other person. Having, ..' however,.','! taken upon himself the responsibility .of, { forming a Govornmeut :of hi», own, that / Gorernment must stand, the test as to, P whether it commands the confidence of the,;.} House or not. There was no huch thing :; as precedent by which they ought to bind': theniselte3. Every Assembly like-this; was a supreme voice in itself, and ought ' to be guided in its proceedings accord- :M injjly. " \ \". . ' _ "■'<^^''•'• Mr Macandraw made a few remark's in: favor of the proposal for adjournment ",'qf "V the debate till Tuesday, which was carried" on the voices. , .'',."" ' At 9.30 p.m. the House adjourked fill Tuesday. • ■«".".' • ':'-; i i