Evening Sitting.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3376, 17 October 1879, Page 2

Evening Sitting.

The House resumed at 7.30.

AN AUCKLAND MATTBB.'

Mr Hursb mored the second reading of tho Auckland Improvement Commissioners Transfer of Power Bill. J£e explained there was no principle involved, it was simply the handing orer of a trust of one body to another. The motion was agreed to on the distinct understanding that time would be allowed to examine the probable effect of its provisions before it was advanced further. ■. -._-,. TO GAIN TIME. Major Atkinson proposed to more a suspension of tho standing orders so as to enable him to 30 into Committee of Supply. It was necessary for carrying on the public business that Supply Billi should be obtained and ho hoped no ■obstacles would bo thrown in the way. -If. he, fjot assistance he would move the House go into Committee of Supply. '; Mr Mocandrew said that unless the Government consented to the noeonfi- ; dence motion coming on to morrow, h«T would, so soon as the Speaker was mored onfc of the chair, state a grievance. After a few more remarks Mr Macandrew said that it was evident enough the Govern- j" raent was unable to control the Hovm and go on with the business, and now. that such was the case he mored the adjournment of the House. Major Atkinson said he could answer on the other side that no amount -of obstruction would force them to go on .. with the no-confidence motion a moment' sooner than they had already stated. ■ r : Mr Montgomery said that they did not refuse to grant supplies but what'Mr ■ Maeaudrew said was this,'•he had*'' grievance and proposed to ventilate that.' grievance before supplies were granted, so soon as ttiat grievance jvas ventilated the supplies would be granted. Mr McLean said that the proposal was an absurd one, they all knew what the grievance meant. It meaut the ab-ebufU ■ dence motion, and' that would take .three weeksto debate, yet he wanted it' to be understood they were not blocking the business. -

Mr Bowen said that it wai one thing to refuse the granting of supplies in advance when there was money in the treasury, and another thing to refuse them- when 7 there was really no money to meet > current expenses. The attitude of the Opposition was this, if its will waVnot to be allowed to rule supreme, then they would refuse to.provide supplies urgently demanded. In that case,he thought the ' country would be better put to some, in* convenience arising from this delay, than that this very questionable proceeding should be yielded to. The country would see where the responsibility |pr the block , rested. , , - : ' . , Mr Downie Stewart spoke in favor of the position taken up by the Opposition,- . and quoted a number of constitutional authorities.

Mr Dick suggested that some com* promise shonld be arrived at so that the outside public might not suffer while they were engaged with mere party disputes. , Mr Pyke said he wished to explain the > vote he gave on the last want of confidence motion, and to reconcile that with that he intended giving in this vote of confidence. On the previous occasion ha „ gave it with a view of getting the Govern- * ment, as then constituted, reconstructed, and he still held that that was the course which ought to have beeu followed. ..: ' Mr Speight argued that the Opposition. * had a perfect right to state its grievance, and the Government had no right to lay ' hold of thiit trifling fact to prevent ' supplies being granted. ••"■." Mr Sautiders said that after the : financial statement that had been delivered ': the other night, it was little short of ! blasphemy to stand up and talk'about Liberal measures when the finance of the country was in such a deplorable state:' ~ : Mr Moss said the previous speaker had said enough to convince him ithat if , these gentlemen were left in office, the Liberal measures would be neglected on the pica that it was necessary that they should direct their attention to the financial situation of the coantry. The question for adjournment was then put and carried on the voices, and at 10.40 tho House rose. : .