The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3888, 15 June 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

|At the evening sitting of the House of Representatives, the Address in .Reply to thJßiGrorernor's speech was mored by Mr Collins, and seconded by Mr Fulton. The debate upon the subject was opened by Sir George Grey, who vigorously attacked the policy of the Government, as declared in the speech, characterising it as unsatisfactory; and inadequate to. the requirements of the country. Each clause in the speech was referred to by the speaker, and the weakness of the policy pointed out. Touching the management of native affairs, Sir George Grey made a peculiar .statement to the effect that had justice been done, it was not the natives that should hare been imprisoned. 'Evidently the speaker is of opinion -that certain European! ajee.feore to be biased for the evil doings thai! the actual native transgressors. The sale of the Waimate Plains was only a matter for congratulation to I the) people of Taraoaki, who received the 1 revenue to mptrnct their harbour—not ! one that th«^ Mbdfy it large were very much benefited byi; Sir George Grey does not place oMwh reliance upon the professed liberal ideas of the present | Ministry,, and 1 angles that their antecedent's are against, »ny such anticipations being realised, at all events in the matter of legislation on land questions. He makes a startling assertion that there exists an actual deficiency of £256,000, and says that not any really large retrenchment has been effected. He makes a point that 'nothing touching local Government legis- , latbn was referred to in the speech by the Governor, and threatens himself to introduce a bill having for its object the amalgamation of counties, and the granting of powers similar to those possessed by the late provincial councils; He concluded by a sweeping condemnation, objecting not only to the speech for what it contained,;' but for what had been omitted.