Sympathy with the United States.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3972, 21 September 1881, Page 2

Sympathy with the United States.

The Premier said:- Sir, before proceeding it is only right that some allusion should be made to tbe information contained in this morning's newspaper of the death of the President of the United States. lam sure, sir, that we all feel that this is a most melancholy event. We should not pass over in silence the death of the head of the first American community, which we all agree is associated with us by ties of kindred and community of interests, and lar^e sympathy in the working and free institutions. Sir, there is perhaps, no country in the world in which the British Empire ought to have, and I believe has, a more deep sympathy than with the United States of America, and an event of this kind is calculated to draw that bond of sympathy closer. We deplore this event, not only on the loss of our kinsman in tbe United States! but because it brings to an untimely end a great career by a most cruel fate. He was a most distinguished man ; not only for his great natural talents, but for that quality which distinguishes men in the United States,.'when they hare raised themselves by their own ability, by their own conduct, and by their own hard work, from the lowest step of the social ladder to the highest. That is a future among statesmen of the United States more than in any other country, and we have no more distinguished instance of thi3 than in the case of President Garfield, therefore we join with our kinsmen of the United states in sympathy for the loss they have sustained. These few words have been said without reflection, but they will, I am sure, express the feelings, not only of members of this House, but of all colonists.

Sir George Grey asked if the Premier intended to move a resolution.

The Premier said* he thought the remarks he had made would be sufficient to express the feeling of the House. Sir George Grey said:—Sir, I beg to concur in what has fallen from the Premier, and I would move that a committee consisting of the Premier, Mr Macandrew, and myself, be appointed to draw up a paper expressing sympathy with the people of America on the occasion. Sir—A great and good man has passed away, and his death is attended by this remarkable circustance that, he was ruler of about 50,000,000 people, speaking our own language; that he rose to be ruler from the very humblest position in life. It is a remarkable circumstances that the death of a man of that kind should be known all over the world within a few hours, and that many millions of people should deplore the loss of a man who by birth was not clothed in those attributes which usually command the sympathy of men. I think, sir, we would do well to show that even in this remote part of the Empire deep sympathy is felt by the whole com*, munity. Mr Macandrew concurred in what had been said, and suggested that a telegram should be sent.

The motion was then agreed to, Mr Hall moved the House to agree to the Council's amendments in the Railway Construction and Land Bill. He did not altogether like some of them, but at the present stage of the session he thought it best to accept them. - . Mr Gisborne said a provision in clause 15 would render the bill practically useless as although contract would be made the allocation of the land was to be subject to the approval of Parliament... .__ -Mr -Weston concurred, and~ Mr De« Lautour said if this provision passed, no company could even get advances to enable it to go on. It would not be till at least the session after next before any company could get any certainty about its laud endowment.*" ,

On a division -the motion for agreeing to one amendment in clause 15 was carried by 44 to 23, and for agreeing to the other by 46 to 17. ; Mr Hall said he accepted the amendments because he wished the Bill to pass, and Mr Olliver warned the supporters of the Bill that they would lose it altogether if they did not accept the amendments. The remaining amendments were con* sidered on the voices.

The Eailway Authorisation Bill was then considered in Committee, and the schedule amended by the addition of the (Seaward Bush line.

The Bill was reported and read a third time and passed. Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Public Reserves Bill. Mr Montgomery insisted that the new Parliament should meet at the first p ssible moment, and would therefore oppose clause 4 for three months beyond the close of the financial year. ' Thompson agreed with Montgomery, and Gisborne said that the Government bad been unable to carry its measures, so that they were bound to assume it had not the confidence of the country, in that case it was necessary the question should be finally determined after the election at the the earliest possible moment. Eolleston said they had instructions to remodel the civil service,*,and make reductions of £50,000 that could not be done iv a day, and Government was not going to stand still and let the elections be carried against them, in that case it was absolutely necessary that they should have time.

The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. The Houae met at 2.30.

It was resolved tuat the following resolution be addressed to the VicePresident of the United States:—"The House of Representatives of New 3ealand, in Parliament assembled, expresses its deep sympathy with the people of the United States of America in their grief at the death of President G-arfield—a calamity to be deplored by. every English speaking community throughout the world."