PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4874, 23 August 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Per Pbbss ApsociiTionr.)

"'.yrv'-'-'LEGISLiTIVIB COUNCIL.; ; a '"•■\ ■ "^ ":! '•'.■:. : WEii,iiTG;TONKYG|terday.: •.;•• TKe Council met at 2.30. . M leave, owingr to the present crisis, to-postpone a question of which he had given notice -as to whether it was the intention of the Government to bring in a bill this session to amend the Education Act, with a yiew^ to abolishing the central boards ?' Mr Reynolds rose to move the Address in-Eeply to His Excellency's opening speech, when Mr P. Buckley asked if it was a proper thing in the foce of the state m'ent that the Government had resigned, that an address of this, character should be discussed?

Sir Geo. Whitmore thought there could be no possible objection to the Council replying to the address of the Governor. \ The Speaker said the motion was in order;. it was the constitutional duty of the Council to move an Address-in-Reply

Mr Reynolds thereupon addressed him-: sejf to the motion, briefly referring to the various points raised in His Excellency's Speeeb, which he undertook to say would receive the careful consideration of the -Council, v■■ •;■■ ■■■. .. '■■'":.■/;;. . ■ ■ :■ -. -.-■.■ ■■."'.■•-,•. Mr Scotland seconded the motion. Mr Oliver alluded to the suddenness j with which the Vogel Ministry had'been condemned, at which ho was not surprised. They had heard of persons holding them* selves out as renovators of old clothes^but it seeinedthat Sir Julius Vogel bad been held o.ut since his return to the colony as the renovator of the depressed colonies. They found Mr 'Stout rushing into the arms* of Sir Julius Vogcl, although he had been posing for years as an advanced Radical, while Vogel had always posed as a Tory. A coalition which was not forced upon those who held opposing principles was an immoral act. He proceeded to criticise ! the Governor's Speech at some length, maintaining that it was of a contradictory character, and sought to secure support for the Government by holding out promises in all directions, deferring to the proposal to establishiKailwsy Boards, be asked what would be the use of such Boards, as tho very object desired was that .the Bdard should be able to regulate such charges? While in Victoria, Mr Stout, not so loDg ago, wrote to the Argus on the subject of Eailway Boards^ condemning in measured terms the system of taking away from Parliament the administration of railways, and yet they now found [ him a member of a Ministry which advocated such Boards.' In conclusion, he exI pressed his opinion that the country,* by | the action of the other branch of the Legislature, had been savtd from a great danger. "Mr Walerhouse could not see what ad--1 vantage was to be gained by flogging a dead horse. The battle had been fairly I fought, the victory had .been gaiued, I and he deprecated any attempt to embitter parly foeling by discussing the policy of i the* defeated Ministry. : Bir Geo; Whitmore, refering to the adverse criticism on the paragraph in the Governor's Speech relating to the/sinking of abstract questions, thought that Mr Stout was deserving of great praise for having consented to such a course. The town was on fire and it was necessary that every effort should be made in. the first place to extinguish the flames. 'During the five years there had been eleven millions added to the debt of the colony, the revenue was not improving, and there was a deficiency last year. He differed from Mr Oliver in. reference to coalition governments, and pointed to the; experiences of Victoria to show the good results, of such i governments. Mr McLean maintained that the colony was in a fair way, to prosperity. He advocated the completion of railway lines now in course of construction in order to make pay. " He alluded to the desirableness of encouraging the sugar industry. With reference to the Vogel Ministry, be thought that, if Sir Julius Vogel had been surrounded by cautious menj. the result would have been different from what it was. ;■■'■

Mr Beynolds spoke briefly in reply. He thought that it was ill judged of Mr Oliver to have taken up the subject in the way he had, and he agreed with Mr Watefhouse in the opinion that it was useless to flog a dead horse. He held that the condition' of the colony was not what it should be. They heard reports that out of the next million loan nearly £800,000 bad been dissipated. [Mr Oliver: Nothing of the sort.] He only hoped (his. would not be the case. He complained that the Vogel Ministry had not been allowed an opportunity of unfolding its polidy, and he believed the time was not far distant when such action would receive its due condemnation. v

The motion was agreed toon the voices, and the Council adjourned at 4 10 p.m.