PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5205, 22 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[Pee Pbbss Association.j LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, Last night. In the Legislative Council, the new clause added to the District Railways Bill was was struck out by 17 to 15. The Appropriation Bill, and Public Works and Immigration Appropriation bill were read a third time and passed.

HOUSE OP REPBEBENTATTVES.

Wellington, Yesterday. Major Atkinson said the Government daring the session had submitted to rebuffs and defeats such as he bad never seen equalled. He might expend some hours in criticising their action. The Mining Department was a new department; they had a statement from the Minister which showed that he had a thorough grasp of the whole department. The honorable gentleman had introduced several bills connected with the goldfields, but there was throughout a want of sin cerity in the manner in which they-con-ducted those bills through the House. The bill for the repeal of the gold duty was allowed to go in the same manner as the other policy bills. He would ask the goldfield members whether they had ever re* ceived so little assistaoce from any Government which they had thoroughly supported as the present one. Coming to the Minister for Public Works, he reminded the House that the Government of which he was a member were turned out because of their mismanagement of the railways; the present Minister had come in with a great reputation for railway management, but there were complaints at present from one end of the Colony to the other on the mismanagement of the railway department. The Native Minister believed thoroughly in himself, and was yet led about like a tame lamb by the native members. He had come down with two native Bills, one a very useful Bill, although with some bad clauses, which they could have eliminated; the other Bill was a very different measure. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Native Lands Committee, so that it could be knocked on the head. The native Minister had been told it would never emerge from that committee, and the Bills were still in Committee. As to the Minister of Lands' administration, he only hoped that his special settlement scheme would succeed. With regard to the Land Bill, he was disposed to give that gentleman some credit, as he had taken considerable trouble in preparing it. He would give Ministers what little credit they were entitled to. The Colonial Treasurer should be a subject by himself, but he should have to include him with the other Ministers. He reminded the House of tbe promises made by the Treasurer, who was going to restore confidence and prosperity to the colony. Was there anymore prosperity siDce he took office P It must be admited that the bon. gentleman had signally failed. The Treasurer had not grasped the condition of the country. The Government had held office at the request of their supporters. The great fault laid to the late Government was that they had no re sources. But what were the resources of the Treasurer ? He fell back on that most obnoxious proposal, the property tax, and had not only increased the Customs duties, succession duties and had in every respect endeavoured to heap up the taxes which he had denounced. The result had proved that the Treasurer was not the man the country had expected. Tbe Local Bodies Bill was vicious in principle,—without one redeeming feature: the relief to local bodies consisting of unlimiting borrowing. Referring to the East and West Coast Railway, they should have made it a Government question. The country was* also promised a reform in the Legislative Council, whiph was a strong plank in the platform of the Government. Nine appointments had been made to. that House, and they had produced their measure of reform, but what had become of the Bill? It shared the fate of the others. He would like to ask the Premier what the hon. gentleman had done during the session. He thought absolutely nothing. The Premier had made a fatal mistake in accepting the position he had done. It was reported that the Premier intended resigning during the recess, and he hoped for his (Mr Stout's) sake that the report was? U-qe. He hoped tbe Colonial Treasurer would alio go with him. He contended there could be no comfort for the Ministry so long as their interests were directly opposed as they were at present, and he ventured to predict that if they survived the next session they would receive the dye reward pi all their a?isd@e>dg. ' '

On the third reading of the Approprittion Bill, Major Atkinson Bererely attacked tho policy of the Government and the work done daring the session. Mr S.tout defended, the GtoTWnwent, and Mr

Wakefield and Sir- Julius Vogel als° spoke, after which the third reading wa s carried on the voices, and the bill wa s passed. The Houserose at 11.10 p.m. till 4 this afternoon, when the prorogation takes place.