PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 12 June 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

| UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION".J

THE ADDRESS IN KEPLY.

(From the N.Z. Times)" Dr Newman, who'was received with applause, rose to raovo the Address in Roply. He did so with great pleasure, seeing that he agreed with a great deal in His Excellency's speech. Ifc was satisfactory to. find that the Governor, who, had visited so many countries', was able to speak in such terms of praise as His Excellency did of New Zealand, The lion, member quite agreed with the statement of the speech that the depression had been caused, in a great measure, by the unfavorable weather, it was plain from a survey of the world's markets, that the price of wool would not rise to any extent. In India there were thousands of acres almost uncultivated, and, when that was considered, it 'was hardly to be expected that our farmers would he able to produce wheat for competition. Such being the case, it would be well for our farmers to turn their attention to other sources of income. (Hear, hear.) What was wanted was an increase in the exports and a decrease in the imports; They would do well, too, to foster local industries, such as

tobacco, _ He was glad also to find mention in the speech of a direct steam service, He eulogised the enterprise which had founded those services, and regretted that there was not more mention made of the matter. Every year now saw a marked diminution in

the import, of coal—(hear, hear)-and no doubt they would be able to still further increase the export of coal, The speech also alluded to the increase of population by immigration. He deemed the most important part of the speech that alluding to the settlement of the land. " The settling of people on the land" was a cant phrase used at every election, but very little had really been done towards it. He believed the State should hold all the lands, and never part with the land it had at

present. The plan of leasing land would

prevent scheming men from acquiring largo tracts of land. In this colony there had been many land schemes, and it must be admitted, he thought, that no scheme had yet proved satisfactory, The Government had cut up land for settlement, according to the dictates of the House, and many people had gone in with a mania for landbuying, the result being, in many cases, bankruptcy. He held that no scheme could benefit the country which ruined the people. (Hear, hear.) There were many men who would be glad to go into the country and settle were it not for the conditions offered them. If satisfactory terms could be offered to

these people, they would get the land settled very differently. He was glad to seo that the Government were goinw to make some provision in regard to Maori lands. -Ho was one of those who held that the Government should never have given up the preemptive right. (Hear, hear.) It was most' satisfactory to know that people were becoming more chary of extravagance. He alluded to the Federation Convention, and eulogised the New Zealand

representatives, who, ho said, had held their own as well at that convention, as our footballers had done on the green swaid of Australia, (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Touching upon the recidiviste question, the lion, mem-

ber said the time was coming when the whole of the colonies would be federa-

ted, The Government had made up their minds to bring in a Bill establishing the Civil Service upon a sound basis. This was satisfactory, for the Service had served the colony well. He would like to see the officials knit beyond the reach of political interference, One mistake was made in the franchise, that it was not extended to women, (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, the hon, member said it was for them to offer mora advantages to the people who wished to settle on the land, (Applause.) Mr M. W. Green, in seconding the motion for an Address in Reply, said the able address of the member for Thorndon had placed him somewhat at a disadvantage, iuasmuch as there was a "remarkable -sympathy -of-, ideas, be : tween him and the mover, There were many causes of depression, some invoked, perhaps, by a wise Government,

and others duo to the people; but lio had no doubt the depression by and Liyo would become a thing of the .past if it wore met properly. The remedies for this depression were Die fostering "of local industries and the- settlement of tillers of the .soil upon the land, There . were..two parties upon,the iniiugiira-tion'-question—those who were : afraid of competition, and those who wished to obtain;still greater competition. : His opinion- was .that .the system- of assisted immigration' which.had so .long t ob, : lained in the colony was a good ono, and that they need not bo in a hurry tostop;it.' (Hear,hear.). The,indication's given in His Excellency's Speech on this matter was such as to merit the approval of \he House. New Zealand, with her resources, was capable' of becoming one of the greatest! manufacturing countries in the. world.' They hud only to usethese resources, But they ■ .needed to begin bjr steadily increasing and > fostering industries, anil the means.to be adopted,'it seemed to him, was that their own goods must be manufactured-'in the colony, and encourago those artisans .who hail settled in the colony. Ho must express his "'gratification that mention was made in the Speech-of un amendment in the land laws of the colony. The ''lion,member referred at some length to the nationalisation of the land, remarking that he considered the proposal by the Minister of Lands was one that he could support heartily.' Another matter referred to was that in connection with native lands,' He (the lion member) was of opinion that the natives would act in their best interests if they supported the Government, in this respect. Annexation and federation were of 'grea*i importance, and the former' was advisable, ; provided - the people in these islands desired it; If the Government could economise in the Civil Service, and yet retain its efficiency, it would deserve great credit. In conclusion, ho quite agreed with the direction, in which proposed measures seemed to go, The Premier had said to him, " Vote as you like." (Applause and laughter.) He hoped the Legislation of the ensuing session would stamp it as of anything but small importance. (Applause.) Mr Steward then addressed the

louse. The Opposition; lie said, agreed villi the expressions of sympathy with ler ■•Majesty. Upon several other natters members on his side of .the louse were in.nccord with the Speech ; ven upon-the scheme of the Minister if Lands, But it was for not merely or what the Address contained, hut or what it failed to contain, that he fas. brought to his fpet that night, first and foremost he found that it fas necessary that there should be .elded to the Address what he took tc >e the .opinion of the House and tin wintry, that I here was not suffcien lonfidonce. in Ministers Anion* th loblest of English classics was found i efe'rence to the quality of mercy; am ie (Mr Steward) had been deputed t >h% mercy to the Government lr ipening the door whence they migh 'scape to the cool shades of the side o lie House he now took, where th vieked. and weary Opposition migh ind jest.. (Derisive laughter from th Ministerial benches.) The pertinacif ■vitli which the Ministry clung to lif vas not significant of a high organism fc reminded him of the genera eras The crab when assailed threv 'ff" limb, and renewed it with anolho rat smaller one. In Great Britah ihey saw an entirely different state c things. The Government brongh lown its measures, and if defeated upo: .hem went out of power. (Hear, hear. [f three years ago it was necessary, a ;hey had been told, that hospitals am )ther charitable institutions-should re :eive aid, was it not necessary now hUhy had heard no more about il National insurances had been supportei jy the Ministry, and the Premier ha> ;one about the country discussing it JUfc it had been dropped. If th Ministry believed in it why 'did the lot bring it forward. (Hoar, hoar) Chen again, with respect to the reforn )f the Legislative Council. Should no ;he electors have had an opportunif )f_ recording their opinions on thi Joint} The Government would say lerhaps, that they had effected sonv •eforms. So they had; he would frceh idmit it, But it was not true tha hey had followed in the steps of thei: iredecessors? (Hear, hear.) Look a ; lio local Government policy-i neasure which had been forced npoi •he House. He repudiated the state nents that the Opposition had tried h N'Omote disunion in the colony. Hi, ilrief would speak for himself, and he 00, would repudiate such insinuations I'he Ministry had dragged out'theii enn of office by temporising, and b< Inesse. What did they do in the fins :ession of this Parliament when the"' net with a minority? They kept bad heir measures. (Hear, hear.) /Am »y some extraordinary process tin ninority was converted into ■ i najoiity.. The Ministry had not hesi ated to say that there are no mei scept on their own side of the Housi vho were cupablc of administering tin flairs of tkowlony. Did the Min°istr< •laira to possess, or did they claim th ight to possess the confidence of th leople! Upon what did they mak nchaclaimrrhe Minister for Land md certainly done good service to i certain extent,- but where was tin [found' for confidence in such i veathercoek administration of th ilinistry. The present system o axation was one pressing heavily upoi aanyclasses i'n the colony. Last yea hev were told economy was impossible iow they were to i c i t ] mt ifc WM I)ogsible About the deficit of £150,000, h should like to know whether that wa all the deficiency. There were sue] things as liabilities which' had not beei discharged, (Hear, hear.) Then, dii the Ministry rest .their-claim to cor

fidence on the prosperous condition of the country ] There was existing.now a depression such as he had not seen for many years. (Hear, hear). Alluding to the question .now before the House, the hon member said the Married Property Bill was of small importance. In connection .with federation, he understood, that the Premier, had, at the Intercolonial Convention;' even staked his : Ministerial \

existence upon the support of this movement. He ventured to say that

lfilio hon gentleman did this, he would lose his office;' (Hear, hear.) Ministers hail shown from time to timothe utmost vacillation;. they had brought down measure after measure, only to abandon' them"'.for 'something else. WW,' ever might be the result of the present disc'ission, the Gfovernment. had lost the confidence-of the: country, and if they did not believe that, let them, put tlicraselves.to the test. Kegarding tho grain tariff, he had seen it in print, that wheat, in certain provinces in India, could he put on board at Is 9d and 2s per quarter. What, then, should they say of;a Government who in the face of such facts, handicapped more than ever the'., unfortunate, farmer by an increased grain tariff. He wished to say, a few words : ,in regard to the position he occupied. He. had not placed himself involuntarily in the position of a man who had rush in where angels fear to tread. He was discharging a duty placed in his hands ■as an executive older, and it would ; take a great deal to .'turn him from his dutyj even though .he. exposed himself to one of the scandalising, speeches of the honorable gentleman opposite. No one would bo more ready than himself' to recognise the merits of the hon mem--berfor .Auckland City East, but no one would more strenuously uphold the interests of the'country. (Hear, hear.) If the amendment had been proposed by the hon member for Akaroa or the hoi member for Auckl'and"City East, misunderstanding would ;havo arisen. He (Mr Steward) never wished to form an administration. He moved ■ the amendment,' of which he had given notice-early in the day. (Applause.)

In the House, last night Mr HIJRST house resumed the no confldencedebate He said he had not heard anything to justify such a vote. It .would be most improper to turn the Ministry out when the other side admitted they could not form another, The circumstances of the colony did not justify the expense/of a double session with do lble honorarium.

Mr Mosil objected to the course taken by the Opposition, They had nothing to go to country on and no leader to follow, Ho would not sup. port the motion under such circumstances and put the colony to the expense of another session, There was no veal cohesion between the Opposition, and, as an Opposition member he would not support the unholy alliance, the only object of which was to turn the Government oiit, The Opposition leaders were untrue to their party in seeking the aid of the Canterbury members whose only grievance was tho grain tariff,

Mr Connolly defended the Government'and blamed the Opposition leaders for not coming forward boldly. Except on the grain tariff ho believed the Government did possess the confidence of the House, although certain rats had deserted what they thought a sinking ship, The Government had done its duty to the country and was willing to abide the result,

Mr Wakefield thought: Governor's speech one of tho worst he bad ever heard, and at groat length criticised its contents. He especially condemned the Government proposals with regard to federation, The Government bad been wrong first in lowering and then in raising the. grain freights. He had endeavored tc reconcile the difference between sections of the opposition so as lo bring about present result and and'the sham of a Ministry in an absolute minority carrying on the Government.

Colonel TaniuLE opposed the motion, which, however, he admitted was a perfectly legitimate one. Major Atkinson moved the adjournment of the debate. Messrs Macandrew and Seddon opposed urging an immediate division. °n a division the motion for adjournment was lost by 37 to 33.

The House then divided on Steward's amendment, which was carried by 9.

. Mr Sutton then moved a further amendment, asking the Governor to dissolve the House, anil Mr ■Wiiitaker seconded.

Mr Eolleston questioned whether such a motion was constitutional, After some discussion the debate was adjourned to 7,30 this evening.