General Assembly.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1136, 4 October 1879, Page 2

General Assembly.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thtjbsday. Tho House met at 2.30. QUESTIONS. Mr Whitaker asked the Minister of Lands, "Why the Government has not yet offered for sale the suburban allotments in the vicinity of the township of Ngaruawahia ?' ' Mr Thompson said that the Government were taking steps for opening the land for sale, and it would be ready before long. Mr Pyke asked, " When the Government will cause a survey of the Otaga central railway to be completed from the Clyde to Lake Wanaka?" > Mr Macandrew replied that the survey was about to be resumed. Mr Whitaker asked, " Whether the amount required for the construction of the railway bridge over the Waikato Rives, at Hamilton, was not included in the sum of £108,000 voted by the House in the session of 1878, for the construction of the Thames- Waikato Railway to Omahu, and part of which vote had been expended between the Thames river and Grahamstown ?" Mr Macandrew replied that the sum voted for the railway was only £30,000. NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE. The debate on the no -confidence amendment was resumed -by Mr Fisher, who said it was surprising that the gentlemen who wished to turn them out of office professed Liberalism, and yet they had never attempted anything of a Liberal character until they were forced to it by the voice of the country. He thought Mr Hall was wrong in coming forward as a Liberal leader, as lie had never been known to do a liberal act during the time he had re- i sided in the colony. Mr Murray failedtto see the ground on which the Governor acceded to the request for a dissolution. He charged the Government with having- neglected to pass the re-distribution of seats proposal, and in the absence of such re-adjustment there could be no possible plea for dissolution. The' cost could not havo been less than £100,000. He charged tho Government with shewing partiality to natives. They .had failed to introduce a Draiuage Bill, which they promised to do. The Premier had most injudicously attempted to stir up class feeling throughout the colony. Mr Barron said that, although lie was entirely free from party trammels, still lie would feel bound to vote against tho amendment. He complimented the Opposition, and thought it would be a great pity to convert a good Opposition into a bad Government. Mr Masters rose to explain that an. assertion was made by the previous

I speaker to tho effect thbt he was returned to support the J\tinistiy. That was incorrect. Daring his candidature he told the constituents most distinctly that he would be an independent member. He told them further thai, although he had perused the speeches given on the noconfidence debate, ho was unable to make up his mind how lie would act, but that when ho got to Wellington he would be better able to judge. Now, however, he had made up his mind. H e said the gentlemen on the Opi^aition benches were well able to form - a Government, and he had inside up his mind to support the amendment. Mr Seddon resumed the debate on tho no-confidence amendment. Mr Whitaker said that he intended voting with the Opposition. The previous speaker had ta':en Mr Masters to task for having dared to show himself favourable to the Opposition. His speech on that head led him to suppose that what he aimed at was a block vote from the "West Coast over to the Government m consideration of something like a million of money being spent on the Grey valley railway. The basis of a true Liberal policy was incidence of taxation, and yet not a word was said on that score m the Ministerial programme Although no Financial Statement had been produced it ■was a well known fact that a very considerable deficit existed m the revenue, yet not a word was said as to how that deficiency was to be met He also* complained that no intimation had been given of what was proposed to be done towards the improvement of local self-govern- ' menh. It was, as it stood, notoriously defective, and yet not a word was said on the subject, He complained of the matter of railway, construction. The Premier had shewn great partiality towards the Thames district — which he lately represented — to the neglect of adjoining districts, more especially the district he (Mr Whitaker) represented. He made a smilar co.*iplaint with regard to the matter of reserves, the Thames munici-x pality having been largely endowed m that way, while other municipalities m the same locality were not so favoured. He condemned the use made of the Government steamer m the late election. Referring to tho Liberal sentiments enunciated by the Premier, he said they were simply a repetition of the sentiments laid down by Carlyle and other great writers, and he objected ,to him (the Premier) coming to this House and attempting to palm them off as his o tvn original ideas. Further, he objected to it being said that he was alone the representative of Liberalism m the House. The principles enunciated would and must be brought into law, whether the Premier was m the House or at the Kawau, or m his long home. Mr Te Wheoro said, he came to the House simply to represent the native matters, and he was. with whoever would bring forward measures for the welfare of the natives. Mr Delatour spoke m favour of the Government, and the House adjourned.