HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 158, 6 July 1899, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WANT-OF-CONFIDENCE DEBATE

MR McGUIRE TAKES THE FLOOR

When the orders for the day were called on Mr Lcth bridge (Rangitikei), who had moved the adjournment of the debate on Tuesday night gave way ito Mr McGuire, the "jaynial" member for Hawera, who in the most natural manner possible prefaced his remarks ■with a bull. He said he would tell the nouse why the Royal Commission ■was set tip, which announcement was 'received with eager "heat', hears."' Then on second thoughts Hawera adBed: "As hon. members are as well acquainted with the reasons a.s T nil), I don't, think I will take tho trouble to enlighten them. 'Taylix," after an all round and somewhat disconnected speech on the -Ministerial policy, branched off into the question of the development, of the dairy industries of Taranaki. He said the Premier had been perambulating about the mountain patting the settlers on the back in view of the general elections. He was urging the necessity for opening up fresh markets for New Zea- i land produce when the Premier interjected that arrangements were being j ttnade to open up trade i-eialions with, the Cape. In Haw-era's opinion the chief weakness of the Government was ibad administration. "You have, it," interposed an hon. member en the Liberal benches. "I wish to God we had!" fervently exclaimed the McGuire. Keeping the House in a simmer of merriment he made a fierce onslaught on the Premier. "Thanks ifor the light," said the hon. member, as a refulgence was suddenly shed upon the scene when the electrician switched on the light, but when this was immediately followed by the admonitory ring of the Speaker's bell, the smile fled from "Faylix's" expansive countenance. Finally ne resumed his seat after shooting a parthiau j arrow at the "deceitful poiicy of the (Government." }IR O'MEARA ON NORTH ISLAND j SETTLEMENT. Mr O'Meara (Pahiatua) speaking ! from his place at the back of the | Ministerial benches began by detailing several instances of improper influences used against him by supporters of the Opposition, which latter he rescribed as "a disjointed jealous party, torn to pieces by internal strife." Speaking of the prosperous condition ©f the colony he said muring booms passed like a flash, and the population of mining districts was fluctuating. He desired to impress upon the House the necessity for loading the back country in the North Island. Unless an adequate sum of money was appropriated for this purpose, even if needful out of borrowed money, he would strenuously oppose any loan for the completion of the North Island Mam Trunk railway and the Otago Central. He declared himself in favour of. freehold title subject to restrictions as to the area owned by any individual. Speaking of the Labour Department and the co-operative system he condemned the practice of sending labourers from the centres of population to country districts where the local labour was not absorbed. ME CEOWTHER'S VIEW OF THE CASE. Mr Crowther, who followed, said the 3ast speaker had made some indiscreet remarks. He thought hon. members of that House ought to speak respectfully of one another. While he would admit that the lands for. settlement scheme had been successful in some instances he totally disagreed with the allegation that the scheme had been the means of bringing down the rate of interest. They had more money in -Auckland than they knew what to do ■with, and they had recently lent threequarters of a million of money at 3£ per cent. If the capitalists could be assured that their projects would not be jeopardised or ruined by labour disturbances the cheap money now available would be spent in establishing factories for the indoor employment of men out of work in the winter months. He strongly advocated the roading of the back country. He said he did not know how long the no-confidence discussion was going to last, but some of the speakers had very forcibly reminded him of a statement he heard General Booth make to the effect that there were some of his soldiers who had a very great appetite for drumming, and as he had to find work for them to do he had provided them •with big drums, which they were to .punch instead of punching their wives. (Laughter.) Referring to the Premier's offer of a contingent for service in Samoa the member' for Auckland City said many of the volunteers were still at school. They had no knowledge of bush life. They had not handled a rifle for six months, and yet they were to be sent to Samoa to fight against native bushrangers and bo Slaughtered. In his opinion it was a providential thing for "our boys" that their services were not required. How was it that the three Premiers —Atkinson, Vogel and Ballance —died poor? He believed it was because they never had anything. (Laughter.) He hoped our present Premier would not die poor, but a rich man. That, he thought, was practically ■ settled. Speaking of the ambition of members, Mr Crowther remarked: "I do not think you will ever forget what a mistake it is for a member of Parliament to lose the weight off his safety valve." The way to become a Premier was to

be energetic and determined, and when you got a little money stick to jt. The hon. member concluded a somewhat discursive speech, occasionally relieved by caustic humour, with a rueful expression of countenance, the time being all too brief to enable him to deal with a great mass of notes v/hich were untouched when the House adjourned at 5.30 for dinner.

At half-past seven, when the House resumed, there was a large attendance of strangers in the Speaker's ladies', and, public galleries, and all

the seats on the floor of the House were occupied. THE GOVERNMENT WHIP SPEAKS. Mr Mills (Wairau), senior Government whip, rose to reply to Mr j Crowthrr. He. congratulated the mem- i her for Auckland on the fact that j the fiscal policy of the present (!o- ] vernmen.l had resulted in a reduction j of the rate of interest to 35 per cent, i He condemned the waste of time ' caused by the Opposition by tabling; trivial motions of want of confidence, j Referring to the attitude of Mr J. I Ilutcheson towards the amendment on | Ihe Address-in-Reply, he said there j ought to be loyalty on the Liberal i side of the House. Mr Sligo: Right or wrong? The Premier: There is no wrong on this sii!e of the House. Continuing, Mr Mills was commencing to read a letter bearing1 on the, marine charges when Mr Pirani appealed to the Speaker as to whether the lion, member was in order in reading a letter reflecting upon an hon. member of the House. The Speaker ruled thai the action of the member for Wairau was contrary to the Standing Orders. Mr Mills went on to say that if these marine charges were the only accusations within the past year that ihe Opposition could bring against a Ministry that had held office for a period of nine years the administration of the present Government must be the purest of any Ministry that had ever sat on those benches. The Premier: We wear the white flower. MR AY A SOX'S VIEWS. Mr Wason (Selwyn) said he entirely dissented from the idea that Mr Glasgow, who deserved the respect of the inhabitants of Wellington, had ever uttered a falsehood in connection with the marine ease. On the contrary, he believed the Secretary to the Marine Department had simply endeavoured to carry out the orders of his chief. Commenting on the addresses delivered by the Premier in various parts of the colony, he said they reminded him of a quack doctor | who travelled about accompanied by a brass band and a big drum pretending to cure without pain all the ills that flesh is heir to. When a man's teeth were being extracted his cries would be drowned by the noise of the band and big drum. However, lie thought the Premier deserved credit for his action in connection with Samoa. Praise, was also due to the Premier for reducing the valuation charges to the local bodies. For that they deserved well of the country. He' expressed himself in favour of electing the Legislative Council on the same basis as the House, of Representatives, and that in cases of serious disagreement they should sit and vote i together. He condemned interference ! with the tariff. Even a defective ! tariff was to be preferred to everlasting changes, lie thought New Zealand should at once join the Austra--1 Han Federation and contribute to the I proposed federal fortnightly mail, the | cost of which would not exceed j £ 00,000. Mr Wason's- speech was per- ! haps the most and gentlemanly that has been delivered during the debate. ME HOGG OX THE SITUATION. Mr Hogg thought federation with Australia would be unworkable. While New Zealand might derive benefit from a. federal mail service he saw no reason why the colony should surrender it,i independence and submit to be governed from a remote centre. He said the true reason of the Opposition's dislike of the Premier's electioneering speeches was that they received so many hard knocks. In support of his contention • that the lease in perpetuity was superior to the freehold system he unrolled' two maps, one of which he held up, declaring it to be Hororata, which provoked' Mr Wasoii into asking whether it was to be embalmed ia" Hansard. The member for Mas-ter-ton expressed his desire to see the map not only Hansardised, but placed in every school, so that the rising generation might see how the land had been taken from their fathers. Againgst the Hororata property, which was mopped up by Sir John Hall, he showed a map of the portion of the Forty Mile Bush, dotted over with homesteads of 300 acres, in the hands of industrious and prosperous settj lers, which was a testimony to the I advantages of the leasehold system. He would like to see the Referendum Bill become law if for no better reason than that a straight-out vote might be taken on the freehold versus the leasehold tenure. He censured in severe terms the conduct of the member for Patea in going to Pahiatua and attacking the, representative of the district behind his back. If there was to be a new Parliament and a change of Government, it would be in a very different direction to what the Opposition- desired. They were not going back to the old days of freeholds, when heavy interest was ! charged, when the country was covered with mortgages and the bailiff was constantly in the homes of the people. The advice of the hon. member for Patea was that the settlers I should borrow money and mortgage their little homes and secure freeholds. Probably if such a state of things was brought into existence the hon. member for Patea would put a sign over the door with the words "Foreclosures carried out at the shortest notice," and no one was more capable of shedding crocodile tears over the existence of such a state of things- than that hon. member would be. Mr Hogg's speech was a vigorous defence of the Government, policy. MR FRASER OF WAKATIPU.

Mr Fraser (Wakatipu), dealing with the marine charges, said the course which the Government should have followed was to come to the House and ask lor an inquiry, in order to clear themselves. Tnstead of that they sought to shift the responsibility on to the shoulders of the officials. The debate was interrupted by the snipper adjournment. V SPEECH ON THE MINISTERIAL SIDE. At eleven o'clock Mr Wilson (Wellington Suburbs') continued the debate on the Ministerial side. He began •.vith a warm eulogism on the ability of Sir Robert Stout and praise of the Government for its choice of him as* Chief Justice, regardless of his persistent opposition to the Government and he hackneyed phrase about "spoils to lie victors'." He strongly supported he Central route for the North Island .Jain Trunk Railway ", but urged that 'lie work should be more vigorously unshed on. The colony ought not to continue this and other railway works in a piecemeal fashion. He advocated rhe election of the Legislative Council on some modification of the Hare sys-

lem and trade relations with the Cape. Coming to the marine charges he said

the enquiry ought to be removed from political influences. Whilst he admired Mr J. Hutcheson for his independence and straightforward conduct he thought he had been too impulsive in the charges he had preferred against the Government. Dealing with the composition of the Marine Commission he said Dr. Giles had been a leading light of the National Association and could not therefore be regarded as biassed in favour of the Government, whilst Judge Ward's impartiality had never been impugned. THE DIVISION. On ihe question being put Ihe Speaker declared that the Noes had it, and a division being called for resulted as follows:—Ayes 29; Noes 36. The following is the division list: — For Captain Russell's amendment (20): Messrs J. Allen, Bollard, Buchanan, Carson, Crowther, JDuthie, Fraser, Herries, Hunter, J. Hutcheson, Geo. Hutchison, Kelly, Lang, Lethbridge, Lewis, McGuire, Scobie Mackenzie, McLean, Massey," Monk, Moore, Pirani, Rawlins, Rolleston, Sligo, Smith, Taylor, J. W. Thomson, Wright. Against the amendment (36): Messrs E. G. Allen, Cadman, Carncross, Carroll, Duncan, Field, Fisher, Flatman, Gilfedder, Graham, Guinness, Hall-Jones, Hogs', Holland, Houston, Joyce, Kaihau, Lawry, McGownn, K. McKen/.ie. McXab, Meredith, Millar, Mills, Morrison, O'Menra, O'Regan, Parata, Pere, Seddon, Stevens, Steward, Symes, Tanner, R. Thompson, and Wilson. Pairs: For the amendment—Captain Russell and Messrs Brown. Wason, and Ileke. Against the amendment —■ Messrs John McKenzie, Ward, Montgomery, and Thos. Thompson.