THE SESSION

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 159, 7 July 1899, Page 2

THE SESSION

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary

Reporter.)

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

WELLINGTON, Thursday,

After the excited state in which the House found itself at the adjournment on Wednesday night, consequent on the closing- dramatic episode, it was a relief to learn that the usual calm serenity prevailed when members reassembled at half-past two yesterday afternoon. After formal business had been disposed of the debate was at once called on. Interest in the proceedings was, however, practically gone in consequence of the division on the amendment having- been taken, and those members who felt it incumbent to make electioneering addresses in the hope that Hansard would be devoured by their constituents had to hold forth to scatteredly filled benches. ME O'EEGAN'S SPEECH. The debate was resumed by Mr P. O'Regan, who in speaking- to the announcement in the Governor's speech te the marine scandal expressed the opinion that the proper course had been taken by the Government. He instanced charges made by Mr Madden, M.P., against the administration of the Lands Department in Victoria, and the Minister of Lands there, and said that it was prudent to follow the lead of Premier Turner in setting up a Eoyal Commission. He regretted the want of interest displayed by members generally with regard to solving the Maori problem and in reference to the Samoan difficulty, ho was of opinion that Mataafa was entitled to the Kingship. It was a matter of rejoicing, he declared, that our troops had been saved the indignity of participating along with the British and American bluejackets in the Samoan slaughter. An eulogy on the late Sir Julius Vogel was followed by an expression of hope that the session would not be allowed to close without Lady Vogel being voted a compassionate allowance similar to that passed to Lady Atkinson and Mrs Ballance. As to the Industrial and Conciliation Act, he deprecated the disposition to invoke its machinery with respect to the most trifling- disputes, and cautioned the House that the measure was liable to be broken down unless more moderation was shown in regard to bringing disputants before the Court and accepting the recommendations of the Conciliation Boards. As to the proposed tariff amendment the speaker characterised the expressions "breakfast table" and "necessaries of life" as humbugging phrases which should not be employed, in that they were too indefinite to mean anything and protested against constant tinkering with the tariff. Ridicule was cast on Mr J. A. Millar's proposal that practically prohibitive duties should be levied on dredges and mining machinery and on improved parts of cycles, Mr O'Regan, who is an ardent freetrader, saying that though naturally a peaceable | man, he was prepared to remain in his place fighting with bare knuckles against such increased duties while the breath of life was spared him. Victoria's greatest enemies had been Mr Trenwith and his Trades Hall friends, who had been gulling the people with their Protective absurdities, but now the colony was prepared to sneak away from its once beloved protection and to take shelter under the skirts of Australian federation. New Zealand was, he admitted, in a prosperous condition, but not so prosperous as it should be. As a recent visitor to Otago and Southland, he made exceptions in favour of those districts, but attributed their favourable position to the.dredging industry and rabbits. ("And the pluck of the people," came from Mr Morrison as an interjection, which Buller admitted had his entire concurrence.) He congratulated the Government on the brevity of the speech from the throne, contrasted with past efforts, but was humiliated to find that it contained no reference to federation with Australia. The public men of the colony appeared to be stolidly indifferent to the great movement on the other side of the Tasman Sea, and unfortunately were backed up by its commercial men. SPEECH BY MB LANG. Mr Lang-, member for Waikafco, expressed approval that a Southern member should express such views regarding native affairs. He did not blame the Southerners for not taking a deeper interest in this question, hut he did blame them for voting on matters in which they httd aot only not taken an intelligent interest, but Ho interest whatever; but for instances of such votes being recorded a large portion of the native lands in the King Country and Waikato County still locked up would have been opened up, carried stock and employed labour. As to the marine scandal, the House and country wanted to know how far Ministers were to olame. That Captain Jones would not have been permitted to g-o up for his examination but for their interference was, he ventured to say, as clear as the noonday sun. Whatever the object of the Premier and the Minister of Marine might be there was no cause .fir doubt that the part they had played had been the means of the Department granting an illegal certificate. He taunted the Minister of Marine with being an avowed supporter of the referendum and throwing the blame of the marine scandal on the hon. gentleman's shoulders. He challenged him to put his professions *,o the test by referring the business to the electors of Wellington by resigning and contesting with Mr Hutcheson tho vacant seat. (The Hon. Mr HallJones replied that he had not broken any of his election pledges.) Continuing, the speaker urged that the Premier's position on the Estates Realisation Board was a false one, and that he had no right while holding his Ministerial office to continue a mem- J ber of that body. The Board ought j to be abolished. He congratulated ! them on having refused the offer of the | member for Ashley on the Glentui Estate, but regretted that they had not been equally on the alert when they disposed of Bushy Park. The policy of the Government was generally condemned, and they were told j that they shaped it during their long lease of office according to what was popular' with the country for the time being. They were, in short, popularity hunters in the first degree. * MR DUNCAN'S VIEWS. Mr Duncan, while not altogether satisfied with the Assets Board, and prepared to support any proposal for, uu *bolltion. not dissatisfied ■ with the Premier's connection there-

with. Those who raised a cry for a' remission of duties on the necessariesj of life ought not to forget that Parliament got no thanks for a reduction I sf the tea duty in 1895, and it was j doubtful whether the consumer de- j rived any benefit from that remission. He defended the Lands for Settlement Act, and m-ged that more encouragement should be given to the volunteer movement. Continuing after the dinner adjournment he made a strong bid for support to the New Zealand Rifle Association, the hon. member's appeal in that direction doubtless being- influenced by the fact that his farm adjoins the property where two meetings have recently been held in Oamaru. MR. LEWIS ADRESSES THE HOUSE. Mr Lewis said the marine scandal was to be rei'ered to that great tribunal before which they must, all appear, the public, and by the decisiou of that tribunal he for one consented to abide. Replying to the oftrepeated assertion that the Conservatives were not entitled to any credit for labour legislation, the speaker said that the two sheet anchors of; the labour party were introduced by j those on his side of the House—the Truck Act was virtually a copy of the Act of 1885 of the Atkinson Govern- j ment, and the Arbitration and Con-1 ciliation Bill now on the statute-book, was an extended form of the measure introduced by the lnte Mr Downie j Stewart, a follower of the same administration. It was however so strenuously opposed by Mr Ballance and j Sir George Grey that the hon. mem- j ber in charge considered it futile to press it. He was glad to hear that it was proposed to appoint an additional Supreme Court Judge, but he disagreed entirely with the suggestion that the appointee, should | preside solely over the Arbitration Court. MR CARNCROSS OF TAIERL Mr Carncross (Taieri) ridiculed the suggestion that the marine scandal had been remitted to a tribunal consisting- of the public of Wellington. There would naturally be a good deal of sympathy with the gentleman who had seen fit to resign but if a breaking of election pledges was sufficient to justify that step there were other left wingers who ought to have gone before their constituents long ago. Had there been depression just now j the whole blame would have been ' laid on the shoulders of the Liberal ! Government, therefore he said let them give the legislation of late ( years a share of credit for the pros- j perous condition in which they found the colony. He warmly defended the civil servants from the denunciations constantly levelled at them by mem- j bers of the Opposition, and denied | that they were terrorised by the powers that b? The cry of the other side simply . was "We like your i legislation but we want a fresh admin- , istration." Referring to the marine! scandal he quoted Hansard to show ! that the Opposition resisted a Par- j liamentary committee in connection i with the Ward case as the delibera-1 tions of such a body would tend to a ! j display of party feeling. The Liberal j party and the people behind them I were, he avowed, just as anxious to j see an impartial tribunal in connecI tion with this business as any section of the House. If Ministers were proved to be corrupt let them be hurled from the Treasury Benches, but till that was proved he believed that Ministers had clean hands in the matter. : MR T. E. TAYLOR SPEAKS. I Mr T. E. Taylor referring to the marine case declared that Mr HallJones only appeared to remember what suited his purpose. He said that because the late senior member for j Wellington dared to protest against j maladministration in the department j and defy Ministers he had been branded as a traitor to the Liberal party. In IS9I the Liberal party 'had ] high ideals to inspire them, while to- I day their programme was in fragments i and they were ashamed of the ad- i ministration of their rulers. He alleged that Capt. AH man had been appointed nautical adviser through in- j fluence, and that promotions were | made in that way throughout the civil service. His reasons for supporting the amendment were:—(l) The appointment of the Royal Commission was a contempt of Parliament's right to determine the character of the tribunal which should I investigate the Marine Department's condition. (2) The amendment should never 'have been made a party question. (3) No question of progressive legislation had been made a test, of party loyalty since he had been in the House, although, "the party loyalty had frequently been j tested to breaking point to shield or j conceal maladministration. It was j not the legislation of the Gov-1 eminent he was in revolt against but their administration. Complaint was made that the Liberal party could not get the principle of revaluation of land carried out, that the ; national system of education had been insidiously threatened, and t!hat j the co-operative system of work had ; been brought into contempt. In! conclusion he said that the action of , the member for Wellington the pre-, \ vious evening was the noblest 'he had i ( seen since he was a member of the j House, and the speech of the Minister of Marine the most ungenerous. MR SYME EEPLIES. Mr Syme (Egmont) charged the last speaker with never taking the floor , without abusing or defying some one. In the recess also he had made misstatements regarding members on the Government side. As one w!ho did not I understand the marine business he j j did not intend to prejudge the position till the Royal Commission had , reported. He strongly supported the > co-operative contract system. MR LETHBRIDGE'S SPEECH. \ Mr Lethbridge (Rangitikei) delivered a concise speech, the feature of which was a commendation of the pro- • ■ mise made in the speech from the j i throne tlhat the North Island Trunk j < ; line would be pushed on more vigorously than in the past. At midnight Mr Lawry moved the adjournment of the debate. j

A public temperance meeting was held last evening in the Wesley Hall, when Mr George Aldridge gave an address in which he urged that the temperance party should organise and vote ior prohibition at the next election. About 150 persons were present, and Mr T. L. Wilcock presided. The Church of Christ choir sang three appropriate anthems. Mesdames Ward and Hollis gave vocal solos, and Mrs Burnett recited. Mr C. B. King also rendered a solo.