THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 3

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

It was not till the evening sitting that the adjourned discussion on the address-in-reply was called on.

ME GEOEGE FISHEE

The running was taken up by Mr Fisher who reminded the House that when the Hon. Mr Heslop resigned his seat he was re-elected for Oamaru for the vacancy, but when the general elections came round he was defeated. That was prophetic of Mr Hutcheson's fate. He ventured to say that though the marine scandal had been made a subject of much outcry in the four cities it was not heard of outside. There was nothing in the business so' far as Ministers were concerned. He made a severe attack1 on Mr J. Hutcheson for the action he had taken in the matter. MR MASSEY'S SPEECH. Mr Massey quoted Hansard to the disadvantage of the last speaker who while leader of the middle party of one some few sessions ago, had spoken disparagingly of the Premier to whom he now bowed the knee. The marine scandal was to be referred to the Wellington City electors, and he was satisfied that they would speak with no uncertain sound. Their verdict he felt certain would be such a one as would be creditable to those who valued just government and honest administration. As to the Royal Commission the Opposition had every confidence in the personnel, but what they wanted to know was who were going to examine and cross-examine the witnesses who might give evidence. They also wanted to know further whether Capt. Jones, Capt. Allman, and Mr Yon Schoen were to

be there, for without their evidence the Commission would be of no value at all. Again inquiry must be'made if this was the only instance of a noncompetent man being granted a certificate. Leaving this question the member for Franklin expressed the opinion that the present method of dealing with Native lands J a .most complete and ghastly failure. As one who had recently been through the King Country he testified to the large quantities of valuable lands lying unoccupied because of the Government monopoly. The natives would not sell to the Government their lands at the price offered, and they were debarred from treating with private individuals. Regret was expressed at absence from speech from the throne of any preference to reform of Legislative Council. He believed that it was in true interest of country that Auckland and Wellington should be connected by the shortest possible route. He advocated the completion of North Island railway, work on which had been j delayed too long owing to differences of opinion as to the best route, differences which had been encouraged for political purposes. The House was j warned that not only in regard to I railway communication, but in respect I to other matters the people of Auck- j land meant to demand their rights. The member for Franklin at 'the same ' time wished it to be understood that I he was not going to support large! borrowing policy. Any money borrowed must be for distinctly defined purposes. He would like to see goldsaving machinery placed on the free I list where he thought it should have been long ago. SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. The Premier said it might have been expected that he would have followed the leader of the Opposition, but there ' was nothing in Captain Russell's I speech to reply to, and under the circumstances the Colonial Secretary had dealt with it. most effectively. I As to Mr Hutcheson he had referred to ! the Opposition as Vanderbilts and Hooleys, yet his vote had recently been given to place them on the ' Treasury benches. The Liberal party. ■ however, was composed of devoted and patriotic men who had made great personal sacrifices, and he was proud to lead them. The party now stood higher in the estimation of the House aud in the country- than any time since they were the dominant power. He vigorously defended the administration of the Assets Realisation Board and the way they had nursed the properties, and declared that the condemnation of Mr Foster, the general manager, and himself ought to be unreservedly withdrawn. The statement that he had blocked Labour Bills was contrary to the fact. True, the Atkinson Government had introduced such measures, but they were brought forward as a bunch of carrots to dangle before the eyes of the people. Thera was no Jingoism in the offer to send troops to Samoa. The inhabitants were being massacred, and the fact that New Zealanders could be sent there in five days and so as to preserve life and property was the sole reason which actuated the Government. The position of the Go- <. vernment towards the Midland deben- \ ture holders was defended, and reverting to the Patangata County valuations, he declared that the big estates there had been undervalued 33 per cent, in some instances. When Attention had been drawn to the under valuations large land holders had j agreed to have their valuations in- j .reased. In one case an extra 20 per j cent, was put on in fear of having i ather steps taken. Years ago when j Sir George Grey attacked the then; head of the Government for being on j the directorate of a commercial eon-1 .crn Mr Rolleston ridiculed the mo- I tion, yet he had quite recently attack-1 id the speaker for "being on the Advis- j ory Board of a mining syndicate— j positions that were almost identical.! Contrasting Mr Eolleston's attitude on ' the two occasions, it seemed to him j that it mig-ht be said of himself and j his colleagues, "You will be cursed if j you do; you will be cursed if you j lon't; you will be cursed if you will; j fow will be cursed if you won't." (Laughter.) The sen- J or member for Dunedin's .ontention that the Government party lived in a polluted atmosphere might very aptly be applied to the Opposition. They were the political j scandal-mongers of the colony, the j scandals being promoted solely with i :he view of displacing those who occu- j pied the Treasury benches. Mr Rol-1 eston was complimented on his views ! >n the land question, but was taunted j is an advocate of the perpetual leas- j ing system in sticking by comrades ! who would have nothing but the lease- j aold tenure. Speaking to the rap- i orochement growing up between the Left Wing and the Opposition, he; warned the latter that they were j nursing and promoting a Frankenstein. The Left Wing would only be ! with the Opposition, till their ends rvere served. They knew no gratitude md their cave was a Cave of Aclullam. _>n the alleged marine s.ftidal busiueFs the Premier expressed his thcrDdgh belief in the honour and integrity of hJa colleague. Because, forsooth, the Government hud done their I'ity. and acting on the adv.c. ti their Drown Law Officer bid prosecuted .'(.plain Allman. Captam Jones and f.n i>l:._i. Yon Schoen, i hose on the. other side attacked not only their . political character but their private honour too. The time would come when those making such an accusation would go down on their marrow bones —(laughter) —and beg his pardon. They were told that this question should have g-one to a Parliamentary Committee last session. He had gone before a Parliamentary Committee (the Bun TuCk inquiry), an impartial tribunal indeed. Then a member of the Opposition had insulted. His Excellency the Governor. The Senior member for Dunedin stated that if the colony had had a professional Governor the Eoyal Commission would have been granted conditionally. It was lowering- to the Governors of the past to so speak of them, and he ventured to say that the representative of Her Majesty was in no wise less capable of carrying out bis duties than were the gentlemen who had preceded him . Mr Hutcheson had alleged that Capt. Allman was appointed owing to the influence of Mr Cameron, a son-in-law of the Hon. J. McKenzie. Documentary proof was afforded to show that all that Mr McKenzie did was to forward to the Department a letter from Mr Cameron. Coming to a close, the Premier exonerated Captain Allman from wilful wrong doing. His error was the mistake of. a moment, and arose from the pleading of Captain Jones. He did not believe that there was the slightest collusion between the two with respect to the examination papers, and if there was no collusion how could anyone impute cor-

ruptness to the Minister of Marine? The memo, on the envelope was intended as an instruction for a proper examination. The speech was interrupted by the Speaker's declaration, "Time's up," and Mr Seddon resumed his seat amid loud applause from the Ministerial supporters. THE HON. W. EOLLESTON. The Hon. W. Rolleston said he felt some difficulty in repliying' to the speech just made. It seemed to him that the Premier was imagining he was on a country platform talking to people who knew nothing of what he was talking about. It was mainly sound and foam and so far as the particular point at issue was concerned, he had thrown no light upon it worth considering by the House. The Opposition had felt it their duty to bring down the amendment which had been taken as one of no confidence. He would have preferred to have brought the Government face to face with the business of the country and to have avoided the useless drench of talk, the useless drench of abuse, imposed on them by mininsters. He was sick of the cry of Liberalism so continually hurled at them. God forbid that he should be a Liberal, a name so prostituted by the present Government. The Premier talked about the labour legislation, for which the Government claimed so much credit, but the truth was that the whole of that legislation had its origin from a Commission instituted by the Atkinson Government. Then he had quoted from a previous speech of his (Mr Rolleston's) regarding Ministers holding positions on public companies, but the position was then quite different. The Minister then referred to, Sir F. Whittaker, was elected a member of the House while a director of the Bank of New Zealand, whereas the Premier j was appointed a director of the Anglo- j Continental Syndicate because he was ! Premier, and because his name as Premier was wanted by the Company j for its own advantage. The Premier j had described the Opposition as poli-1 tical scandal-mongers. Mr Seddon j had also said that the Opposition had I robbed the colony of its lands. What did this mean? Tt was only one of those catch cries that he did not like to characterise as it perhaps should be. The Premier had asked him how he could associate himself with men on the Opposition side of the House. This was an impertinent question, but he would answer it. It was because he could trust them. Then the Premier had given him credit for the perpetual lease system. He did not value the credit of the Premier who had himself opposed the introduction of the system. Concerning the West Coast coal lease referred to by Mr Seddon, he quoted from Hansard the facts ofthe case for the purpose of showing that it was a straitforward legitimate transaction. He did not think the I Government had gained the respect of j the people of the colony by its con- j duct of this debate. He complimented Mr Hutcheson on his conduct throughout, and, turning to the Minister of Marine, asked him if he was ashamed of the course he had taken in his speech, and if he intended to apologise to the House. He claimed that Ministers were on their trial and that this marine scandal was only a part j of an example of the Departmental mismanagemeut which exists throughout the whole service. The fact was j that civil servants were no longer public officers, but servants of Ministers. Mr Rolleston generally condemned the. actions of Ministers in connection with the marine scandal. ME KAIHAU. Mr Kaihau (Western Maori) directed his observations to that part of the Governor's speech which dealt with native affairs. He congratulated His Excellency on his interest in these matters. In purchasing native land the Crown was not giving full value; therefore he thought the Government should confine their lands for settlement policy to European lands. The abolition of the Native Land Court was strongly urged, and in its place a board should be appointed for each district throughout the North Island, in order that the wrongs of the Maoris might be redressed. He advocated an increase of the special native representation to eight or nine members. ME BUCHANAN'S SPEECH. Mr Buchanan (Wairarapa) argued that if Ministers, as alleged, were not on their trial, Ministers had no right to treat Captain Russell's amendment as want-of-confidence. Did he understand the Minister of Marine to contend that the Government were not responsible to the House but to the people? The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones having replied in the affirmative, the Speaker ' said he was willing to accept the verdict of the Wellington electors as to ] Ministerial culpability. Where, he | asked, was the Government candidate, to which the Premier replied, "Where j is the Opposition one?'" Wairarapa j pointed out that his side were not on trial. The Opposition had been described as scandal-mongers, but who was it that unearthed this present scandal? Certainly it was not « member of the Opposition, but one of the Great Liberal Party. The Wellington people, who were on the spot, and therefore knew more of this unsavoury business than any other electorate in the colony, would speak with no uncertain sound. MR STEVENS REPLIES. Mr Stevens, in reply, said the late senior member for Wellington had not stood to his guns in voting against the Government on the amendment to the Address-in-Reply. It was a shame that the country should be put to the expense of a by-election on such trivial grounds. The Address-in-Reply was agreed to on the voices, and the House rose at 2 a.m. .