GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 215, 7 September 1912, Page 9

GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCES.

i.lifO*HElt ATTACK ON ..,.;• .-, ■- ■■■ AUCKLAND. ■.■'.. '"■•'•■ •'■ ■: HOSTILE .MOTION" WITHDRAWN". • -(By TeiPfrapii.—raj-ManiMtary Reporter.) . ■-■'r-' . WELLINGTON, Friday. .■ -..'. As soon as notice's of motion and other ■ • routine busings had hwn disposed of this »£f£fnccm t'nc lloum , rwunied considera- ■'. -tioii' i" committee of !li" Consolidated . ]£jtinl.itw. The. discussion nn Ihe public ■„ i»UVl<li"? n action was responsible for some ■ (ihimmfvpfsiveiKwe h\ Southern members ■ ■ ■".iiirilinF , . the retention of a Government --■ ■ HoubP a' Auckland. The member for " -wtea" IMr Prarcei pet the ball rolling '/•Jit fIM-hiiming against the vote of £40U •'- ivhich app'urc.l for the upkeep of Auck- - '-Iniid'- -(vivrrnmcnt House as being an unnewssan- expenditure. :.' Mr I'nr.bea (Humnui) urped that the Civil I- i i Act i-lioiilrl he amended to ■(ipWe refr'-ence to the residence at Auekv- land. -yVljr should there he two Govern- '". iiiciil HoiiiM* when on; , was enough : To ■' test t'"* feeling nf IN , H'-use in the direr-- | tinn of economy on this head he moved: I ■"That lire item of £400 be reduced by i £l:0-s.-H" indication that the Civil List .Vet Be amended to delete all reference to | a -.Government [louse at Auckland." j Mr Sfyers objected. Had not this ques- : f! tidrf. already l;cen thoroughly threshed ..:.:out and decided. The. Auckland residence. was an old-eetiiblished one — established .■. T vh«] Auckland was the capital. and at c^tfic.present. rate of growth Auckland :..- might yet become the capital again. ( .■ (Southern member? in chorus: "'Never.") i i .-Aucklanders. moreover, bad a sentimental' j „-■ attachment to their Government House, | ;.-A(W4-*« associated with the. chief his- ' --ttfrjeal life of the colony. The member : .ief Auckland . Kast. suggested that the '• amendment jrae prompted by a parochial ■spirit, the amount concerned being so 1 ; trivial. •;..;\JIf Glover, in protesting against the ..' .amnicinlent. declared that he himself had • bcpn-rromineni in fighting for the retention of the Auckland residence, which was .. cassoriated with all the. Governors of New . : -j'Jm\tmi. Auckland, he pointed out. . irotjid be the future naval base, and it was it quite possible that when the Governor •was not in residence the House would be •■...'wt'J-br .the Admiral. Mr Glover wound , up.-by appearing to the member for • Huruniii to withdraw his amendment. ,• .:.Mr Forbes: If it were only to please. .. .you. Mr Glover, r would do fo with pleasure, but I have moved it in the .-interests of economy. Mr .Glover (scornfully) : In the interests . ..of-economy ! (Laughter.) How can the ~interest* of economy Ik- concerned with fin? 'paltry vote? Fir Joseph. Ward also expressed the .opinion. that the amendment was a mistake. As to the cry" about, economy, more money was spent op one election for that ...t&MJber-thVn was spent on the King's ; «prfsentative in six years. He regretted ■, vwjiraiich to hoar the South versus North . : ttnSSintroduced. for he was satisfied the. :.v,?onffi?niers as a people had no feeling ■-■ whatever njrninM. the North any more "' fa-tilp North had against the South, ■./ (lllit!t;wi*S a.-frtlse- reflection t.o introduce ..MM), the Hou?e. "I am going to vote ; .''i>f2tlTgt''.th<^smrSdmcnf;' r concluded Sir -'»'--•■ '.» j-THe Prime Miriistev: "The members for ■Jhrnfua, Auckland East. Auckland Central, and myself are all afrrpprl on this. point.' 1 .-(-Laughter.) Mr Massey went, on to point out that the amount spent last year on Auckland's Gov.ernme.nt House was £277. and yet it was now stuck up Bocaufe of a mistaken fe»lin<r of South versus North. As to the item before the part of {lip arranep-ment. with thp -■•different Governors, including the gentleman who iras to arrive shortly, was that two residences: should he provided— -jpf4litifi i'-t'n he in Auckland. As a'matter .of fart, the Imperial Government had a .. proprietary interest in ;hp Auckland Gov- : .\enifnent House, and he did not irhink they . . could interfere with that residence. ' ■'without the consent of the Imperial Gov- .■;■ frnmnnt. He. thought, therefore, the hon.. gentleman would be well advised to withdr.iT his amendment. . ..-Mt'. "FlnsfieH , " denied th«t any feeling .<"Sisted in .the South against the North. .-,.•■fiilt..fo nmnterl nut that, t'rp- North had • ten residencps and the South non?. AftPr ■mumpra'tfnp the claims of Christchureh to : a vice-refral residence. t"h<- n">mher for r .,,!AT6n that the spirit of -• fciinnmy was not the sole justification for ■I. th« amendment. :': JVr Witty supported tlv aTnendrae.nt. 1./"snd Jlpssra Bradnpr, Dickson. Harris, ami ' -T. Bollard all spoke on hehulf of Auck- , ■ fend. . (he member for Hnninui declared that. p-;.'iw sol« desipn was one of rirormiting '■ "'jtenomy. , hut in deference to the Prime , '■■vlfiiiistfr. he. would withdraw his amend,,.:7"iei)t.