SIB G. GREY AND THE GOVERNMENT.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7611, 23 July 1890, Page 6

SIB G. GREY AND THE GOVERNMENT.

On the House going into Committee of Supply, Sir G. Grey again referred to the question he had raised, and said no matter what he suffered in popularity he should protest against this course being pursued. He objected to Mr Ballance making an arrangement of this kind, and he urged that the discussion should be postponed till half-past seven, when there wouid be a fuller House to consider it. Mr Ballance said he had only adopted the usual course in saying ihe had no objection to the Government passing a BiU for the payment of salaries. It was not usual to traverse a motion of this kind with an amendment such as that moved by Sir G. Grey. The proper time for that would be when the House was moved into supply for the consideration of the Estimates. , Sir G. Grey again protested against she Government adopting the course they proposed. He thought it would be quite unconstitutional for the. Government to remain in office for another year when they might probably be in a minority of the House. Sir John Hall pointed out that the same course was adopted in 18_t that was now proposed. He happened to be in office at tbat time, and discussed the whole matter with the Governor, who was of opinion that there was no reason to suppose that, the then Government would come back after elections in a minority. There was no occasion in his opinion for the Government incurring the expense of a second session. -<.. ... , Sir€_ Grey said there was no analogy whatever between 1881 and the present time. The House had not then been reduced by twenty-one members, and plural voting had not been abolished. He believed he was doing his duty, and he would maintain to the last that the Government should give them an assurance that if the elections went against them, they would instantly resign and caU the House gether. Mr Fish thought the position taken up by Sir G. Grey was a reasonable one, but the present time was no time to insist on it He repudiated the idea that tbe expense of a second session was regarded by the working-men of the colony with any disfavor, and he assured the House that Mr Bownie Stewart did not represent the opinion of the Dunedin people oh that point. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment.