HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9162, 20 July 1895, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, July 19. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House mot at 2.30 p.m. HAMILTON GASWORKS. The Hamilton Gasworks Bill was ictd Ihird time and passed. THE NO CONFIDENCE DEBATE. Mr MILLS resumed the debate Captain Russell's amendment Supply respecting the three millioaa 0 { securities. Ho said that he believed in fair and honest criticism, but; he regrettaft to fiud members ou the Opposition aide of the Hou3e giving expression to opinion, which they were not justified jj doing. He hoped that as the debate proceeded members would remember thiit their drat consideration should be ths welfare of the colony, aud would not impute unworthy motives to chose who differed from them. The Opposition had last year criticised ia» hustile manner such an excellent me&saieas the Advances to Settlers Bill, and wheo news came that the loan was floated, it waa a death knell to the hopes of the Opposition for the future. Hβ spoke win inly of the Colonial Treasurer's mission to London, aud said that Mr vVard had faithfully carried out the work he had undertaken for the colony. Mr GRAHAM thought that sufficient time had been wasted on this subject. Qβ did not kuow why Captain Kuasell had brought forward his amendment, as the nutter had already beeu debated in the House, nod would no doubt come on again iv the Fiaaaeial Statement. He defended Mr Ward f torn the attacks made ou him in this debate, and said that the Treasurer should not be judged on mere newspaper reports, if Mt Ward were to acknowledge that he had used the words quoted in Captain Rasaeu'e amendment, he (Mr Graham) would vote for that amendment. He quoted from aa English paper, which reported Mr Ward a« telling the London people that his sole, object in collecting the land tax four months before it was due, waa to prevent the issue of Treasury bills. He felt that the action of the Opposition waa unpatriotic, audthw the Colonial Treasurer, who had a delicate task to accomplish, had done great good for the colony. Mr SAUJNDER3 regretted that this question of party had not been brought on before they considered the question of party government. He felt, sure that every member in the House that the Treasurer- had made a great mistake ia hie London speech, but as it was a party matter he felt sure that members would not vote against the Government on this amendment. The Government was, in his opinion, perfectly safe, aud would not ba turned out . ou this question. If it was turned out it would soon corns back agaiu, and ho was not at all sure that it would not do it good to be turned out. Thoso being his opinions ha felt at liberty to vote as he pleased on this question. He (Mr iSauuders) considered ttiat Mr Ward's fault in London waa in reality a sma.ll matter compared with the conduct of the Government during thit debate. It was iroat unfortunate that three Ministers had one after another made speeohua which greatly weakened the eonfideuce of the public in the safety of the trust lunds. These funds should be held as sacred as any private investments in the ordinary way, and it was indeed unfortunate that the Government should have done anything to lessen confideaoe in . the safety of the Tost Office Savings Bank, Government Life Insurance -O/fica* and Public Trust Office. He had never heard from the Ministerial Bench, or indeed in the House, anything like the speech made the previousnight by Che Minister for Education, which was of a grossly personal and vicious character, and should not certainly come from the Ministerial benches. HU opinion was that the Colonial Treasurer on getting to England should liavo remembeied that he went there as Treasurer of the colony, and not specially to raise money. Mr MOGOWAN defended the Colonial Treasurer, and said that the Opposition had. been so long used to power ihetb it WM trying in every way to get back to office. He considered that the Government securities, of which they heard to much, were something more than securities, and actually represented the assets of the colony. If those securities were not to be used in case of a fiuanciai crisis, why should they be sent Home ab all ? They heard a good deal of patriotism, bub the whole length and breadth of the Opposition was to get back to the Treasury, beaches. Mr HOGG said that the Opposition mountain had been for some time in labour, and had now brought forth a little mouse. He. regarded this charge against the Colonial Treasurer as oue of the most paltry things that could be brought against a man, Iβ w«*s a caao of "much ado about nothing." The eplendid reception given to the Treasurer on his arrival from England was, he thought, strong proof that the people approved of his mission. Mr FLATMAN deprecated waiting t&e time of the House and_ country over thU matter, which was trivial in the extremeHe considered that the Opposition had nob. got a leg to eland on or a feather to fly with. Tlie Houae should be ab work mort • profitable to the country, ,Ib, had not been' proved that Mr Ward" had done anything at all to the discredit of the oountry. The debate waa interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.