Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 116, 19 May 1886, Page 3

making reads to open up the country ] to them. He hoped tlio Govpmmcnt i would _ recognise tho fact that it was j imposHiblo to settle the country without i roads to connect with tho railwaj-s. He ] wanted to Kay a few words now in praipe of i the Speech. It undoubtedly had accom- ( plished the end it had in view— namely, to 1 disguise the thoughts of the Government, i The Premier did not want them to under- ] stand anything. He knew he wa« in a ; perilous ]>o-ition, und hoped by waiting a little and putting out feeler.*, to get .-ome hints from tho other fide. Ho him.-uf would : not deny that he had followed a similar practice, and ho wanted to award the hon. geutle:riau credit on that point. Major Atkinson tlwn went on to criticise the conntruefcion of the Speech in regard to its English, and wished to know what tho connection wa; between the flOth >ear of tho reign of Her Majesty and the Katihfaetory state of native ailairj. He wanted to know if this condition of native affaire was to be looked upon in the light of a diadem on Her Majesty* brow, and hoped that when the hiHtoriau came to estimate the value of the stone it would not be found to be mere Jirummagem. He, however, leared it would be so. He wished to point ont clearly that ho was not admitting anything in the Address by not debating a, for the ware evidently some grave inaiier» of administration which would iiave to be sifted to the bottom before the House di.i-per-iO'l. Ifc hoped tho lion, gentleman would .see his way to give the Financial Statement as i-oon as possible, and aUo the Public Works .Statement, and then the Houwi would bo in a, po-ntion to see what attitude should bo taken up. ' Tho 1 IiKMJER, before referring to tho remarks of tho hon. gentleman who had just oat down, felt it to be his duty to refer to the gentlemen who moved and Mjconded the Addresa-in-Tieeplv. Tho hon. member for Hokitika was already known as an able and eloquent "speaker, and in his .speech that night had shown that he had 10-'t none of his old fire. As far as tho lion, member for Sydcnham was concerned, • ho believed that gentleman would prove one of tho most useful liiembors they had in the House. Ho thought tho lion, gentleman who had just sat down should not have spoken in the way he had dono. (Oh, oh.) The hon. gentleman had spoken as to tho functions of tho speech and those of tho leaders of tho Opposition in criticising it. He had no fooling for old forms, excopt whero they served a useful purposo, and ho believed the Address find dobato thereon did serve a usoful purpose. If thoy were to break down the linos adoptod in representative institutions they might pass away from representative institutions themselves. He quoted from Mr. Gladstono's recent (speech in the House of Commons to show that all tho Speech should do was to map out the measures likely to come before Parliament, and to bo also of a non-committal character. The function of the Opposition was to oritieiso, whether this mapping-out was critical or not, and if thoro was any largo and important wattor it was thoir duty to point it out. By this moans the views of the Opposition and tho Government were placod before tho llouso. And tho hon. gentleman had that night followed that course. All that tho hon. gentleman had thought necessary to put in tho speech was a reforonco to a Representation Bill, and to tho construction of roads. Ho (tho Promier) would ask the hon. gentleman if ho would put in 11 .spneoh reference to a Representation Bill before tho census returns had boeu obtained and before it was known whother tho representation of the colony should bo altorcd. He (the Premier) did not know what tho population of tho colony was, and therefore did not know how far the Representation Act required alteration, but when it was ascertained that an alteration was necessary, the Government would not hesitate to propose it. (Hoar.) As for tho hon. gentleman's reference to roads, he ovidently wanted him (tho Premier) to state tho policy of tho Government boforo the Public Works Statement camo down, so that ho would bo able to go round tho lobbies and find whether it was acceptable or not. Well, he was not going to state it, and if tho hon. gentleman would posoeaß his soul in patience, ho would find out what was to be dono with regard to roads, railways, and a great many other things. With regard to what had been said as to native administration, ho would ask was it not a fact that tho natives wore more incniUy disposed to Europeans than thoy had ever beou boforo ? Anyono who travelled through tho North Island would soo thoro was ft better and a kindlier feeling' on tho part of tho nativos towards Europoans than for many yoars past. As to tho policy of tho Government, it was quito prepared. Ministers wore agreed amongst themselves as to what it should bo, and thoir policy would bo brought down as soon as was consistent with Parliamentary prooodnro, to got it pushed on. Ho held that in tho past tho House had attempted to do too mnch, and it was wise to bring in only a few large measures, so that they might bo well digostod. Ho bolioved it would bo better for Parliamentary procedure if they could do with less legislation. The hon. gentleman (Major Atkinson) hud ovidontly been unaulo to find many defects, as all ho could point out was the absence of referonce to a Eoprosentation Act, and. to roads, and ho would tell him to wait till tho time came, when ho would see what tho intentions of the Government wore. Mr. WAKEFIELD thought the Promier had done Major Atkinson an injustice in supposing he wished to cast a reflection upon the mover or seconder of tho Address. There was no intention of anything of tho kind. Hegayo tho momber for Hokitaka credit for his speech, and expressed an opinion that tho member for §ydenham would be an acquisition to tho House. Ho believed that the speech faithfully reflocted tho state ot political matters during the recess, as both were excessivoly tame— tho former tho tamest with which Parliament over was opened. Tho compact mado be. F^enWio North and South Island memlwa 111 1881, with regard to the redistribution of seats m 1887, wa.3 one whioh no Government could honourably ignoro, and., therefore, the question of redistribution, shquld have been referred to m the gpqeoh.. Ho was, however, glad to hflvo tho assurance of tho Premier that tne matter weuld be dealt with as soon as possible if th,e census showed a necessity for redistribution. That assurance would atrengthon the Government in the country. Regarding native matters, if it was now an easy matter for the Native Minister to rule the natives mildly, his ruocoss was duo to tho unselfish and disinterested offorts of tho gontleman who had proceeded him in office (hear). Ho con, patulated tho Premier on his attitude towards the Houso that ni^ht. Mr THOMPSON thought there had been a great dea.l of political excitement durintr the year espeoially with regard to " that 10 milhonloanmatter, I 'andkaddone good, because it drew tho attention of tho colony to the fact tnat we were borrowing too muoh, It is ft prominent featuro fr almost all the speeches of the members Q f Government that the Government, could reraaTO the depression but the Speech showed ttat the Government had given up that idea, and now told people to be more Industrioas, and to put forth more exertions themselves. Tho peopl* were looking to the Houso to do a great deal tor them, and it was well they aWd understand that the Government co>>id not do anything to remove the depression Mr. TURNBTTLL advocated tion of public works by moans of borrowed money, and the opening m>, of tho oountry for settlement. Mr. MOSS held that tho leader of the Opposition showed by his speech that h« had bo serious aomplaint to make. He (Mr Moss) urged that there was great dissatiV action in tho North at the way the Native Minister was dealing with native land&u No 3ffovtw*s mado to impress upon they native >wnora of vast tracts of country tlmt they )wod certain duties to tho country. ' Them ras also dissatisfaction at the increase in toe Native Department, The rerival of the lativo land purchase was exciting suspicion iverywhere. Furthor, thero was the rrovoat dissatisfaction at tie manner in .rtiich purchases were made for the De•ence # Dopurtinent. He vould like to know in what form the. Maoris were showmg an intelligent interest in colonisinaoperations. Why tho Government wewt throwing every obstable in the way of tii&. and the member for Tanmnga, if he «rera present, could tell thorn where the^-were keeping 70,000 acios of land ccmfiS looked up. It was absurd to, aav the flnanooiof the colony were ina.smmd con1™ ° n en eywytki^ was thrown upon waTi i e °?r ly wav t0 V^ ve confidence was for the House to Borne decided m ™ j^F^l" «**Plaatf th^ the ftf -V *WP«a, m it was not Kkelyto become law this session. He. compkinel of 0^ ragan S eofth ? Goyellnm entinflying £ouna toe country, and, witt, all due respect tb Mr. Larnach, he did nofr think 0, Minister •of .Mine™ necessary. The Government that wovfld. witfefy the county 7 ttaDBr 4Vp^?at\Te P^ofln 0 Ktffie^U^hf & &*SS th»t could not b/ohjeoted tc V(T Balance) haatriea to krwia' the MaS , S n^ «V as he would have dealt wT j iiwopeuu who owned lauds. He wor r Hketo potat out that the Government TT t of oorrupfaon he did not kno 11 *?y charges of that sort could^^' bu l anori ; them he would take care ' P rOT , ed hing did not occur again T .*»*«>»* * throwing opon the land£ so th -.n«. n « P ol »cy of beuoquired by private spec, „*? th °y could tho policy of tho present Gr ' lators T"™ 1 Government did not believ . i^??W h ° that the natives should be. 1 J" 1 . tbo , aore, and they wero tr At*?* 1111 ™ 1 of oyei 7 Maoris from parting B^ ,?««?*«» a IT «" • * 0 had been , aed, because he took if vsfeafaonduringtherecew atisfaotory hon. members """! theniselTes to that he for