THE RETRENCHMENT AGITATION.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 8, 9 July 1890, Page 4

THE RETRENCHMENT AGITATION.

« DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. Tho refusal of the Postmaster General (the hon. Mr. Mit'ohelson) to inform Mr. Guinness as to the compact made between the Government and the Retrenchment Party until after duo notice had been given, provoked a large debate in the Houaeyeater. terday afternoon, Mr. Guinness having moved tho adjournment of tho House in order to enable the matter to be discuHxcd, Mr. Samnel dewuribfid it as disgraceful that a Government whioh had juat escaped defeat on a division aB to whether or not they should staud, should be at the moroy of a small Heetion of the House, and BDould have acceded to the demands made, for fear of thoir majority boing turned into a minority. , Sir Georgo Grey would have preferred that tho motion were for an adjournment until the Government had answered Mr. Guinness' question. (Opposition ohoera.) The wisest course would be to allow nothing to be done that might embarrass the future in any way, but to insist upon' an immediate end being put to the present Parliament. (Cheers.) What was proposed amounted to neither moro nor loss tban a bribe of .£50,000 to a certain party in the House, for them to allow tho Government to occupy the Bonohoa till next June. (Renewed cheers ) It should bo left to tho now Parliament to make roduotiona to a much greater extent than .£50,000 and yet givo a much improved system of publio service. This could easily be dono by reforming the system under whioh publio correspondence was oonduoted, thus considerably rcdnoing the number of employed and providing for more efficiency of oerTioe bo far as the requirements of tbe general publio wore concerned; He warned the Government that it was impossible for them to suoaced in the course on which they had ontorod, and he hinted that the retrenchers had been entrapped by the Premier's superior judgment. He proposed to amend Mr. Guinness' resolution so as to read, "That this Honse adjourns until it recoivee a reply to the question whioh has just now been put to Ministers." Mr. W. P. Reeves pointed oat that it waa notorious tho Government had alroady answered the Retrenohers' deputation. Why, thon, should tboy refuso to take the House into' their confidence ? The course they had taken was neither, dooont nor proper, nor beooming. It amounted to a completo rovorfal of tho Government polioy— tho polioy they were so determined about a fuw days ago — all on aooount of Ministers having „ ieldcd to tho baokstairs influence of a little coterie for fear of losing a few voten. It was worso than a reduction of tho Estimates, for it meant that the Government were to make reductions in the recois, when they would no longer have to meet tho House and give an account of thoir actions. The whole face of things had changed, and it was useless to attompt to go on with buainoss nntil tho Ministry gave tko information asked for. Tho Poatmastor-General said it was true that negotiations had been going on between the Govornroont and a certain number of members of tho House, but at the present time he waa not fully aware of the result. It was, therefore, reasonable that he should ask that notice of the question be givon. At the proper time he would inform the Housoaf the whole oironmstances. Dr. Fitohett oanstioally commented npon Mr. Mitohelton'a ignorance of the affairs of the Government as the natural result of tho present system of dual Premiership. Mr. Walker thought the PostmastorGenoral ought to be in a position to make a statement as to what bad been done. Mr. Heddon suggested that the objeot of the Uetrenohera was simply to set themselves right with their constituents, seeing that they had opposed Mr. Ballance'a motion for tho abolition of the primage duty. He recommended the Government to agree to an adjournment until evening, so that they might then be able to make a statement. Mr. Moss appealed to Mr. Monk for information. (Langbter.) It was, he said, ovident that the Government had abdicated their position and given way to the Retrenchers. He protested against the backstairs influence frequently brought to bear upon Ministers by some Auokland mombers. The importance of tho bogey of tho cost of a second eossion had been altogether overestimated. The people of tho colony ought not to rest satisfied until the system of government had been bo re-modelled as to effeot a saving of at least .£200,000 a year, and ho (Mr. Moss) would undertake to show how it conld be done if he were given an opportunity. Whatever retrenchment was dono nnder present oirenmatanroa would be arranged by tho Under-Searetaries sitting in secret conolave as waa the oaso when a similar movement was in progress several years ago. Mr. Barron thought the House should be glad of an opportunity of effecting the retrenohment that waa needed, no matter whioh aide the proposal came from. ' Mr. Fish held that tho Government occupied an ignominious position. A fortnight ago thoy told the Houso and the country that they could go. no further with retrenchment, and must have further taxation by the re-imposition of the primage duty to enable them to carry on at all. Yet now. in order to save their wretohed teats, Ministers had ogreod at the dictation of a small party to do what thsy had already dcolaredto be impossible. Ministers were discrediting tbomsolvcs everyday, and must now see that thoy ought tqbave made the infmediate appeal to the oonntry whioh was recommended to them at thoir own canons. If they persisted in keeping their seata tho House ought to refuse supply, and bo force a •Ussolntion. For Lv own part he was prepared to take the fnll responsibility of assisting to prevent any business being done beyond granting the supply that was necessary to tide them over the general elections. Mr. Taylor nnnounoed .that he would strenuously resist Mr. Monk's amendment till he knew where the saving was to be made,, knowing that if the Government were given a free hand the small-salaried offioorg would suffer, while the seniors would have their salaries mor eased. Mr. R. H Reeves said the Governmont wore determined to hold on to their benches till next June, and were prepared to eat any amount of dirt in order to do it Mr. Fisher asked how muoh further the House waß going with thia solemn' farce— this , parody on responsible . government. Ministers Btated in the Finanoial Statement, "We are oon.vinced that it ia impossible to make any further apprcciabto reduction in the pnblio expenditure." Yet on a section of tbe Government Party representing to the Premier their " convictions " — they actually had convictions ! — ' that the eiponditnfcTc&tild be reduced, that gentleman promised to do it. Only last week all tho Retrenohers had voted that the primage duty ought not to be abolishod, that fnrther retrenchment waa not imperatively demanded, and that the property tax in its present form did not impede the progress and settlement of the colony. He did not objeot to the deputation making themselves as ridioulous as they chose, but he did protest against their 'making the Parliament ridionlouß. Ministers should not consent to be dragged through the dirt by certain hon. members. Why should they go on with further business p Was it not admitted by nearly every member that the present House had no right to be there?— that neither in sentiment nor in law did they represent the peoplo of, the colony ? If Ministers continued to occupy office thoy would be open to the suggestion whioh had been made by one of tho previous speakers - that luore waa their main consideration. Ho thought the Gonmemt should give a distinct answer to Mr. Guinnoss' question. Sir John Hall, by way of personal explanation, denied that it was by design that he waa present at the first interview between the Premier and the Rotrenohers. After some further disoussion the motion for tho adjournment of the House waa put and negatived.