HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1754, 14 October 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, October 13. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES. Mr. Joyce gave notice to ask if tbc Government would introduce a Bill to amend the Constitution Act, in the direction of making the Governor elective by the colonists. ._'•.. Mr. Carroll gave notice* of a series ol resolutions, at .the abolishing of all unnecessary distinction between the races living in the colony.' - ',•• ' j Mr. Fulton gave notice to introduce the Bible Beading in Schools Bill. ' QUESTIONS. ' > In replying to questions, . * It was stated that the Govern menj could not at present grant a Half- holiday on Saturdays to surface men on the railway lines, but the matter would receive consideration ; that railway boards oJ appeal tor railway employe's would shortly be established at Auckland and Wellington ; that no further appointment would be made to the Legislative Council unless necessity arose for so doing;, that the lowest tender for the Wellington. Posl Office was well within the estimate! bul the Government could not say whether il would be accepted till they knew something more of the finances of the colony ; that, as there was always a quantity oi old powder in stock, the Government' saw no harm in using it to fire salutes at the opening of Parliament. ~ ■ -*'new bills. A large number of new bills were introduced. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Major Atkinson moved that the Ad-dress-in-Reply be taken at 7.30 o'clock. He thought it would.be more convenient for members generally. . • ,4, 4 ( \ Sii'^J. Vogel said the Premier bad not yet made hh» general statement of the Government policy, which he had pro,* mised to make. Major Atkinson said he would make a definite statement of the policy of the Government on Friday night if the House was good enough to grant him the adjournment be had asked for. Sir J. Vogel said it was a very unusual course that the Government should occupy the benches for several weeks without making a general statement of its policy, which was expected of all Governments. - - ' CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Major Atkinson mcved that Mr. Hamlin be re-elected Chairman of. Committees. He thought every member of the House would admit that Mr. Hamlin had performed the duties of chairman in a firm, yet conciliatory manner, arid he considered the House could not" do' better than to appoint him again to the office. , Sir J. Vogel said he should support Mr. Hamlin's appointment. He must, say, however, he did riot think it desirable that a gentleman- occupying, the office ol Chairman of Committees should take any active part in political discussions in the House, or that lie should - endeavor to influence votes. la regard to the manner in which Mr. Hftmlin fulfilled the duties oi chairman, he (Vogel) was quite willing to bear testimony to the* fact that Mr. Hamlin discharged those duties efficiently. Motion agreed to. The House resinned at 7.30. ADDREBB-IN -REPLY. Mr. ' Graham moved the Address-in? Reply. He advocated retrenchment and the settlement of lands. He would resist tho abolition of the Crown and Native 'Lands Rating Act, unless a, snitauie substitute were found. He 'deprecated ,'^he want of final ty in dealing with titles to native land, and hoped to .see legislation giving relief in this direction. ' The' natives should .be allowed to .deal with their own lands as they liked. If any saving in the Education department conld be made, it should' be done. Mr. McQregor seconded, and also spoke strongly in favor of retrenchment. He proclaimed himself a 1 freetrader, and be gave his party to understand that, if any attempt were made to tamper with' the tariff in the direction of protection, be would not be, with them. Sir Juiius Vogel characterised the manner in which the* Government had been formed as unusual and undesirable. It reminded him of the manner in which Bheep were lgd to slaughter before they were frozen. ' Why, at the last caucus the premier had a list of the new Government in his pocket cut and dried, yet aH the w^ole time he .was trying'- to/ gei pledges of support from men -who hag been returned to vote against him. He/ approved of the selection qt Messrs. Mitchelson, Fergus, and Bichacdsop, butsaid' it was notorious tljat Mr. Fisher had threatened to make it hot unless he. had a. eeat in the Ministry. Be-;{sir juliup) admitted that there was an, unusual desire for retrenchment, which nwas .not confined to 1 the Government side alone., He objected to the long adjournment asked for, as the figures, wen all ready in the Treasury. He was not anxious to', sit on the Government benches, and possibly

if.bis polieyiconunendeSl itselfjfc mm. , said that^f^&fJnlius Vogers^mticism of tlfe pei^onnePofUhe Ministry was degrading io the House and unworthy of such a\ debate. Tu«~''real work of the sessionicould only be disclosed in the Financial Statement, and if they were wise they would agree to an adjournment as soon as possible to enable ,him to .bring it down. .~^ . »^-*. Mr. Ballance said it was laid down in tbe last Financial Statement thai lurther economies were to be brought about as time -permitted, and* Major 'Atkinson' bad overlooked this.. Tbe latter bad asserted that the sole -question of the election wm retrenchment, but ihl reality the-tatffr question had been -thoroughly thrashsil out, with a result that, a) large majority had come there pledged uTenconrage local industries. Yet the Prejoier now refused to include this among the questions to be decided this session:. -He agreed with fires trade in native lands. - t:> : Mr. Fisher said the mission of lh« Government was retrenchment, and they were entitled to every CQnsjdtration 'in the House in their endeavors to carry it Mr. Seddon complimented tMr. ..Fishtr on his improved/bearing,' aiid'twifttcl Major Atkinson with being 1 eager for re* trenchmeot now, whereas wheri last in power he had peremptorily refused to make any, such, reductions. r He, did not believe they could make such great'saving as they fancied. He warned theMinisttr of Education that ft he attempted to-en-force the views be had formerly.expressed as recorded in . Hansard, he would soon find himself down from those -benches, And h6 never would be missed. _. '. ,\-, . rMr. McKenzie (Waihcmo) moved an addition to the Address-in-Replr to the. effect that, in/? view of. the* finaWial condition of the colony, the nnmNr of paid Minister* should be reduced to five. He had come back pledged toitk* utmost economy, and took , this, pppor* tuniCy of moving bis amendment as another might not oQCur. He badj.npt consulted anyone ] before' bringing ' it forward. ■ ' ' '",'',' Mr.^Taylor supported the amendment* Mr. Barron said it was a clever amend* ment, but the Financial Statement was tbe right place to discuss it. ..; -.-' Mr. Fish protested against tbf dflaff asked for by the Government.. Thertwat no necessity to close the' House for all business. He was' not sure the amend* ment was one which Be should vote for at any time, certainly not at the present. Dr. Hoßkinson. Said ha .was in favor ol the reduction of Minister*/ bnt at present it was only , a. party dodge. { - mi.i Sir J. Vogel mud be was unaware of Mr. McKenzfe's intentions, and would not support tbV amendment as it "was a direct attack on the Government.' Tho> debate was concluded by Messrs Steward, Fitchett, Allen, • 'iMoKebzie ' (Oldtba). Fraser, Kerr, Seddon* and others; tt)l of whom spoke. briefly and 1 said little; more than, was <necesiary to.intimat* iwhether they intended to vote for the amendment or not. , , ( , ', ' : " 7p~ . Mr. Mackenzie said he would' withdraw the amendment' if tne Premier would give a pledge to allow the matter to b%~ discussed lateri on. J•* *■ CJ Major Atkinson declined to do so. -*- The amendment was lost by 57 to 7, and the Addresvin-Reply was votet|;.o9 the voices. " • ' a ' >ni : » In Committee' of Supply, a mesiMM^ from the Government, asking foVlmprsM^ Supply for -6150,000 was introduced and ; read a first time.' i » * un-^-\'.u n -^-\ '. ;The House adjourned, «tl.BQ:lajaßilitiitT $.30 p.m.