PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7414, 3 December 1884, Page 6

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION

mr e. Wakefield at leeston

The member forSelwyn.MrE. Wakefield, addres-ed his constituents on Monday night in toe Town Hall at Leaston. The hall was crowd-*!, rusd in the gallery were j aevi-ra! tedies. At the entrance to the hall ( was suspended a rat-trap with a live rat in ! it. and a# Mr Wakefield walked up the ball j he was diluted with hisses and cries of (“ Hot!" which, however, were *'|>eedily in loud applausi*. Mr W. J. G, Bluett was voted to the | choir, and briefly introduced the speaker, j for whom he begged a fair and impartial i hearing. | Mr Waxepislii. who, on rising, wjm rej ccivvd with silence, spoke to the following ; effci-t: —Hi? had Mime there not only in j aceurdasoL- with the advertisement, «a had | be»-n Kud by the Chairman, but also in I aoeordanc*- with his promise to the clecforu ! that after the dost; of the session he would j U»ie an early t>pjiort«nily to coin.; before I them and tell tiicm everything he bad j done during the session, and discuss public ■ affairs •-andidly and frankly with them. ; 'lhe fact that tb-ro had te-en some sign# of ; difference of opinion when he entered the ' room and before be entered the room, j sign* which he thought would not m.s,'t j »itL the appivvo! of the district at large, . would nut make any difference in his . upp. aran-v*. lb* to give them a j fuli a.-.x.‘«nt of Gie proc-eding* of the last ; h-iud-.n of Parliament, and in particular of * bis own doings n* th*-ir n-pn-fentativi*. He i was as n-ady to hi# Uvs iut his friends, ! and w;i» ?j«.t to be d«-torr.*d by any signs of • disapproval. };c would not say insult#, : whi.'h wen- in the j#.wer of tlie lowest to intle t ui the noblest. (Hear) He pro- * p.wi to give A ' J.tAfc JIIS-fOST or rill I'AMT hXKSId.V, whirl, bad sol yet Ix—n giv. fj, ;a:d then to div-j.,-# the (>dsti'‘al f-.itualio.'j, aud after that to afford all tin opportunity .if questioning him. (Applause.) ' Wh.-n be Bjirke to them last there hnd ’ L-.-u a gepi-rnl edwtion, the rerultof which . w’y- %i,*y difficult to determine. There «. n- fc.-v.-ral h-ad<*rs of parties, each claim mg a majority of the House', and on*- or , tw<'. »ho we*.- H-t b-iidcrt, tor whom it was * la;io« d tb it they bad a majority When to- member* Wellington no ottu ■ kucw what v*fw to Impjs-a. The Ministry , «! tijat they d<etu<-d it their con- • emotional doty Ut retire. Il« tool known A n-> r-tber inatan.-o of s« ;h a kind, though 1 )l was said that they bad follow*-'! coastiluti -iisi pr-ceiif-nt. rie-u a jbx-no , ,f .ttsAoshm uajKuralU-b-d in bis erjwrriiUKt* "f N- *» ait ejtjx-fiem ,' extending ; over 2?' y*-*fi. Tb.- House w j.a o,'i<- of the ■; ever *-le»-te-4 in Gds Colony, and only reputed gwyl leader*. Note of the mt-tn- ! ber», how,, ver, knew whom u, follow, Sir 1 Jubos Voge], Ut wb<,Ui all eye* Were I directed, was not a l»*ad<-r, but was *?s- ---! '*d to be the b-.vb r of the coining ? partf. ite Imd not annotmtird bimwlr, aft So one could Is* said to to* bis follower, Through the ihonneU of public gaseip it was onuoutued Ibsl H»r Julius hod l>w« /w?nt for Daj» {sts*'J away, and rumours spread until no oj,c knew what to ijvJtevc. tntrigm-s w'*;re rife, but nothing was dorm toward# party organisatejii- ilaluui hod nothing to do with thaen fntriguva, and was nut in a |*«d. }jun ta oxjr what <x.*.'urred up to the formation of the first Stout-Vogel Ministry. It hatl been pnt aiiroad tliat he hod intrigued tor office, and that finding he was not inc luded in the Stout*Vugul Ministry, he bod opposed Bit Jaiiiw % ugri- fhat had U'on pat wbread in »ew»p»|j>jra. *md by men who imbed to injure hU wditical oo*f. « wv'U *s by men who, he would admit, honestly (relieved it fk> far from this being Ut»- &un\ however, he had not wxdtvn to Sir Julius Vogel until the Stoat Ministry ira» formed, ud then at the requrat oS Mr TJarjw-r, and on the rweipt of an InviUtton from Sir Julius Vogel. He hoped he weald K"t have again to deny a statement whten* after tbi# specific dunlaS, eo«M only be rrigmatiswl oa on utter falieheod. At hu ' interview with Sir Julia* Vogel, he pointed ? -td that after hie political career and hit plcdg*** it would Im* impuasibli! for him to s’u.j.ut tb,. Stout-Vogel Government with* ‘Nullifying himself. Tly* next day a '*’*?**'d •’«nWhyry metnlwr* won held st . i ' V<n;,.ps lu/uiw.And Sir Julmesaid » '’"p’udci uj*>n tb.«» nmulw-rs tor

Canterbury whether Dio Ministry, which wo* to include Stt<A»n Marandrew and Mra»tgram*ry, should l» carried out or not. With tho pmvpUon of three or four, the Canterbury nuunbrni nbjpoted, nml raid it would put (hraii in an awkward praltlon. The arrivnl of the Governor interrupted the pir«v<-dtng*, A till Hir Jutiua invited Diow prawn I to moot him again nml give their final dcririon. In the interval a letter was written to Julio# Vog°l by Mr l.an»v> or Mr Walker, stating that Dwy could not support th»* combination of Mr .stout with Sir Julio*. Vogel. That. letter «ap *igm-d by Mo#*r» Walker, trfinco, Harper, Grigg, and the speaker, and it wan agreed that this decision should I"’ final, lie <Mr W«k**flrldJ delivered flu* letter to Sir Julius, who said, "that settle# it." A discussion, lasting for two hours, followed, and at the end of that lime every one of Owe gentlemen saw fit to withdraw from the letter. He pass'-d no judgment <>n the conduct of flmso gentlemen, ln‘cau«c I In .-onscicnco nnd honour of every gentleman wa* in his own keeping t hut when it waa nut abroad that he had departed from the line, it was uoorarary for him to show that if an.r persons changed their line and alteral thrar tart lea It was not the member for Selwyn. (Applause.) He had then urged Sir Julius Vogel U» call a mooting of all t he members who could lie supposed to Ik* hi* followers, but for reasons of hi# own Sir Julius declined to do so. When Sus was last there, he had t«ld them that hr ironcn * tahtt jsrbtisu woei.n hr and had promised that he would follow whatever leader such a meeting should choote. Nothing of this sort took place. The formation of the first Stout-Vogel Mlni/.try was brought about by intrigue, aud he did not fool himself bound to suppoet it. The ratult was that on the following Tuesday the Governor** Speech wa* delivered, lie ventured to say that from one end of Now Zealand to the other that siHH'ch wa# disapproved. (No.) Out of that large room only two feeble •* noo# *’ worn now given. (Loud enos of " No.") Ho lilt'd enthusiasm, and those win* were something like, But since the delivery of that speech the country had changed its opinions. At that time the country was dit-appointed, (’* You wen*.") No, UK WAS MOT OISAI'TOISTRU. A vote of no confidence waa moved, and no effort was made to defend the policy enunciated in tliat speech. A vote was taken with the result that a majority of nineteen voted against the Government. And that majority by no means represented the whole of the Opposition, because many voted for the Ministry', as they knew it would be defeated. He would toll them a joke which came to his ears, it might not be true, hut it was a good story. ("We don't want storms.") He was going to make hi* speech bis own way, and when he wa» done the gentleman who had just spoken vould have the platform for the whole night. (Applause.) When Sir Julius Vogel heard Du? result of the division ho said, ’* Well, tt*s ft broad hint." It was a broad hint, alwut the broadevt he had ever seen. The House laughed at the whole thing as alumni. After that the confusion was greater than ever. It had Ih-ou sent abroad that Major Atkin.son schemed to get the Government back into his hands. He (Mr Wakefield) might say at once, it was only his duty to ijiy, from his own knowledge, that such was not the case. Major Atkinson took no part in the intrigues, and displayed no eagerness to resume office, whatever might be thought of his (Mr Wakefield's) conduct, he would stand up for a man who was entitled to the respect of the people of N«w Zealand. Major Atkinson called » meeting of ail the independent men, a course tliat ought to liave been taken earlier. At that meeting 51 members were present. That waa the first party meeting of the session. Major Atkinson told them he woo not anr(oua to form a Ministry, but quite the contrary, butthat it was necessary for the credit of the Colony that a Ministry should be formed. He said that if no now Ministry were formed, the Stout• Vogel Ministry, though defeated, would retain office. Nothing could have been more damaging to the country. A member said the old Ministry could not return to office, whereupon each member of the old Ministry stood up one after the other and offered to retire. A resolution was carried to the effect that Major Atkinson should form a Ministry on a broad basis. Major Atkinson explained tliat he understood it to mean that his Ministry must have a policy satisfactory to that meeting of 51, so that the Government could bo earned on till » i-table Ministry could l*i formed .Several members urged him (MrWakefleU'j to join that Ministry, to lay aside personal and jxditical filling* in order to enable the business of the country to bo carri**d on. lie had pointed out to Major Atkinson the differences l/etwmi them, and, alter eousulting with his friends, found that 118 IHH .SO ni-TIOM but to take his bhare of the n*k# and unpleamuitnoKseb of going into offhe with Major Atkiruon. (Applause ) Ho fur from being an oiTR-«*-«wker, he was sacrificing hiniKclf, well knowing that his political career would la* injured fur year*. If office had been his desire, h« would have played hi* card* very differenlJy, and h*< could have been in office at the present moment with the greaU&t ease. Not one of the men who took office tlu-u had a selfish motive. To many men it would la* difficult to imagine tliat a jxmition of emolument could i«) token only at a js-cuainry leas. He could only say that whut he hnd done the i hail cost him a great deal. (Applause.) Tin; prevailing feeling in the House w»# tliat a coalition Ministry ought to b*- formed. Those who blamed him for joining Major Atkinson were probably not aware that it was touch-and-go whether or nut lii‘-re should bo a coalition of himself and Major Atkinaun with Hir Julius Vogel and Mr Htout. The arrangement was that Major Atkinson and his colleague were* to cb<*m' two, amt Mr Htout and Hir Julius to ch<>*w two other*, and these eight were to form a Ministry. That armngeiii«nt was on the point of being carried out. Though opixAied to a coalition which ii« felt convinced ooiiid not lw lasting, he had given in when h«* found a largo majority in favour of it. It was the were turn >d a chant* that a Ministry had not Iwen formal on that basis, On the night when the vole of want of confidence was moved, not o»« of the Ministry could feel sure that they would not have thus*- in opposition sitting alongside them the next night. The coalition noguciatioa* broke down, and ho waa glad they did. Ho said to his colleague*," I*?t u* go into Opjjm*ition and <lo our duty, rather Ilian abandon political prittidpW." As #mor as Major Atkinson announced his Ministry, Mr .Stout gave notice of a motion of want of confidence, Tim vote waa uomd, and at an early hour in the morning Ui» Ministry were defeated by a majority of eight. Then came the lu-forinatiun of the Htout Ministry, who were able to stand till they could bring down a policy. The whole secret of the difficulty in Uw ning of the session was, that out of 95 umutla'ra 50 thought they should la* in the Ministry. It must U> rememUm-d that thmi was a great difference Iwt w»«u Urn two Hhiut-Vogcl Ministritsi. Undoubtedly, a wnaknaa* in tba first waa Uni inclusion of Mr Montgoumry and Mr Macandrcw, 'llm Hoorn.) wanted now blood. Mr Manandruw nuuld not bo considered now blood, and Mr Montgomary wan out of plaeo in Urn Ministry. Mr Tate, a young man whom all f«spact®d, was no» mclndad a# rapnp witting Sir George Chwy..and tbo two old otautbeis ware ten. h«n Sir dullus \Wel brought down the Financial State* mmu jt wav itecidod who could and who Suld not support thnOntCTwwat. As he had t«ld hte ooasUtmmtv, be conio not support Sir J«U«s if he proposed any

great Wine of borrowing, or anything iiko gatiibllng or spoouiatiun.

n» w*r» nor on*mi*r» nw pomthw if bis constituency had. (Oh.) Any fair man must nay he hail kept his word In the t«*elh of what ho know would bo » tide vi unp'itularity in this part of New Zealamb Hir Julius proposed to Ihutow (nr W(,«tj>ort, AStSO.(XX) for (Ivpymntitb, jpinO'i* N) for the district mil wavs, JB t ,500,000 for the North Island Trunk ilallwny, and JBl,fgs>,sn«l for general purpnee*. He hail then gone on to show that the sinking fund, amounting to £3t,(xs>,rsx> «te*ling, might safely l«e Imrmwed, and jwid into the I’uMic Works fund, and tliat the annual juaymcnt of £350,1 SR) might safely !«• Iw»rrowinl, lln had told Parliament that if newxssary lie would Imrrow t« pay tho interest. In fact, Indore ho bad done. Hi* Julius would add to the public debt £7,000.000. He waa tmun Iby bis |det)ges and hie strongly felt opinion, to oppose a jKiliey involving nn Increftw* of £7,fSX),OO(I to llii? public debt. Ho had the highest regard for many men in tin* district, but ho wild unhesitatingly that if every man was opposed to him mi this point he would refuse to glvu in ami rather r<*sign hissoat (Applause.) He would now go back a litGo, He bad said that be intended to Iki an imb<|H>ndunt repnisentativo of an hidel*>iid«*nt constituency, nnd luid asked his count ituents to suspend Uicir judgment on ids actions in the House till ho could give an account of them. One and all promised to do so if ever a constituency did. Hut what happened P At a most critical moutent, when he was deprived of his food and rest, in

HIS AMXIKTT you TttK 1*17111,1 C WBI-PAftK he received a telegram couched in words that certainly wen? not kind. Ho at once sent a reply courteous and friendly. Hi? wished to say that he would never allow himself to be dictated to white doing his duty na a representative in Parliament. How could ho do his duty when bo was directed by telegrams from individual* or si*otionsP On the very day ho received the telegram referred to, he received several ollu rs of a most friendly description. He was gbul to say that a number of his friends advertised » notice to support him, lest he should feel that ho hnd been badly treated He bad not a word to say against those who acted upon what they thought right bv telegraphing directions to him. but so tongas he had the honour of a seat in Parliament he would be the delegate of no one. On behalf of public men he would say one word more. Ho was only one of about twenty members who were burnt in effigy. ("Only children's play.”) It was only children's play. He was quite certain that no respectable man would barn anything to do with it. A number of his constituents, including some of his opponents, wrote denying any con section with it. But he would say that this burning in effigy was a disgrace to New Zealand.. It was done to intimidate men from acting up to their conscience. (No.) Yes, it was. It did not so act upon him. He wrote to Mr M'Lachlan," 1 hope the boys enjoyed it, but I am too tough to burn.” These imbecile and disgraceful demonstrations hod no effect except upon some nervous new members, who voted under intimidation from the moat thoughtless and irresponsible section of the people. Other means equally objectionable were adopted, calculated* to disgust honorable men with public life. (Applause.) (The speaker referred at length to the West Coast Harbours Bill, the District Railways Bill, the Efst and West Coast Railway Bill, and the South Sea Islands Trading Bill, and explained his opposition to them.] 'Hie Government proposal for th* wiser coast uailwat

waa the bigguat land monopoly ever heard of in the Colony. Wm ho not justified in opposing that BUI ? Ho waa suro ho waa. (Applause.) Mr Bryce moved an amendment that it waa inexpedient. This he (Mr Wakefield) supported. All that be bad opposed was a scheme for the benefit of (speculators. The BUI was drawn. by the solicitor of the syndicate, and was not » public Bill. It was the duty of every member to protect Dm interests of the public. The resumption of

TUB SINKING FUND he had opposed, mi it waa living on capital. He had now given his reasons for opposing the financial policy of the Government. That opposition had not been factious, but simply a fair criticism of what ho ctonsiderod was against the best Interests of the people. With regard to the beetroot sugar interest, ho would say that ho had opjwwed Sir Julius* proposal because it mount Protection. Ho begged bis friends to Ik* very careful in this lieot sugar speculatimi, By all means lot experiments Ih* made, but lot care be exercised in storting an industry that might moan ruin. He would now refer to the

I'UOi‘OSAUi OF OOVEUNMRXT fur next session. These were a scheme for local goveraroont, one for encouraging Imuil industries, and one for Civil Service reform. The first was, ns far as his judgment went, not a bad thing. The encouragement of local industries, if confined to obtaining information and encouraging people to carry on profitable Industrie#, ho would support; but he would never support Protection, As to the scheme of Civil Service reform, hu know nothing about it, lie would conclude by repeating that in Parliament he had done what he considered hi# duty to his constituents and to New Zoahtna. Mintakes he might have mode, and foi such hu was prepared to he blamed. He hud toU Diem Dm whole of his story, and was not afraid to stand by all he had said or done, and would leave it to them to say whether or not ho was worthy to be their rupmumtalive. (Applause.) IN ANriWCK toqueimoNs, Mr WAttcmt.n said, Dmt ho bad thought it Witer not to take any action re the grain tariff. Mr iVansoa had asked what going to he <h>ne, and Mr Richardson said the matter would bo considered during the roue#*. To a demitaDon of the Chamlier of Commerce, Mr Richardson, to his surprise, stetod the oDter day that the rate# could not bo lowered. Ho bad done his beet to get the railway charge# on the Southbrhlge line sot right. U» found that every apjdb-'tttbn was referred to the offi(x*r* in Canterbury, who seemed toupposo any ultango He would notouaso hammering at the Government, Jt was difficult for a member to point out what he had done fur a district. In every single instance where a matter had been brought to hi* notiuy he (Mr Wakefield) had lost no time in doing hi# liest, and generaUy with sum*##. (Ap* ulause.) His idea for cuMtruoting the West Coast railway wo# by a private Company, guaranteed 1 or 3 jwr cent by Die (iuveroment fur 10 ur Id yeam; this would nut involve borrowing, The riioriest-Uved AdminUtraUoN in new Zealand wa# the Atkiftson-Wakefield, hut "the good dte young.” Major Atkinson had Wit wrong in raying that he (Mr Wakefield) would he fraud following bun in a majority, because Majot Atkituran was in a minority when he follow**! him, (Laughter.) Persistent agitation would raura a rumkaden of Dm grain ratra. If Dm Colony could afford to juty the inte rest it would be beaofioial to Wraw sufficient to make the Boat and West Coast railway; hut in Dm present state of finances the Colony could not afford to pay £75,000» ypar in addiDon to the pnwnt taxation. The lino would take at Waai throe years to complete, aud meantime the burden of Dm interest would have to he home. Looking at the way In which money had been lavished daring hut session, ii would have been only loir Dial tho qmaoy for the .line should have been borrowed. The American lines had caused a monopoly of land, which was one of America * great difficulties at Dm present day. Mr Miltwn Jones moved a vote of thanks to Mr Wakefield for bis able and Interest-

lug addrau, and a renewal of confldeticw in him a* the fepfoswmtaUv** of fietwyn. Mr Wataon •»winded this. Mr Gabble moved an amanilinont to the effect—>'* Thai thin constituency would have mom ronfidenco in Mr Wakeffistd If he supported the Iom! and W e »t lUib way." Sir Bonnie swionded the ftiuendmcmt. Sir Warner prupraw>d, as a further amend* mont, a vote of thanks only. Mr John MT«nrblau seooaded this. 'I be original r«fmluthn was carried by a large majority, A vote of tlianks to the •Chairman brought the meeting to a clo*c,