THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11929, 28 June 1899, Page 6

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. [From Our CoRREsroNDENi.] WELLINGTON, June 27. . A full House greeted Mr Stevens with hearty applause when the popular member for Manawatn rose to move the Address-in-Reply this evening. In spite, however, of “no-confidence” being in tne air, the attendance of the public in the galleries was only moderate. Mr Stevens’s speech contained much that was pleasant, but nothing of special moment. it is perhaps significant, however, that he advocated a bold policy of borrowing for the prompt completion of the arterial railway lines of .the colony, including the Midland Railway. Mr Stevens was warmly applauded on resuming his seat, and Mr Millar, who took the floor as seconder, was equally well received. The senior member for Dunedin also came out straight as a railway extensionist, and the Midland Railway, under his own little loan scheme, would receive a vote of £IJC,OOO as something to go on with. As a representative of labour, Mr Millar's views on the question of the reduction of the duties on the necessaries of

life arc worthy of notice. His opinion was that while the colony was borrowing for such purposes, as railway plant and rolling stock, it was inexpedient to relinquish this poi'ion of the revenue, which should bo applied to meeting the . necessary expenditure. Mr Millar effectively disposed of the claims of the Opposition to have initiated the majority of the labour measures, and wound up a forcible speech by paying some attention to the Press Association, which, speaking from a recent experience, be termed an intolerable monopoly. Cordial cheers came from all parts of the Chamber when the Leader of the Opposition rose and prefaced his speech in his usually neat and felicitous style. Captain Russell proceeded in a not very convincing manner to tr.ave.rse the optimistic statements of the two Ministerial spokesmen. In due couri-> the Opposition leader suavely introduced the Marine Department trouble, and, taking up a sheet of foolscap from among his notes, he intimated that he had framed an amendment in a manner so gentle, an l it was such a reasonable little addition to the address, that he could not see how the Premier

could treat it as a no-confidence motion. The Opposition - was only too anxious to assist the Premier in getting a full and effective inquiry into the whole of the circumstances of the “affaire Jones.” He believed • that Ministers were incapable . of doing .a, wrong action, but the fact , remained that maladministration had b°-n proved, however it might be accounted for. Captain Russell having moved and handed his amendment to Mr Speaker, sat down amid a marked silence, unbroken even by his own followers. His speech was characteristically lacking in fire. In contrast was the burst of applause when the Premier rtood up. Mr Seddon, adopting the rallying manner he well knows how to use, said that he was afraid that disappointment awaited his honourable friend. He would be parloned ter expressing the opinion that the purple of that gentleman s amendment was to add a few sheep to his fold. Adopting a more serious tone,_ the Premier added that no self-re-specting Minister could accept such a motion as proposed, and, following the custom in regard to no-confidence motions, he should now move, the adjournment of the House till the following afternoon. Members dispersed rapidly, no excitement being apparent, and before 10.30 p.m. the Chamber was in darkness.