NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1753, 5 July 1869, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

MINIS I'KKIAIi DEFEAT—KKSIGNATION OF MINISTERS. PHO-nRA.V.M!-' OF TUK NKW MINISTRY.— Mil. FOX'S SPIiKCIJ. (FltOlt OUK OWN CORBKSI'OSDBST.) ■Wellington, Tuiaday, Juno 2ft In my lust des| ir.i-h I info.med yeur readers that tlio defeat of the Mini-nry on th_> " Want or C>nfideinc" moti'in >v.«s certain, und t'lo possibility- of a coiilttion most rem >te. '1 hey will have learned ere this reaches yon, that such is now thestnte of affair?— that tho Ministry ;.«.' sustained the most signal defeat ever known in t .o political hi-tory of New Zealand, and ki« placid I heir resignations in tho hands of bin Kxe lleney the tienrnor. Although since the dav <>n whi- h the motion of want of ranfidence in th-Government was tabled by Mr. Fox. no dou> t whatever was entertained that it would result in the overthrow of th.i Stafford Ministry, yet it was not expect d that the debate would have been brought so soon to a cl.se, s-'eing that severd of the principal speakers and leading politicians in the House, hail n.t t dicr. i art in it. i'he tables are now turned, -nd Mr Fox is master of the situation. Ho inform, d the House, after the intimation given of thf: nsi.»na-i-m t'f Ministers, that his Kxcellene. tho Governor had font f"r him with the view of Iris forming constitutio:.ul iHvVcrs- ">-* Rxcod-ncy had spoken to him in such term' as to remove any diffii-n:e lie n.ii:lit have felt on tho matter; and that he had promised to endeavour to form a V.ini-ny at the eaniear date. Of cour.-o various rumours liito since then freely circul a'ed as to the eomp -sition of tho new Ministry. I was informed last thit thren of the Ministry wcr'i HW'-vn irt yes'eniay afternoon —Mr. Fox, Colonial Secret irv ;" .Mr. Vogel, Olonial Treasurer; Mr. McLean, Nativ) and Helen.-- Minister —and that Messrs .'-a-vtri., ■ nnrred. and liolleston had each drc'ittedthu positions of I'ostmaa'er Generil and Commissioner of 'Usloms. It has also been stated that Dr. Featli tutiin and Mr. Ormond will orcipy seats on the Trea-ury 1 c ehes without portfolio, and that the Hon. J -tin John-ton will represent the Government in the Legislative Council. No doubt the utmost cue Wi 1 be eierci-e i it the constitution of a Minn-try th .t will command the eor.fidt-uce of the Ilons-i and th* r. spec:: of tho eountxv. I sliould m. ntim t!tn' after the utijnu»:imett of the House on Fn.lay th Siitl'ord Ministry and their supporters held a ciucus when it was resolved that thoy should firm u.ems.-IveS into rrn Opposition partv, to be R uid- .1 as t" the course they should adopt in the llous- b\ th • wi.l of the ex-f'rernier. So it has been i-tat-d by a prominent suppo ter of the late Mini-dry ; no fin lions opposition will be ofTe.-ed to the Government. I Lave, on the other hanrl, been inf .ro.e'l Unit, a committee of six minibers w.-.s 'appointed to advise a nl determine as to the notion tlio "cimipac h .U" of Oppositioni-ts should ta .n on any ittiuortnut qties.i->n that cam- before them. It ii not i x.-e-- e-i that much husines« will he ione thi< weetc. i'trust, n t.Unce nt tl'e divi ion list ~n the motion of tho ho-, member f-.r >--ant;i-ikei will be instrueiiv.i to the people of Auckland whose inteie-ts me not fu.lv r proten'rd in the Ass-nnbly. Indeed tho experience ot the past threo ees-i. ns

ill tild >>• * eafficient warning to them to lie careful iu i-i9 chuii; •of their reeresentatives.thiit ;he> shculd elrrt. men who will not "crouch and tender" tha bir'oright of their constituent*, but will act in an uri' ompromising and independent manner rn all oceisions, Rnd mar* ecpseially on all questions affectth" welfare of ths province of Auckland. I mar mention that on Friday last, the hon. Defence Minister laid on the table a return to an order of the Bouse, showing the number of Europeans and nativss killed, wounded and captured from Ist May, 1868, to 14lh Jun lbo9. It is aa follows:— Killed Wounded Total Europeans 148 ... 101 ... 244 Friendlies 126 ... 26 ... 152 Total 269 127 396 Killed Captured Total Rebels ... 279 ... 242 ... 521 Nine women and eighteen children were among tha number of Europeans killed. I h&Ye no doubt the ad rent of 51 r. Fox to office will be the rie ith warrant of those rebels wh> hare committed atrocities and who had been captured with arms in their possession, as it will be seen thi»t on Wednesday lust, in mo\ing for correspondence relating to the capture of Tnuroa and his followers, ho stated tha'. the whole of thoie rebel natives should be put to death ; nnd the statement was received with cheers. Mr. Dillon Bell and other hon. members expreased a similar opinion. The following official announcements were published in tho Gazette at a late hour last night:— " His Kxcellency the Governor having nccepted the resignation of tho Honorable Edtvaid William Stafford, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the Offices of Colonial Secretary and PostmasterGeneral; the Honorable Theodore Vinet Haultain, holding a seat in the Kxecutive Council, and the Office- of Minister for Colonial Defence ; The Honorable William Fitzherbert, holding a seat in the Kxecutiie Council, and the Offices of Coloni-1 Treasurer and Coramirsioner of Stamp Duties ; th? Honorable James Crowe .Richmond, holiing a seat in the Executive Council, and the Offices of Commissioner of Customs and Commissioner of Stamp Duties; the Honorable John Hall, holding a seat in the Executive Council; the Honorable Paniel Pollen, holding u seat in the Executive Council. " His Kxcellency the Governor hns been pleased this day to appoint the Honorable William Fox to be Colonial Secretary, the Honorable Julius Yogclto be Colonial Treasurer, tho Honorable Donald McLean to he Native Minister and Minister for Coloni-l Defence. " The same gentlemen were also appointed members n| the Executive Council." In the House of Representatives on Thursday Mr. Creighton asked whether any seriens mistake in the Admiral*- charts of the Hauraki Golf and other parts of tho coastline of the Province of Auckland have been recently discovered and reported to the Government ; and ;f so, whether, having- regard to the increasing trade in that part of the colony, the Government propose to have the coast line in question re-»urveye'3, and the chart corrected without delay ? He stated that serious errors havo been discovered, and pointed out the advisability of the Government •ending tho Marine Surveyor to make a re-survey of the fast Co:st and the Manukau Harbour. Tre works mentioned Were of great importance in consequence of the increasing trade to the city of A norland, and in connection with the Thames Goldfields, as the existence of Guch dangers in navigation must effect mercantile insurances on goods afloat to a considerable extent. Mr. Stafford recognised the importance of having the surveys made, but it was a question of funds; and it was the intention of Government to have proposed a vote for the purpose of carryine en the necessary surveys as quicklv M pos-ible. The cost of survey of the Manukau Harbour wo-.ilc!, by virtue of the powers delegated to the Superintendent, be a provincial change. The Government would not object to place the services of the Marina Surveyor at the disposal of the Provincial Government. Mr. Williamson, in resuming the debate on the no confidence motion, delivered an effective speech. He observed that during the history of the colony, Wehad never before been placed in so great difficulties as at the present time, arising out of the disastrous and unnecestary war which commenced in 1860. He referred, and jmtly bo, too, to the personal ability and administrative power of the hon. member at the head of the Government, who had rendered important service to the colony since he first entered upon public life, —services for which the colony could net but bs largely indebted to him. Notwithstanding that this w«s the case, that gentleman had also much to unswer for in not having sternly and steadfastly set his face against the prose ution of the war. He dwelt with much earnestness upon the evils which the war had inflicted upon this country. He defended the hon. member for Rangitikei against the charge made upon him of having been the author of the war in 1863, in tho Waikato, as no man could have done more or endured more to avert the impending danger, and bring about peace. The great question the Honse had now to consider was the remedy for existing etilp. He did not believe tho gentlemen then in. power were tha proper persoas to apply that remedy, as they believed that the 6trong arm alone was the remedy to bo employe: l . So long as the hon member at the head of native affairs was wedded to that idet. it would tie dangerous to entrust him with the power he now wielrls in the country ; be must be removed from office, nnd th l * management of native affairs put ntoother hands, t> be carried out under another system. Tha country had no faith in the present Government. To sav that they were heaven-bom statesmen —that they alone possessed tho power to npply c remodj—would be to Btriko at the root of responsible government in this country. Ths war-makers must be discharged, and the war will come to an end. It was within the the compass and power o. c Parliament to bring about a better s-tate of things in this country; it mast be done by careful hands and by honeßt management. Th» experience of the past had proved thttthe Maori was not to be subjugated by warlike means. Much good would be effected by the opening of roads from one end of the country to the other, in which work the natives were willing to give their assistance; it would tend more than anything towaids the pacification of the country. He characterised several ex'iressions used by the hon. member for the Bay aa treasonable. He called upon the Middle Island membe s to withhold from the Government any bums of money to enable them to carry on a fruitless and everlasting war in the country. He believed tho people in tho South would call their representatives to task if thev persisted in squandering mjney which might -o well and beneficially employed in their own country, in fruitless attempts to subjugate the Maori, and if a dissolution should take place, another class of men would be sent to Parliament to represent the people of the South, and to assist the lepresentattveg for the North in adopting the course he had indicated. He was sorry to hear the hon. member at the head of the Government cautioning the South to beware of their laod fund—that unless fuods were given libornUv their land fund woula be in danger. When the finanrinl arrangements of 1856 were entered into, the objei-t was colonization in the various province*", and not war-miiking. In the South the land had been acquired, but in the North a very small portion of tho loutj fell inlo our hands to enable us to purchase land. The money has long ago b«.en exhausted, and if .vo buy land now we must pay for it by other means. He believed the whole t'olony, so long as it p-mains a colony, must assist in doing that in tha N'orth which tho inhabitin e of that island are not able tr> accomplish for themselves. J*ny new Dor. rnment. if it sets up a policy of industry to the "Mirth of to d miking and colonization, would hare a »o d ground to go upon of asking the peopleof the sV-h ti assist us, by doing which they will ba mutually conducing to their own beuefit. Our goldfi liis are becoming wonderfully productive ; the flir fields *rc nls > becoming a source of great wealth. Wa onlv wnn tpeiple upon our lands to bringforth the valuable pt. ducts of the North Island, and in a very short tim« we ro»y reasonably hope that it will beenmo of ~re*t so-viee to tho South through the interchange of commodities ; that we shall have vessels running up sir d do»n our co ssts from htrbonr, nnd that onr ,-xports will so inoreasa that New Z.-aland will_be> iblo to hold up its hesd in the Aurtmlian Colonies, i )nr time has been frittered away in tilling over tho little journeys of Titrkowaru and To Kooii, if thosa r.-tiels were "deid. and their heads stuck over thee .>iv rn nent Buildings as trophies of war it would •„,, c f no avail; so long (is the M-.oii feel' he is under oppression, a thousand such men will rise, and iimrlerH and dreadful barbarities will continno ti be perpetrated in the land. He wns glad to find .hit, after so m-ioy years debating on this question i i-..eut number of hon. memtiers art; now upening ttieir eyes to tho disastrous e.Tect of carrying ort ttn-.-B wars in whicn we are engaged with, the Maori, race. (To be continued.