AN ATTACK IN MR FERGUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 915, 13 September 1889, Page 2

AN ATTACK IN MR FERGUS.

When the House met at 7.30 p.m. on Sept. sth Mr Grimmond moved, as an amendment to the motion for Supply “That this House regrets that the Minister of Justice should not have recognised that in fairness to his late colleague an explanation by himself of his own conduct in connection with the Christie case was due to the House and to the country.” Mr Grimmond quoted from the correspondence to show that the conduct of Mr Hislop had been approved by his colleagues, and that what he did was endorsed by them, Mr Hutchison seconded the amendment. The Premier asked whether the leader of the Opposition was aware of this amendment.

Hon members : Why ? The Premier: Because on that it will depend what course I shall pursue: Mr Ballanee • I feel bound to say that I approve it. (Opposition cheers.) • The Premier: Then, sir, I shall move the Adjournment of the House, and to-morrow I shall state what I propose to do. 1 think the House has had enough of this. (Cheers.) I call it nonsense. (Oh !) Yes, I say it’s nonsense, and wasting the time of the country. (Cheers.) I shall do no business to-night, and shall ask the House to adjourn. It is absurd—under the circumstances unconstitutional—as the bon gentleman is aware, for the leader of the Opposition to be a party to this without due notice to the Government. (Cheers). Mr Ballanee had no objection to the adjournment of the House. He taunted the Premier with accepting everything from the Opposition side of the House as a want-of-confidence motion ; if be liked to do the same now, let him do it ! The Opposition did not object to the Government controlling the business of the House, but they did claim the right to express their views. He explained that he was not a party to this motion. (Oh !) Ho was not a party to it, although he had said he approved it. He wished to shirk no responsibility in the matter, and that was why ha said he apl proved the motion. The Premier could put what meaniDjg he liked on that. Mr Walker protested against the course taken by the Premier.

The Speaker pointed out that if the adjournment of the House were carried it would supersede both the motion for Supply and the amendment. He suggested,-, that the debate should be adjourned till next day, and the motion for adjournment of the House made afterward.

The Speaker's suggestion was followed, and the debate was adjourned till next day on the motion of the Minister for Public Works.

The Premier moved the adjournment of the House.

Mr Perceval thought other business might be gone on with. Mi Taylor pointed out that the Government had not yet indicated that this was to be “a want of no confidence motion.” (Laughter.) ' . The Premier said the Opposition were utterly regardless of the work of the country; they did anything “to pull the Ministry down, one by one.’’ The leader of the Opposition sat there as a partisan, and was not ashamed to own it; and he ought to be ashamed of ; the manner in which his party were acting. Mr Ballanee raised a point of order that the hon. gentleman was speaking to the main question. (Mr Hutchison having been ruled oat of order in speaking on the general subject.) The Premier said he would take the opportunity that would be given him next day. The motion for adjournment of the House was carried on the voices, ’and the House rose at 7.55.

THE AMENDMENT LOST ON THE VOICES.

In the House on September 6th discus, sion was resumed on the motion to go into Committee of Supply, and Mr Grimmond's amendment thereto, namely, “ That this House regrets that the Hon the Minister of Justice should not have recognised that, in fairness to his late colleague, an explanation by himself of his own conduct in connection with the Christie case was due to the House and the country.” The Premier wished to make a statement as to the position the Government intended to assume with regard to the amendment. The Government had carefully considered the matter, and looking at the fact that the amendment came from a member in the lower ranks of the Opposition (Cries of “Oh!” Mr Turnbull : One of the most respected members, sir.) The Premier said he would correct himself, from one of the most respected members, though in the lower ranks. The Speaker said he might observe that members here all stood on the same footing in the House. (Opposition cheers.) He was sure it was only necessary for him to make the remark to induce all members to abstain from making any remarks as to the rank of members present, who were all S6nt here for the same purpose. (Cheers.) The Premier said he would at once withdraw the expression. He did not wish to say anything against Mr Grimmond, and he would speak of him as an hon gentleman who was one of the most respected members of his party, but who did not sit; on the front Opposition benches. He did not wish to cast any slur on the hon gentleman j he only wished to make it clear that it was not an attack on the part of the Opposition party. Mr Seddon : The leader of til* Opposition told you last night that it was.

The Premier said that was so, and he felt very much ashamed that he did say so, because the hon gentleman actually told the House that he had permitted oae of his followers to move such an important resolution as this without his knowledge. How was it possible for the business of tbs country to be conducted if the leaflet df this Opposition would adopt from a follower wild did not sit oh the front benches shell a resolution as this ? As for the mode in which the Government proposed to deal with this subject, the Government did not intend to treat this amendment, coming as it did from a member of Opposition who did not sit on the front benches, as a no-confidence motion. They did not intend to even debate it. If the Opposition wished to teat the strength of the Government he invited Mr Ballanee to give notice at once of a hostile motion, and come to a conclusion as soon as possible, and go on with the business of the country. He was ready to meet the hon gentleman where and when he liked—(Mr Ballanee ; Hear, hear)—but he was not going any longer to accept from members who did not sit on the front benches, who were not looked upon aB leaders of the Opposition, such motions as this as matters of confidence. (Cheers.) It was not the Gdvernment’d intention to debate this motion, the reason for which would be plain enough to the House: This motion had nbt been moved with the intention of obtaining information—that was not the object at all. It was not moved with the object even of getting an expression of opinion from the House ; it was, as the hon gentleman avowed when he moved it, to discred t certain members of the Government. It was Deneath the Government to discuss that after what had occurred. The Government would not make any statement until this debate was over, and then, if he (the Premier) or his friend the Minister of Justice were asked by a member on their own side of the House for an explanation, it would be given. But after what had occurred he would decline to give any information to the hon. gentleman opposite. The Government had no objecti n to the Opposition having every information about it, but to an attack like this, under a pretence, without reference to the business of the country, without hope of defeating the Government, but merely to delay the business, they would not submit. Therefore he asked the House and all who wished to see the session come to a close not to debate it. (Cheers.) Mr Ballanee said the Premier was improving (Mr Pish ; That’s more than you are), and would presently be leader of the House if he had a party. The hon. gentleman had now discovered that wholesale challenges were not sound tactics. He had learned his duty, ana had discovered that in the House of Commons the policy of the Government was daily assailed by members of the rank and file of the Opposition. The hon. gentleman talked of waste of time waste of time, when his policy Bills had been thrown to the winds, and he was invited to discuss a grave question affecting the administration of justice. He had yet to learn, also, that scolding was not statesmanship, and then he would be a model Premier and a model leader. The hon gentleman was always saying he was ashamed —he never got up without saying that. He (Mr Ballanee) would point out that less time had been occupied by amendments to Supply this session than in any session for years ; they had been economical with respeot to time. He reminded the Premier that Mr Grimmond when he moved this amendment stood in the front benches. (Laughter.) He twitted the Premier with failing to make any statement as to the course of business, and also with dropping the Property Assessment Bill. At this juncture Mr Ballanee was called to order for travelling beyond the question. He went on to suggest that the Premier should take the House into his confidence more, and to state that the Opposition would insist on their right to express their opinions without fear or favour. (Cheers.)

Mr Seddon spoke at great length on the subject, and reproached Mr Fergus for not making an explanation. He accused the Government of “ tampering with thefountain of justice,” and said that every line in the Melbourne Argus, quoted in the New Zealand Times that morning, went to prove that the Opposition and the Legislative Council’s Committee were right. Mr R. Beeves and Mr Turnbull spoke in a similar strain.

Dr Fitahett expressed an opinion.that Mr Fergus was equally culpable with the late Colonial Secretary, and said the whole thing formed the most shameful episode that had occurred, or was likely to occur in this Colony. Mr Fisher considered the whole proceedings discreditable in the extreme, and censured the Government for retaining their seats after sacrificing Mr Hislop. Although he had not been intimate with Mr Hislop lately, he recognised that that gentleman’s action had raised him greatly in the esteem of the country, while the conduct of the Government was such as should be generally reprobated. He felt sure that the decision of the Committee would be upheld by the country. Mr Hutchison strongly condemned the Government, and expressed a hope that this question would not go to a’ division in the face of the policy of Bilence adopted by the Government. Ministers would bear the responsibility of what; they had done. The question that the Speaker leave the chair in order that the House may go into Committee of Supply was put and carried (and the amendment consequently negatived) on the voices amidst laughter.