N.S.W. POLITICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 38

N.S.W. POLITICS.

Sydney, May 15. After formal business had been transacted in the House to-day, Sir Henry Parkes gave notice of motion that the continuance of the Ministry in office would retard the progress of legislation, and seriously prejudice the cause of Australian federation. Sir Gr. R.’Dibbs announced that he would support the motion. The House adjourned till to-morrow. Sydney, May 16. Sir Henry Parkes, in proposing his hostile motion in the Legislative Assembly, said he would not be a party to placing the agricultural classes on the basis of open competition with another colony, such

a > Victoria, where the farmers were pi-o'ecfced. He was not, and never was, a Freetrader in that sense. He wished the Protectionists to understand that he was willing to make truce with them so long as they made no effort to restore Protectionist doctrines, with the distinct understanding that when there arrived the' great consummation of nnited Australiathey would part a's generous opponents.

Mr Reid and Sir G. It. Bibbs followed. The debate is still proceeding. Sydney, May 17. Mr Reid, in replying to Sir Henry Parkes’ speech in the no-confidence debate* said Sir Henry’s alliance with Sir George* Dibbs was an unholy one. Sir Henry Parkes sat in the House on Monday in. silence until he saw there was a chance ofT disturbing the political situation, and. pirating himself back to power. Otherwise his duties as a member had no claims, upon him. He was a traitor to Freetrade,. and was dragging Federation from a highs national level into the mire of Party politics,, and making it a bone of contention. The true national issue at present was the placing of a portion of the public burdens on. the accumulated wealth of the country by direct taxation. Federation would be dealt with at the proper time, and in a true national spirit. All the venerable Conservatives had banded together to destroy the Government, because its proposals meant direct taxation. Sir George Dibbs said he was sanguine of Federation being carried, and, pendingthe decision of Federated Australia, the tariff should remain unaltered. Sweeping it away meant lessening work and wages,, and closing industries. He demanded a* policy of reciprocity. What the othercolonies wanted was the New South Wales market, and Freetrade would block Federation by giving them that. Sir George’s speech was a general attack on the policy of the Government. The House then adjourned. The latest estimate of the strength of parties, made by the Sydney Morning Herald, gives the Government a majority of between 20 and 30. The Labour Party has decided to vote for the Government. Mr Fergusson, one of its members, speaking in the debate, stated that if Sir Henry Parkes thought he could cram his policy down the throats of that party he* was mistaken. He had jilted them once; but was not likely to have a chance of jilting the present party. The latter would sink the fiscal question for the present occasion only.