JUSTICE TO AUCKLAND.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10580, 8 October 1910, Page 1

JUSTICE TO AUCKLAND.

THE HOUSE ASSERTS ITSELF

ADVERSE VOTE TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

By' Telegraph,

(From Our. Own Correspondent.) i . • October 7. " The-cry of. justice for' Auckland was raised wiLh such.raucous persistence at tlie beginning: of the session that members from the> rest of New Zealand became properly indignant. To"-day they had an opportunity to mark their dis- ■ approval of a matter that lias been the subject of petition after, petition, namely the retention of the Auckland Government House, and they gave a deliberate vote against the retention. The matter, was brought up by Mr (i. W. Forbes,(Jthirumii), who moved on the consideration of the Estimates that the item of £SO placed on the Estimates for expenses incurred at Government House;. Auckland, should be reduced by £1 as an expression of opinion that the Civil List Act should be amended by striking out all reference to Government House, Auckland." He said that lie did not wish the Government, to faili in its obligations, but as long as the Auckland building remained, on the Civil List Act there was an obligation to maintain it. It might be'. thoughts advisable for the Governor to occupy it during his present term, but he was quite sure that the country; would' not tolerate its rebuilding,-and if it were removed from the Act this would not have to be done. Without] discussion the House grimly divided and the amendment was carried by 36 to 31, the item being reduced by £l. Later in the day, Mr Russell, speaking on a further item of £25 for the building, asked what the Government t intended to do in face of the previous motion. The Prime Minister said that the Government House at Auckland could ' be withdra wn honorably .only with the concurrence of the Homo Office and the Homo Office representative. The proposal to erect a university on the site of the Government House had been made under an agreement with the, Heme Office, that if it was adopted the' Governor should continue to "visit Auckland as often as he might have formerly. For that purpose a grant <f £ooo would have been made. However, that arrangement .had not been comb to now, and ho could hot go further than to say that meantime the circumstances had changed ' and the agreement no longer existed. The maintenance of the house "now was the only honorable ccursc. '' ' Mr F. M. 13. Fisher suggested that the" House had passed' the earlier motion i under a misapprehension and might now very gracefully reverse its vote in view of'the ; great historical value of the building. Mr. Forbes said that lie had not proposed to abolish the residence during the term of Lord Islington, but its rebuilding wotdd not bo tolerated. Mr Masspy said that "the idea of a motion in Committee of Supply binding Parliament was ridiculous. -It" : would be a different matter if the house required rebuilding, but. it'was sound. If. the necessity arose -the people of Auckland, would furnish the house. '' "The Prime Mmistcr-said that the offer had been made, but it had not been accepted, because the Government intended to do-the work. Mr Russell moved to reduce 'a further item on the subject by £2, but after> a tiresome discussion' the motion was defeated by 34 votes to 29.