PARLIAMENT.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 199, 31 July 1896, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF EEPEESENTATIVES.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

Wellington, July 29. Just before the Speaker left the chair at half-past five, the Leader of the Opposition gave notice of the following motion for Friday next:— 11 That the administration of the Government has been unsatisfactory; that while they have professed to have abstained from borrowing, the public debt has increased between 81st March, 1891, and 81st March, 1896, by £4,928,581; that, in seizing the sinking funds of the local bodies they have diver u ed the intention of the Loans to Local Bodies Act, and they have used for the purpose of revenue the capital sums especially provided for the purpose of repaying these loans, and are depleting the Land Transfer Assurance Fund for a similar purpose ; that the alteration in the Customs and Excise Duties Aot, 1895, passed by the Government, has imposed further taxation upon the people and increased the charges upon the necessaries of life."

The Premier at once rose to say that the motion was one of direct want of confidence in the Government, and he could not proceed with business till it was disposed of. He charged Captain Bussell with tabling it so that members who had not got in their speeches on the financial debate could now make them.

Captain Russell retorted that he was not surprised at the manner in which the motion had been treated. (Laughter.) He had asked that it be taken on Friday, so as not to interfere with privileges of private members. However, in response to the wishes of the Leader of the House he would move it at half-past two the following day. In moving the adjournment of the House till that-hour, the Premier said the allusion to sinking fund was a species of bird lime to oatoh one or two members.

The motion for adjournment was unanimously agreed to.

(Hawera Morning Post.) Capain Russell, after questions and notices of motion were disposed of, proceeded to move his motion of no confidence. The galleries were all full, especially the ladies' gallery. The Leader of the Opposition said the Government had been in office five years, and their administration was conspicuous for failure all round. Mr Seddou had restricted the liberty of Parliament, and had exercised the powers of an autocrat. He had taken the control of the legislative officers, and put the charwoman to the rout, Ministers had evaded the law of the country and parliament by appointing the Sergeant-at-Arms in defiance of the Disqualification Acts. Ministers had stuffed the civil service, and had saddled up the country with nearly £5,000,000 of additional debt. They had seized the Sinking Fund, bled the Insurance Department, and corrupted most of those who were in the public service, and Parliament itself had degenerated. He charged the Lands Department with being a huge failure. There was positively no colonial defence worth the name. He (Captain Russell) had tabled the motion of noconfidence to give the people of the colony an opportunity of being informed as to the shortcomings, the misconduct, and the mischief done by the Administration.

The Premier replied in a characteristic speech. He defied the Opposition to maintain the position their leader had taken up. He protested against the No-confidence Motion as an obstruction of public business. The Government, in dealing with the sinking fund of the local bodies loans, had acted under the advice of the Law Officers. He denied the charges made by the Opposition, and defied their attempts to hoodwink the country. He concluded an impressiue speech by repeating the claims on the electors of the Colony. Dr Newman follows, then Mr Hogg, then Sir Robert Stout.