House of Representatives.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 917, 9 October 1879, Page 2

House of Representatives.

The House met at 2.30. All business on the Order Paper was postponed, and the Imprest Supply Bill for £200,000, was passed through all its stages. " Mr. Hall stated that the Ministry formed consisted of Whitaker senior, Attorney-General ; Mi*. Hall^> Colonial Secretary ; Atkinson, Treasurer and Commisssioner of Customs; Oliver, Minister of Public Works ; Rolleston, Lands, Immigration, and Education; Bryce, Native Affairs; and Tomoana Maori Member of the Executive Council. That still left an office which would be filled as soon as possible. He then moved the House adjourn till Tuesday, to give time to prepare and bring down a policy. Montgomery and Macandrew opposed, the latter stating that as soon as Ministers took their seats he had an important motion to make. Mr. Wakefield said he had seen seven or eight Ministers go out of oflice, and had never known any objection of the kind being made. Mr. Sheehan moved that the House adjourn till Friday. • Mr. Reader Wood seconded the amendment. Hall said that what was wanted by the other side was to get a division at once, they knowing that a number of his supporters had gone away for a few days. If the other side had been anxious, as they professed to be, to go on with the business of the country, they would have resigned at once instead of leaving it from Friday till Monday. . Sir Geore Grey replied that the adverse vote was directed against the Ministry as constituted, and therefore he and his colleagues were justified m taking time to consider what they should do. Major Atkinson said that no matter how a resolution of the kind was worded, it was always understood to apply to the wliole Ministry. When he was defeated, though it was ten o'clock at night, he resigned the same night. After some further discussion Hall consented to adjourn till Friday but wished it to be understood he would not be prepared then to proceed with business. The House then adjourned till 2.30 to-morrow.