NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8052, 29 October 1897, Page 2

NO -CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

THE PREMIER'S CONNECTION WITH FOREIGN COMPANIES. SOME .STRAIGHT TALKING. [Parliamentaby Reporter.] Wellington, to-day. It has frequently been said that in politics the unexpected always happens, but never did the remark receive a more truthful exemplification than yesterday afternocm. It seemed to be understood that the financial debate was to be brought to a close before the House rose, but the Opposition leaders i had decided to move an adverse amendment, I and so close was the secret kept that when the Hon. Mr Rolleston took the floor at four o'clock, and indicated the nature of the amendment he intended to move, it fell like a thunderclap. When the House met at half-past two Mr Thompson (Maraden) resumed the debate, a large share of his remarks being devoted to the wants of the Roadless North of Auckland, and to fruit growing. Then came the surprise. Taking the floor the Hon. Mr Rolleston, in a calm and lofty speech, said that alt agreed that the debate had been unduly prolonged, and that the sooner it was brought to an end the better. He would not be doing his duty, however, unless he gave it a practical turn. He had not intended to speak, and he would now only express an opinion on one subject, and on that he would ask the House to express a definite opinion. That question was one upon which he believed a large majority of the House had already formed an opinion, and , there was no need for a lengthy debate upon it. It affirmed the principle, upon the maintenance of which he believed the purity of administration and the confidence of the public in the honor of our public men in the future would largely depend. His motion would be as follows :— " In the opinion of the House it is inconsistent with the principles which' should guide the administration of public affairs, that a Minister of the Crown should hold a position as director or adviser of syndicates or companies whose business is liable to bring them into relations with Departments' of the State." It was a matter, he thought, that should be dealt with at as early an opportunity as possible, and he ! wished the House could pass his resolution , unanimously. He asked the Ministers not to make the question one of party. He had I brought his motion forward on his own responsibility and not as one of a party. He made no charges of corruption, no personal attack, but he brought the matter toward as | one upon which the good of the Government largely depended. He hod no end to serve; ! but brought the question forward as one of ! public duty. ' Mr Massey seconded the amendment. ' The Premier said he "would not be acting ' courteously to the other side did he not | accept this motion in the spirit in which it | came. Coming from the source it did, he was forced, though he regretted it,- to accept it as a direct motion of want of confidence in the Government. '

Mr Fisher, who followed, vindicated himself against the charge of having been dismissed from the Atkinson Ministry, producing in support a speech written by Mr Scobie Mackenzie on an occasion when he (Mr Fisher) felt too agitated to defend himself on this charge. "Our George" then proceeded to deal with a gentleman who, he alleged, was in the pay of the National Association as a writer for the Conservative press. This individual, he said, was a " drunken swashbuckler," though it is well known that the journalist in question has been a total abstainer for two years. Mr Fisher's grievance, he explained, was due to a charge made against him by the person referred to that lie (Mr Fisher) had been confined in Hagey's Hebriates Institute at Auckland, ana he intimated that if he was further persecuted he wonkl ask Mr Speaker to exercise his prerogative by ordering the man's exclusion from the precincts of the House. Answering the assertion that he was about to again turn his coat politically, Mr Fisher said in conclusion, "In my support' of the present administration I won't waver till the end of

my. term as a member for this city." Mr G. J. Smith challenged the right of the Premier to say what resolutions other than those attacking the policy of the Government were to be taken as motions of nq-confidence, anil announced his intention of voting for the amendment. Answering, Mr Fisher's complaint regarding Messrs' Taylor, himself, and other supporters of the prohibition movement, the middle member for Christolmroh proceeded to read to the House correspondence following the institution of certain: beer prosecutions in Wellington, resulting in Mr Fisher's dismissal from the then Ministry, during which he was asked by the Speaker to show the relevancy of the matter to the no-confidence motion then engaging the attention of the House.

Mr Pirani, another of the Left Wingers, I took a similar view. The Premier saw sufficiently long ago that as a trustee of the people of the colony he ought to have retired from ,his connection with the AngloContinental Mining Company; He invited an explicit statement from the Premier that he would not accept a further position from a foreign mining company, and thus put an end to an opinion which was fast gaining force as to what the future intentions of the Premier might be. As to the Minister of Lands, ho claimed that that gentleman's connection with " the Advisory Board of another Company was due solely to his occupancy of the Treasury benches. Mr Frank Lawry made a good-humored characteristic speech,' claiming that Mr Piraui would be false to his election pledges in supporting any motion which would place members in a tight corner. The doctrine of. the amendment was that a patriotic Premier would be liable to become the tool of a foreign syndicate. "It's personal," inter- , jected Mr Seddon. "Yes," conbiuued Mr Lawry, " it is a downright personal attack. It cannot be construed into anything else." He charged the member for Bi'ccarfcon with jumping the position of the leader of the Opposition, and jeeringly asked Captain Bussell whether lie would submit to tb'e affront.

The strongest . speeches made last uight against the Premier's connection with the' Anglo-Continental syndicate were delivered by Sir Robert Stout and Messrs Taylor, Montgomery, audSligo.' The junior member for Christchurch, in the course of a cross personal attack on the Premier, said he would not be driven to the other side of the House, but would remain a Liberal.

A division was taken at 1 a.m. in the presence of a very full House, the amendment being negatived Yiy 38 to 32. Mv Roddy MoKtinzie moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to. The division list was as follows :— , Ayes (38). Seddon Duncan J. McKenzio Houston R. McKenzie, Millar B. Thompson Matman T. Thompson Field ' Hall-Jones Meredith Cad man Parata Lawry Fisher Graham Stevens Tanner Carroll Mills Kaihau Pere Wilson Guinness E. G. Allen AfcGownn- . Hofig Larnaoh - J. Hutcheson Carncross Morrison Holland Joyce Gilfedder ' O'Regan . O'Meara Noes (82). . „ Montgomery Lewis . Carson Herries Massey • . ' Lebhbvidge Bollard Hunter McLean Stout GJeo. Hutchisou KeJly Russell _ Crowther Buolittiian Bolleston Monk , Wright 3 irani McGriiii'e ! Lang Praser Wason J. W. Thomson Taylor At. J. S. Mackenzie ■ Smith fjligo ; Moore . Brown Allen Richardson