PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3495, 18 June 1884, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

fßv Teleqeaph.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, June 17. The Council met at 2.30 pm. The Hon. Mr Oliver made a similar announcement to that of the Premier in the House regarding the dissolution. miscellaneous. The Criminal Code Bill and the Land Transfer Bill were discharge!, and all other business postponed, ADDEESSIN REPLY. Sir G. Whitmore withdrew his amendment to make the Address in Eeply only formal. . After some discussion the Address was passed. The Council rose at 4.30 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. notice of motion. Mr Whitaker gave notice he would move that the control of the New Zealand railways be vested in a Board of a non-political character. EEPLY TO QUESTION. In reply to a question put by Mr Smith, the Hon. Major Atkinson said that the Government would not go on with the appointment of Committees. They had some days ago desired to do so in order that business of local and pressing importance might proceed, but the proposal was negatived by the Opposition. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. Mr Smith moved, as an amendment to Major Atkinson’s motion, that they adjourn till to-morrow at 2.30 p.m., with the view of enabling them to go on with private work. Mr Fish spoke in strong terms of the unconstitutional nature of the course adopted by the Government. Af f or the vote on Thursday it was their duty to resign and throw the onus on the Opposition of forming a Government. He believed that the finances of the colony were in such a frightful state that Government was actually to give anyone an opportunity of enquiring into them. . ~ On the original motion for an adjournment till Thursday evening, Sir George Grey said that the course taken was a most irregular one. He could not credit what the Premier stated as to what took place between Ministers and the Governor. Ho believed that a representation had been made to the Governor that the Opposition desired a dissolution. He would ask the mover of the adverse , amendment to follow up his action by some such motion as this: —“ The House earnestly solicits the Governor to call to his counsels advisers possessing the confidence of the House.” That was the course he thought should be taken. He had no confidence in the Government who had threatened that three seats would be taken in Auckland from members who had gone against them. Such conduct was most irregular and should not be tolerated. After reviewing a number of abuses in the matter of land regulations, he stated that a person who had rendered good service in the colony and had earned the Victoria Cross, and was entitled to a small land grant had omitted to conform to some regulation, and on applying for his grant was told that it was his fault not to know the law. A Minister sitting on those Benches had, however, taken up some 30,000 acres of gum-bearing country, contrary to the law. He omitted a certain regulation necessary to complete his right, but in his case Government held that his ignorance of the law was excusable, and that Minister now sat upon the Benches unlawfully holding that enormous tract of land. He dwelt at length on the case of a man in Canterbury who had tried to purchase 26 acres of Government land but yet it was given to a rich runholder, under pretence of an application made 22 years ago. Mr Turnbull concurred in the conelusions drawn by the previous speaker. They had all along been taunted by the Premier that they could not form a Government, and here, when they were ready to do it, the Treasurer himself took steps to prevent their doing so. He had no hesitation in stating that the Treasurer was a most unscrupulous man, and he had no doubt but that Government would take advantage of its position to manipulate seats for its own supporters. He asked what they had logo to the country npon? Ho considered that the Governor had acted most unwisely, and had involved the country in a great expense at a most critical time. Ho had sent to the country with no issue before them, Mr Montgomery objected to the length of time asked by the Treasurer. Alluding to the course pursued by Sir George Grey in 1879, he read an extract from “ Hansard,” giving an assurance that a dissolution would take place within two days after prorogation, and the writs bo made returnable within thirty days thereafter. The Treasurer now asked for sixty days, and ho hoped that would not be agreed to. The Hon Major Atkinson pointed out that in 1879 the elections did not take place all in one day, and the conditions wore otherwise altered, consequently he could not take upon himself to carry out elections in less than the time asked for.

The motion for on adjournment to Thursday was put and carried on the voices, and the House adjourned at 4.50 p.m. till Thursday at 7.30 p.m.