PARLIAMENT [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1863, 14 June 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENT [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

THURSDAY. The Ho l&e met at half-past seven p.m. Major Atkinson resumed the debate on Mr Suttons addition to the Addiess-m-Reply, asking the Governor to dissolve Parliament. Up could make every allowance for the other &ides eagerness on fiuding themselves in a temporary majonty. 16 was only a temporary majority. lie would examine into the nature of the vote, and see how far it was a fair one When examined, lie contended that it would redound more to the credit of the Government than to that of the Opposition. Practically no charges had been made deserving of the condemnation that had followed. Mr Steward was employed in his official capacity, against his will, to move the motion. There was nothing to prevent any member tabling such a notion ; but a recognised leader had also tabled a similar motion, and, as he had to make a choice, he was quite entitled to do as he had. done. Government was not bound to accept any such motion, more than it was bound to accept an ordinary motion. He congratulated the House on the moderation of the debate. Government, however, had a right to ask that the indictment should be made by a man well known as a recognised leader. The charge as made was too vague. The only thing said against the lands adminis ( tratiou was that more people shonlcl have been settled than had been. When the Opposition got into office he contended they would not be able to show a better result. No charge was made against the administration of nathe affairs. Practically Mr Steward had nothing to say against finauce. They were told that taxation was not fair, but they did not say how. "A progressive land tax was proposed instead of a property tax, but Ino reason in support 'of that contention wa3 given. Time after time the House had affirmed the property tax instead of a, land tax. In the public works administation a , similar .absence ol indictment, , waa shown. The railway raijes, were referred to, and, they were, told that raising these ( was imposing ji tax without the authority pi [the House; 'No such position cqnlci he for > f riioraent;. r Ttfey; . were tioltf they Jiai"'ttoV ; j>ttBh;ed' Qft*'B«bU<>

works fast enohgh. When they saw tHa } accounts it would be found they had ' pushed them on rather too fast for their finance. The deficiency in revenue was spoken of in a manner which showed tho accounts had not been properly looked into. Had payments been delayed the deficit would ha\c been considerably less instead of being greater. The deficit wat at least reduced in this way £10,000. They had made every possible payment instead of delaying such payment until after the accounts were closed. There being no charge he could not possibly bfl expected to defend them. They were , charged with not passing their^ bills. The fact was they were charged in the same breath with forcing through billa whether the House would have them or not. He did not know how to reconcile these two accusations. The fact was the Government carried a large portion of its bills, and put more on the Statute Book than any Government ever did. He meant to press his national insurance scheme, and he believed the time would come when he would succeed in that endeavour." If that scheme for averting pauperism was not acceptable, he asked those by whom he had been twitted on the point to propound a better scheme than national insurance. The bill of indictment was too general, and without anything like point. Major Atkinson then referred to Mr Wakefield's speech, in which the gravest charge appeared to be that the Government was in a minority. He also referred to articles in the TimarU Herald and othei papers pointing to the member for Selwyn as the future leader of the present Opposition party. He then referred to the improvement in the financial state of the colony sinoft the Government took office in 1879. The native question ha \ also improved. They were uo>v surveying a line through country they dare not then enter upOL\ As regarded settlement, uudeJ no Ad« ministration lias more been done than was done by this Government. The electoial laws had also been largely impio\ed. It was said these matters had j been forced on them. It was no matter ; the woik had been done, and that was enough for his present contention. Regai ding Federation he regretted that he had not been able to visit the centres of population to give the views of Government on the subject. The Home Govern* ment was unable to give proper attention to matters closely affecting us. The Fiench weic extending their possessions in tli esc seas. They proposed to pour in 1 \rge herds of convicts who would only be detained for a few years. He knew that the labour traffic was depopulating many of these islands, and the convicts would be sine to spread over them. In that case they had a duty to the inhabitants of these islands. They \\ ere bound to see that they were pieservcd, so as to carry on trade with us. They were bound to take their share of the cost of preserving law and oi dor in these island*. The home Government told them that they would not hear any colony separately on the subject. A ioiut action in the matter was invited. He contended that they were houud to assist the home Government in stopping illegal practices, and consequently they aie bound to join in a total cost. T'-e Australasian colonies had a population of 3,000,000, and a revenue of £20,00l),000, and Great Britain natui ally asked : Aie these colonies not to contubute something towards their piotection ? He claimed that union was ucccisaiy fot defence in the event of foreign invasion. They must do their duty as a paitof the Empire. He was a thoiough believer in this movement— on tins, if on no other ground, self-in-teiest. He next refened to the boasted unity of the Opposition. The fact was that the wiid unity was so very slender fclufc they were afraid to postpone their motion for a couple of clays for fear of falling asunder. This showed good sense. They knew it was resting on a lotten foundation. It had been stated that the Opposition leaders had bound tliem&ehes not to take office until they had gone to the country. That showed a most extraoidinary state of affaiis, and it was worth notice by the country that Government had been displaced by an Opi osition which had not a man in its midst in whom it had sufficient confidence to trust him to form a Government. When they went to the count! y. he did not believe that the result would bring about much of a change. Sir G. Grey would probably have a few more followeis, and Mr Montgomery piobably a tew less. That was about all the change that would be produced. The falling oil in the price of wool had been laid to the charge of the Government. Well, the fact was that a good prosperous year produced feelings in favour of Government, and a bad year brought about a very bad Government. If wool went up he had no doubt their successors would be a good Government. The Roads and Biidges Act had been alluded to as a failuie. It was really a great success. It was a mere machineiy Act, and did not provide money. It said, such moneys, up to a certain sum as they could spate, should be divided. It was only meant to distribute such money as the House determined should be spent. The money voted last year was spent under the Act, The majoiity of nine, by which the Government was defeated last night, was singularly made up. The two reasons for this majority were on account of the Canteibuvy railway tariff and the attempt on thp pait of Government to stop speculation in native lands. The estimated railway revenue last year was £380,000, but they found that it was rapidly falliug off, and the result would have been that it would have been as low jib £300,000. They said to themselves, the grain rate must be raised. They knew that its raising would lose them the Canterbury vote, but they reasoned that it was better to lose political support than lose a large amount, some £50,000, to the public revenue. They had to decide whether theiailways should be made to pay below three per cent,, or else impose a serious loss on the colony. Canterbury felt that as its railways yielded at the rate of five per cent., they should get the advantage, and the rest of the colony suffer. No doubt Canterbury felt that an injustice had been done, but while he could not blame them, he felt that it was rather a narrow view they had taken. Six of the majority of nine votes were accounted for in that way. It could not be said that these men had joined the Opposition. Then there were two left Government on account of the Native Land Bill. They had parted friends. This was all Captain Morris objected to, and he had no right to believe but that they would yet work side by side again. The member for Waipa objected that the liberal measures had been forced upon them at second hand. He wondered what Sir Frederick Win taker would say when he heard that. He believed that Mr Whitaker had left them in reality on account of the Native Land Bill. The member for Hawke'a Biy had also voted with fche Opposition, not for any real love for them. Others had gone over in a similar way, and it would be found that in one and all of these cases the change would not be a happy or a permanent one. They were told that all that was wanted was an ap» peal to the country. He did not know whether that wish would be gratified or not, but this he would predict, if they did they would come back in better condition than they were. Government could quit office with the certainty that the work they had done would ;be re» membered for a long time to come/ with gratitude by the country. , , „j SirG, Grey denounced the, Premier for 'the flippant style he had adopted at a time < of commercial distress, and a great crisis in their affairs. It was a. disgrace to the House. Parliament had said they had not confidence in them, and th«y should have ceased to exlfrfc as a Government, , t After that vote, to hold office was a mere 'subterfuge, and a lnost^iinworthy] /.act?. 1 was ".sai'd no cnarjje had' been jnade again.sfe thetn. He charged them with having robbed the colony oi ita hridi Ms squandered %k%

revenues .tojienefit the .estates of. their friends. He charged them with filling offices of State with their friends. He charged them with supporting a libellous newspaper," defending a libeller, and making 'the r puUic pay the cost. He charged them with having allowed native lands to be improperly acquired, with having dragged innocent people to the bar of the House for punishment . with having given a favourite bank undue license with the public funds ; with having spent money on public works for the j purpose of gaining political support. He charged them with occupying seats they had no right to occupy, and he asked that steps be taken for their instant renioval. These were charges, and he made them openly. He never heard of the pledge not to* take office until they had gone to the country. There was a feeling that the present state of things was unfair. It was a reign of terror. He deprecated the attack on Mr Wakefield. The proposal to go to the country was a most commendable one, and yet Government had tieated it in a most careless manner. They, as an Opposition, had come prepared to hear the Premier make a short explanation as to what he intended to do, and w hat had they done ? The utmost offence and abuse poured out on them. They had no right to stop one moment on those benches. The House had told them that they should not occupy them. He asked those persons acting with him to bury past animosity, and unite as one man for the future in promoting the public good, and he pledged his woid that he would do nothing to stir up past differences, and thus united to strive to redeem the acts of the Government. They would try to rescue some of the money of which the public had been robbed, and place taxation on the pioper shouldeis. By that means they hoped to pre\cnt New Zealand from being a land of p.uipeiiMii, or what was equally bad, the slavery of National Insurance scheme, and by dii.t' of education and fair adTfiiaistration, place them on the footing of honest, indnstiious men. Mr Brjrc had gone to Fauhaka on a v bite horse, and undci a, special law they had imprisoned natives for a few months, and now they weic back theie again. Where was this vaunted change for the better ? The Rusden affair was next refeiredto, and he (Sir Geo. Grey) gave the version supplied by the despatches, and compaied it with the veision of the transaction given by the natives themselves. A number of children had been killed by sabre cits, and when he asked that the skulls of these childieu should be examined to see how far it was the truth, for that he was held up by the Minister of Justice as sympathising with the falsehoods of Rusden. He contended the proceeding was most unfair. If the state of the natives was so good, how was it that when the native chiefs were going to England recently they did not go to the Government, but went to him (Sir Geo. Grey) for counsel and advice ? The fact was there was a discontent everywhere. What about the pension of the chief Rewi, and that of the East Coast chief, Ropata, who said, "You may take my pension, but you cannot make hip disloyal." Which of these men was the gi eater of the two— the man that took away the pension, or the native who could speak in the^eteuns ? He denied that the hind question had been satisfactorily dealt with. The fact tliat sufficient land had not been open was alluded to, and a variety of instances in point quoted. He asked them to devise some means for giving effect to the motion passed last night. The piescnec of the piet>ent Go verntnent on the Benches was contrary to constitutional practice. As lie understood it, the desiie of the House was that an appeal should be made to the country without delay. Mr Bryce sa:d that the question of the Address in-Reply not having been disposed of, .Sir G. Giey had no light to say that Government held their position unconstitutionally. Government did not intend to inteipose any obstacle to the constitutional pioceduie. Under the circumstances he argued that Sir O. Giey's conclusions were wrong. When the Address was agreed to Government would no doubt ask a shoit adjournment to consider their position. He conciured in the opinion that the debate had been conducted with fairness and moderation. He congratulated Sir G. Giey on lm high-bied sentiments, whether that gentlemen felt them or not. He was surprised to hear that Sir G. Grey could recognise no improvement wi ought in native affairs. It was well known that improvements had been effected in the aspect of affaiis on the West Coast. Regarding the King Countiy, the places which then were closed weie now being surveyed for the making of loads and bridges. That also indicated an improvement. Regarding the Rusden aflair he said he had taken action with the view of getting the whole matter fail ly investigated. Mr Sutcon asked leave to withdraw his amendment, which was refused on the voices. The House divided on the amendment : Ayes, 7 ; noes, 67. Dv Newman's motion, that a reply be Bent to His Excellency, was then agieed to, and Mr Steward, Mr DoLautour, Mr O'Callaghan, and Mr Levestam were appointed a committee to prepare the reply. On their bringing up the report Mr Whitaker spoke briefly in reply to certain remaiks made by Major Atkinson in personal reference to himself. Major Atkinson also said a few woids. The Address was then lead a second time, and agreed to. The House adjourned at twenty-five minutes to one a.m. until to-morrow at half-past two.

FRIDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Shortly after, the Speaker, accompanied by Messia Steward and Levestam, and a large number of membeis, proceeded to Government House and piesented the Address-in-Reply. The Governor piomisccl to give the matter his most serious consideration, as he fully recognised the necessity for his advisers possessing the confidence of the House. Major Atkinson at once moved the adjournment of the House till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, when he would be prepared to 3tate what course Ministers intended to take.