Friday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 4 September 1885, Page 9

Friday.

In the House of Representatives yesterday, Major Atkinson said before moving his resolutions, he should like to ask the Government whether they would take the debate on the whole of the resolution! or would they desire to have a debate on each of the resolutions ? The Hon. R. Stout said it was a most extraordinary request for the leader of the Opposition to ask tha Government how he would move a no-confidence motion. Major Atkinson said he desired to save time by asking. If the Government did not wish to save the time of the country it was no fault of the Opposition. He then went on to describe the position of parties in the House and position of the Government in regard to their followers. Ha said the Government sac on the benches at the dictation of the Opposition, and were content to take back all their measures in obadience to the will of the House. Th« Opposition, ou tha contrary, had dove their best to assist the Government in currying out useful measures. They were too weak to carry a no-confidence motion against the Government, but were strong enough to compel the Ministry to take back all their objectionable measures. The Opposition therefore, feeling it was not desirable that only one set of men should remain in office, had considered whether it was not their duty to support any honest Government as against the present Ministry, and they weie willing to support either Mr. Ormond on Mr. Montgomery, or any member outside their own party that they thought would carry on the government of the country satisfactorily. They failed in this respect, however, and he thought that fact was very degrading, to tha Goverment especially. Such being tne position of the Opposition proper, they had to consider what their duty to the country was. He thought he was fulfilling the duty of the Opposition by proposing the resolutions he bad given notica of, and he considered they had a perfect right to direct the attention of the country to the extravagant proposals of the Government. If the Government desired to treat the resolution as one of want of oonfiience, let them do so. Whatever the issue was the Opposition would not shrink from the consequences. Mr. Macandrew said he desired to move an amendment that it was inexpedient that a discussion should take place on the Estimates in the form of a resolution, and that it is inadvisable to raise the question of a new loan till the necessity for such had been shown after the estimates had been discussed. He thought there were but few members in the House who did not agree with some of the resolutions, and probably with the whole of them. He thought it would be found practically that they would not exceed a million a year. He did not agree with the portion of the resolution as to the East and West Coast railway, as he considered the Government should some time ago have undertaken that work. As to the new loan, he was not aware the Government felt very strong on that point. He thought the member for Egmont was the last man in the House who should object to the proposals in regard to the North Island railway. As to ths reduction in expenditure, he reckoned it was absolutely impossible to reduce the Estimates this year by £30,000. He thought the resolution was not one for the House to consider at all. The question was whether the member for Egmont and his colleagues were to return to office. If he (Mr. Macandrew) thought that any change of Government would relieve the wretched condition of the countiy, he should vote most heanily for it. The amendment was put, and carried on a division by 51 to 39. The orders calling back three regiments of British troops from I Fgypt to England have been cancelled by the War Office. The troops, however, had already embarked, and now remain on board the transports waiting further instructions. Colonel Stanley, in a despatch to the Colonial Governors on the Federal Council Act, states that while unwilliDgto press New South Wales and New Zealand to join the Council, he trusts that they will be satisfied that there is no practical impediment to the federation, provided the Colonies all unite. He also expresses an opinion regarding the Pacific policy, in which he holds that it will be difficult to advance British interests there on account of the conflicting claim 8 of other powers. The Russian proposals relative to the Zulfikar Pass have been submitted to the Ameer.