SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

TT ,T-« T vrr> (Tills Afternoon, 9.U HIGH \.ATfcR— ( To-morrow Morning, 9.13 SUN SET.—This Evening, 6.23 SUN RISE.— To-morrow Morninsr, 0.0 MOON'S AGE.—L-iJt Quarter, 30th, 2 am.

ARRIVALS.

Taupr>, 5.3., Carey, from tho'South, vis Napier, Gisborne, and Tanranga

DEPARTURES.

Pretty Jane, s.s., for Gisborne

PROJECTS DEPARTURES.

For Taumr.srs and the South, T^aipo, s.s., Tues day, 3ft h inst. For RusselS Taupo, s.s., 23th hist., 5 p.m. For Louden—Columbus, barqna, early: City o£ Auckland, ship ; Famonoth, ship, oarly For Taoranga and the South—Kovvena, three times a fortnight. For Port Clialniera—Star oc the South, s.s. this day For (Sisborno—Go-ahead, s.s., noon to-morrow iSs-'curdaTi For 'STewcasUe—Especuiador, barque, early

The George Noble, barquentine, with a cargo of 3!u<ar from Mauritius, consigned to Dalgety, Nlchblls and Co., arrived at Lyttelton on Satuc dsv. the 201 h inst. 'The schooner Torea arrived at Lyttelton from Picron on Satui day. the 20th inst. The 5.3. Tanpo arrived in harbour early this r.-!ornin-^ from the South via the East Coast, She left Dunedni on the 20th inst at 5 p.m., arrived at Lytteltoii 21st inst. left on the 22nd, and arrived at Wellington on the 23rd. left the •same day. and arrived on" Napier on the 21th. Sailed after stopping two hours, and arrived at 'Gisborne on the 25th. Left the same day for Tauranjra. arriving or. the morning of the 26th. Left for Auckland last nigh*, and arrived at 9 a.m. to-dsj". Had fine weather to Napier, 'tV.eace FTrrng head winds and heavy seas. Passengers Airs Austin and two children, Mrs Morris and child, Mrs. Jordon, Mrs Har rington, Mrs Long, Mrs Craw, Messrs. Jewetey, H-iyt, -Aekroyd, Hampton. Tregoning, Blate fo;\J, Sneddi n, Wilson, Hill, Heale, King, Haines, Smith, Harrington, "Wren, Seymour, Trimmer. Judge Symrnds, McLeod. Austin, Bond, Hardmar, Clark, Farrell, Hall, Tarney.

KAIPARA SHIPPING.

3rrival3 for the past week.—Ellerton, Saxon, and Wild Wave, brig., from Auckland; Ethel, brigramine. from Dunetim: German schooner Stella Mari.-, from Auckland; barque Chira, from Me!bourne.

Vessels in port loading.—Schooners Isabelle, Sarah and Mary, Ellerton, Saxon. Ethel, Stella Alaris, brig Wild "Wave, and barque Chira.

Vessels bar bound at the Heads.—Barque Stag, brig Thomas and Henry. Brigantines— Exonia, ""Elizabeth, Anmo HiU. Schooners— Marmion. and Elizbeth Conway. Barquentine Priace Alfred.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as Under : For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p.m., and on Monday next, at 9.30 a.m., ai.d 5.30 p.m. For Coromandel, per Arcyle, on Monday next at 11.30 a.m. For Gisborne, per Go-ahead, this day, at 4 p.m. For Russell and Kawa Kawa, per Taupo, thi3 day, at 5 p.m. 'For Russall, Kawa Kawa "Wangaroa, and Mon g-onui, per loan, en Monday next, at i p.m. For Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Southern Pro vinces, and Australian Colonies, per Taupo, on Tuesday next, at 3 p.m. "Wangarei Heads. Waipti, Wangarei, and Mangapai, per Argyle, on Tuesday next, at I p.m. "For Taranaki and Southern Provinces, per Wanaka. immediately after the arrival of the City of Sydney from Honolulu. "For Australian Colonies, per City of Sydney, immediately after her arrival. S. B. EIS3. Chief Postmaster.

BIRTH.

SUCH.—On tho 27th October, at her residence, OnehuDf<a, the wife of W. Such of a son.

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo."

SATURDAY. OCTOBER 27, 1877.

Foi ths ccusc that lucks assistance, For the future in trr dUtance,

A-£»;i t£tc jzodd tsH*t '«"C (zst iis

The full telegraphic reports of the debate in the House last night on Major Atkin son's want of confidence motion, will be perused with great interest by our readers. Major Atkinson's speech probably embodies all that could be said in support of the extraordinary and unseemly course which he has chosen to take, but it will be generally admitted that tho series of complaints urged against the new Government constitute a very poor ease, Summed up, it all amounts to this, <

and Major Atkinson virtually admits it, that whereas he ■was hi office, and now he is out, and means to do his very utmost to get himself again saddled on a grateful and patient country. Question of policy there is none ; and any remarks on the constitu] tion of the new Ministry and the ability of its members surely come with a very bad grace from a politician who was hoisted from bucolic pursuits in a small way to the control of the Exchequer of the colonr, by a series of circumstances which, if vre did not see the evidence before us, we could hardly believe possible under representative responsible govern ; ment. Major Atkinson had the temerity ;to twit Sir George Grey with not having entered upon the formation of a Ministry by the will of a majority of the House." Forsooth, the successive shufflings ■of portfolios which gave the member for Egmont a nominal Premiership, under the patronage of Mr Whitakcr, were carried out without even consultation with the House, and wholly irrespective of its wishes". In marked contrast with the miserable at tack of the lender of the Opposition, is the statesmanlike reply of Sir George Grey. Applying himself to the various elements which must go to make up a broad colonial policy, he shewed how affairs financial and administrative had been muddled ill the past, how hopelessly confused the new Government found them after taking office, and then sketched the results which Ministers hoped to attain by the applica tion of wise reforms. To review in detail the proposals of the new Govern ment would require more room than our space, overburdened with the reports of the speeches, leaves at our dis posal. But we think the true note which must yet ling through New Zealand was struck by the Premier, in his reference to measures designed to make the Parliament express the will of the people of the colony. This is the true fulcrum upon which all liberal and free institutions, be their form what they may, must turn. We say unhesitatingly that the Gene-, ral Assembly does not represent the people of New Zealand, and until the array of class interests, the scheming for per sonal and district advantages, and for oflice, are kept down by the constant pressure of public opinion, exercised at short intervals through the ballot boxes, the best disposed ministry will have to make large conces sions of principle to political expediency. Traces of these concessions are not absent from the Premier's speech, but the broad current flows in the right direction. The revelations concerning colonial finance fully bear out the reports which have gained currency respecting the heaviness of the colony's pressing liabilities, and this, if there were no other reason, warrants that the new Go vernment should be permitted to develop its proposals. But there is another matter, and, to us in the North Island, one of the utmost moment. Sir George Grey holds out a prospect of being able peaceably to root out that nest of murderers and native malcontents who form a constant danger to our frontier settlements. This hope is con firmed very emphatically by Major Te "Wheoro, the most trusted agent of Sir Donald McLean and the late Government in the "YVaikato. Let the lust of place and pay among members of the late Ministry and the leeches of their party stand in the way of such a consummation as that, and the people of the North Island would be justified in rising en masse to gain for the country that consideration of its vital interests which appears to be tin attainable in the present parliament.

Our Coromandel telegram, giving a report of the Tokatea meeting, also the Police report, racing entries, etc., appear on the fourth page to-day.

The entries for the Prince of "Wales Cup handicap, 150 yds. and 600 yds., to be run at Ellerslie Gardens, on the19th. November, will be received this evening by the Secretary, Mr. J. Brown, at the Thames Hotel, until 8 o'clock. Entries sent in by letter must contain entrance fee, colours, and a list of the previous performances of the candidate.

" We are informed by the dispatches that the Grand Duke Nicholas is about to inflict ' a severe blow on Sulieman Pasha's rear.' If it is not too late, and the Grand Duke will be advised, says the " San Fran cisco Post," we would suggest that a pair of those new alligator leather shoes, with double-deck soles, would enable the Russian heir-apparent to strike a blow of the requi site emphasis and having something left over. We are not advised as the vulnera bility of the Pasha, so to speak, but if he has been riding any army mules recently, as is probably the case, it would be difficult to imagine a more eifrcient weapon than the one suggested. A whole army corp pro vided with boots of the above description could be relied upon to accelerate a Turkish retreat in a surprising manner. Our in formation on this subject can be relied upon. We endeavoured to negotiate for a pair of these shoes on long time in a Kearney-street store the other day. The proprietor wore a pair."

The popularjjplay of the " Shaughrshm " was chosen as a drawing performance for the benefit night cf Mr Charles Wheatleigh last evening, but the audience was not numerous. Those, however, who witnessed Conn and his companions in tin's spirited drama were well satisfied, and evinced their gratification by cheers. A change of programme has been made for this evening, and Boucicault's successful play of the " Octoroon." will be presented : and on Monday evening next Miss Mary Loduiski Young will make her first appearance in " Strathmore."

A meeting of the Indian Famine Com mittee was held in the Mayor's room yes terday afternoon. Present : His Worship (in the chair), Messrs Daldy, Stevenson, Waddel, Cosgrave, and Thompson. The Chairman informed the Committee that lie had received £10 10s. from Mr Justice Gillies, and that he had remitted £500 to the Lord Mayor of the city of London on account of the Famine Fund. Mr F. G. Ewington, the honorary secretary, said that £622 had been raised by the lists, and only a few of the lists had been returned to him. Mr liattray was elected a member of the Committee. A discussion followed on the propriety of an out-door fete in the Govern ment House grounds, and a calico ball; and His Worship was requested to take the matter in hand, and telegraph to Welling ton for the use of the room and grounds ; Mr_ Waddell to seek Mr Wheatleigh's assistance in the proposed fete. After some further conversation, the meeting was ad journed until Monday next.

In obedience to an established custom of the London Sunday School Union, there will be special services in the afternoon in the Sunday Schools of Auckland, and a prayer meeting at the close of the evening service.

We would call the g attention of our readers to the list of prizes offered by the committee of tho Working Men's Horticul tural Exhibition which will be found in another column. This is the more necessary as we believe some alterations in favour of exhibitions have been made since our last issue. We have also been requested to state that the entries for Mr Swanson, M.H.R. prizes for best kept Working Men's gardens, may be made to Mr D, Goldie, at his office Custom House-street any time during next week, or to Mr L. H. Green, but no entry can be received after 4 p.m. of Saturday the 3rd of November next.

Particulars of Sunday services are announced in our third pago. The people's evening service will be held at the iisuai 1 hour in the Theatre Royal. Rev A. Garrick will preach in Dr Wallis's Kirk to-morrow evening, on behalf of the Indian Famino Fund. The anniversary services of the Newton Con gregational Sunday-school will be held to morrow. Preachers : Rev J. Robertson, and Rev R. Taylor; afternoon address by Rev Allan Webb.

A meeting of Colonial-born marksmen will be held "this evening, in the Drill-shed, for the purpose of selecting a team of Volunteers for the coining International contest.

The time for receiving entries for the Agricultural and Pastoral Association Show is extended until Friday next at 1 o'clock. Several additional classes have recently been added. These include first and second grades of three-year-old bulls and heifers of the Shorthorn "and Hereford breeds, and also one for the best draught entire foaled since August, 1574. The Committee are working hard to make the show a success. At a meeting of creditors held yesterday in the office of Messrs Dignan and Arm strong, in respect of the estate of Messrs Mofnin ;,nd Smith, livery-stable keepers, it was stated that the liabilities were £666, of which £344 were secured; assets, £556. Mr Barton Ireland was in the chair, and after some discussion it was determined that the estate should be assigned to Messrs Yates, Potter, and Webster for the benefit of the creditors.

The Auckland Sunday-school _ Union advertise a series of prayer meetings, to commence this evening at 7.30, in the Baptist school-room, Wellesley-street. The Union has been established several years, and has done a very large amount o good. Air I. Levy, the energetic tailor, has made various improvements in his premises, and draws attention in an advertisement to the class of goods now offering at his establish ment.

Messrs Topham and Angus will com mence operations on their section of the Waikato Railway on Monday. Their con tract extends from Ngaruawahia to Mamil tion, and Ohaupo. This linn have under taken some big jobs in the South, and have invariably given the most complete satis faction. Those who are calling out for fresh works to be undertaken for the benefit of the unemployed will now have their longing satisfied. We hear that although nearly 50 men have been en gaged, there is work for as many more if they only come forward.

Messrs Larkyns and O'Brien are making their mark at the Newmarket end of their section of the Auckland and Kivcrhcad rail way. Within the last few days they have carried their operations ri'iht through the Manukau-road, which has had to bo cut to the depth of about 6ft. to get the required level. The crossing is about 200 yards on the Parnell side of the Itoyal George i.otel. The cutting has stopped the direct tr^inc for a few days, and omnibusses ami other vehicles have to go round by|Tuylor's quarry. The road at the point of intersection is very much depressed, and the earth taken from the cutting is Ixing used to raise this to something like the average level of the road.

The Dunedin telegram says : —" A ,well knowu l'riiices-street firm has been summoned to appear at the Police Court, to ansv/cr a charge of breach of the Female Employment Act, 187b"."

Loss of the Auckland Ketch Clan Alpine.

All Hands Drowned. ;

(From Our Own Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, this day. Captain Thompson, of the ketch Unity, on arriving at Lyttclton, reported having passed some wreckage six miles oil" Stoney hurst, belonging apparently to a vessel of thirty to forty tons. Last evening the schooner Herald arrived at Wellington from Lyttelton, and reported the foundering of the schooner Clan Alpine, at sea, just about the spot indicated in Captain Thompson's report. There is no reasonable doubt that all hands have perished. Captain Mackay, of the schooner Herald, states that the Herald and Clan Alpine sailed from Lyttclton on Tuesday last, the Clan Alpine bound for Hoki tika -with a cargo of potatoes, and the Herald for Wellington. The two yes-els kept pretty well together during the night, the Herald drawing steadily ahead. The wind was fresh from S.S.W. nearly dead aft for the run up the coast. About four o'clock next morning the two ves sels were off Stoneyhurst, the Herald leading about twelve mile.* to leeward. She was th>.n under single can vass. The Clan Alpine was plainly visible carrying a heavy press of canvass. Slid" denly both vessels were struck by a terrific squall from the S.W. The Herald ex perienced difficulty in taking care of their vessel, and when the squall parsed they could see no sign of the Clan Alpine. The Herald bore to the spot where the schooner disappeared, aud saw no sign?. The conclu sion come to was that the schooner capsized through press of canvass. The squall was followed by|a continuous gale and high sea. The Herald was obliged to proceed on her course. The Clan Alpine is a schooner of forty tons register, and was owned in Auckland. In Coromandel by Captain James Smart,

The crew consisted of Mr Peacock, mate ; two seamen, one Henry Oldg_ate, aged twenty-two, single ; the name of the other is unknown.

The 'following T/as the car^o o the Clan Alpine :—2O s.icks wheat. 20 do. oat?, 30do. bran, 23 loose chete, 5 sacks oatmeal, -10 tons potatoes, 3 cases hams and bacon, 1 ke^s butter. The whole being shipped by -Mr P. Dec.

WELLINGTON, this day, [PER PRESS AGENCY.]

Captain Mackay of the schooner Herald, reports having left Lyttelton the same time as the Clan Alpine, which was laden with produce, principally potatoes for the West Coast. On Wednesday morning about 4.15 the Herald was about 12 miles to leeward of the Clan Alpine, and six miles from Stoneylmrst when a sudden squallcame up from the S. S. E. The Clan Alpine was under gaff topsail and main topsails, and staysail, and the Herald was under single reeled canvass, the glass being very low, 29.50, After the squall the Clan Al pine could not be seen. The Herald was too much to leeward to get up to the spot, but waited about an hour and could see nothing. It is supposed there were four men on board.

PARLIAMENTARY.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPON

DENT.)

WELLINGTON, this day. IMPORTANT AMENDMENT BY MR REYNOLDS. When the House met Mr Reynolds stated that he would move an amendment on Major Atkinson's motion, to the following effect : " That as the Govern ment have not yet declared their policy, this House declines in the meantime to entertain the motion of confidence or no confidence in the Ministry." This amendment is sure to be carried, and Major Atkinson's political career will be killed outright. WANT OF CONFIDENCE MOTION.© Major Atkinson on rising to propose th Juotion standing in his name began by call ing upon the Premier to assist him in bring ing the motion to an issue if he really had that high notion of the wisdom and augusjbnes s of the House which he proposed to have. He did not mean to spsak at great length, but would content himself with assigning two or three reasons why the House should vote in the direction he de-ired. In the first place he maintained that Sir George Grey was not the head of the Government by the vote of a majority of the members. Although it was true a majority had voted against the late Govern ment lie was quite sure that that majority . would not have existed had it been known that Sir George Grey was to become ' Premier. This being so he would ask the . hon. gentleman whether he desired to ( occupy that position when he was challenged and told that he did , not possess the confidence of the Houso. He -would put it to him whether it would '

become him to accept the amendment pro-' posed by Mr Reynolds, or whether it would not be mere manly to come to the definite issue at oice, and ascertain whether he did or did not possess the confidence of the House. But even granting that he had obtained his position bj a small majority, it was evident that he had failed to form such a Ministry' as could command their confidence. Why were the best men of his | own party left out in the cold ? Why was I nob Mr Montgomery Colonial Treasurer, and Mr Rees Attorney-General? Then look at the arrangements in another place ? Coloßel Whitmore had distinctly stated that lie assumed the position of Colonial Secretary with reluctance. Although a fortnight had elapsed since the Govern ment had taken office, the whole of the scats of the Ministry were not filled up. Another reason why an expression of dis trust should be recorded was that the Gov ernment had already departed from some of the cardinal points of its policy. The hon. the Premier in his address on taking office, had promised a thorough sifting and investigation into the finances of the colony; all the misdeeds of the late Governments were to be exposed, and lie was prepared, if necessary, to defy the House, and retain office until that had been done. The finances were to be placed in a perfectly clear and simple light. If the hon. gentle man could do this, he should be one of the ' first to congratulate him. He himself had tried his best to do the same. * He (the Premier) had also undertaken that the public works should be carried on with I economy and renewed vigour, avoiding the ■ errors of former Governments. How had the hon. gentleman proceeded to give effect ■to these promises. These two departments, ! public works, and finance, which according ito the hon. gentleman, wanted such ! immediate reform, either one of -which, as ! he (the speaker) knew from personal experi ence was sufficient to tax: the 1 energies of any ordinary man, he had com -1 mitted to the charge a gentleman entirely i inexperienced, and who had only evinced | the most languid interest in the affairs of j the House. It was evident from this, that ' the hon. gentleman was not aware of the magnitude of the task he had undertaken, and it must be exceedingly doubtful to the ' House whether Mr Larnach was competent to perform the duties of the two offices. ! What right had they to think of a leader who made such an appointment ? Thercsulfc of it was already patent in the delay which i had taken place in bringing down the Financial Statement. It had been post ' poned no less than four times, and now it stood adjourned for a week to enable the Premier to ascertain the facts relating to finance. This showed that the hon. gentle man had completely misunderstood the ; magnitude of his task. The facts of the ! finances of the colony were patent to every one, as they were published as audited. i They were ready to his hand. Had the hon. 1 "entlemnn told them he wanted time to device I some scheme to surmount the difficulty I caused by abandoning part of the revenue ! which he (the Speaker) had intended to • use, he could have understood the position. I But even then there c#uld have been no i good ground for delay. Tho hon. gcntle j man h?.d characterised his (the Speaker's) finance as unprincipled and hand-to-muoth, he had said that the proposal to take any portion of the OtagO and Canterbury revenue I was very nearly if not quite public plunder. ! Now when a vote of no-confidence was un , ; dertaken with tho knowledge that if ; carried it would lead to the proposer - ' being called upon to construct a ministry, f the House had a reasonable right to expect } thai he had made himself thoroughly ac i quainted with the finances of the colony, E and was prepared to submit to them a sub t stitute for that which was condemned, i The hesitation which had been evinced was ) the more extraordinary considering what a 3 number of great financiers were included c among the friends of the hon. gentleman. i There were the hou. members for Parnell, j City East, Akaroa, there was the hon. gen - tleman himself, the most shining light of i all, and there was the Colonial Treasurer. 3 With such talent would it not be reasonable , to expect that ten days would have been j ample to work out a scheme. And no date I was yet fixed. A majority in the House t was convinced that the hon. gentleman had - no intention of making a statement at all. I He believed the vote of the House would > confirm his words. Another reason why - they were under this impression was ; that the lion, the Colonial Treasurer, " when he had told them, in such j an off-hand manner, that he was - not yet acquainted with the facts. Had r told them at the same time that he was r prepared to go on with the estimates of the j late Government, but he did not say he was r going to cut them down, or alter them. He would ask the members whether this I did not imply that ho accepted tho financial i position as it stood. If they had been misled, it was the honorable gentleman's i own fault. They were told that if f the Govern men t was not very strong i at present, there was the material i to form a stronger Ministry at hand, : and that if they waited until the end of the session they would see a Cabinet of which [ the colony would be proud. He objected : to this, tie refused to allow the member for the Thames to select his colleagues after i the rising of the House. The objection had > been taken that the present vote was ! brought forward with undue haste—Mr I Reynolds thought so—and that they should have waited for a full exposition of policy. j He confessed he coiild see no reason in this. j They had already had two policies , ' declared, one a party radical policy i in another place, and another declara t tion that this was the most (Jonser fc ' vative Government that had ever taken 5 ! office in New Zealand. Now, he supposed ) they were to wait for a third—a middle— i i policy, which would be about midway : | between the two. The course he had i ! adopted would prevent further delay, for it , j would necessitate hon. gentlemen bringing ■ I forward their new financial policy if they ' had one ; or if they had not, exposing those wonderful shortcomings in regard to which ) insinuations had been spread broadcast over , the colony. He maintained that the present course had been precipitated by the dilatory action of the Government. It had been retorted upon them that the Go vernment had done more work in ten days than tho late Government had done in two or three months; but what was the work done ? They had discharged many ot the bills which had been put upon the order paper, and they had carried others with tho assistance of the Opposition. Tiie Native Minister had gained a super ficial knowledge of the Bills before the House very quickly, but it was, after all, only a superficial knowledge, and and could not have withstood antagonism. The leader of the Opposition concluded by summarising has arguments as follows :— "I have shown, and no doubt the hon. gentleman opposite will be able to disprove it, that he does not possess the confidence of the House. He has obtained his position not only not by the vote of the majority of this House, but he has not the absolute confidence of even a majority of his own party, so far as to be able to command the services of the best men of that party. I have shown that if the hon. gentleman was sincere in the point of his statement upon which he laid so much stress,jiiamely, that the finance was to be thoroughly silted and discussed, and that the public works were to be carried out with vigour and economy, he has entirely failed to take any steps in that direction ; that by conferring the appointment upon one man , he has made it impossible that the great i object of his desire can be given effect to. I hare shown that the accusation that we wore precipitate in bringing forward this motion is without any ground —that, in fact, if we wee not prepared to waste the time in delay to much greater extent than has already been done, we were bound with the least possible delay to find out Avhether those hon. gentlemen had the confidence of the House or not. I trust these reasons will be considered by the House amply sufficient to induce hon. members to support the resolution which I have the honor now to submit.

Sir George Grey's Reply.

Sir George Grey said : Sir, —-A curions sensation stole over me during the delivery of tha speech of the hon. member for Eg mont. I came here expecting to have to reply to a speech of a T«ry different char acter. I felt, in fact, that I was a gentle lamb drinking at a stream of water, and that theie was a great wolf stirring up the stream, and accusing me of it, and deter mining to gobble me up if he could. He seemed determined to find some fault; but I had no fear that I should not be able to resist his attacks, and I have no fear now. The hoi), member for Egmont has made the accusation that I hayo not been placed on these benches by the votes of a majority of this House. Sir, it is not at all unusual when an hon. gentleman is requested to form a Ministry that ke should decline the principal office himself, and select some other gentleman as chief. That is a consti tutional rule —a rule which is constantly observed, and one which was followed on the present occasion. Another ground . of objection was, that I was unable to obtain the assistance of the greatest minds of my own party. To that I reply that the statement is absolutely inaccurate. It is perfectly true that I was unable to obtain the assistance of the hon. member for Akaroa, but that gentleman declined to join me for reasons which were honourable to himself, and for which I have no reason to be ashamed. (Mr Montgomery : " Hear hear.") Sir George Grey : With regard to the other honourable gentlemen who com pose the party with which I havo the honor to act, it must be known to all tho inhabi' tants of New Zealand that they combine amongst them a vast amount of ability, knowledge, and parliamentary power. One or two of those gentlemen did decline to join the Government at present for reasons honourable tothemsel.es, honourable tome, hounourablo to this House, and honour able to the country. They said they had recently become members of the party, and that it should never be said that they had determined to help me in carrying out my views from a desire to take office. They declined solely on that account—contrast that conduct, sir, with the conduct of some of these gentlemen who occupy tho Opposi tion benches. Other hon. gentleman belong ing to my party told me that they desired not to"take office in order that I might, if possible, ultimately constitute a Govern ment composed of gentlemen from every Provincial District of New Zealand. They told me, sir, that my enemy, the great wolf, would try to swallow me up if I took any other course. The one universal thing said to me by all these gentlemeu/was this : "Neglect us, and we ask for nothing; we> desire the welfare of the country. Don't put us into office, and thus disappoint the inhabitants of other portions of the colony, who might see their own districts not represented in the Government; all the ability we hare shall be at your seivice; whether in office or out of office ; what we wish for is the prosperity of New Zealand, not office for ourselves." The hon. member for Auckland City East was I especially alluded to. That, sir, was his language amongst others. Contrast this conduct with the conduct of some members on the Opposition side of the House, who YEARN FOR OFFICE AT ANY SACRIFICE of principles. Sir, I am glad this great j occasion has arisen., because man}' questions of importance will now be considered ; questions which must "form precedents for ' all time to come. The House is ranging j itself into two great parties, and the first • question to be determined is : what consti ! tutes political honour? What constitutes ! political honesty? What examples during I the debate are to be given to the country at ! large, and to all future ages? Upon those ; benches, and that side of the House, sit ! lion, gentlemen who, unasked by me, ' pledged themselves in solemn terms and in ! friendly language to give me their support : throughout this session. I am told they i intend to break those pledges ; I ds not | believe it. I do not believe that \ such political baseness exists in this i House. There are other gentlemen who at ! a meeting of the party—(l was not present \ myself, because I took no part in the pro ' ceedings) —but I am assured that there are I other gentlemen who at those meetings pledged" themselves to support throughout ' the present session any Government that \ might take the places occupied by the hon. member for Egmont and hi 3 party; I • will not believe that those gentlemen will : depart from those pledges until I see them ' in die lobby against me. Let tho question i be determined what: istoconstitutepolitical ! honour, political honesty, and political j morality. We have to determine what is to be the example to be given to New I Zealand for all time ; that is the one great '. question which must be decided on this 1 occasion. CONSERVATISM V. LIBERALISM. Then, sir, there are other great questions j to be decided. The hon. gentlemen on my ! side of tho House, who think with me, have been taunted with what are called j their Conservative principles ; sir we care nothing for such taunts; we are determined | to establish a policy for the people—a policy '■ for the country at large. We have resolved ! that in New Zealand there shall bo ' a party of progress, and not a party ! of Conservative notions. Sir, what is | Conservatism ? It is a time-honoured in ' stitution ; a difference of rank established } by the usage of centuries iv institutions ! composed of all those elects which I constitute Conservatism in a great j monarchial country. With them, sir, con ! servatism is a conservatism of place and | power, (conservatism of privileges which | they have usurped to themselves above I their fellow subjects in this country) ; ! conservatism of acquiring place, land, and ! public wealth. Let them strive to preserve < that; let them strive to keep their fellow countrymen out of £a due share of the influence and distinction of public affairs in this House ; and we will try to allow the people to have that fair share of the direc j tion of public affairs. For years they have withheld advantages from their fellow countrymen out of a due share of the in fluence and direction of public affairs in this House, and we will try to allow the people to have that fair share of the direc tion of public affairs. For years they have withheld advantages from their fellow men, and heaped those on their friends. I will strive to do my best to initiate a policy by which equals may exist in this countrytfor all laws, under I which every family may hope to obtain its ! home and iis land, and under which the best of the land of the country shall not be given to the friends of the Government. A new era is drawing; new times are coming, and new men will soon be found in this House. New principles will prevail, and I believe that in New Zealand will be established ! that great principle that all men have equal rights in the property and iv the lands of the colony ; that the lauds are the property of all, not the property of a party of ! .squatters ; and there are in this country j thousands who will leap to their feet and help myself and my friends in the struggle we arc engaged in. I don't fear that when we appeal, as I think will be necessary, to the constitu encies, but what one triumphal voice shall shout to me the reply, "If jou are told you have not been elected by a majority of this House ; if you are told you have not the voice of a majority of the House ; you ; ; shall bc3 clectod by the majority of the j \ people of New Zealand ; you shall be sup- [ ported jby their voices, and their authority | in claiming for men those rights to which ! they arc entitled." I feel sure that the j time is coming when these principles must ■ be curried out. I care nothing for the \ taunts we have heard this night. I know ' the objects we have in view are great; I : ! feel sure that they will commend them- \ selves to all liberal minds ; not only at the j present clay, but in all time to come ; and I ! am contented patiently and earnestly to ! struggle on for these ends, certain that in due time they will be obtained.

The position I hold is not an enviable one. FINANCIAL QUESTIONS. We have been taunted amongst other things with not having rapidly developed our financial system, and the lion, gentle man went on to saj that we should deserve well of the whole country if we put the accounts before the inhabitants of New Zealand iv an simpler form ; if we had placed the accounts of the colony before the people iv such a form that they might be understood by all; and he admitted that he himself had failed in doing -o ; but when ray hon. friend the other night des cribed accurately the hon. gentleman's financial scheme, he expressed extreme anger with him for having used accusative language. Sir, the accounts of thi« colony are understood by none except experts. The system is a system of transfers from oiie account to another, iv such a way that as a whole they are incomprehensible to any but a poison who is really an expert, in reference to them ; and the public of New Zealand has been greatly misled by the accounts put before them—accounts absolutely unintelligible. On one oc casion lately while trying to understand some of these accounts, I came across the Provincial Liabilities Account, and found sums set down as provincial receipts which were really not receipts at all. In some instances sums borrowed out of loan, balances borrowed out of loan. Many of tho accounts are absolutely delusive, absolutely deceptive, except to an expert ; and even to an expert they would be incomprehensible unless each item was taken and resolved into its separate component parts, which would be an extremely difficult task. Can it be maintained that if I were to be relieved from a task of this kind, to me it would be anything but a great relief ? Can it be imagined that I would willingly jump into a gulf of trouble of this nature ? Sir, I have co wish for office to gratify personal ends. I have beea taunted with the political character of the gentlemen who compose the Government. Sneers have been levelled at them. Sir, I believe no Colonial Treasurer will be found so fully adequate to the task he afforded him. His knowledge of accounts is great; his integrity is great; his industry is un bounded ; and of such men in short the greatest and best statesmon have been found. I may refer to Earl Spenser, formerly Lord Althorpe, as an example of that; but what did the hon. member for Egmont know of accounts a short time ago ? Ho had no education in finance, as my honorable friend has had. I believe if the House had patiently given opportunities to the hon. gentlemen Avho are with me, to develop their industry and their ability, which each undoubtedly possesses, I believe it would have been found they would have per formed their duties—not only to the satis faction of the House, but to the satisfaction of the country. To give the House an idea of the difficulties we have to meet, I have prepared a short statement of the liabilities which must be instantly dealt with, and I shall read this to the House, when they may see what is the difficulty under which NEW ZEALAND IS STRUGGLING. These large sums must immediately be raised in some way or other. There was, according to the statement of the late Colonial Treasurer, a necessity for a loan of £2,000,000 for the comjrfetion of public works and the redemption of the guaranteed debentures. Then, for additional provincial liabilities, unprovided for at the present time it is ascertained that £200,000 will be required ; but that sum must be swelled to a still greater amount. There are Treasury Bills outstanding to the amount of £532,000; there is deficiency of revenues, as estimated by the Late Colonial Treasurer of £167,000 to be met. Then it is absolutely necessary to obtain this session the means of raising a further sum of £1.000,000, to repay loans by the Bank of New Zealand and Bank of New South Wales. It is also necessary to obtain a sum of £100,000 by the first of January next, to meet a loan incurred upon account of the Lyttelton harbour. There is also £200,000 required to meet further public works and supplementary estimates of the late Government, and we shall have to pro | vide another £200,000 to meet discount on i the two million loan, if issued at 4| per j cent. Assuming the bonds being at £90, that gives a total of £4,699,000, which has ! to be raised at once. But in addition, there j has been borrowed from the Public Works j Loan Account £300,000. lam satisfied that i that sum will also have to be provided for in some way or other than out of the Con solidated Fund. It is simply a floating debt. \ The late Government, were authorised to borrow £300,000 for the Public Works Account, aud what has been done? That sum having been borrowed and raised last year, it was repaid into the public account on the 30th of June, so that the account was squared and the amount disappears. But early in July or August, the sum was re-borrowed ; the fact is, it was not a pay | meut at all, it was a nomiual payment, j nothing but that; it was paid and bor ■ rowed again instantly. Then there is an other account which must be brought under the notice of the House, and that is claims of which the House, has never been in- I formed —big claims for extra works, and ! other contracts for railways—which amount i to £171,217. ■ It may be said that the whole | of that amount may not be found to be due I and payable. I have only to say this, that | the very first item contested—£Boo—was found to be wholly earned, every penny of it ; and I believe that nearly the whole I £171 ; 000 will be required, or, at any rate, ! there will be a heavy charge against the | colony on this account. I have this further j to add, in reference to the statement I have I made in regard fo our liabilities, that in j point of fact thuy include a debt of a most [ objectionable character. It includes what I may call A FLOATING DEBT. In that I include £1,000,000 borrowed from the Banks, £832,000 Treasury Bills, and £100,000 required for the Lyttelton harbour. That ia a floating debt of nearly £2,000,000. Now, I ask the attention of the House to this most important matter. What has been done in this ? The Government have I gone into the open market, and in the open i market have raised loans at a comparatively low rate of interest. The Government have withheld from the persons from whom they so borrowed the fact that they were raising from private individuals, or in what I may call j the "close" market large sums of money at a ! high rate of interest. When the fact comes I to be known, I am afraid our credit must be seriously shaken. In fact, it is a system of i finance, of a most objectionable kind, with ! regard especially to the Treasury Bills. It j will be within the recollection of the House that the authorised £400,000 to be borrowed on Treasury Bills, the agreement being that these Treasury Bills were to be repaid ! rapidly in succeeding years from sums j saved out of the Consolidated Fund. That I expectation not only has not been fulfilled, i but from that time they have gone on bor -1 rowing on Treasury Bills. There is abso i lutely no end to it," and one of the first ! things to be done is to pay off these in I some manner. Thia system of borrowing | in the open market at a low rate of interest j and from private persons at a high rate of i interest is a SEMI-BARBARIC SYSTEM. ! It is a system of a most discreditable j kind, and" one which ought not to be I allowed. _ Tho House will see by the ttate i ment which I have put before it that there : are most serious pecuniary difficulties | which must be met. To ascertain the 'facts which I have put before the House ! was no easy matter. It is very difficult in ' deed to ascertain from the accounts in the ; form they are presented to the House I the material facts connected with : the finance of this colony. . We have 1 clearly ascertained our position, and we had devised a scheme of finance which I hoped we could have presented to^the House. I believe that system of finance

would have been satisfactory to this House - that it would hare been accepted with pleasure by the country at large ; tliat the foreign creditors would hare recognised in. it our determination t» meet our -liabilities in the most proper manner. I beliere that reductions which we would have shewn could be carried out, and would have satisfied the^. House that—onco they place U3 in a stable position, we couJd vastly reduce the exist, ing expenditure. I think we could have shewn that a system of taxation would be fair, and wouli relieve the people from many of the burdens under which they now labour, and would place equally on. all shoulders the exact proportion of pub lic burdens which they should fairly bear, I believe all that could have been done; but the hou. gentlemen ia pleased, and his. friends are pleased, in their AVIDITY FOR OFFICE, Not to wait even for a few days to see if what we proposed was objectionable. They rush in at once to stop what is going on. I am satisfied they do not wish, that a more liberal system than theirs should have the approval o f the House. They do not desire that a policy which would have put them to the blush should have been raised up in this country, and they would rather stifle the infant at the moment of its birth, than allow it to obtain a magnitude which would prevent their return to office. I would, have SHRUNK WITH SHAME trom some of the expedients which some of the Government had recourse to, in refer enco to those sums which they proposed to taka without the authority of law from the- Land Fund of Canterbury and Otago. I would have scorned to have been a party to such a transaction. I would have known that in those provinces every individual who bought land, and paid his money for that land, had so paid his money under the pledge that it would be expended upon certain public works which would give value to t the property he had purchased, and that" the fulfilment of this pledge was a solemn contract entered into with him bj the people of this country. I would havfr scorned to break a contract of that kind.. People who would do that would not hesi tate afterwards to break faith with the/rater creditor. If they would plunder the people at home, what safetyis there forthose abroad!' The contract was as solemn a one as could be entered into; much money was paid upon such a condition. I say, fulfil, this condition with every man who so paid his money. Myself and my friends who sit on these benches with me have deter mined to set our faces against proceedings, of that kiud. We would have fulfilled our resolution, and I feel satisfied that if time had been given us, the solution we proposed for this difficult problem would have been a satisfactory one. If the House can select better men to occupy these seats, by aIL means do so; and I say if they prove their capacity for solving this difficult problem in a proper manner —if they jjropose to do so in a way that is fair and houesfc, plun dering no one, and securing to all their rights—then I will cheerfully and gladly assist them in such measures, whoever they may be. NATIVE POLICY. There are one or two other subjects I ought to allude to. During _ the short period of time we have been in office we have devoted our attention to questions of native policy. That was, if possible, in a more tangled state than the finance of the country. What was the condition of the native question at the time we took office?. People were murdered even in the neigh bourhood of towns. The murderers fled to places of refuge. They dared not speak upon the matter, but merely held their tongues. Prisoners were rescued when they were taken; and the Government was powerless to keep the greater portion of the country.. Even during the few days we have been in office, the natives have evinced confidence iv the Government which would have enabled us to put a speedy end to such a state of things, with the assistance of the native population themselves. The late Government was Unable to carry a road through a great part of the country. From communication I have received, I believe that within a few months we could have carried roads through a gre:it portion of the country from which they are now excluded; and that we could do so with the intelligent consent and hearty concurrence of the native population. We believe that we could have accomplished much in that direction, if we had been allowed to follow out the course that we should have recom mended to the attention of the House. DURATION OF PARLIAMENT AND REPRESENTATION. There is one thing further I wish to say. I firmly hold the belief that when you are saddling enormous burdens on the people , of this colony—burdens in the shape of public debt, which'are heavier than those borne by any othercountrvin the world, they should have conferred upon them equal electoral rights. The system of rotten boroughs, or small constituencies returning members should be done away with. The duration of this House of lup.esentatives should be fairly adjusted so as to bring it always under the control of public opinion. By no other means'can you hold that i lie inhabitants of New Zealand are bound to provide the interest and prin cipal ef the enormous debt which has been, entailed upon them by indirect violation of the principles that taxation and represen tation are on a fair basis, which must go baud in hand. I am confident that with the assistance of the House, and with the aid which would have been given to us throughout the whole of New Zealand, within a very short period of time such a system as I speak of would have been estab lished. What am I told by many persons is the main reason why I am to be prevented trom attempting to cany out views of this kind ? lam toid here, especially amongst members for Wellington, and also amongst other lion, gentlemen, that I am held to be what is called a Scparationist, and that no confidence is to be placed in me, and by all means I am to be dislodged from position and power ; and, notwithstanding the viola tion of any pledge they may have entered into, they hold themselves justified in doing this on account of my being known to hold these views. So that I answer that the study of history, the study of the interests of mankind in a large experience of public affairs continued througlrniany years,andan intimate acquaintance with many of the greatest minds that have existed in my lifetime, have convinced me that the system which is most conducive to the benefit of a nation is federalism, which is by no jaeans Separation, such as they pretend. ' Devoutly holding these views, am I to be silent on the subject! No, sir; but this Ido say, that the duty of a good citizen, and the duty of a wise man, is to submit himself to the form of govern ment which prevails for the time being in the country in which he lives, andto do his. utmost for it -whether he approves of its institutions or not—and to make those insti tutions as beneficial as possible for the country ; aud I say that to ostracise a man becaus"e of sacrificing his views in the way he works for th.3 good of his country, under the form of government which he finds existing, to ostracise him because he is known to believe that a better form 01 government could be introduced, is au unmanly and unwise course to pursue. Why, what made the greatness of England at frequent periods but the fact that men who served their country came forward to work under institutions which, perhaps, they even abhorred ? What would have become of Great Britain in the time oi Cromwell, if men by no means favourable to the form of government set up had not, in the army and navy, and in every position in the State, struggled to render their country great, and did really at that very time raise it up to & pitch of geratness it had never before at tained? What would have beeuthoiigW of those persons who, striving to drive these men from their duty, because it was known that they entertained views on which tne existing form of Government was not based,

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1877.



TftINAL CLEARING-OUT SALE. GIVING UP BUSINESS !!! J. W. PEARSE, DRAPER, CLOTHIER, ETC., Wishes to inform the public that he is Retiring from Business, on account of the recest loss in his family. He will, therefore, offer the WHOLE OF HIS VALUABLE STOCK FOR ONE MONTH, at an Immense Reduction and Loss, he having disposed of his Premises, must :have the Stock sold by that time. • S3T Note Address:— orner of VULCAN LANE & QUEEN-ST., Auckland. N.B.—To Country Storekeepers, Hotelkeepers, &c, &c, &c.—This is an opportunity seldom met with to secure real bona fide Bargains. SALE TO COMMENCE ON WEDNESDAY October 10, 1377. JMPORTANT NOTICE |; Raving introduced STEAM PO WEU into tie Manufacture of FURNITURE, ice are now enabled to Supply our Gus omers at GREATLY REDUCED PRICES. T. & R. CO ORE, Cabinetmakers, Upholsterers, djc, tfcc a^* snow booms. 67, Queen-street. STEAM CABINET FACTOR V, Victoria-street. "feX O T I C E. GREAT MOVEMENTS OF LEAD, ZINC, AND SOLDER. R. TUDEH OP E, PLUMBER, GASFITTER, & ZINCWORKER, begs to intimate to his customers and the public generally that he has REMOVED to those Premises lately occupied by R Chalmers, nest to George Staines', Upper Queen-street, where he hopes by Good Workmanship and Moderate Charges to merit a continuance of their support. PROTECTION FROM THE OUN. ONE CASE OF PITLE HELMET 3, ONE CASE OF SILK DUST COATS, ONE CASE OF STRAW HATS, AT W. RATTRAY'S, DEiPER AND CLOTHIER, JJEW 7EALAND TTOUSE, 66. QUEEX-STREET, AHCKLAND. SH E R A BItOT HE X S WILL OPEN NEW GOODS, Ex ' Famenoth.'



A little prudence in purchasing will enablejthe buyer to defeat the aims of the rascals who sell spurious counterfeits of Udolpho Wolfe's Schiedam Aromatic Scj ixapps in bottles which formerly held the real article. See that the label bears the name and signature of the proprietor, observe its execution, and do not be imposed upon by plausible explanations of any deficiency.