The Government had done some good work in effecting economies, and were en titled to their share of credit, but the House and country had insisted on economy, and there was no alternative. He was pleased they had a surplus. It was a small surplus, it was true, but it was a real one. It was, however, only to be looked for after £300.00J of additional taxation bad been im posed. He contended that the Go vernment had not effected a saving of £300,000* which they promised. They reduced the estimates by £233,000; but part of this amount they claimed as saving in the shape of non-recurrent services, and during the last days of the session they brought down supplementary estimates amounting to £107,000. One of the charges made against the late Government T>y Sir Harry Atkinson, was the sum of money the Hinemoa cost to maintain, but they found the Hinemoa still in the Government service, and her captain drawing more pay than that received by the Union Shipping Company's officers, who have more responsibility and more work. He would not, as they would see, support the present Govern ment, but did not believe in factions oppo sition. If they introduced any measures which he considered beneficial to the country, he would support them. Careful administration was what they wanted rather than new policies. His reasons for declining to support the Government were —(1) They had not the confidence of a majority of the House; (2) their cen tralising tendencies; (3) the freetrade element in the Cabinet predominates); and (4) he was not satisfied with their adminis tration. (Applause.) The Government had a following of about one-third of the House, the Opposition one-third, and the other third were a party of what be might call "rovers," who were satisfied with nothing. He did not much fear the present Parliament sanctioning a loan, but there was a danger of liabilities being incurred, which would necessitate a loan in the sear future, and a weak Govern ment would have a difficulty in resisting. The Government desired to concentrate everything in Wellington, while his ideas rather went in the direction of reverting to a modified form of provincialism. 