PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 656, 7 June 1882, Page 2

PARLIAME NTARY.

■ ' LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, June 6. THE HARBOR ACT. The Hon. Mr Whitaker said the Government had no intention of introducing any material amendments to the Harbor Act of 1877. 'Hie Government looked with disfavor upon the different Harbor Boards introducing Acts affecting _ the general Act, unless in very exceptional circumstances. MOTIONS. On the motion of the Hon Mr Chamberlain, it was agreed—“ That, in the opinion of the Council, it is desirable that more extended statistical returns should be placed before Parliament of the various industries at present carried on in the colony.” WEST COAST COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT.

The Hon Mr Hart moved the appointment of a Select Committee to enquire and report upon grounds :«nd. upon what eyidenqe it is,stated report of at page 2, <r At the tod of this WM_a.

September, 1865, the whole coast from Wanganui to the White Cliffs, forty miles , north of New Plymouth, was confiscated undfer the powers of the New Zealand Settlement Acta.” At page 8, “There were but three courses open to Sir Donald McLean —‘o drive the natives off by force, to insist upon their return upon defined reserves, or to yield a tactic consent to their occupation and bide his time. He chose the lastand at page 31, “ that at any moment in all these years (between 1865 and 1880) the trouble north of Waingongoro would have vanished, if instead of talking about doing the right thing any Minister had only set himself to do it ” Mr Hart spoke an hour and a half, quoting largely from “ Hansard ” to show that the Commissioners by their report had done injustice to the late Sir D. McLean.

At 4 p.m. the debate was adjourned till next day. THIRD READING, The Vagrant Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Council adjourned at 4.65

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Sheehan gave notice that he would ask leave to introduce a Bill for the representation of the Maoris, and also a Bill to repeal the Sharebrokers’ Act. Mr Joyce gave notice of the appointment of a committee to inquire into the appropriation of the Kaitangats Relief Fund, and as to whether or not legislation for better regulation of trustees under the relief fund was not necessary. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, it was stated : The penny postal system would mean a

loss of L 20,000 per annum to the colony and under the circumstances it was nol intended to introduce the system here.— The stationmaster at Opawa was found tc be too old for the service, and would be discharged with six months’ salary.— Tenders had been called for the supply of telegraph forms in this colony. One tender was accepted, but afterwards the tenderer preferred forfeiting his deposit. The difference between the other tenders and the English tenders was so great that the Government was compelled to accept the latter.—The Government did not see its way to restore the district library snbsidy to the estimates. —There were only three bookstalls at stations on the Southern line. Only at Ashburton was a higher sum offered than that paid by the man in possession of the stalls. The reason a lower sum was accepted was that he was a Very old man, and the Government did not think it worth while to disturb his possession.

BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time :—To Consolidate all the Educational reserves in the colony; to Amend the Law of Libel (Mr Sheehan); to Amend the Law of Libel (Mr Tole). CORRUPT PRACTICES AMENDMENT BILL. The Corrupt Practices Prevention Amendment Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. THE WEsT COAST BILL.

The House went into Committee on the West Coast Peace Preservation Bill. The Hun. Mr Bryce accepted the amendment of Mr Tawhai, that the number of natives mentioned in clause 7 should be fifty instead of twenty. Mr Shepherd moved as an amendment to clause 7, to make it read, “Any Justice of the Peace not being a member of the Armed Constabulary.” The question was put that the words be added. Ayes, £9 ; noea, 51. The amendment was lost, and the clause passed. After considerable discussion, Sir Geo. Grey moved that progress be reported, to enable him to prepare three new clauses with the view of giving effect to the recommendations of the West Coast Commissioners that the native reserves be inalienable. Mr Sheehan supported the application. He appealed to the Government, that having removed a great public difficulty now to show to the native race that they were nevertheless prepared and anxious to conserve their best rights. The Hon. Mr Bryce insisted that the proposed amendment ought to be made a separate Gill. The amendment was incompatible with the character and purpose of the measure itself. The amendment was lost on the voices. On the question for the adoption of the schedule, Mr Sheehan moved that progress be reported, for the purpose of affording Sir George Grey the opportunity of moving his additions. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment, and resumed at 7. SO Sir George Grey moved a series of amendments, in accordance with the intimation given. The Chairman ruled them out of order, and refused to accept them. Mr Sheehan moved, as an amendment of the preamble—“ That all the words implying the guilt of Te Whiti and the other prisoner be omitted.” He argued that these persons could only be held to be guilty after trial. The Hon. Mr Bryce argued that there was good reason for preserving the preamble. Mr Sheehan insisted that while they .were entitled to assume some things thoy had no right to assume what they knew to be manifestly untrue. They never could assume for themselves the functions of a jury. Mr Buchanan spoke in favor of the Bill being allowed to pass as it stood, full - of imperfections and inconsistencies. Mr Montgomery supported the amendment, and argued that there was enough explanatory matter in the first part of the preamble to justify the Bill, without the after part asserting the prisoners’ guilt. Sir George Grey supported the amendment, adding that in his own mind he believed the Government was not only convinced that Te Whiti had not been guilty, but also that a conviction could not be secured. The House divided on the preamble as printed. Ayes, 51; noes, 17. The amendment was lost, and the Bill passed, and was reported with amendments, which were ordered to bo considered to-morrow. THE INDEMNITY BILL.

The Hon. Mr Bryce moved the second reading of the Indemnity Bill, which was agreed to. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL BILL. f The Hon. Mr Dick moved the second reading of the Industrial Schools Bill. Mr Levestam advocated the necessity r of training ships being provided tbroughV out the different parts of the colony. In a maritime community like this a training of that sort was of great importance. The Hon Mr Dick replied, and the motion for the second reading was put and carried'. NATIVE RESERVES BILL. The Hon Mr Bryce moved the sccoiid reading of the Native Deserves Bill. It was designed to consolidate the law relating to native reserves. It empowered the Native Lands Court to deal with these r reserves, and the other provisions were described. Mr Petrie would move material amendment iu Committee. Mr Macandrew pointed out that there V was no provision for the natives themselves . having a voice in the administration of these reserves. Mr Tomoana objected to the Bill, as it gave natives Ihemselves no power to deal with the reserves. 'Mr Stey'ens Would oppose the motion. : "Mr Horaiea spokbin support of the Bill,

milted he would move in the. direction of associating o;iu or two Maori chiefs with the Government in the administration of these lands. Mr Connelly disapproved entirely of the principle of the Bill. Mr Te Wheoro would net oppose, but thought the Bill capable of important improvement in Committee. After some further discussion, in which Messrs Trimble, Weston, J. W. Thomson, Taiaroa, Stevens, Watt, and Tawhai

took part, Mr Sheehan urged that the Native Land Courts, which had been blamed, were not to blame, but this Parliament. He regarded the abolition of pre-emption as a great mistake. In 1872 he offered to support the Government in re-imposing that right. They could not now go back on that, and the question was, how wore they to handle these lands? What he advocated was that sufficient land should be tied up for the maintainence of the natives, and let them dispose of the rest. This Bill would tie up every acre in (ho North Island. He asked if that was fair,

either to the European or the native. He had always held that the highest price should be given by the Government. If the Bill passed as it was, it would have the effect of employing a large amount of Government officials, and the Maoris would find that the substance would go and the shadow be left to them. Ho meant to support the Bill, simply for the purpose of affirming the principle that a change in the law was necessary. A t present the effect was to vest these lands only nominally in the hands of the Maoris, and leave it in reality in the bands of the Government officials and others. He

thought more time should be given for the consideration of the Bill. Their object should be to interest the natives in the preservation of these lands, and not, as the Bill stood, actually ignore them in

the matter altogether. To give further time for the consideration of the whole question, he moved the adjournment of the debate, which was not opposed, and the House rose at 12 p.m.