HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1580, 9 June 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

. Wednesday, Jane 8. The House met at 2.30 p.m. THB PREROGATIVE OF DISSOLUTION. Mr Rjlleoton gave notice to move tomorrow " that the exercise of the prerogative of dissolution under the system of triennial parliaments 1b fraught with great danger to the independence of Parliament and to the successful working of representative institutions m the interests of the people." ' WEST COAST BKTILBMBNT, The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill was farther considered iv Committee. Mr Balance said he intended to move for the rsoonfmUtal of the Bill In order to insert a olause empowering the Native* themselves to elect a Native Asieuor on behalf of Natives owners, Mr Taipeni urged that the farther ooa* sidetation of this Bill be postponed till next seaßion owing to the confusion that existed and the trouble that had been caused by the present Government In legislating for the Maori people. Mr Locke (supported the views of th« Native members on this Bill, »nd laid that at the end of the session It oould not receive proper consideration. It wse quite time the whole question of Native landß was taken up and pot m propel form, to avoid the confusion that at present existed on the subject. : , Dr Newman said the Bill should not pass m Its present form, nnlets Mr Bal* lance brought m a olause, to prevent the wholesale depredation of the property of the Native people. Mr Samuel hoped the House would not continue Its opposition to this BUI, as it was only— a j»»tter- of justice to. Settlers concerned. ; ;. Mr Katene said that Mr Samuel was speaking for the benefit of theTaranakl settlers, and was not, therefore, Impartial. He thought it very unlikely these settlers would abandon their land if this Bill were postponed till next session., If the Ministry had been forced to resign ha (Mr Katene) might have been made .Native Minister himself, and then ha oould have brought m a better Bill than the present one. A new clause was added to the Bill allowing transfers or assignments of leases to be made with the oonaent of the lessor. A further olause was added to the BUI enabling the Public Trustee to grant a lease of 560 sores to J; S, Caverhill, of Hawora, Mr Samuel moved a new clause permitting a person, who bad surrendered his lease, to take up a new lease. He Bald that th's was a most neoeetary provision. Mr Ballance c id this would be giving a dangerous power, but he was willing to take the opinion of the Committee on It. After further dlsoußalon Mr Ballanoe agreed to report progress to allow the freth clause to be cocsiaoted by the Native members. " n • • Mr Wi Pere said that, if thla oUrae* were pr-ied, all Europeans would abandon their lenses m the hope of getting fr^eh ones. Pc had no objeotlon to this clause if the land were dealt with by public auction. • ! : ' Progress was reported on the Bill foe half-an-boor. NATIVE RESERVES (SOUTH ISLAKD) Bltt. Sir Julias Yogel moved the seoead reading of the South^laland Native Be* serves Act Amendment Bill. He explained the objeot of the Bill, whioh was to provide for the management of Native Br ervea In the South Island, to render more clear the regulations applying to the cane of Oreymoutbrreserves, to deal with the renewal of leases of the Motueka reserve, and to bring Native Reserves under the Mining Aot, so as to provide expropriation for mining purposes. Mr Pratt objeoted to the Bill, and presented a petition from Mr Taiaro* against it, 1 -* 7 '■. v ;■•• J?/ Mr Hurflthouse, Mr Seddon,' and Mr Guinness, strongly supported the Bill. Mr fl.urathou.se said that "Mr Pratt was not acting m the interests of the Natives he we sent to represent toy op* poßing.it. He explained the position of the Motueka reserve at some length, and said there was argent necessity for the Bill being passed. Mr Turnbull said Mr Pratt's request for the postponement of the Bill was a reasonable one, and he hoped it would be deferred till to-morrow. . « The motion for the seoond reading was carried by 30 to £0. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. GOVERNMENT LOANS 10 LCOAL BODIES. The amendment ; made by the Oonno'l m the Government Loans to Looal Bodies Amendment Bill were agreed to. THB INfRRPRETAHON BILL. The amendments made by ,the Oonnoll m the Interpretation Aot Amendment Bill were agreed to. NATIVE RESERVES (SOUTH IBL4ND), On the motion to go into Committee on the South Island Native Reserves Bill, Mr Pratt proteatad again at the attempt to force measures affecting the Interests of the colony through the Honse m this way, and announced his intention of op. posing it by all constitutional means There was no reason why the Bill oould not stand over for vhi je months. Mr Rolleston supported Mr Pratt's views. Mr Hursthouse said that neither of them knew what they were talking about. The Bill wfi the outcome of reports of Commissioners appointed by the House. and was desired to relieve an oppressed country. Soma of the leases had already expired, and legislation was urgently needed before the reserves could be relet ( Mr Turabull and Mr Ormond sag* gested that a ehort Bill should be brought m to validate the leases for three month*. The Treasurer said that the chief oppo* ■itlon was to the portion of the Bllf if;

htlng to the Groymouth reserves, aud he wm willing to go on with thoße portions wbioh were not contested. Mr Guinness objeoted to the Injustice \?htoh had been perpetrated under the original Act, and this Bill sought to remedy it. He olaimed full justice for European* i 1 well as Maoris. Sit George Grey suggested Ihat the Mctaeka okuse should be passed and the Greymouth portion left over till next session. Mr Wl Pere followed In thi same strain n Mr Pratt, urging the withdrawal of the Bill as It had not been circulated long enough to enable them to grasp Its provisions. Mr Taiperl coincided In this opinion. . Mr Locke hoped the Bill would be put off till next sesßlor, Sir J. Yogel said he would agree to postpone the committal till to-morrow, and this was accordingly done. WEST COAST SEITLBMBNT RKBBKVJBS, ThO Went Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment BUI was further considered m Committee. . ... The Maori members continued their opposition, and Sir J. Yogel said that he was willing to report progress till tomorrow to enable the House to get on with Other business. Major Atkinson begged the Maoris to withdraw then opposition. It was a measure of justice, to whloh both sides admitted tenants had a fair claim, and the matter would not admit of delay. r Sir George Grey suggested that \7i Taka and Talpaa be appointed 00-ad-justera to act with the aaseaora onder the BUI, He thought that would get over the difficulty. i Major Atkinson and Mr Ballanoe both professed readineßß to agree to this compromise, Mr Talpua preferred to have Borne other name than his put m. Sir J. Yogel resented the appointment of BUoh a Board, and said it would have to be understood that the Publio Trustee was relieved of &U responsibility. Mr Talpua eventually »id that he would leave himself Jn the hands of the House, and Mr Samuel's cause relative to the surrender of I aces wbb then p~ied. Sir J. Yogel moved to report progrerß to give time to consider the position m which the Puoilo Trnat Office was now placed. Major Atkinson animadverted on th > ■peotaole of the Treabnrer opposing : measure whioh the Native Minister lit charge of. , Mr Ballanoe explained that properly - J Came witb'n the Trr surer's debt and I i only t^ok charge t' it as a matter <. convenience. A long di. 'uss'on followed ending m In the motion to report progress being lost on the voices. The Bill wj 1 reportci with amendment! and recommitt ;d m order to insert * prov'ilon appointing Wl Taka and Talpaa coad jut .tors of theassesws. 8 : r J. Yogel w"sht Ito sperk after the recommittal was carried, but was ruled out of order. He cha'lenged the Speaker's fuling, End Sir M, O'FDurke told him be had bettor give notice of motion centering the gpeater. The necessary amendments were considered and postponed till 11 a.m., the Bouse rising at 1 a.m.