EVENING SITTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1918, 14 August 1888, Page 3

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m, m committee on the Native Land Court Amendment Bill. Clause 3— Title to be brought under the Land Transfei Act. Mr Carroll moved the Assessors should ' aulit the Chief Judge m ascertaining the bona files of transactions. Agreed to. Mr Taiwhanga said he had to thank those members who had assisted him m .opposing the Native Bills, and he expressed surprise that the Native members ihould tnro ronnd on their own people m this manner. He, however, could not remain In the Bouse while a Bill was palling whloh would do io much Id jury to the Nativei, and he then walked out of the House, ' ; . Clause 3 was agreed to. ; •■ Mr Tatpua ..moved that clause 7 be ■truck out, After a lengthy discussion the Premier •greed that Government should receive half the amount of the claima. The Premier, 1 In reply to a question, said £90,000 to £100,000 was due from advances. It was chiefly advanced since the initiation of the public works policy, Messrs Samuel and Mobs urged that the olalms should only be enforced from six yean back. Mr Carroll strongly oppoied the clause. After further debate Sir H. Atkinson moved an amendment that the Court before paying such money shall be satisfied that it was a legal claim foe money actually paid for land purchased. < Messrs Carroll, Pratt, and Taipua, again mged at some length that the clan Be be •trucjr out. The Premier said the Native members were somewhat unreasonable as all the elaaie asked Tor was to enable Government to recover money paid for the purchase of 'land. Mr Carroll denied that the Natives were nnreaionable, but he regarded the clause with some suspicion. Finally tbe Premier moved that the ' clause be amended to provide that not more than half the money be payable on account of those claims. Agreed to, and the clause passed as •mended. The remainder of the Bill passed without discussion. Mr Mltohelson moved a number of new clauses, one of which defined *' natives " ■ to include the children of h»lf-castos. Objection was taken to this, and on the - motion of Mr Samuel It altered to " descendants of half-castes by natives." On the motion of Mr Ballanoe clause 14 trail amended to prevent any individual or company acquiring more than 5000 aores of Native land, on a division by 31 to 16. - Mr Talpua wished to compel the 'Natlvei to reserve at least 200 acres eaoh for their own use, but this amendment wai loit by 28 to 10. Clause 18, on the motion of Mr Hotohlnion was amended so as to legalise past transactions under section 25 of the Native Land Administration Aot, the • vote* being 24 to 21. , The Premier upon this moved to report progrets, as Government objected to the amendment. Agreed to. . : LiSO FHAUDS BILL. < The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act Amendment Bill was paised through •onuoUtee, . < . " : [Left sitting at 2 a.m.