General Assembly.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 421, 3 August 1880, Page 2

General Assembly.

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS. m< —;—.-♦ On Thursday in the Council, the debate oh tho appointment of a Committee 4<> inquire into the Hon. H. Taiaroa'e diequalification was resumed by

Sir F.D. Bell, who alluded to the persistent efforts of Sir G. Grey to degrade the Council in tho eyes of the country; though he explained tbat the Hon. Dr" Pollen had not meanton the previous day. that the late Premier, had made appointments to the Council with that object, which assertion had given great pain to members appointed by Sir G. Grey. He blamed Colonel Whitaiore'for associating with the head of A Government whose hostility to the Council was so notorious.

The debate lasted 1 nearly the whole of the afternoon, several Ministers speaking on the subject, and stating that former Premiers had also Vilified the Council/ whose dignity, however, would be best consulted by their treating such vilification with contempt. Ultimately, after a long and personal discussion, a Committee was appointed to inquire-into the subject of disqualification generally. " The debate on the cost of education wab>. resumed by The Hon. Ti FrSser, who'said the expense to tha State might be lessened a third, if children W6rd kept away from school until their Boventh or eighth year, as was advocated by medical men and the leading writers on education, for whicb fees should be imposed.

The debate was adjourned, and the Council rose at 5 p.m. In the House , of Representatives, Mj * Tole moved the committal of the New Zealand University and Colleges Bill, and explained its provisions. The Hon. W. Rolleston said the Bill proposed an expenditure the Colony could not afford. With its principle he fully agreed. He would support the Bill going into Committee, but no further. The House went into Committee. Sir G. M. O'Rorke expressed surprise that no notice had been taken by the Government of the recommendation by th« }. ._ J Commission on higher education. He seen the advantage the South Island obtained from the University, and he earnestly desired to see the North Island enjoy similar advantages. ~~'*4"(||^ On clause 2 being proposed, Mr Rolleston moved that progress be reported. Sir G. Grey said that their primary w education required to be supplemented by education of a higher order. At Dunedin and Christchurch the colleges were established by public funds, and he did not see^ 4hat any excußO would avail fqr not fiiv'ing a similar concession to the North. He would say take the fund from some endowments -in the Middle Island if no* others means could be found. The North , Island had as good a right to higher education as the South. Mr Montgomery agreed with what had been said aa to the desirability of the establishment of colleges in the North 4 Island. He did not agree in tho proposal to take funds from the South for the pur-

poses of the North. He could assure them that the South had too littlo for their own purposes. t Mr Macandrew said that the Bill proposed to spend £30,000 on buildings and £8000 per annum on Professors. That was more than the Colony could at present afford. The North could, ;if it liked, take; advantage of the South Island Colleges. Mr Moorhouse said that if education or religion were worth having, they ought ,t> be paid for by those getting the*m. '"'Public' propriety ought to recognise the duty of maintaining both- religious and. educational institutions, without making them a charge on the State. , ..y - Mr Hurst was afraid the Colony waa in danger of falling into die extreme of overeducation. Tile result was the profes- : Bionai walks, of life-those of barristers,! &c, were being crowded to the detriment of other pursuits more directly of a reproductive, character., ~ -. , r : Mr Moss' cautioned ,tbem; against the superficial." style -of education followed out in some of the Colonial Universities. ( ■ ■■; Sir disclaimed ''any intention of. appropriating.'South Island endowments,for 'North; Island ptirposos. . .What he desked 5 was ,tb .have a similar 'provision;made for the North which existed in the Sputh* ,i s ■ V The motjqn for reporting progress Was j carried. . , '-'' ■•-'■ 'fj ; • Mr Mborhouse r briefly moved the second, j reading of the* Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Bill. : Mr Macandrew said every member had, nodoubtymftdeuphis mind cm the question, so he would, without remark, move ■—"That the: Bill be read a second time that day six months." On a division, the second reading was carried by 27 to 9! ' ; ' . J On Friday in the Council the debate on the cost of education" was continued. The Hon H. Chamberlain said that the educational burden-was out of alb proportion to the strength of the country, and he thought we were getting a huge .army of teachers, whov would, .in conjunction with the army of,'civil* 'servants. •be ultimately stronger than their, masters, He advocated the re-imposition of fees, ."And the keeping of children away from I school until seven years old. ; . ; ■ z \ TheHonH.H. Lahmann thought the educational expense most extravagant. Thoughihe did not wish the sj'stem to be impared, he saw no necesssity for • the central Board. > Dr Menzies'also supported the imposition of fees. • The Hon J. Williamson said it was high time'We cut our coat according to our cloth, and begarf an economy and reform that had long ."been wanted. The Hon G. M. Waterhouse said we; epent 25 per cent of our revenue on education,' while in England it was not 4 per " ceAt. ;; ' He-hoped the, long discussion which his;'motion had''evoked would cauao Government to consider the question, with .«, view to economy and reform during the recess or next session. !A. parliamentary inquiry into the subject would. be im-

• parative. T This -ended -the*' discission", and the Council- rose at 6p<m'. ■ On Friday tb A < lEou<*e of Representatives ' -tiad a morning' sitting, anfi disposed of a large r nu<nber ofLunopposed Bills. 1 ' ' 'At 'the. afternoon sitting tho Hon J. ' " "Br\ce " iniroi"hjc«d 'the' ?rfaori Prisoners Drtention Bill, nnli asked the House to , pftha U through all. its stages witbout dia ,<;ussion. The, prisoners were ,part .of an organization-setting itself up ftjrainst thft authority of the ■ Q-ieen ; that was why , ,tha arrets ,wsre deemed necessary. Ho hoped the House would see its way to ' < pass the measure without discussion. He • movesit4second reading. •The object of tho Bill was to place the . Native prisoners now being arrested for fencing and any others tho Government may, think it necessary to arrest in the same position as those now in gaol, for ploughing, .viz., to authorize the Govern- ' merit to'detain" thorn at discretion without bringing.them to trial. On thia Bill an animated discusa&ion~ ensued which tho Times correspondent 'thus describe? : — " A most earnest debate took place on the Maori Prisoners Detention Bill. Y*>ry , littlo party feeling as tbo term is commonly

understood was exhibited ; but on *be -■ part of tho principal speakers on both

sides more especially Sir G.- Grey and Mr '. .'Bryce, there .was' a deep . earnestness, •' 'clearly shewing that'though tbey diitered ; .as to the-steps that ought to ba taken, both were fully alive to the fact that a • grave crisis in ' our ''relation's to tbo Native race has arrived. Mr Reader Wood, in a brief but powerful speech, contrasted the dignified demeanour of the Native members in discussing tho question, with Major Atkinson's fussy and angry manner. Sir G. Grey and Mr Bryce were tbe principal speakers, both being eloquent, and at times, almost impassioned. I have never before heard Mr Bryce exhibit such fluent declamatory powers.' When the question- was put that the Bill be read a third time . a stentorian " kohore " (no) came from tbe Maori corner," and the Speaker immediately ruled Ts Wheoro as one of the tellers. This I am informed is the first time that'a Maori has been appointed a teller. On the question that the Bill be now passed, Mr Pyke spoke bitterly against it. Mr Moorhouse was sarcastic, regretting that debates should take place which caused co much pain to those who bear thorn, and wbi<:h coat tho country so much r.o print,

In Committee of Supply the vote for the Government Insurance £26,925 debt, worked some discussion. Major Atkinson proposed to'strike' out £5000 for separate' Government Insurance offices. Mr Turnbull. proposed to reduce the salary !of the Commissioner by £100. The reduction was negatived on a division by 27 to 14. Tbe total vote, subject to the reduction proposed by Major Atkinson was agreed to. I - ;•■■■■,