WELLINGTON.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1700, 30 July 1875, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day. M Tauranga La'oK,, | In the House to-day Mr^ET. I of motion that in the opiin of this How H it is of the utmost importai that no ti_! H be lost in opening for sale anVi settlement » H large area of Government land in the Bay * B Plenty, and .that instructions be forth^jv f ? iven to the District Engineer to have tV | [and surveyed, cut up into lots suitable f O . f settlement. Also that in the opinion of % t House it is desirable that the promise ma<U . to the Ngaitirangi tribe in respect of l^ if should forthwith be fulfilled in the manner |: provided in the Tauranga Lands Act of 18^ f and 1867. Notices of Motion. ' Mr Williams gave notice of question &]%. p| tive to telegraph extension to Wangaroa and 1 • Mongonui. • _ • ! Mr Sheehan gave notice that it be an in. struction to the Public Account Conimittej i. to enquire into the financial'position of t_ e I colony. . r Mr Newman gave notice to enquire if the ' disease in horses in Australia is such as to demand the prohibition of importation from [ Lighthouses. [; Mr O'Neill notified his intention to ask, S What progress was being made with thepight. I houses at Cape Maria Van Diemen and i Mokahinu? ,' ''■'■ .... I The Abolition Bill. Sir Donald McLean gave notice to move to-morrow for leave to bring in a Bill for the formation of local Governments., Telegraphing. In replying to Mr McLean, Mr Keynoldg said the Government used cypher onlyin telegraphing, but it was sometimes found inconvenient, - i Free Immigration not Stopped. Papers were laid on the table to show that free immigration is not stopped. The telegram from Sir Julius Vogel says he hag authorised thirteen thousand free immigrant. a year for two financial years. The following telegrams to the Govern- j ment from Mr Vogel give the new arrangements for free immigration. ' "Dr. Pollen to Mr. Vogel, June 8,1875.— Cabinet carefully considered your immigration proposals. Total balance now aTailable only £460,000. Must extend expenditure over two years. This gives 13,000 immigrants . a year. Distribution : Auckland, 2,200; Wellington, 2,000; Taranaki, 600; Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland, 400 each; Canterbury, 3000. Do not on any acdoimt send 25,000 this year. Direct' shipment to Taranaki and Invercargill, if necessary.' Approve of other proposals. Single women much required. Send immigrants ordered for Westland special settlement." -V " Pollen to Vogel, June 19, 1875. We are strongly of opinion that immigration *S_.b_ld be free. Careful selection." : '•! - " Vogel to Pollen, London, June 30, Accordance with your wishes, instructed Featherston to continue free immigration." Waikato and Newcastle Bailway. In reply to Mr Buckland, Mr Richardson said the Mercer and Newcastle 'railway would be open on the Ist of April next. Sir George Grey's Bills., Sir George Grey got read a first t_nae, the Auckland Institute and Auckland roity Endowments Reserve Bill. Southern Bills. The Auckland Bills were . ucce'eded by . several Southern local Bills of no interest. Colonial Engineers. -.'.. Mr O'Connor, of the West Coasfcj-{moved, for a return of the names of persons employed : in the service of the colony as engineers, together with their qualifications: ™JHe sijtjk ported his motion by showing' that' there were a large number of pretending engineers doing injury to the public works.-. r » • Mr Richardson objected to this inquisitive' procedure. He said the Governmejg. had done the best it could. 'V^'v ■■■ _ Mr Fitzherbert protested against a_£th_u 1 culties being thrown in the way of the y^ungi men of the colony, who had no opportnmjty of going home and getting a degree. (There were many able and useful men who;had HJfo such opportunity. They should- "not|jfp weighted by closing the doors of the service. The time would come when, as in medicine and law, such qualification might be instituted. - ■ •-. - > -. Sir Donald McLean also showed the advantages to young men who might toibronght forward on the present public works-and fitted for usefulness in their native country. The motion was withdrawn. The Bank Deposit. In reply to Mr i_. Maclean. Major Atkinson said the arrangements made by Sir JulinsVogel with the bank is still existing,; as described in the papers on loan. Sir Julius Vogel's Position; v In reply to Mr Sheehan, Sir Donald Mc? Lean said he had no doubt whatever of-the :. validity of the position of Sir Julius Vogel as Postmaster-General. The Government had <ti not taken any legal opinion nor intended producing a Validation Act to protect, the acts done by Mr Vogel. Importation of Weasels. In reply to Mr Andrews, Mr Bowen said he was not aware of any law preventing the. importation of weasels. The Engineer Scandal in Waikato. Mr Swanson brought up the Waikato Militia scandal, and fully brought out the tale of the mare's nest, and the imprisonment of witnesses, &c. He moved for the production of papers in relation to the enquiry in March last, in the case of Captains Rowe and Schofield, and the large offences by Sergeants Craig and Fawcett. Sir Donald McLean replied that the papers would be laid on the table and he would then give a statement of the case and what had been done by the Government. Road from Tauranga to Thames. In reply to Mr Kelly, Sir Donald McLean said it would cost £32,000 to make a road from Tauranga, Ohinemuri, and the Thames. The money was not available. Scene in tne HouseThen followed the huge series of resolutions moved by Teddy Wakefield for making some extraordinary deviation in the railway line throughout the province of Wellington. The scene presented in the House at the present moment of writing is a peculiar one: Teddy, in a dreary monotonous tone, is piling mountains and filling valleys, and no one lending an ear. The House is two-thirds empty, and most of those present appear to be asleep. There is Mr Stafford leaning back with one hand in his breeches-pocket, the other under bis head, looking at vaaancy, and thinking of I know not what-pro-bably dreaming of the slippery places on which the feet of his proteges are standing. Away in a far corner, Auckland and Wellington are in conference, and Grey and Fitzherbert, with their heads close together, are brewing trouble. There below is Roileston in easy posture, poring over the latest Hansard. More lively Bnnny has joined his chief, and the conference becomes animated. There Carrington, halt reclining with eyes closed, dreams pleasantly of the new harbour of Taranaki. There W altogether an air of repose throughout the Chamber, while the unvarying cadences oi the hen. member for Christchurch is as tne soothing melody of falling water. *** times has he stated that he wiirno. detain the House, but still it slumbers. Hark! he has closed. He has actually sat down. Mr Richardson^, rises, ana his inability to see a good?*™^J°J? ' served by the motion, is greasy—^=„ •—-7^ hear," which sounds as a sigh^ , faetonv"* bold and weary members. No. don rises—regrets the Governm*-*a W 0"-.

favorable, and Teddy is on his feet again in reply. Oh, the weariness !At length, it was ended : the question was put and settled by a warning note. The Tairua Purchase. Sir George Grey moved that a committee • onsistingof Sir D. McLean, Major AtkinMessrs. Bradshaw, O'Neill, Rolleston, ■/e t^__mond, Thomson, Reid, Wood, White, > jhan, and the mover) be appointed to inquire j n to the whole circumstances connected with the acquisition and transfer of the ' Provincial administration of the Tairua and Pokerakahi blocks in the province 0 f Auckland, aud all dealings whatsoever therewith by either Colonial or Provincial Governments up to the present date ■with power to cad for persons papers. Five members be a quorum and the report to be brought up within six weeks. In reply, Sir Donald McLean expressed the utmost willingness to afford every assistance, and the motion was carried. Colonel McDonnell and Mr Brissenden. Sir George Grey moved that there be laid on the table of the House copies of correspondence between Colonel McDonnell and the Native Minister or any other officer of the Government having relation to the employment of Mr Brissenden as land purchase agent in the north of Auckland, or to the removal of Colonel McDonnell from a similar position in the same part of the colony, and all correspondence and papers showing the nature of the instructions given to Mr Brissenden and of his employment, duties, and proceedings thereunder. In moving this, Sir George Grey said it was necessary for elucidating the manner in which a large sum of money voted for acquiring lands was expended. The papers would throw light on an obscure subject, and enable the House properly to consider an important question coming before the House. Sir Donald McLean expressed a disinclination to make the papers public. Negotiations ■were pending which would be nullified if published. He suggested that the papers be referred 'to a committee as kept private, or if laid on the table not to be published. Sir George Grey _ stated that he would prefer them being laid on the the table. Mr Reynolds spoke strongly on the impropriety of publishing them. Messrs Buckland and .Kelly supported the Government in declining. Mr Sheehan showed that no negotiations were pending. All were closed, and there was no reason on these grounds for concealing this information. Sir Donald McLean assured the House he had no desire to conceal any information, bat would prefer it kept within Committee.

Mr White expressed his determination not to be bound by the understanding to conceal this matter.

Sir Grey said if such willingness to give information had been shewn before, it would not have been necessary to put many questions put by him in the House. The Government had refused to give him information on matters of grave importance to him as Superintendent, and several letters were treated with simple contempt. He pressed the motion that the papers be laid on the table. This was carried without division. Committee to Consider Government Finance.

A Committee is to be moved by Mr Murray to consider the whole question of finance in the colony, composed of Messra Bell, Stafford, Atkinson, Rolleston, Fitzherbert, Grey, Webb, Curtis, Richmond, McLean, Montgomery, Murray, and Wood. Mr. Rolleston moved, "That the Public Accounts Committee shall enquire into the conditions of the banking business of the Government with the Bank of New Zealand, and whether it imperatively required three or four millions deposited in one institution, and to report whether or not it would not be to the interest of the colony to make other arrangements." He detailed the system in the other colonies of dividing the business among several Banks. Major Atkinson said it was difficult to make more satisfactory arrangements. The Bank of New Zealand was of great use in the past. He did not regard the motion as of party significance, and the Government would accede to the motion. Tauranga RoadsMr. Kelly's motion to repair the Tauranga and Rotorua roads, after debate, was withdrawn. Dangerous Rocks. I In reply to Mr O'Neill, Mr Reynolds promised that a steamer, as soon as available, should be sent to ascertain the exact locality of rocks and breakers, said to exist five or six miles off the coast, between Capes Foulwind and Farewell. Fight Among Otago MembersThere was a free fight among the Otago men over the Southland and Otago land bills. The former proposes increased facilities for lona fide settlement, and greater powers for the Waste Lands Board. It was moved by Mr Reid, and supported by Messrs Cuthbertson and Thomson, and opposed Mr McGlashan. It was read a second time. Mr Beid moved the second reading of the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872, Amendment Bill, the object being to extend the area of land set apart, on deferred payments with intermediate sections for sale by auction. The House is always bored by these Otago bills. There are only two this session so far. When abolition comes there will probably be half-a-dozen Otago land bills each session. The bill was read a second time. The Solicitor-General on Abolition. Sir Donald McLean laid on the table the opinion of the Solicitor-General re the abolition of provinces, and papers in connection with the, native reserves at Tairua. The letter of the Solicitor-General read as follows:— " Memorandum for the Premier, —I have carefully read and considered the Act of the Imperial Parliament (31 and 32, Victoria, cap. 92) declaring the powers of the General Assembly to abolish any province in the colony. I think the power to abolish the provinces is absolute, and that the General Assembly is empowered (to abolish 'any and all of the provinces. (Signed) W. S. Reid, Wellington, July 29, 1875." From this it will be seen how handy it is to have a legal defendant, virtually a political officer, to pledgejhis reputation when requisite in a great cause. I wonder what is the valae of Mr Reid's opinion by the side of Judge Gillies's or even the doubts of the undecided Prendergast. The Financial Statement. Major Atkinson stated that the telegraphic summary of the Financial Statement and Constitutional Bills would be sent simultaneously with placing it on the table to all newspapers in the colony by the Government.

. The House adjourned at nine. The financial statement will be made to-night. The Retirement of Mr ReynoldsThe Hon. Mr Reynolds does not resign his seat in the House, but retire, from the Ministry at the end of the session, owing to private business engagements preventing him residing in Wellington. This is authorftave.