HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3191, 20 September 1881, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday. The House re-assembled at 2.30. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Ballance gave notice that lie would move to tack the Pensions Bill on the Appropriation Bill. Sir Gt-eorge Grey gave notice that* he ■would introduce a bill providing for eqtial rights being given to the descendants of all races in New Zealand. Mr Barren gave notice that ho -would ask the Government if they would be prepared to grant free railway passes to Mayors and Chairmen of County Councils witli the view of promoting a joint conference of local bodies at some central place in anticipation of next session. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Reeves, Major Atkinson said that steps would be taken with the view of getting the estimates in future brought down within one month of the assembling of Parliament. ■v Replying to Mr Reeves, Mr Johnston the G-overnment did not see the necessity for authorising members to fmnk telegrams to Ministers and heads of departments on public business. THE MOUNT TEBNON EAND DISPUTE. Replying to Mr Tomoana, Mr Rolleston said the Government had withdrawn the Waipawa Land Dispute Bill owing to the j late period of the session, but they would use their best efforts to settle the dispute during the recess. To enable him to speak to the question, Mr Tomoana moved the adjournment of the House, and proceeded to urge the Becessity for specially settling the dispute, etpressing regret at the withdrawal of the bill. Sir George Grey expressed regret at the withdrawal of a bill which he regarded as a most important one. He was indeed becoming hopeless of justice ever being done to the natives. The Native Affairs Committee had been unanimous in their report and in the opinion that in this case injustice had been done to the natives, but he really despaired of ever seeing justice done to them. Mr Rolleston said he had good hopes that in this matter common sense would prevail, and the dispute be settled amicably; but it was rather rich to hear Sir George Grey talking in such a strain, seeing that when in office himself he had done nothing towards settling this question. He charged Sir George Grey with delighting in stirring up and perpetuating strife. Sir George was in fact an incorrigible mischief-maker. The Speaker ruled the worde to be un parliamantary and they were withdrawn. Mr Slieehan, after relating the facts of the dispute, hoped the Minister of Justice ■would look into the conduct of Mr Harding, Awb,o although a Justice of the Peace had since the committee's report been guilty of what would a few years ago have been deemed an act of war in shooting the pig 3 of the Maoris. Mr Macandrew said that from all he could learn the bill would have passed in a muoh shorter time than they had taken to discuss the matter of withdrawing it. He suggested that it should be put through without comment. Colonel Trimble altogether denied the correctness of Mr Sheehan's statements as to the facts of the disturbance. Mr Hall said that, considering the period of the session, the waste of time still going on ■ was perfectly lamentable. Ministers were bound to arrange the business according to their own plans, and it was manifest that in doing so they were governed by considerations which they could not always explain; On many occasions they kept quiet, and *?ere content to lie under unjust imputations rather than go on discussing and the time; ▼ Mr .Hutchison blamed the G-overnment for [not haying brought forward these important matters during the earlier part of the session. Tho motion for the adjournment of the House was then withdrawn. CORBUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS. The Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill was further considered in committee. The House adjourned at 5.30, and re- • Burned, at 7.30. The whole of that sitting was spent in committee on the Corrupt Practices Bill, . the clauses of which, after numerous divieions, underwent considerable amendments. The bill also was then reported, read a -~ third time/and passed-. Y~ At 1.55 the House rose until 11 a.m. next day.' ' .j:-..; ■■•: ' Tuesday. The House met at 11 a.m. r ' THE PENSIONS BILL. On Mr. Pitt's motion, a message was sent to the Legislative Council stating that the House insisted on its disagreement to the Council's amendments in the Pensions Bill. y- TOWN DISTBICTS BILL. The Town Districts Bill was received from the Upper House with amendments, which were agreed to. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Bunny, Mr Hall said that detailed information of the expenses of the late Royal Commission was in course of preparation, and if not ready betoro tho prorogation they would be printed and circulated amongst the members. Replying to Mr Bryce, Mr Hall eaid the claims of the Wanganui Harbor Board, reported on'by the Petitions Committee, had not yet been, fully considered by the Government, but the matter would be carefully considered. Replying to Mr Barron, Mr Hall said ihe Government was not disposed to grant free railway passes to delegates attending the municipal conference -on amendments required in the law. NEW BILLS. ■ Sir George Grey introduced a bill to give equal rights to all descendenfcs of natives in New Zealand, 'which was read a first time. PBOPEBTX TAX BILL. Major AtkinsDn moved the second reading of the Property Tax Bill. Mr Saunders blamed the Government for proposing a bill of this kind without explanation. The Treasurer ought to have showed the real state of his finance, and not delude them by levying on borrowed money before they thought of reducing taxation. He ought to have shown them he was able to levy without borrowed money. Mr Ballance concurred in the opinion that fuller infprmation should have been given. He thought the relief proposed ought to have been given in a different way from that proposed. It ought to be given \ in the shape of relief upon agricultural and other similar improvements. " He felt, however, that it was useless to talk of any alteration, and blamed the Government for having presistently kept back all important measures to this late period of the session. It appeared to him that there was nothing for it but to pass the bill. Mr Moss commented upon tho gross irregularities in being callod upon to pass suohan important measure at a morning

sitting after they had been sitting till 2 a.m. that morning. It appeared to him that the Government just lay in wait to catch up an opportunity for passing this and that measure by a kind of subte rfugo. It was quite clear they could not discuss the bill with any chance of success.

Sir George Grey also blamed the Government for haying brought forward the bill at this late period. He also blamed them for compelling the House to sit so many hours in the day. The effect was to weaken the intellect, and by that means measures were allowed to slip through which would not be the case under a better system. He gave instances of the effect of this manner of carrying on the work. Mr Hall rose to a point of order, and appealed to the Speaker to prevent this recapitulation, which the Speaker decided against him. Sir George Grey went on to say that many difficulties of this kind were sure to turn up. The fact was the members of the Government took turn and turn about. They got rest, and by that means they pushed through their measures by mere dint of subterfuge. Such conduct on the part of the Government, was most reprehensible and unfair to the country. He was opposed to the bill, and agreed with the • objections stated by Mr Ballance. If any difficulty arose on the West Coast it would have to be grappled with at once, even although the funds were squandered away. There must be no rallying or prolonged warfare. It was a salvation of both races that this course should be followed. In that case this was not a time to reduce, as proposed by the bill, taxation. In committee he would propose such an alteration as would transform the bill into one of a property tax on land. Mr Macandrew was opposed to the principle of the bill, but inasmuch as it proposed to mitigate the evil he would support it. Ho also blamed the Government for the irregularities in whioh they conducted the business. Mr Gisborne would also support the bill, but did so only because at this period of the session he saw no chance of making material alteration, however much they might be desired. Mr J. T. Fisher would not support the bill, as the pinciplo of the bill was crushing the life blood out of the colony. Major Atkinson said it seemed to him that the House was in possession of all tho surrounding facts connected with the Bill, and he would only be taking up time unnecessarily. He defended the mode of taxation proposed by the bill as the best for reaching rich men. The latter class was paying at present £42,000, whereas under an undue tax at 6d they would not contribute more than £17,000. He disputed that they were in a critical condition asserted by Mr Saunders, expressing his opinion that they might have gone even further than they had done in borrowing money. Tho motion for the second reading was put and carried. The House adjourned at 1.25.' The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. CUSTOMS AND EXCISE Bill. Major Atkinson, in moving the second reading of the Customs and Excise Bill, intimated the willingness of the Government lo abandon the clauses relating to distillation if the House wished it. They were only introduced on the recommendation of the Local Industries Committee, and it was too late in the session to fully discuss them. The debate is proceeding.