HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3766, 10 August 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, The HoußO met at 2-30 p.m. PRIVILEGE. Mr Dick, as a nuittor of privilege, attention to Mr Fish having communicated to the Dimcdm Chamber of Commerce some oi tho evidence given before the Telephone Committee Tho Speaker ruled that doing this was a broach of privilege, and after a brief discussion tho matter dropped. DISFRANCHISING CIVIL SERVANTS. In reply to Mr Mitchelson, Miijor

Atkinson said tho Government never considered the question of disfranchising the civil sorvants, railway, and other Government employes. Sir George Grey, Mr Fish, and Mr Moss condemned the Government for not saying so at once. They would have nothing to do with any such disastrous proposal. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said the Government would see what could be done to assist Nova Scotian settlers in this colony to get their friends from that colony on application ; the Government were always •willing where possible to hand over gravel, quarry, and watering- reserves to the local bodies to manage ; the Government would not relievo districts rated for local railways from payment of the property tax; the Waipapa Point light would probably be completed in two months ; the Government would do all that was possible to alleviate any hardships endured by the Oxford passengers in quarantine ; tho prisoner Ryan, who escaped from custody when being taken to Lyttclton for release, would bo released after doing fourteen days extra. BILLS. The Settled Land Bill (Conolly) was introduced and read a first time. . The Mataura Reserves Vesting Bill, the City of Auckland Additional Loan Bill, the Waimato High School Bill, and the Wellington Harbor Board Land and Reclamation Bill passed through committee, and were read a third time and passed. The Chattels Security Bill was passed through committee, read a third time, and passed. DIRECT STEA3I SERVICE. On Mr Driver's motion, Messrs Rollcston, W. Johnston, Macandrew, Montgomery, Joyce, Sutton, W. C. Buchanan, Swanson, George, and the mover were appointed tis the committee on direct steam service. NATIVE LAND LAWS BILLS. Mr Brycc moved the second reading of the Native Land Laws Bill. He reviewed the course of past legislation and attempted legislation on this difficult subject, and claimed that Parliament had always shown a desire to protect native interests. The Land Courts were not working satisfactorily, and were, he thought, too much like Courts of Law. Most of the difficulties, however, arose from the attempt to purchase native lands before tho title to them was ascertained, and this bill proposed to stop, under heavy penalties, the presence of European lawyers in the Native Land Courts, which caused confusion and delay, and it was proposed to prohibit their employment. He ■was himself in favor of a resolution of the pre-emptive right of tho Crown, and if this bill did not remedy the existing evils he ■would next propose to revert to that course if the new loan should be necessary to put the Crown in a position to buy. Mr DeLautour thought neither the Native Minister nor the bill went far enough. Parliament might have had good intentions in the past, but its legislation on this question had been a succession of blundering and plundering. We were now trying to protect other people's property so as to get it ourselves. He reviewed the beneficial results of the East Coast Land Settlement Company, and expressed a wish that there wore others like it carrying on operations in different parts of the North Island. He ■would support tho Government in excluding lawyers from the Court where investigations of the native title were going on, but not from subdivision cases. He would also support the absolute prohibition of all regulations for purchase before the native title was ascertained.

Mr Tawluii supported the bill as an approach to reviving the Crown's presumptive right as granted by the Treaty of Waitaiigi. The penalties should be much more severe, however.

Mv Moss strongly opposed the bill. The Maoris, lie thought, were quite able to take euro of themselves, and we should cease to treat them as children. This bill would lock up the lands and stop settlement, while it would throw the native owners into the hands of capacious money lenders. If the law was altered so as to let the natives form themselves into joint stock companies in which their individual rights could be •vested, a real reform would be made, but the ten per cent duty had now to be paid before this could be done, that they should in such cases be allowed to remain a chargo against the land. Mr Sutton supported the bill generally, but thought certain amendments would be required in committee. Mr Shaw would vote for the second reading, but if the. bill was passed in its present shape it would ruin many men who had for years been engaged in negotiations yet unfinished, and who had advanced large sums on the uncompleted transactions, which •would bo rendered invalid if the Maoris did not wish to get assistance in these Courts. Ho. was quite willing the lawyers should bo excluded, but the Government also should be prohibited from obtaining legal assistance. Colonel Trimble supported the bill most strongly, but would like to see it rendered more final. Ho quoted instances where the lawyer's costs had exceeded the value of the land put through the Court, and then the lawyers frequently took fees from both sides —the native sellers and the European buyers. Mr W. C. Buchanan supported the second reading, but indicated a number of amendments which he thought the bill required. Mr A. McDonald strongly opposed the bill. It was a wretched half measure. He would rather see the Crown's pre-emptive right boldy restored at once. He accused the Government of gross maladministration in native affairs.

Mr Watt expressed his entire approval of the biU.

Mr Stevens entered at considerable length into the merits of tho bill, urging that tho Courts might do much good by being careful as to whom they appointed as interpreters, eto. He would in committee move a new clause to preserve intact all existing equitable rights in land regulations. Mr Smith gave notice of a new clause to restore the Crown's pre-emptive right.

Mr Hursthouso moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 12.•1α.