HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3776, 22 August 1883, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday. Tho House met at 2.1)0 p.m. (ii;i:- , aoxs.

[ Replying to que.-tiou •*, Ministers said every elt'ort was being* made to arrest \V. Dale, Avho had absconded from his bail at Taranaki: the Colonial Secretary had no discretionary power about giving licenses for (olalisators, as the Act was mandatory ; iv Government contracts manufacturer.; who were not importers could (ender r'orcolonially made article's; the Government did not think it neecs.-ary to warn people in England that the Palatero land was not so good as supposed: the Government could not place a hell buoy on AVaipapa Point before the lighthouse would be completed ; Messrs Hesketh and Richmond's opinion that the Rotorua lease.- were void was based on a misconception of the facts; tho Government had and would encourage silk growing and the cultivation of mull/en ie.-*, and were prepared to consider any reasonalao proposals a.i to encouraging tea culture: tile Government could not take up the Railway Employees Bill, but hoped next session to introduce a measure iv the same direction ; a slid ion of a temporary character Avas not ncce.'s.iry at 31ataiiia.ii. as the line would be completed to the regular station in three months; the Government would consider the necessity for a. station in Danevirke; tho Government would place a sum ou tin* supplementary estimates for the widow of Major Withers, as recommended by the Petitions Commitree : the resti iclions had been removed, and the Governor's assent

given to native leases iv certain cases .-ance 3farch last. GOAM'I'XyLI'NT 3lujor Atkinson moved that GoA'c-rnmeut business have precedenco on tin; next two AVedm-s-days. iMr 31'onl-.gomei*y, 3lr 'Aineandrew. 3lr Sheehan, Sir George Grey, and others opposed the motion, but it was carried by 47 to 27. NATIVE T.A'YJ.-S AAtKNTj-MEXT BILL. On I lie motion for 1 in * commit till of the Native Lands Acts Amendment, Rill, Mr 3loss opposed the bill, and accused the Government of bringing it in connection Avith the Rotorua lands. 3fr J. AY. Thompson opposed the bill.

3lr Sheehan strongly opposed the bill. The North Island did not Avant it. It Avould lock u]i all native lands from M-ttlc-meid, and drive capital to the South. It Avas most unfair of the South, Avhich got its land from the natives for a mere nothing, to force such a bill on the Nortln There Avere only two fair courses open, either for tho Government to resume buying, or for free trade in native lands, simply insisting on sufficient reserves. The bill would only drivo respectable purchasers out of the field, aud others Avould avoid its jienaltii.-s.

3li* Fish considered the bill an honest attempt at, honest legislation, aud would support it thoroughly. 3lr Smith opposed tho bill. It would cause great hardship and ruin hundreds. 31any natives would put their land through flic Court, and it must therefore be idle. All leases of such fund for timber cutting purpose-; Avould bo rendered invalid, and the siiAvmills in Hawke's Bay be nearly all shut up. iiuropeans Avere now actually rated for lands, the occupation of which this bill would render illegal.

3lr Taiaroa opposed, and 31 r TuAvhui supported the bill. 31r Ivess supported it, and 3lr 3lacandrew, 3lr Turnbull, ami 31 r Joyce, sjiok'e against, and 3l'ajor Te Whcoro and 31 r Hobbs in siqiport of flic measure. 3fr Stevens moved that it bo committed that day six months. This was rejected on a division of 32 to S, and, 3[r Bryce having replied, promising to bring down several iioav clauses on Thursday, the House went into committee on the bill. Clsuse G was struck out in order that a neAV clause might hereafter be inserted. Clause 7 was amended by adding a proviso defining tho term native land. The remaining clauses avctc passed Avith slight verbal amendments, and after a brief dismission the bill Avas reported and ordered to be recommitted on Thursday to consider the new clauses. The House rose at 12.40.