PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1909, 18 June 1869, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

[Condensed from Hansard .] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. June 3. EXPORT DUTY ON GOLI>. In answer to a question by Mr Farmer, Mr Stafford said that, up to the present time, the Government had not prepared a Bill to regulate the export duty on gold according to its value, but they would be very happy to receive any suggestions of a machinery whi'jh would enable the desired result to be arrived at. 'i he great difficulty in dealing with the matter was to prevent fraud in determining the value of the gold. He understood, from a conversation with the bon. gentleman, that a machinery had been proposed by persons who had given their attention to it ; and if the Iron, gentleman would explain to the Government what that machinery was, the subject would receive every attention at their hands. Mr Farmer believed that the banks of Auckland had taken up the matter, aud intended to prepare a Bill, which would probably be sent down in a few days. ADDRESS IN REPLY. Mr Edwards brought up the following address in reply, widen was adopted : “ We thank his Excellency for the Speech which has, by command, been made to both Houses. “ We concur with his Excellency that the fulfilment of a promise given last session, no less than the disturbed state of the country, required a recourse to our advice and assistance earlier in the year than is usual. “We assure his Excellency that we will freely give that assistance, for we recognize that the Colony can no longer endure those evils under which it has, with but temporary intermission, long suffered, from the determined hostility of the turbulent portion of the Native race. That since the close of last session, that hostility lias displayed itself in an aggravated fotm: murders and other atrocfties, entirely unprovoked, have been committed in cold blood on unarmed persons ; another missionary, whose life had been devoted to the service of the Natives, has fallen a victim ; and neither age nor sex nor race has been spared. “We thank his Excellency for informing us that every means at the disposal of the Colony has been employed in the prosecution of the war which has thus been forced upon us, and which has had to be encountered on both sides of the North Island at the same time, and that large numbers of men have been raised and trained, and have been engaged in active operations in the field 5 and that defensive works have been erected for the protection of places exposed to the attacks of the enemy. It will be our duty to consider how the efforts hitherto made may he sustained and strengthened. “We concur with his Excellency that the thanks of the Colony are due to Colonel Whitmore and to the officers and men of the Colonial Forces, Emopcan and Native, for the conspicuous courage with widen toey have encountered the enemy wherever he presented himself, and for the indomitable energy aud zeal with which they have tracked and dispersed his retreating forces ; arduous and harassing duties, in the course of which they have penetrated forests and inhospitable wilels hitherto unvisited by any European force, and inaccessible to the ordinary means of transport; that the difficulties they have surmounted Lave had no parallel in the military history of this country ; and that no troops could have displayed a more caßant spirit—no officers could have conducted campaigns with more enterprise, skill, and prudence. “We expre s onr belief that the great difficulty of the country must bo grappled with, aud a permanent remedy applied to a state of things which is paralyzing industry, and in every way restricting the progress and settlement of the country ; that any policy ■which fails of such a result will but abandon the country to disaster and ruin, which, spreading far beyond the scenes of conflict, will bo felt by all sections of the community throu'dxout New Zealand ; and that an effectual policy demands a highly organized force, embodied for a definite period, established in the host strategical positions, and occupied in perfecting their communications. “ We thank his Excellency for informing tis that correspondence between his Excellency the Governor and the bccretanes of State for the Colonies, in reference to the retention of Imperial troops in New Zealand, and especially to the resolutions on the subject passed by both Houses during last session, wi’ 1 be laid before us, and to express our belief that the question cannot be further pressed by the Legislature with any dignity or self-respect, or any beneficial result to the people of New Zealand. “We assure his Excel ency that we will give onr best consideration to a Bill of a temporary character which will be submitted to us, providing summary means of dealing with persons taken in arms against the Queen, or who may have been concerned in exceptional barbarities on the part of the rebe's. “ We express our belief that the conquest pf a permanent peace will require an exceptional expenditure beyond what it is advisable to levy in the shape of annual revenue, and a portion of It should bo provided for by loan. “We thank his Excellency for informing us that an application for a guarantee to such loan has been made to the British Government, and to join in the belief that the condition of the country requires a renewal of the application, and jnsobies the hope that the last prayer of the Coffiuy to the Mother Country wi'l not be rejected. “ We thank his Excellency for informing us that estimates of expenditure for the ensuing financial year will be la’d before us ; that whiln providing for the efficiency of the services, they exhibit, with the exception of the requirements lor defence purposes, a reduction of the expenditure of the country. “ We thank his Excellency for the information that the results of the operations under the Consolidated Loan Act, up to the most recent date, will be laid before us ; and to express our satisfaction that, owing to the able maimer in which the operations have been conducted, a considerable d : munition in . the annual charges on the revenues has been | effected. 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“ We thank his Excellency for m f o'-nnn" us that tbe electric telegraph is hi course of extension to Wanganui on the one side, and towards Taupo and Auckland on the other, and that tbe ecssat'ou of active war,are will he immediately followed by the completion of tbe latter line to the capital and gold fields of the North. “ We express our satisfaction that these singular and rich fields continue to increase in importance, and that authorities prognosticate the extension of discoveries of Eke deposits throughout many parts of the

Northern Island, which will give profitable employment to a large population; and to express our belief that the bearing of this on the early pacification and security of the country is important. “We express our belief that the approaching termination of the present Parliament renders it proper to readjust the representation of the people, in conformity with the altered condition of the several districts. “We assure his Excellency that we will give careful consideration to a measure for making undevised real estate distributable amongst next to kin, in the same manner as personal property. “ We assure Ins Excellency that although the Native question will largely engage our attention, other matters of public interest and importance will not be neglected. “We concur in his Excellency’s trust that, in the especial circumstances under winch we are assembled, the spirit of wisdom may so guide our counsels as to promote the welfare of the people of New Zealand.”

ENQIR y INTO WRECKS BILL. Mr Hall, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said he had, on a previous occasion, stated the circumstances under which legislation became necessary on this subject, and would now beg to state the leading features of the Bill. It provided in certain casualties, such as the ship being on fire, lost, stranded, abandoned, or materially damaged, or where loss of life ensued, or in case of collision, that enquiries might be made by the principal officer of customs residing at the nearest port, and gave that officer the necessary authority for doing so. If the result of that preliminary enquiry should render further investigation desirable, the officer of customs would then refer the case to any two justices of the Peace, or to a Resident Magistrate. It also provided for furnishing the certificated officer, whose conduct had been called in question, with a copy of the report. The Magistrate or the Justices, together with the assistance of a Nautical Officer, or Engineering Assessor, as the case might require, would then go fully into the whole case, and they had power to suspend or cancel the ccrtiocate of the master, engineer, or mate, if they found it necessary to do so. The Bill also empowered the Governor to reissue cancelled or suspended New Zea'aud certificates, or to issue certificates of a different class, and of a lower grade, in place of those which had been cancelled or suspended. The Act a’so provided for the payment of the cost; of the invest’gation, and that the proceedings should be transmitted through the Governor to the Board of Trade. He would explain more fully, when the Bill was in Committee, the exact alterations which had been made, and hoped the House would consent to its second reading.