GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3582, 15 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Telegraph.] Wellington, August 14. In the Legislative Council, The Laud transfer Act Amendment Bill was read a first time. The Cromwell Waterworks Bill was read a second time. On the second reading of the Napier' Harbor Board Bill being moved, Mr Robinson moved as aa amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. The Bill, however, was read a second time, after slight opposition. Tfye Waste Lands Bill was read a secobd time. At last evening’s sitting of the House, The Premier made a statement that Mr O Rorke had sent in his resignation to his Excellency the Governor, and that it was accepted.

During some remarks upon the RangitikeiManawatu dispute, the Premier said that the Government did not concur with the Speaker m the views expressed in his report and recommendation for award. The Clutha River Trust Reserve, Nelson Waterworks Loan, Grass and Forest Fires Prevention, Outlying District Sale of Spirits Act Amendment, and BOrough of Westport Proceedings 'Bids wore read's third tinie and passed.' ■ ■ ... • At to-day’s sitting, The Premier made a statement regarding the Bill to increase the excise duties the Substance being that the Dunedin Distillery be allowed to distill up to the end of June not exceeding 20,000ga1., and receive L 20.000 out of payments to be made. Auckland Distillery to receive L 750, and be allowed to distil a certain quantity to exhaust materials. Increase in the excise duties to be Is this year, another Is next year, and la the third year. A long discussion took place during the afternoon on the report of the Speaker of the House in re Manawatu-Rangitikei claims, and recommendation that a sum bd -placed on the L. tpr'the Province of Wellington.^ the vieWM the Speaker, and dented that the Province had any claims upon the Colony for compensatxou m regard to the award of the floal). M. Lean in the Manawatu dispute. There was no ground whatever for any claims for constructive damages, either legally or equitpnn u'i A ha {i U .^ Mr M‘Lean’s award enabled the Province to obtain possession of land they otherwise would not have had, and to at, instead of the award having been a loss to the Province, it had actually made a large profit already. He was prepared, hewever, if the House agreed, to bring down a resolution, allowing the Wellington loan to be increased by the amount of the award : intereetandeinkiug fund to be paid by the Province.—Mr Fi! Herbert admitted that legally the Province hid no leg to stand on, but said that equitably u had.—Mr *ox went into a history of the whole question of the Manawatu disputes to show that the Province could have no possible claim upon the Colony. The very reverse was rather the case. Through: the exertions of the General Government, and specially of the Native Minister," the Province obtained peaoeable possession' of 220,000 acres, out of which they had sold LIOO,UUO worth, making a splendid nest-egg to neep them going ever since. Altogether, the claim made was a piece of and indication of the most greedy and grasping avaricb 'he had 'never seen.--rAJrT; B. Gillies considered the House bound

honor to carry out the recommendation of the Speaker, althiiuh not legally hound to de «e. —Sir Craoroft Wilson and Mr Rolleaton supported the motion on the ground that the House was obliged in honor to give effect to the recommendation of the Speaker. Mr M ‘Lean moved the adjournment of thdebate.