THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3883, 4 August 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, August 3. In the House of Representatives, at 2.30 to-day, Mr O’Neill presented petitions with iegard to the construction of a railway from the Thames to Waikato, aBo respecting in* creased representation for the Thames district ; also respecting the completion of the Waiti road. A petition was presented praying the House to take into considera' ion the claims of Taiaroa and others in the Princes street Reserve. The opinion of the Soicito -General was read regarding the period when the present Parliament dissolves by effluxion of time. His opinion is thit Parliament expires five years from the 25th February, 1871. Mr U’Neill gave notice of motion that a sufficent sum be put upon the Estimates to enable the < 'olony to be repi esented at the great rifle match at Philadelphia. In reply to Mr Williams, Mr Reynolds said the revenue likely to be derived fiom a telegraph sta ion further north to Wangaroa and Mongouui was not sufficient to justity the Government incurring any more expense in telegraphs in that part of the ’ olony.

Mr Richardson explained that the cause of delay in the construction of iJie Bay of Islands Railway was owing to the nece-sary agreement between the company and the Provincial authorities being made. The Dccea-ed Wife’s Sister Bill was read a first time, and the second reading ordered for Thursday next. The New Zealand U> iversity Amendment Bill was read a second time.

Mr Reynolds, in moving the second reading o‘the Marine Act Amendment Bill, said the Bill gave ext nded powers to the Governor, enabling 11 p. to alter or define the limits of any port, fix or alter charges, appoint and dismiss harbor masters or other port officers, &c. The i ill was read a second time an l ordered to be committed on Friday. The Otago Uuiveisity Site Bill was read a second lime.

Mr Bowen moved the seeond reading of the 'tamp Fees Bill, whic he said was introduced on the recommendation of the Commission appointed to enquire into the working of the Stamp Act The chief object of the Bui was to simplify the collection of revenue.

Mr Brown asked, as the Act was to apply to the Telegraph Office, would they be sold there ? Mr Bowen : Yes, ceitainly Mr Thomson suggested that it would be lugbly desirable postage and receipt stamps should be assimilated. Tne Bill was read a second time.

On the motion for the Reuse to go into Committee, Sir George Giey announced that au organised Opposition hud he«ui foimed with the objects of strictly inquiring into the finances of the Colony and taking every oppoitunity of looking after the interests of the people of (he Colony. With regard to the proposed Constitutional changes, and on bdialf of that Opposition, he claimed for them the privilege of fully and feailesL’ly discussing all those questions referred to, and especially that measure by which the Government intended to take away the most precious libertiesofthepeople; au attempt, however, which ho did not believe would succeed. The hon. number then related the mode in which the Bill for the creation of the Province of Westland was hurried through at the end of a very long sessi n, without discussion or that attention whicli a measure of s»ch vital importance to the Colony should 'have received. The same sort of unseemly baste and want of consideration characterised the passage of that measure through the Imperial Parliament. He hoped, too, that when he deemed it incumbent upon him, in the interests of the people of New Zealand, to criticise the action of the other branch of the Legislature, he would not be treated as he had been the other evening, for he held that branch of the Legislature would frequently require criticism. They were not repi esentatives of the people in any sense, yet they pos essed unfortunately the power of obstructing legislation for the benefit of the people, and hedging themselves round with all sorts of business, and Ministers wished to perpetuate this system with all its abuses. The bon, gentleman then proc. edod to refer to his Excellency the Governor in -terms of censure in connection with the Abolition Bill, but The Speaker said the hon, member must not refer to his Excellency in that House in teims of either praise or blame, as the Governor was not > esponsible to the House, but the Ministers were*

"ir George; Then our position is.wretched indeed. The honorable gentleman then xr

erred to tbe dread manifested by the member for the Taieri when asking to introduce a measure to obtain lands on deferred payments. He had, from a fear of the Upper House, fixed the limit of land on deferred.payments far lower than the people desired and required, solely because ho dared not arouse the opposition of members of the other House, and probably peril the Bill altogether. This ws a commentary upon the baneful effects of power wrongfully possessed by the Upper House. In this case a great constitutional right had been broken, and by some person advised by Ministers. The bon. gentleman then referred to the extraordinary regret he felt, as did also those who followed him, at the way in which this Bill had been thrust upon them —the Bill which appealed to the very lowest feelings in human nature. It actually contained nothing but bribes to the people to part with their li'-eities. The Bill Had not a single high thought running through it —nothing but an appeal to selfishness and cupidity. Jle felt sure, however, that it would never become law. He would say, on behalf of himself and those with whom he was acting, that they were prepared to introduce a measure which, without creating a revolution, would endow the people with a great deal more liberties and privileges than the Abolition Bill, and the means for doing so would be found in a fair, general, and equitable system of taxation, because those who desired the -abolition Bill to pass, and those in whese interests it was framed, took cave not to tax themselves.— Hear, hear, and laughter.) It was most unair not to have allowed the people of New Zealand to have had an alternative measure, Vhy not have done all this before, when it 'ould have been done better ? Why rush in ow when other persons were prepared to inroduce something a great deal better for he icople of New Zealand, which would prevent or centuries to come any chance or cause for a evolution.

, Ike Native Minister announced the gratifica .ion felt by Government at the forma ion of an Opposition. With regard to the remarks of the ion. member on the Abolition Bill, the Nati e vlinister then read (a despatch sent Home by Vlrßt>fford. respecting!he Westland Province; aat the memorandum was sent Home with the nil sanction and concurrence of Sir George Irey, then Governor of the Colony; and he /as at a loss to know what had since happened o change the opinions he held when he pre •ided over th ■ Colony. The honorable member .hen quo ed the opinions of those who framed ■he Consti ut’on to show that they all looked orward to Provincialism one day merging into ‘Tuuicipalism. He denied that there was anyhjng revolutionary in the measure, as it was ringing about a change which for the ■st fifteen years the people had. adlitced the necessity of. He deprecated llusions by the honorable, member to he Upper House, which contained many .entlemcn who had many times dhtinushed themselves by their zeal for tbe public aterest.

In reply to Mr Header Wood, who asked /’iy the House had been moved into Committee f Supply, Major Atkinson said he merely to give honorable members on the th* r side of the House an opportunity of exreusing their views, Mr Fitzherbert referred at considerable jngth to the ruling of the Speaker as to honorble members referring to his Excellency in he^course of debate, and after stating a supositkns case for the Speaker’s opinion, The Speaker said that under ce tain circumtances it became not only permissible but a luty, to refer to his Excellency. hir Eitzherbert, on resuming, said, respecting one point in connection with the Bill, he vished to ask if it was necessary, that this Bill ihould have been brought down by message rom the Governor. The Bill took away on me hand certain privileges, and on the other oand held out a promise of granting fresh ones. But he maintained that the Rill should not have been brought down coupled with an appropriation. By such a gratuitous and inconsiderate action as coupling his Excellency’s name, the name of the Empire, in fact with that Bill, the name of the Empire had been pledged to deprive them of a portion of their voice in the rule of the Colony. Dragging the name of the Empire into the question was unseemly and ill-advised. Such a proceeding raised the question of how far the Imperial authorities were responsible for those large debts we are accumulating. In that sens** they held that the honorable member for Auckland City was acting very im; ropcrly in the remarks he had made npon this question. The House went into Committee, but progress was reported and leave given to sit again.

Some considerable discussion was raised upon the Wellington Harbor Reserve Sa'e Bill, though no opposition was offered to its second reading. It was read accordingly, and also two other Wellington Bills. The following select Committee was appointed to inquire into the alleged illegal issue of miners’ riehts at OhinemuriMessrs Bradshaw, o‘Neill, Ormond, Hon. Mr Stafford, Sheehan, T. L. Shepherd, May, Brice, Curtis, Sir George Grey (the mover), and the Native Minister.

'• he House rose at 5 30 p.m., cutting short a debate upon a motion by Mr Steward, calling for a return of the amount derived from sales and leases of Crown lauds in the electoral district of Waiaki. August 4. The conclusion of the Public Works Statement was greeted with applause. Mr Steward’s motion for a return showing the amount derived from sales and leases of Crown lands within the electoral districts of the Waitaki for the last fourteen years led to further discussion. Mr Macandrew moved an amendment, mak ing the resolution apply to every district in the Colony Sir Donald M‘Lean said, the motion in that form would bo very difficult of execution, and as the return could not possibly he laid bpfore' them fll long after the Representation Bill would be brought down, the mover withdrew his motion. A return of the number of militia and volunteer districts in the Co’ony, and all details as to appointments and salaries, was laid on the table by Sir Donald M‘Lean. Mr Ballanco withdrew his motion asking for a simi'ar return.

Mr W. Kelly moved that iq the opinion of the House certain promises made to the Nguataripgi tribe should be fulfilled. D. M'Lean said it was the intention of the Government to investigate the matter as soou as possible, but such cases frequently took a long time. Mr W. Kelly moved that the Government should take immediate steps to open to settlement the large area of land-118,000 acres—they owned in the Bay of Plenty district. H > regretted that when the Government did throw and into the market they put such a high price upon it as practically to prohibit settlement. tiir D. M‘Lean said that the Government intended to throw open the land. They thought that when the new settlement at Katikati was commenced it would be a good time to put the land into the market, and that selling it on the spot instead of at auction-ought to enable them to realise something like the full value of the land, as people could see the quality of the article they were buying. A petition of old settlers for compensation was orde'ed to be printed.

Mr Rolleston moved for copies of all letters of instruction from the Government to the late Colonial Treasurer since last session of Parliament. He wanted the House to have an opportumty of ascertainin'? who was responsible for the mode in which the loan was negotiated. The correspondence already published on that matter had naturally excited great curiosity to - loam all the particulars. Mr Bowen said the circumstances were somewhat analogous to the mission Home of the hon. member for the Hutt. The Government were no doubt responsible for the actions of the Colonial Treasurer, and thev would have no objection to lay upon the table nil papers of a public cbnracler between themselves and Sir J Yi':re!. The fpraker explained that papers of the Lxccative Council couM not be laid upon the table upon a motion. ’ The House adjourned at 9,13 p m.

{From our own Correspondent.)

On the motion to go into Committee of Ways and M; ans, Sir George Grey, who was received with loud cheers from the Opposition, rose to

announce the formation of an Opposition, to act upm this basis : -First, to inquire Strictly into the gem-ral financial condition of the Colony ; secondly, to oppose the passing of the" Abolition I>ill--(Oppo3i tionch eers) —until the people had l ad an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon the measure or any alternative proposal which might be offered lor the amendment of the Constitution of the Colony. In the i ourse of his speech Sic George said they were about to enter what they had been told was a revolution. To meet a revolution they must have recourse to extraordinary measures, and tire parties who had endeavored to plunge them into this revolution must, ha thought fairly expect that their and their actions would he criticised he trusted, i r becoming and courteous language, but still with_ absolutely free liberty of speech. In illustration of wbafc he meant he would first speak of the Imperial Legislature—a legislature which had produced greater effect upon the destinies of the human race than any other that ever existed on the face of the earth—and in defence of our right and freedom he must have an opportunity of fairly and fully criticising the action of that Legislature towards ouiselves. Whilst admiring its greatness on all occasions where it was really great, he had the right to complain of its shortcomings when they produced effects disastrous to ourselves. He would call the attention of the House to the com se pursued in reference to the Bill under which it was now proposed or attempted to take away our liberties, —(• pposition cheers.) That Bill was sent Home from this Colony sometime in May, 1868 ; it was passed some months previous but sent|to England on May 28, 1868. The session of the Impeiial Parliament in 1868 hud been an unusually long one, having commenced on November 19, 1867, and continued with a short interval until July 31, 1868. Some time early in July the Bill react,ed Euglan I, was introduced into the House of Commons on July 7, and read a first time after midnight. It waread a second time after midnight on July 9. and passed through Committee after midmght on July 10,; and on none of -hose occasions were any observations made upon the Bill, nor was the attention of the Imperial Parliament in any way drawn to (ha m 'merit-ms purpose to which it was intended to attempt to apply it. The Bill was read a third time and passe I through the House of Commons on July 13 On the same day it was sent to the House of Lords, read there a first time on the 14tb, and ultimately passed through both Houses on the 23rd. In the Lords no observations or explanations were made ; it was treated as a trifling Bill, drawn up with a view of the Assembly declaring the effect of an Act relating to the Province of Westland, and the R ryal Assent was given to the Bill on July 29, He contended that when a measure which would produce such vast conseque- cea to this Colony could be rushed through the Imperial I Vrliament he had aright to refer to the Acts of that august body in terms which, under other circumstances, he not be justified in using. Similiar observations would apply to other bodies in this country, and in regard to the Upper House he must be allowed to express his sentiments in an observation he thought it his duty to offer. He desired on the p eseut ocC 'sion that the real historical picture of the existing state ot the Colony at the present time should be perceived, and that it should be known to posterity what was the nature of that Constitution which the present Government determined to destroy. The other night the member for the Taieri made a speech which produced a powerful impression on his mind, and would produce an impression on the minds of future historians ; and the consideration of this speech he hoped would cause the Government to pause in the course they were about to pursue. If they did not pause of their own free will, the voice of the people of the country, when the cr cumstances come to be considered, would make them pause.—(Opposition cheers.) The member for the Taieri had told them in terms of congratulation that when upon a recent occasions 7,000 acres of land were opened to settlors to be taken up on deferred payments in Otago, for those 7,000 acres SCO applicants applied for 144,000 acres, and their demands could in no way be met. He had ihen gone on to tell the House with bated breath and due submission which he (Sir George Grey) thought was unnecessary—that in the Otago Waste Lands Act Amendment Bill then in troduced, he could not make proposals which were requisite and proper, because similar proposals had been rejested by the Upper House; and that he would not succeed in getting his Bill through this session unless he made similar omissions. Some Macauley or Prescott yet to write tbe history of New Zealand would represent these 500 so-called freemen of Otago, struggling round the Land office expecting to receive a small moiety of land only fourteen acres apiece, a mo lest demand for a homestead—yet to the modest demand of these poor men the answer was : “7 000 acres between you all is nun e than dared hardly be expected.” These 500 men were the virtual holders of the soil, and claimed the right they had to ask it of persons whoso regulations had taken it from them. Tbe representatives of that body whom successive Ministries bad put there, had no right whatever to legislate for their own interests, or to take from their fellow-countrymen what was their own.—(Loud cheers.) He had determined to try to put an end to legislation of that kind, but the Government were trying to perpetuate it. —(Hear, and loud cheers, and cries of “ No.”) Such was the effect of their measure.