THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3908, 2 September 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[i>Y ELEGRAPU ]

Wellington, September 2

In the Legislative 1 ouucil yesterday, Dr Menzies moved the second reading of the Otago Waste Lauds Act, 1572, Amendim-nt Bill, referring at length to the -ood which had been derived from recent legisla tion. Air ilo;mes urged the amendment of the law to such an extern, that people buying land iu Otago should not be able to do so at 14s 10 I per ere. while, those who paid cash had to pay from L2 to J. 4 for it. ihe pre-mit lam' system in Aew Zealand had utter'y failed, and w-,s last creating dummyism, which had been the bane of Victoria. People took up land, ana having shepherded it for a shoe* time sold it at a piolii., and repeated the operation e sewhero He thought the question was not local, hut national. The hon. gcutlemon then remarked on the statements that had been made abou.. the action of the General Government iu preventing the Provincial Council of Urago from selling land if the money is brou.ht to them. The Provincial Council' had not parted with their laud under compulsion. One block, 43,000 acres, had act .ally been offered by the Council without any previous application having been made to them. To had sent Mr J,aril ach to Melbourne ac the expense of die Province, and paid him one per cent, commission on the sale to Mr Clarke, to whom the Province had allowed ten per cent, of the purchase money for surveys and 2s 6:1 for other expenses, so that the net proceeds of the 45,000 acres would only be about 13 per acre. The debate was then adjourned till Friday, In the House of Representatives yesterday 'afternoon Mr Thomson asked the Colonial Treasurer if he would st-ito the exact surplus of loans, after all outstanding Labilities of the Colony are met, with which to commence t&e financial year ? It the charge for raising the loans has been classed among the liabilities referred to in Table 1, P.d., of biuancial Statement ? If now this charge is proposed to be met out of loan or out of revenue? Major A tkinson, for an answer to the first question, referred the hon. member to page 8 of the Sta'emeut, where he would (inn all ihe available balances. To the second question tie could say ihe liabilities , had been classed, and the actual charges estimated upon the whole of them wou-d be found in the same column.

Onthemor.i nuf Air Neill it wa- agreed to f'urni hj returns showin • the total mi.iibor of mmituivims arrived m the Colony under I, lie fubic Worlds and Immigration Act up to 30th i < unc last

i Air Uolleston asked leave to move for a Select Committee to inquire into certain transactions in land wit.u the Government during the present session by certain mem bers of the Legislatee ; to .s.ertaiu whether persons had not brought themse.ve'l within (lie operation of the disqualification Act. The lion, gviulemau referred to certain allegations made in the House with rogaid to the 'easing of cei tain lauds at the loot of Kuapehu to a gentleman who was a member of the House last session, ar.d also to the laud transactions with the Gov- i n moot adverted to by the member for aickiand. In tin: former case the Government was not actually in a position to hand over the lan The agreement m this case was the most extraordinary document lie over saw, and entirely out ■ udb the law. With regard to ;ho Piako .-wamp ti.msaction, it was not .oo much to say tbit two members of the Upper House (Wulumaon and lay lor) were interested. It was colura.lv clear the Government wei« trafficking in laird with members of the Legislature, regardless of the law.

Sir Donald M'Lean said he, twice before, told the non, gentleman lie could not get the hnal opinion of the Solic ; .W-G( neral until nil •.he papers relating to these transactions were m, and ,-ome were now in Taupo. As for -p,. Select Committee, the Government buJ not the slightest objection to g ve every as.-istauce in the matter. The hou gentleman ought, to know that m tue case referred to at die has-.-of Huapelm the Government had sopped in and sceme 1 those lauds'for the future, although upon oei tain .-oiuluious, which weie absolutely necessity. They had also seemed odier large tracts for settlements for the bmeliL of the country iu tin; same way.

Mr Kelly saui it was not right to bring «ueh important motions before the House without

notice. As far as he could gather from the motion of the hon. member, it appealed to lion Unit n stiiu outfit to he pul to the pur. cha-e of Aa ivy- lauds in the Ao th l a d. With the establisi meat of Hie public works policy, the Go\ eminent ,-.hon'd have put a stop at once lo <b ic, i u. chase, Mr she-ban w.o- .'-.d a $* lee! com in it tec waa CO) 'tr to he up..0'j)•.,.(! ; it u (til 1(1 not do to a low th. sc nn.M.t , 1( , *in I, ~i over t.1.-hmulu ot 111. mhcit. f ho (,-M, lam re Them w-ie hevoral of teese ...m’ "an , Mona that were dec- 'wily ii eg.d. ,i , M 1 l i: .ve l-.d., pro. yen:.,d uy G'-vm mm tit Talm the case of the Ohm man pinchas . wucre the piomoUns got the Inc meu.b i Kmp .iv to s.-.-ve a-a hack, bone to t hem Jne iiautiiki mi'eh.,s> was another i use ,n po;n;..

• Vir liolLston -aA it mat end not how a country woe hj. nefrod bv certain 1 r.m-actions such ;s-Iiom! .e/ene.T r.. domdedK were. Iho ■ eMiluiioa was agreed to, and notice given of the n. nils of the Com mitt re

dr aie.- in aed <ha! In the opinion of this House it >von d h-,-impolitic and injurious to the iiuere.s- s of ihe i. oiony to appoint a person as Sni-veyor-G.-neral tor New Zealand who ban not n.i * exp.-ii.-iice in this Col my. As a surveyor. he vonlil likr the House to express an opinion upon me matter, as a general impreijsic. pivv linin'; ne C>l >ny that the Governme- v, ini n i d to seek Home p rson outside »he Colony. 1 e tl,ou;i t k fV.c eutly qualified canuiu. , - wei" in th - Colony and they ought to have t.lie prefe-eiu-e To appoint a man entirely ne i to !h-* Mirny s ,-f the Co 0.-y would simply in ini bo.inning -urwys all dc novo and the •>p[)o m inert of new ■t- ffs. This was a case in w deh I 'oio’.j;,] expert -nee would lie of incalculable y.d\ie The h->n. gentlem-m quoted from M jo: Pain er’- re oi r us to the ability of Mr lioiu-o ,of i dago. d.-ijor Aikins-m di - n ■ ■ know how the itn-P'eH-oii g -.1 i-.'ionl that th.-v intended to

appoint someone ont-ude of the Colony. 13a could say i hat the Govmimeut never intended to oveiiooi. tiio c'.iinis of niiyoue em.doyed in surveys of the Colony, and after assurances already giv.m by the Government this motion ought not to b<- made. , U the lion, gentleman ".anted,a certain appointment made he should move that Hie Mmis- appoint that peison. The ap, o:niiin nt si.ould lie made either liy the Kou-o i>r by the l invert! menl. Some discretion musi. be 1- f; t a in such c.isoh. Admit edly hoi-.- were but ;>onie fhi*e or four people* in ihe I 'o'ony competent to fill the posit on. lie sng csti d thmotion should bo -o .iinondcd us to make the olhce open to pe' sou.- of ' 'ol.inial experience instead ot New Zealand alone.

idr Joseph Shephard hoped the motion would b" withdrawn. He tnoiight Government should tie almwed to select : lie best man they could and wh<Te they 0.-u-d.

iUt l\ke ponded t.o the appointment o£ Major Palmer as sufficient to arouse suspicion tliat- (.overnuicnt always intended lo ;>o outside ■iif the Colony, ignoring the tahnt within it. J hore was :,)so the appointment of the nspect>r of uunatie Asy u i b and the Conservator of hj crests. tie In.hi in hr- hand a report by the Inspector of Surveys Who was that person ? Wore tin y roa-ly limiting with a shadow aliir all. and was tim appointment already inadey He put that distinctly to the Goverum in.

M.'jor Atkinson : Government have made no apoointm nt, and have cr< ated no office

Mi Pike was'.dad of that, because it must be o’ear t war; the wish rf rhc House that we snould not semi out of the Co ony for talent to be oh-dned in it. He hoped the nu'tion would be withdrawn after the assurance given.

.Mr Macandrew was glad to hear the intention ot he Government on ihe vn.i tor. and only l egi-iied ih< y din not pva-tiae ’their pin iples (io mer. by ; p, miting some of the yen' Icmeu in ;he o'my. who were more C 1 in permit to re: mi upon the question than Mujor Vhdnier. ’A' hißeel'd, .'t thought tho. (government dion'd bo (plow, d to side :t where and who they pleas W i. aithouut. be i.gie.-d with tbeir ability of recog.dsnw native tu'ent. Nothing. however, could la more injuuous ihm the tying the ban.is of the • iovernment with regard to any speck la> oMdineni. s tar us (he appointment of Major I’aline l went, he thouo.ht the step was prudent in that case in bunging in a gentleman ■ utsi Je 'he Colony. Somebody dropped a reloads 'hat, Government might as Wall be governed from Howie as be controlled in (hat way. IJ.*admiicd the simplicity of that rein irk. Were (bey not governed from Home by tele -ram? It was idle to say that no nego- 1 tiations had bwu begun towards the appointment "f Major (’a!me.". Major Atisinson : I say ih tp wore no nego ti.dions.

Mr Fitzhevbint; Xo prospects—(no)—no compensation —pin; -no promises—(no)— ho iu-duceim-nts mutter?

Major Atkinson : Mot so far as I know. _ Mr hi zberbert said that it was too much for him to credit, for he d u d state the reverse.

Major Atkinson could tell ihe House that his colleague* all mid him m> hopes had been held out regatduig that appointment. Mr Fiiz’miVrt must adhere to his statement. He thought if any appointment were made, a burveyor-Geueral each island should be appointed. Air Atufiord referred to Mr Fitzherbert’s conduct in refusing to accept the explicit denial for himself and colleagues regarding the appointment of a Surveyor General. He happened quite accidentally to know that what was stated by the Treasurer was comet. Having become acquaint' d with Major Palmer in the Colony, and seeing a telegraphic repoit that ho had been offered a certain appointment, ho put the question to him shortly before he left for Home, and he replied most decidedly that Government had notoff red him any such appointment, and had no communication with him, and if there had he could not have accepted it. Witaout communication Mth hirr, from what he had seen of Major Palmer-and ho had ample opportunity of forming an opinion—ho felt Ins statements c uid be relied upon. He agreed with the member for Hutt that the Government should be left unfettered regarding such appointment.

Mr Reid considered Mu re were many gentlemen in the Colony, al ke in private as well as public practice, who were competent to fill office.

Mr Wood said they could not a t satisfactory surveys without a trigonomctrcal survey, and that was enormously expensive, and it was scarcely worth while to .-liter into such a great expense without they had He money to spend. After all, the enors about the surveys were practically very nit) ng. It vas only in the cities wnerc land \v..s ex<j’ e l it-ly valuable, and even then oniy uvivJy Ui ,t 1 oe nn.o.iiuery of the hiw was invoked, win e in i lie country districts, disputes through inaccurate surveys were unknown.

An amendment, proposed bv*Mr Murray, was carried, to the eff-et that in making any sue . np,'o;ntnit“ t, the merit-, of ah being equal, G ’ve.niu ut sbou'd give pr.. 'er- nee lo persons who have had ■■oiut expo-iei.ee in the Colony as surveyors. Mr Maoandrew moved f.bat there be laid before thv Hou-e a return -hewing all amounts advanced by the Colo, mi! Treasurer during the past year tor the purpose ot enabling the Provincial Secretary of Weliiiurtoa. or of other Provinces, to compete w; hj Ur Duller or other individuals in (he pu’cbise of Crown lands. The motion might seem singular, but he was very much asionished at seeing the sum of LdO.OOOt) advanced by the Treasurer inside twenty fou! hj ms, to enable the Provincial

ecretary to purchase Uangituma block, which Dr liuilor was «ndeavoriug to purchase. The hon, gentleman d-taiied the whole circumstances of the case, and he wanted to know how it whs that such large sums of money of the Colony could be advanced to the Provincial Secietiuy without authority from that House for purpo.es of purchasing land, especially as a Provincial Secretary cannot be legally seized of lands at all. The motion was agreed to.

-Mr .Siieehau moved for the production of a copy ot the resolutions passed by the Auckland 1 rovineial Dounoii last sesd-m in reference to tli abolition of Provinces and the control of the Pol.oo Force.

ir Donald M'Lean said the only resolution the Government hj d was a lesolut ion rescinding one regai ding abolition Mr Sheehan wanted wbat lliey bad, and ho would obtain the rest from Auckland, Mr AI ay moved that the division list be added to show there had been no subserviency.

As it was the Native Minister admitted the very gieat iraiortance of the road, but ox-plaim-il there were certain difficulties in the way at present arising out of the inter-tribal claims and rights ; and as soon as ever arrangements could he inside, 'he Native Contingent Wou’d In- s-t vorl:, Mr 'V. Kelly mov.nl th.it, hi the opinion of this House, it is I'esb-Jde die Native Contingent and Armed Constabulary, now employed on the ' ika i’alcu Road, should, immedi ;tely on the completion of that road, be employed in wid »-uing and improving that portion of the main trunk line of road between Tauranga and Napier running through Oripi Binli. 'Che motion was awed to. Mr Buckland mnvul that .a return be laid before the House containing a list of all the members of the General Assembly who, during the ! nst five years, sold or transferred any properly to the Coh trial Government for railways or other purposes, specifying in each case the nature .and quantify of property, with the date of contract, date of deed of completion and pricis of covenants ; also, a return of all members of the General Assembly who, during the last five years, made any contracts with the Crown or the Government other than as abovementioned, specifying the nature of contract, with the date when entered into, and whether completed or still pending. He thought this ought to satisfy the hon. member for Avon. It was agreed to ; and the House rose at 5.30 p.m.

The interrupted debate on tho Piako Swamp sale was resumed last night. Air Sheehan objected to the construction of the committee appointed to inquire into the transaction, and moved tnat it be referred to the Taiaroa Committee.

Major Atkinson refused, as the Taiaroa Committee had as much as tlu-y could attend to this session, and he did not want these charges hanging over ’heir heads. If desired, he would reconstruct the present committee, or appoint a new one.

Mr Reeves said the present committee counted too many supnorters of the Government on it.—(“ Oil !oh !’) Mr Richardson said any committee of the House would repoit fairly. Mr Cuthheitson complained of Sir George Greys flinging charges broadcast, and then declining to serve upon the committee, as well as Mr l-ee /es. This was not wise, as thehom-r of the House demanded that the question should be fuliy proved. Mr -Tout said it was waste of time for the committee to inquire at all. Did not the Na-. tive Minister tell them he did not care whether the transaction w s legal or not. •Sir George Drey commented upon the composition of the committee as having too many Government supporter-. and said he should have been consulted on the matter. He condemned the Pinko sale, and said the Government should have uniiie a mad through this swamp, and then sold the land to bond fide se tiers

f ihit< drew iortli a long explanation from Sir D. MM.ean, and a vigorous defence of the action of the Government in respect of that and other land transactions concerning which allegations of impiopcr dealings had been 1 veiled against the Government. They hadacted iliegallv only so far asth-t according to law their acts required validating by an Order in Council The Government had full power unoer rhe rt of 18G3 to do what they had done. The i’uiko swamp sale was fair and legal and to the interests of the people, and for his part he considered the road made, through it of more value than the hand itself. As regarded what the mend >tT for Oaversham had said, ho reputed that; all the Government did was right and equnable. and with a view to promote scttlem-nt. It was unfair to make the charges until it was known they were true. Mr duss-ll’s credentials were ordered to be laid upon the table, also a return of all allowances to a rents of the Colony at Home since June 1, 2874 Major Atkinson informed the House that Mr Russell was hot a paid agent of the Colony. A long discussion took place on a motion by Mr Gibbs that the restrictions placed by the Arms Act, ISiiO, .should be relaxed, at least so far as the Middle Island was concerned. Several members having spoken for and against the inoti m, it was withdrawn at the request of the Native Minister, who promised to see that a modification i u the working of the Act should take place so as to remove those annoyances complained of in the Middle Island, The house adjourned at 10.115 run.