THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3940, 11 October 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[Bt Telegraph. ] Wellington, Oclobei ■*. The Douse resumed at 7.30 p m v I te day. J P'.e Stain,i r>u ie< Bill was recommitted, an«i a few w-rn main by Mr Bowen in r-spcct to lowering the Stamp duty upon small properties descending to lineal issue and other relatives of s. deceased p rson, Mr Wood brought up the report of the Pubic Accounts : omouif'ee. wf ich ask d that John Bridges, manager of th , -■ .-iti-nul Bank, should be called before the bar of the House to give evidence, as hu had refused a: a certain point to answer any mor. qm sionput by the committee, although be made grave imputations against certain members of that House. Major Atkinson said ii, was impossible to let the matter remain where it -vas ; and on his motion it was ordered that Bridges -i snmra ned before the bar of the House at three o’clock on Monday. < s n the motion ot Major Atkinson, th Immigration and Public Works p’lrupriation Bill was read a second time without any discussion, except a few r-marks from .dr Johnston, who wshed to state tha- thin w a the firs time for sever A years that >liu *• teis ha i stale'’ clearly to he House the o , - ticu a r .moil, ts rhey wanted fur •e id .m p ses. Before the\ bad cou > 1

emus, upon ti\e disbursement of which the House had no ch-ck v, hj tev*r. A tur a few remarks from Mr Kolleston u the repeat-nlat'on of loiuont’.ea the tation Bil was read a second time. Betore th House went into Committee Supply Sir George Grey moved two rcso'u t’ons, tt>e eiibstance of wh ch was th.o laud purchase agents of the Colony should not be allowed to purchase land H' f hemselvi‘B or for anv private p-ron. a > j t hat all lands pu chased by those (fie,.,for others th n the Government should bo declared to lie part of the public estate ; aud lhat the owners be (refunded the cost of tbsame. The hon. gentlemen quoted sevura. eminent legal authonti, s to shoa that t wa* ilb-gal for agents employed to purchase fm others to do so upon their own account viir Donald M‘Lean said hi agreed wdh the first part of the reaolutiouljbut t - can , out the second he thought would smount 1« confiscation, and tin y iiad alrcad i b-Ue.i- • * .mrnuce of the acts of the mover’, f ti.o resolution in that way when be was Governor nt thn Coony. i o antiounc d lit' ' r ernmeut dm not in ten I to make a.iy nu la d purchaser for sumo time, a,id aim. n f nned fi- House thU ouy a'out hal- i 70 >,OUO hj i i liven expende*. Messrs Fuxberbert, Trine, and Shceli . s .rongly disapproved of ceasing to purchase Native lands.

The Gov rnmeut opposed the resolution they admit tea tr e impropriety their land purchasejagents trafficking in Bat:vnods, and said they would stop it in future i n reply to au assertion by Sir v,eo Oiey, tuat ot all t at portion ~i the L 700.000 ox pended m purchasing Native lands, none of t ; e accounts had beeu audited. Sir i; j can said that all had been audited excepted L 22,000. The resoiuitoi.s were lost 0.0 a division by th rty-six to tw nty two. A portion of the Kstimates was passed l| " ugh C 'muaitt'•» or upioy without tit ration, aim to* M«u * sjunod.t 40 *BL