PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4186, 27 July 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[By Teleobaph.l {Prom, our Special Corr spondent.)

Wellington, July 26. In the Legislative Council on Tuesday, The Titnaru Gas Bill was, on the motion of Mr Ackland, read a second time. The Hon. Dr. Pollen moved the second reading of tho Lands Transfer Act, 1870, Amendment Bill. In doing so he said that the measure was promoted by the Government at the instance of the RegistrarGeneral of Lands. The object of the second clause was to throw the risk of the nonreg'stration of deeds upon those persons upon whom devolved the duty of registering them ; and further, it sought to relieve the assurance fund of the Land Transfer Department from undue charges. The third clause related to the disposal of Native lands under the Land Transfer Act. In dealing with Native lands under the Land Transfer Act, difficulties were found to exist which this clause sought to remove. It would give to the District Land Registrar power to assess the amount of contributions to the assurance fund, and upon such amount and fees being paid, the registrar may register any dealings. The fourth clause dealt with acknowledgements of married women. The fifth clause provided that the sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth sections of the Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment Act, 1870, shall apply to sales by mortgagees iu exercise of any power created by the Land Transfer Act, 1870, and deals with the registration of the transfer. The sixth clause makes it lawful for tho Governor to appoint the District Land Registrar to be also examiner of titles, and the seventh clause makes it penal to use the style or title of laud broker under the Act unless duly authorished. Dr Pollen then explained the reason of the eighth clause, which provides that the words “one calendar month ” shall he substituted for “six calendar mouths” in the 87th section of tho Land Transfer Act. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse would not oppose the second reading of the Bill. He thought some legislation was desirable, but he urged the Council, however, not to proceed with legislation on this matter without searching inquiry. Mr Waterhouse spoke in eugolistic terms of the Land Transfer Act. He believed generations yet to come would ascribe their well-being to that Act. Though calculated to do such great good, the principles of that Act had been elsewhere opposed by enemies who had sought to undermine its existence. It was to the credit of the legal profession in New Zealand that here it had been received in a different manner. Though calculated to injuriously affect their interests, yet they had not received it in a fractious spirit. He would support the Bill on the understanding that after the second reading it should be referred to a select committee.

The Hon Mr Hall, in reply to some remarks which had fallen from the Hon. Mr Fraser as to the appointment of a layman who was a proictfe ot the Minister of Justice as Registrar of the Supreme Conrt at Christchurch, said he Mas acquainted with the gentleman in question, and considered tho appointment a good one. All parlies had since admitted that this was so, and that the present occupant of the office was a great improvement on the previous holder. He (Mr Halty was pleased that in this instance the Minister of Justice had departed from the usual rule, and had appointed a layman and not a professional man. The Hon. Dr Pollen had no objection to the Bill being referred to a select committee. The Bill was then road a second time, and the following committee chosen :—The Hons. Dr Pollen, Atessrs Hall, Ackland, Waterhouse, Johnston, and .Stokes.

The main provisions of the Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill avere read a second time. They are as follows :—When any land shall have been brought under the provisions of the Land Tiausfcr Act, 1870, upon the application of any person claiming to I e the proprietor thereof, no person claiming any estate or interest in such land by virtue of any deed or instrument which, prior to the bringing of such land under the said Act,

might have been registered against the same under the provisions of the Deeds Registra* tion Act, 1868, shall have any claim or action against the Registrar-General of Land or upon the assurance fund by reason of deprivation of such estate or interest ooeaBioned by bringing such land under the said Act upon such application, unless such deed or instrument shall have been duly registered as aforesaid. The District Land Registrar may, if required by any lessee, mortgagee, or purchaser from the grantees, or from either of them of land within his district granted to persons of the Native race assess the amount payable for Contribution to the assurance fund, in respect of the land so leased, morgagod, or purchased, which assessment the District Land Registrar shall have power to make upon such evidence as to the value of the land as he shall deem sufficient; and upon payment of the amount sum assessed, and of a’l fees due for the issues and registration of the Grown grant, tje land tlio subject of such asaessbe released from further liabilities to thC assurance fund in re spect of the grant, and the District Land Registrar may register any dealings therewith. Acknowledgments by married women to be valid if made in accordance with the provisions of the Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment Act, 1874. Sections 6, 7, 8, and 10 of Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment Act, iB6O, and Sales by Mortgagees Act, 1870, to extend to sales by mortgagees under Land Transfer Act. Any person who not being duly authorised shall in any manner represent himself to be, or shall transact business as or use the style and title of a land broker under the said Act, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay a penalty of LSO. On Wednesday, the hon. Mr Waterhouse in asking the hon. the Colonial Secretary whether the attention of the Government has been directed to the great increase which is taking place in the number of cases of persons charged with indecent assaul'.s upon children, and whether it is the intention of the Government to propose a change of the law with a view to providing that the penalty attached to such cases shall be of a character calculated to be more deterrent of the offence, urge d the necessity of the lash as a preventive.

Dr Pollen replied that the subject had been under the consideration of the Government, but they had not arrived at the determination to introduce any legislation on it this session. He had made inquiries and found from statistics that in 1874 there had been sixteen convictions for offences of the kind named, and eighteen in 1875. It was exceedingly desirable to repress these offences, but he doubted if it would be done by extravagant or severe punishments. In the House of Representatives on Tuesday night, after the Statement of the Minister for Public Works, Sir Julius Vogel said that now that the papers which had been asked for by members as to expenditure-and the proposed policy of the Public Works Department were before the House some arrangement should be come to as to the public business. He had stated before that the amendments of the hon. member for Waikato (Mr Whitaker) affected the position of the Government, and he now repeated that it was the intention of the Ministry to oppose theta. He would ask Mr W hitaker to bring these amendments down as resolutions, and the Government would give him every facility in having the matter fairly discussed. If the hon. member would adopt this course he would suggest that the orders of the day for Friday be postponed for consideration of the resolutions. There was no desire on the part of the House or the Ministry for further delay, and as members would have three days to consider the Public Works Statement, he thought this course would meet their wishes.

Mr Whitaker said that he was quite prepared to accept the suggestion of the Premier. His only object in proposing the amendment was that if he had brought them down as resolutions it would have been competent for the Government to put him off from time time, but having adopted the course he did, the Ministry would have been enabled to pass their Counties Bill before considering the amendment. As the suggestion of the Premier did away with this difficulty he would adopt his suggestion to facilitate the business of the House.

The Premier then moved the adjournment of the House which was negatived on the voices, and the House went into committee on the Municipal Corporations Bill, in which progress was made as far as clause 49. The material amendments were to clause 46, which, on Mr Whitaker’s suggestion, was made to limit the ex officio jurisdiction of Mayors as J.P.’s to the borough whose affairs they administer, and to clause 49, which, as passed, enacts that there shall be in undivided boroughs nine councillors, and in boroughs divided into wards three councillors in each ward, exclusive of the Mayor. Messrs Hunter and Stout, while the latter clause was being discussed, drew attention to the inequality of the representation, the former mentioning Wellington as an instance of the disadvantage of making the wards even, the population of each being disproportionate. The Premier said it would be very difficult to make an alteration, In committee on the Hating Bill, clause 56 was amended, so as to give the owner four months’ notice before recovering from the rates not receivable from the occupier. There were calls for Mr Rowe when clause 48 was reached, but in the absence of the member for the Thames, who had given notice of an amendment, its consideration had to be postponed. The House adjourned at ten minutes to 1 o’clock. Yesterday afternoon was given up to discussion on the Central Penal Establishment which wasjopened by Mr Murray moving tba*s the tenders should not le decided on un il the House had had an opportunity of reconsidering the question of site. He suggested the proximity of disaffected Maoris aslikely to assist prisoners in escaping. Dr Henry got up to reply to Mr Murray’s insinuations that the coal mines of Westport would furnish ample employment for convicts, saying his was a respectable constituency aud did not care for such benefits.

Mr Mander’s suggestion of Stewart's Island was received by the Otago members with roars of laughter, in which Messrs Stout and De Latour were the loudest. Air Manders at this’got very indignant, observing: “The member for Dunedin does not meet me with arguments or with considerate views, but always laughs; and his laugh seems to be echoed by the member for Mount Ida. Whether or not the member for Mount Ida is the echo of the member for Dunedin. I know not, but it seems very peculiar, that whenever I rise to address a few observations to the House those hon. members meet me with laughter ; while members from other parts of the Colony pay some deference to my remarks. Sir, I will not submit to have ray remarks laughed at.” Messrs Rees and Thomson strongly objected to Taranaki being favored at the expense of the rest of the Colony for voting right, and the former committed himself to the statement that, if he were in the position of a Minister, he would state plainly to the House that he was bidding as high as he could by expenditure on public works for voters.

Air Carrington got up to repel the insinua tioa of the member for Auckland City Past, saying on his honor, .as a gentleman, that he

never solicited the Government to put the penal establishment at Taranaki. Mr Rees denied any grounds for the construction put on his words, which he qualified.

The Minister of Justice hoped there would be no further vacclllatlon in the matter. Ever since 1858, when the Royal Commission reported how important it was that there should be come sort of classification in our gaols with a view to the establishment of a central penal establishment, the matter had been debated, while the necessity for it had become greater and greater until now tbe gaols are an absolute scandal to the country, owing to the want of classification. Notwithstanding all the efforts of those interested in gaols to remedy the Bill Complained of, at this time old and young prisoners were locked up In a manner which he could only call a breeding of criminals. Taranaki had only been determined on A 8 the locality after very careful consideration, and before the Sound on the West Coast bad been surveyed and reported on as unsuitable. Taranaki was not only one of the places recommended by tbe Commission, bnt it would famish employment for the odhvicts, while its climate was good, and food was easily procurable. With regard to the prospect of moral contamination referred to by some of the speakers, he considered that quite a chimerical idea. Only long-sentenced prisoners ware to be drafted to Taranaki. As to the suggestion of the member for Bruce—that tbe proximity of disaffected Natives was against the proposed locality, and as to the desirability of employing convicts as coal m : ners at Westport, he said the former was a libel on tbe Maoris. The proximity of Maoris was, bo thought, one of the greatest obstacles to the escape of pri* soners. He felt sure if a prisoner escaped he would soon be returned on onr hands by the Maoris—(an Hon. Member: Or eaten) — whether friendly or otherwise. Apart from the question of competing with free labor, he did not think the other suggestion, which had never been considered by the Government, would find favor with the Westport people. It was only intended to build one

wing of the building by contract, adding to it £3 accommodation was required by prison labor. He hoped the House would not in* terfere with the existing arrangement, which should have been come to years ego, or defer The question of site, which the Government had given a great deal of consideration to. Mr Stafford could not gather from any remarks that had been made that any more preferable site had been proposed which would furnish such prolonged employment for convicts as did Taranaki. He dismissed the suggestion of the member for Coleridge (that convicts could not be better or more centrally employed than on reclamation works in Wellington) with the remark that it was presented in such a way'that it was impossible to tell whether he was in jest or earnest. That member was one of the greatest puzzles he had met with this se'sion. He did not know whether that hon. member was adopting the r6le of cynical philosopher or at times was carried away by a monomania which took the form of suggesting that convicts should be employed in filling up Wellington harbor, which was on a par with many suggestions the hon. member made. The question of constructing a breakwater at Taranaki was a Colonial one, which would greatly benefit every vessel going from north to south and from south to north. Be was not wedded to Taranaki as the site, but it had not been shown that any other place offered the same advantages. Hot the least important consideration was that the construction of a breakwater would materially assist the development of one of - the finest agricultural districts in the Colony. This question was a type of those perpetual local jealousies against any particular place being supposed to have the advantage of any Colonial work. As a Colonial work he would vote for it, not caring the least whether the present people of Taranaki might or might not be directly benefited by it. Mr Wason, in replying to Mr Stafford’s attack on him, said it was a matter of deep regret to him, and it must have been one of astonishment to the House that the member for Timaru should have been unable to fathom the depths of his mind. At all events he (Mr Wason) had idways avoided anything like and, as a young member, had been prepared to take a lesson from old members in that respect; but he was not in the position of the member for Taranaki in this respect—if he had anything to say or to bring before the Bouse, he did not get anybody else to do so for him. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

The House resumed at 7.30 last night. Several Bills of a local character having been read a second time the Municipal Corporations Bill was committed, and a great many clauses passed without material alteration. A good deal of discussion ensued upon clause 97, limiting the amount of rates to be levied to two shillings in the pound. Mr Moorhonse strongly opposed it, and proposed an amendment which would make the power of Bo toughs to borrow unlimited, arguing that it was not the pl. ee for the Government to impose • restriction in that direction as that was an improper interference with the principle of local self-government, the people not being likely to borrow more than was actually necessary or beneficial, and that in any case the lender would not be likely to lend unless upon Very good security. Messrs Stout, Woolcock, and Rolleston supported these views. The Premier cared not how much any special rate might be, but objected to indefinite power being granted as to general rates, otherwise ratepayers would have no check or safe guard on the expenditure of rates. Messrs Bastings and Hutton took the Premier’s views. Oh a division Mr Moorhcuuse’s amendment was rejected by 44 to 12.

A good deal o! discussion ensued upon several other clauses up to 105, which were all passed mainly without any very material alterations. The House adjourned at 12.50, progress having been reported. _ Mr Stout introduces the Dunedin Corporation Bill to-day. Mr Thomson wants to know whether the Government propose «lnring the current year to extend the line * f telegraph to Cntliu's .River by way of Pu; t MolynCUx and the Air Stout asks for a return showing (1) the amount of estimated expenditure on railways ; (2) the amount of contracts; (3) the amonnt of extras allowed on contracts. Mr Dc Lautour moves that it is desirable that in future alienation of Crown lands by sale, license, or lease, the survey fees if any should be charged on a uniform acreage basis irrespective of distance from survey office. Mr Waterhouse asks to-day whether it is the intention of the Government to act upon the recommendation of the English actuaries, who reported on the condition of the Insurance Department, to raise the premiums charged upon lives insured at an advanced a g e < On Friday, in the Legislative Council, the hon. Mr Nurse asks if the Government will procure from Mr Blair opinion as to the utility of the Western District railways under present plans and specifications (1) as to the safety of the passenger traffic, and if so, to what rate of speed; (2) as to the goods traffic, what weight can safely pass along the line. .