PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2220, 25 October 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct, 24 The Council met at 2.30. Air. Jcn'kinson gave notice of tho following motion: “That in tho opinion of this Council it is desirable that tho Government should be represented by more than one’ Alinistcr in tho Legislative Council.” The Coal Alines Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee.

Air. Smith moved an amendment to clause 2, suspending tho operation of tho Bill (if passed) until February 23rd, 1908, by limiting tho toleration of the existing award to that period. This, lie said, would ensure tho Arbitration Court from the indignity that would otherwise be put upon it. Air. Jenkinson (in charge of the Bill) said there was no difference whatever in doing what Air. Smith proposed and in making it operative from the date of its passing. The amendment was defeated by 20 votes to 8.

Tlio Bill was reported from committee without amendment, read a third time, and passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

The House met at 2.30 p.m, NATIVE LEASES.

The Native Affairs Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make regarding a petition from a number of Europeans at Utiku praying that the House would this ocssion pass legislation to permit of the purchase of native townships for the purpose of their conversion into town lands with the option of the freehold.

Air. Remington urged that native leases were unsatisfactory, and greatly retarded settlement. Air. Alassey contended that native townships along the North Island railway were greatly crippled by tho fact that native lease was the only tenure. It was, lie said, the duty of the Government to give a lead in the matter. Natives and Europeans were anxious to make some arrangement which would be to the interest of Doth parties, but the existing -law prevented this being accomplished. Mr. Ell asked why members did not demand the freehold for lessees in other towns who held lands under harassing conditions. He was sick of “cant and humbug,” and characterised the idea that people would not build on leasehold lands as “rot.” He instanced the cases of King’s Chambers, Willis street, Wellington, and the reclaimed land. Mr. Carroll said when it was urged that native townships should be sold in order that residents might be able to carry out necessary sanitary works, that was a fair and valid claim. But what the Government desired was that claims should be put forward by native owners, and when this was done he was prepared to consider the matter. The power of purchase of native interests, he added, already existed under the Act of 1895, but before -taking any action he should like to be fully seized of the facts from the native point of view, in order that lie might know- what they considered wliat would be best for t-lieir interests. After other members had spoken, the report was ordered to lie on the table. AIEIKLE CASE. The House went into committee on the Aleikle Acquittal Gill, and adjourned at 5.30. On the House resuming at i .30, Mr. Hornsby submitted that the Committee should bo very careful how it went against the Commission’s report. He contended that they-were going against the Commission in the proposals of the Bill. Mr. Fisher congratulated the Almister oil the Bill, which was designed to grant justice to a man who had been asking for it for 20 years. Mr. Remington contended that a verdict of innocence had not been f round. The Premier said the question before the House had nothing to do with the evidence given before the Commission. The Commission had made a recommendation favorable to Aleikle. Mr. Lawry said he thought- the matter had reached finality when Aleikle signed a receipt for £SOO exonerating the Government from any further liability.