GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 381, 1 September 1875, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] [Per Press Agency.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 31. The Speaker took the chair at the usual hour. bill passed. The Napier Swamp Nuisance Bill passed the third reading. AUCKLAND IMPROVEMENT, The Auckland Improvement Bill passed the second reading. ART UNION LOTTERIES. Hon Mr Bonar moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that the law relating to the conduct of art unions, lotteries,and similar undeitakings throughout the colony be taken into consideration by the Government, with a view to the preparation on as early a date as possible of a Bill regulating the same.” Hon Mr Waterhousb seconded the motion, remarking that the mania had reached religious people. Hon Dr Pollen said that the Government concurred in the necessity for taking the matter into consideration, but could not deal with it this session, owing to the unusual pressure of business, THIRD READING. The Auckland Institute Bill passed its third reading. SECOND READINGS. The Napier Council Empowering and Waterworks Loan Bill, and Campbelltown Atheiueura Bill, were read a second time and passed through committee with amendment. The Council adjourned at 4 25 p.ra. (From a correspondent of the Press ')

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, August 31. The Speaker took the chair at 2,30 p.m. QUESTIONS. (1) Mr McGillivbay asked the Minister for Public Works whether the Government will carry out the improvements in the harbor of Riverton, recommended in a report of the Engineer-in-Chief. (2) Mr White asked the Minister for Public Works whether the detailed plansand estimates of the Hokitika and Grey railway have been received by the Government, (3) Mr Macandrew asked the Minister for Immigration what steps, if any, it is proposed to take in reference to the claims of those immigrants who have paid their passage to the colony, under the impression that they would be placed in possession of land to the value of £2O each, but who have inadvertently failed to obtain the certificate of the AgentGeneral, as provided by the Immigrants Land Act, 1873. In answer to questions, Ministers said—(l) Since a Harbor Board had been created at Riverton, and had been endowed, the Board would have to undertake the harbor improvement. (2) Plane would be received in a few days and be laid on the table. (3) The question was surrounded with considerable difficulties, and the matter was still under consideration. There were, no doubt, a good many cases of considerable hardship, and in a few days he would be prepared to make a statement of what the Government purposed doing in the matter. REPRESENTATION OF CHRISTCHURCH. Mr Richardson presented a petition praying for increased representation to Christchurch, privilege. Mr O’CONOR brought under the notice of the House the Speaker’s action in reference to himself and Mr Murray, re Mr Brown’s application for an adjournment on Friday night. He maintained that the Speaker’s ruling was not consistent with the honor of the House, inasmuch as members should be considered to be on unequal footing. Wherefore he asked either that the ruling should be withdrawn, or enforced, so that members should know their exact position, classifying them according to their respective merits. He disclaimed all idea of intentionally being guilty of undue warmth in referring to the Speaker’s action on Friday night. Mr Richardson observed that he was conversing with the Speaker when the question was asked, and he did not hear the

application of the member for Tuapeka for an adjournment. The Speaker had previously given his recollection of the matter. He denied that he had used the word “impertinent” in calling Mr O’Conor to order on Friday, The subject then dropped. Mr Ormond -Asa question of privilege referred to Sir G. Grey’s attack on himself on Friday for having applied the words “ rotten community” to the people of Auckland. He went on to explain that at the time he said he had stated that he was convinced in his own mind that he had never made such a statement, and that hs applied the term rotten not to the body of the people, but to the system of Government. The member for Auckland West did not accept this, but subsequently said he (.Mr Ormond) had used language discreditable to him as a member of the House, and that he had shown a stolid determination in not withdrawing the statement, which he had been assured by others had been made, the hon gentleman himself not being in the House in time. He (Mr Ormond) had declined to make an apology for something he felt quite sure had never fallen from him, and added that after seeing the proof sheets from the Hansard reporters, he would make a statement to the House. He now asked to do so, since, through the action of the member for Auckland West, the supposed opprobrious terms had been telegraphed throughout the country. He had been put in the position of having used offensive words towards a large community,—words which never fell’ from him. He had been answering the member for Newton, and, accordihg to Hansard, his actual words were—“ Talking about the province of Auckland and its institutions, what did he demand, he said ‘ keep her, if necessary, from the rest of the colony, give her rights and make her a colony for herself.’ I should like to know what the people of the province of Auckland would say to that. All Queen street and the hon gentleman’s constituents might be in favor of such a state of things, but I wouM ask him what those out settlers, represented by the hon member for the Bay of Islands, and the hon member for the Bast Coast, and the people in those other out-settlements, which have been ruined, dragged down, and kept back for years, while the curse has been tied to them of a rotten and bad system of favoring the wishes of population.” He thought the House would agree with him in thinking he was at perfect liberty to use those words. It rested with the hon member for Auckland West, seeing what were his actual words, to consider whether in fairness to him (Mr Ormond) he should not express regret at having endeavored to fix on him words he never used, j Cheers.J Sir G. Grey did not reply. DISQUALIFICATION ACT.

Mr Rolleston, as a question of privilege, asked if the Government were prepared to make the promised statement as to the position of certain members in regard to land transactions between them and the Gover iment; whether they came within the limits of the Disqualification Act. Sir D. MCLEAN replied that certain papers had gone to Taupo, where the transactions had taken place. Until those had returned, and been laid before them, the law advisers of the Grown could not give a final answer. As far as the documents laid before him went the Solicitor-General’s opinion was that the particular case did not come within the meaning of the Act. Mr Rolleston replied that he did not specially refer to the member for Franklin. It had been intimated that there were a number of similar cases, and the Government ought to inform the House with regard to these transactions. He did not know whether he was in order, but if he was he would like to move for all papers relatiag to the sales, or transactions, or interest on land by members of the Legislature with the Colonial Government be laid on the table. Sir George Grey suggested that the Solicitor-General’s opinion should be laid on the table under ordinary circumstances. Under every form of Government he was acquainted with, the law officers of the Crown were in the House and connected with the Ministry, and consequently gave opinions in their place in the House, and defended them. Had such been the custom here the discussion would have been raised, and the Solicitor-General would have defended his opinion, and able lawyers in the House answered him. The House should be allowed for themselves to discuss the Soli-citor-General’s opinion. Hon C. C. Bowen pointed out the custom of the Imperial Parliament was only to lay the law officers’ opinions on the table when serious interests were at stake, and further, that the Solicitor-General’s opinion was not final. Mr Stout agreed that it was not the proper course to lay the opinion of the law officers on the table, but under the peculiar position of this matter, and as the Government, leading the House, had themselves asked for the opinion, he thought it was the Government’s duty to lay it upon the table. The Speaker remarked that Mr Eolleston would have to give notice of the motion. ABOLITION BILL. On the motion to go into committee of the whole to consider the appropriation clauses of the Abolition Bill, Hon Major Atkinson intimated that an understanding had been arrived at. The present steps should be cotsidered at present merely as formal, and that at a subsequent stage on Thursday, upon the motion to leave the chair to go into committee of supply, they would take a full discussion. After some remarks by members, Mr Reader Wood said the Treasurer, by a conjuring process, had converted an Auck land deficit into a surplus. The receipts from the land fund were estimated at £15,000, but where they were to come from he did not know, seeing they had only averaged £4OOO yearly during the last five years. Hon Major Atkinson replied at considerable length. The Government never pretended to have a mine of wealth of which the country was not previously aware. From first to last the Government said the finances of the colony were amply sufficient to meet their liabilities, and provide an efficient Government, but experience showed that ■while the existing form of Government was in operation, there could not be a proper equitable distribution of the revenue. Ho said Mr Reader Wood would not condescend to consider the proposals of the Government. The £45,000 land revenue estimate came from the confiscated land, and the estimate was very carefully made. The House then went into committee. in committee. Sir D. Bell said that constitutional changes must be followed by a reyision of the inci-

dcnce of taxation of the people. Dissatisfaction would bo felt with, the abolition of the provinces if a revision of the incidence of taxation did not take place. It was absolutely necessary to consider just how far they ought to revise the burdens at present placed upon the necessaries life, and exchange them for some burdens upon property. The next and the more important point was whether or not they should make more effective provision by which to secure the administration of the land fund by local bodies free from interference by the Assembly. It was necessary to settle these two points before they could hope to introduce a colonial system of finance. He thought it better to provide the necessary funds for carrying on comfortably and quietly the Government which would follow abolition, leaving to next Parliament the permanent provision. The appropriation clauses of the Bill will be considered on Thursday. NOTICES. On the House assembling, Mr Macandrew gave notice of his intention to introduce Bills to create an Education Board and Board of Works for the Province of Otago, and to propose, when the Abolition Bill is in committee, that all education reserves vested in the Superintendent of that province should be vested in the chairman of the present Education Board until the Education Board before mentioned is constituted, and that the residue of the land fund for such provincial district, after paying all charges mentioned in the 16th clause of the Abolition Bill, should be monthly paid over to the Board of Works before mentioned; such Board of Works, until constituted by Act, to consist of the Otago members of the Assembly.