GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 394, 16 September 1875, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] (Pee Press Agency.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, September 16. BILLS PASSED. The Kakanui Harbor Board Bill passed through committee without amendment, was read a third time, and passed. TIMAEU WATERWORKS BILL. The Timaru Municipal Council Empowering and Waterworks Bill passed through committee, the preamble having been amended, and the third reading fixed for Friday. DISQUALIFICATION ACT. 3 Hon Mr Mantell moved that it be an instruction to the Disqualification Act Infringement committee to enquire and report upon the question whether a member of this Council holding an honorary appointment under the Executive Government can receive any travelling allowances or free passages whilst travelling on the duties of his honorary appointment without contravention of the Disqualification Act. The motion was carried. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. The Public Health Act, 1872, Amendment Bill was introduced by the Hon Dr Pollen. SECOND READING. The Highway Boards Empowering Bill, to adjust diffeie ces between Hoad Boards, was read a second time, and ordered to be committed next day. Thn Bill will be general in its application. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. {From a correspondent of the Press.) Wednesday, September 15. ministerial explanation. In moving that the Abolition Bill should be postponed till 2.30 to-morrow, Sir D McLean took the opportunity of stating what had occurred since Friday night. In consequence of having received propositions from the Opposition in reference to the Abolition Bill, and other matters then bethe House, several interviews took place between Ministers and the leaders of Opposition, the result being that it had been agreed that the Bill should pass through this session, that hon members will consider it entirely on its merits, and that all the main principles of the Bill should be carried, The concession which the Government thought it desirable to make was that the Act should be brought into operation one day after the prorogation of the first session of the new Parliament. Those members who had acted with the Government would find that the principle of the Bill had been fully affirmed, and the Bill would be placed upon the statute book—points which the Government felt bound to hare carried out, On the

other hand, he considered it due to the Opposition to take into consideration their particular views upon this qn s tion, and to consent to the Bill not being brought into operation on the day first named. The various discussions which had taken place with the leaders of the Opposition had been conducted in a spirit that showed earnestness and a desire on thenpart to meet the present circums'ances of the country, and to carry on its business. He hoped the future business of the House would be characterised by the same spirit. He was sure the earnest desire of members was that the work of the country should be carried on with the least possible loss of time. He hoped the House would he animated by that feeling, and would apply themselves to the business of the country, ot which there was a great deal yet to be carried through before the session could come to an end. With these remarks he had explained the results arrived at between the Government and the Opposition, which he trusted would meet with the general concurrence of the House. [Cheers ] Sir GEORGE Grey wished to state that in substance the Opposition concurred in the statem6Dt just made by the Native Minister. Hr would wish to add one other fact to what the latter had said. Personally he (Sir G. Grey) was not able to act in this matter with these gentlemen, with whom on all subjects whatever he was united. A conclusion having been agreed upon, he would do his best to give effect to the views which had been expressed, but for himself he could not altogether acquiesce in the course that had been taken, which was not one in which he ought to assert his entire concurrence. However, he was able to state that the Opposition would faithfully carry out the arrangement which had been made. He would in no way interfere with it, object to it, or attempt in any way to embarrass it. [Cheers,] NATIVE LANDS. On Mr Sheehan’s motion that the report of the Native Affairs committee on petition of certain natives of the Haurai district, having reference to restrictions on sale of land to a Maori representative, and the neglect to place Maoris on the jury list, be now taken into consideration, Sir D. McLean expressed himself strongly in favor of giving to the Crown the sole right of purchasing native lands Horn natives. Europeans dealing with the lands had been the cause of great mischief between Government and the natives. The question was of such a large character that it was hardly possible to make any changes this session. The last Act on the subject, that of 1873, removed many of the previously existing objections, and secured a more thorough investigation of titles, and enabled each individual native interested to secure hi* title, and had generally met with the concurrence of the natives. The measure should be allowed to go on without change until it was shown that there were reasons for altering it, or the Government had sufficient evidence of the necessity for a change. With reference to the question of representation, it had been the aim of this Government throughout, to avoid as far as possible anything like exceptional laws, but to encourage in all parts of both islands the natives to send their youth to Parliament, by giving them an English education. To his mind, they should qualify themselves to be placed on electoral rolls in the same manner as Europeans. In 1877 there should be Maori representatives in the House able to talk English and explain their sentiments in that language. With reference to placing Maoris on the jury lists, the Act of 1868 justified the natives being put upon it, and Government would take the matter into consideration. Sir G. Grey said, in view of many complications between the Europeans and Natives re land, it was extremely desirable that the latter should be placed on juries. He hoped, when Government made up its mind on the subject, they would state to the House what, their intentions were. Sir D. McLean replied that the Government would do so. Mr Taiboa considered the present representation unfair. For all practical purposes there might as well be no Maoris in the House. . . Mr SHEEHAN expressed the opinion that the Government should at once obtain a pre-emptive right to the native lands in preference to private persons. He thought the natives would gain thereby. He eulogised the efforts of the Native Minister to give an English education to the Maoris, which being successfully carried out, and he” hoped that the Minister would ask for a large sum for the purpose this year. ' The motion was carried. • NOTICES OP MOTION. Among the of ;motion to-day is one by Mr Rolleston—“ Whether the Government intended to give a representation to the New Zealand University.” • Several unimportant motions were agreed to. Reports of various boards of health, laid on the table this session, were ordered to be printed. RETURNS, The following returns moved for by Mr O’Neill were agreed to:—A return of |the names of all persons who have been drowned in any river or stream in New Zealand from 30th June, 1870, to 30th June last, giving the names of such river or stream, and of the province in which it is situated ; a continuation of a return ordered for the names of all persons drowned in any river or stream in New Zealand from Ist January, 1840, to 30th June, 1870 ; a return showing the number of mining accidents in New Zealand, specifying the localities, from date of discovery of gold in 1857, to 30th June last ; return to show the number of yearly accidents, the causes as far as known, vei diets at inquests, and any general remarks, together with names of persons killed, whether married or single, and the number of widows and children of the persons so killed; and that in continuation there shall he laid before this Bouse each session, a yearly return of all mining accidents. WASTE LANDS. 'Mr Stout in moving (I) “That in the opinion of this House the most desirable and profitable way to dispose of the waste lands of the Crown is by a leasing system. (2) That the Government should during the recess prepare a Bill to give effect to the above reso lution,” made a very exhaustive speech in support of his first proposition. He admitted that the subjecthad onlyjreached the theoretical stage, but he reminded the House that all great reforms in the worldhadhad that stage. The time would come when it would be a pressing and practical question. To show that the matter had already advanced beyond the theoretical stage, he referred to the action of the Otago Provincial Counci', which lately discussed a similar motion to

his, and only negatived it by a majority of throe, the voting being fifteen against eighteen j and in the Victorian Parliament the proposition received great favor at the hands of Messrs Grant, Higinbotham, and other prominent men in that colony, who had made the land question their special study. He discussed the question et considerable length from its aspects of right and expediency. He considered that under the proposed leasing system the land now held under pastoral leases in Otago would by being cut up into small agricultural and hillside farms, end leased, yield an annual rental of over £400,000, which was a very underrated estimate. This, with the revenue from railways, would pay the interest on loans, and do away with the necessity for imposing any customs revenue. Indeed there would be more revenue than the Treasurer would know what to do with. The present system, by which monopolists of land reaped the advantages aiising from improvement to and increased value of their holdings, even by works undertaken by State, without in any way contributing to that result, was utterly wrong in theory and mischievous in practice. In the Canterbury province there were millions of acres belonging to a few capable of supporting thousands of people. Leasing lauds, which he denied was in any way a socialistic scheme, would prevent agitations and lasting bickerings between agriculturists and pastoral tenants. He had no hope of carrying the motion, but brought it forward hoping at the next election the people would consider it, and come to a conclusion not to regard land as a monopoly. He urged members to consider the question, if they really wish to have a good land system for the colony, and to prevent a ruinous system of taxation, which must necessarily follow on the money being spent wherever people by clamour demanded it should be, .as had been the legislation of the past few sessions. If along with the public works scheme its initiator had brought down a scheme for securing to the state the benefits arising from the improvement and enhanced value given to land by those works, the proposal would have been statesmanlike. There were millions of acres that could be dealt with under the leasing system with the result of making the colony not only most prosperous, but of setting other coloni;s an example. Hon C. C. Bowen admitted the subject should be fairly brought before the country, bu t could not beentertained at a moment’s notice. It was im possible for any Government to pi edge itself to prepare legislation on the matter; there were too many sides to the question which Government were not prepared to dis: uss. Political economists were too apt to neglect tire instructive and look at the sentimental side of the question. The House should remember that one of the greatest attractions which induced people to leave other crowded countries was a desire to obtain a portion of the soil. It would be rash to follow theorists immediately, without seeing how far their theories had been endorsed by the world. The member for Caversham had grearly quoted Spencer, and to show that his theories were not always correct, he instanced his argument that lawyers should not be allowed as representatives in Parliament. Leasing on a large scale would he certain to keep up perpetual agitation between the lessees and those who did not obtain leases. For the reasons before stated he hoped the motion would be withdrawn. On motion of Mr Ballance, the debate was adjourned till next Wednesday. REPORTING DEBATES COMMITTEE. The discussion on reporting debates committee’s report, brought up yesterday, was interrupted by the dinner hour. QUESTIONS, In answer to questions, • Government stated — (1) That a vote would be taken this session for a lighthouse at Moeraki, and, if acceded to, no time would be lost in erecting the light, which would enable vessels to take the correct bearing of Fish Reef, and so avoid it. (2) Without making any definite promise, Government would, if possible, establish direct mail communication between Riverton, Flint’s Bush, and Limestone Plains. In reference to the first question, Mr MacANDRBW threw out a suggestion which met with general approval, that the Commissioner of Customs should issue instructions that vessels should not pass inside the Fish Reef. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time ;—Bill to Suspend the Operation of the Westland Toll-gates Ordinance. 1875 ; Bill to Endow Blenheim Grammar School ; Invercargill Municipal Council Empowering and Waterworks Loan Bill ; Evidence Further Amendment Bill ; Bill to Amend Licensing Acts.