GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 628, 23 June 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Per Press Agency .) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, June 22, Hon Captain Fraser moved, and Hon John Hall seconded the address in reply, Hon Mr Waterhouse spoke at length, and said the progress of the colony was not bo great as it had been made to appear. He denied the position of tho colony was one of prosperity, and said that the elections at Wanganui and elsewhere disclosed corrup. tion on the part of the Government. He criticised the Bank correspondence, which would damage New Zealand in the eyes of strangers. The Hon Colonel Kenny said he would be ready to join any gentleman who would form an Opposition to the Government. The Hon Mr Chamberlain denounced the Government as reckless and extravagant, and said the Governor’s speech was barren. It 'should have contained, immigration returns, public works statement, and details of the escape of Winiata the murderer. The Hon Dr Pollen criticised and answered the remarks of Mr Waterhouse, and defended the action of the Government. The address was adopted, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Wednesday, June 21. The Speaker took the chair at 7,30 p.m. MEMBERS SWORN, The following members were sworn iir i Messrs Eryce, Tairoa, Reed, and Russell. PIAKO SWAMP. After a number of petitions had been presented and notices of motion given. Sir J. Vogel formally moved the adjournment of the House, to give members an opportunity of speaking upon his notice of motion, which was to the effect : —“ That he would move to-morrow when the House met that the House affirms the desirability of completing the Piako Swamp transaction.” It was desirable that before any business was gone on with, the House should finally settle the question. A resolution was then carried that the House at its rising should adjourn till the following day at 7,30. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Sir J. VOGEL gave notice that he would move —“ That Mr O’Rorke be appointed chairman of committees.” LAND SALES, Sir G, Grey gave notice to ask Government when, and by whom, was paid the purchase money of the Piako Swamp, and for the production of all papers in connection with that and other land sales. DISQUALIFICATION ACT. Sir J, Vogel brought up the report of the committee upon the Disqualification Act, and asked, upon recommendation of the committee, that a Bill be passed through all its stages as rapidly as possible. Mr Bees objected, saying that the Bill would require amendment before passing. The Bill was read a first time. LATE NATIVE MEETING, In reply to Sir G, Grey, Sir Donald McLean said he would take an early opportunity of placing before the House the fullest possible information with regard to his recent meeting with Tawhaio. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time: —Otago Presbyterian Church Incorporation Validation Bill (Mr Reynolds); Bill for regulating the local elections ; Bill for regulating the making and levying of rates ; Municipal Corporations Consolidation Bill (Sir J. Vogel). SESSIONAL COMMITTEES. The usual sessional committees were appointed ; also one to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting the importation of cattle into New Zealand, and to consider the present state of the cattle in the Kaikora districts. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, Upon Sir J. Vogel’S motion to appoint a public accounts committee, Mr Wm. Wood suggested that the composition of the committee would scarcely be satisfactory to the House. Mr Stout moved that the debate be adjourned, as the committee was mainly composed of Government supporters, Sir J. Vogel explained that the committee was not a political one ; it was solely composed of gentlemen best calculated to examine into the technical questions of finance. He referred to the undesirable results last year through that committee being in many respects more of a political than financial character. He however agreed to the adjournment. Mr B, G. Wood said that as there must of necessity come before that committee questions of a political nature, it was desir-

able that there should be more members representing the Opposition upon the committee. The debate was adjourned till to-morrow. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OP WELLINGTON. A Bill was introduced to enable the Superintendent of Wellington to appoint a Deputy Superintendent, and was read a first time. The House adjourned at nine o’clock till 7.30 next day. Thursday, June 22. The Speaker took the chair at 7.30 p.m. After the usual questions and notices of motion being disposed of Sir Julius Vogel moved that the House do not interfere to prevent the granting of the Crown Grant for the Piako Swamp sale. In doing so, he read all the letters and telegrams which had passed between the members of the Ministry and Mr Thos Russell on the matter, extending over two months, to show that the transaction was not made in a private room as alleged, and to show that the Government had actod with consideration. Personally, he had nothing to do with the sale beyond giving his approval. The whole thing was left in the hands of the Native Minister. He argued that, under the circumstances, the sale was a good one, and, place him in the same situation again, he would have acted precisely similarly. The reason why the Order in Council was issued when it was, was simply because the survey and a map of the land had not been prepared before, and as soon as it was, Mr Whitaker, on behalf of the purchasers, called upon the Government to give a Crown Grant according to agreement. He indignantly repelled all insinuations of corruption, saying that the member for Auckland City West showed that he suffered under morbid hallucinations. He characterised the action of Sir George Grey in appealing to the Secretary of State and the Imperial Parliament, to interfere in the local affairs of the colony as an affront upon and an insult to the Ministry, House, and people of the colony, and which the majority of them would not tolerate. He boldly asserted that if the purchasers were to offer the land back, provided tbey were recouped what they had expended on the land, not six members of the House would agree to it. He deprecated making the question a party one, and left it to the impartiality of the House. He was greatly applauded on sitting down. Sir George Grey followed by asking the members to dismiss from their minds as trash and twaddle all that Sir Julius Vogel had read, and saying that the Piako sale was not an isolated instance of the kind, and proceeded to refer to a series of other land transactions, which he said were great wrongs upon the European and Maori races alike. The Premier practically called him a lunatic, and he craved the sympathy of the Houseunder such an imputation, while citing one land transaction to show the corruption of the Government.

Major Atkinson exclaimed—“lt is untrue,” Sir George Grey then refused to continue unless an apology was made. The Speaker said if Major Atkinson could not show that the allegations wenJ untrue his denial would recoil upon himself.

Sir George Grey concluded by saying that the Ministry should not sit as their own judges, and should therefore not vote ; he, being a suppliant, would leave the House. Mr Stafford followed, and referred to his own experience as Premier, Sir George Grey being the then Governor, to show that the very things in connection with Orders in Ootmcii, jVrlxich. Six Ooorgo Gray so vehemently condemned, were still more common in his time. Not in one or two cases did he sign blank forms, hut in hundreds of cases. Sir George Grey appeared to have become impressed with the idea that, since he was Governor, all who followed him were pliant tools in the hands of the Ministry. He positively refused to believe there was any corruption in the matter, and, having seen a very large portion of the swamp, over which oiie might sail with as much freedom as on the Waikato river, and considering no man ever yet saw the centre of the swamp, he thought the bargain a good one at the time. Mr Stout argued that no lawyer in the colony would so far risk his reputation as to say that the sale was legal, and concluded his speech by moving an amendment to the effect that, while expressing regret that the exigencies of the country or the Government were such as to necessitate a sale of the kind, they would not take any step in this particular case to interfere with the issue of the Crown grant. Sir Donald McLean said the Government could not accept the amendment. Mr Reader Wood then moved the adjournment of the debate at 12.30.