GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 656, 27 July 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(From a correspondent of the Press.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, July 25. JACKSON’S BAY SETTLEMENT. The Hon Mr Bonar moved without notice, that a Select Committee be appointed to select what documents should be printed in connection with this subject. The Hon Captain Fraser took occasion to remark that he had compared the translation of the Italian letter to which he had referred on a former occasion, and found that it was quite correct. The motion was agreed to, TIMARU GAS BILL. This Bill was, on the motion of Hon Mr Acland, read a second time. ALLEGED GROUNDING OF THE MAIL STEAMERS AT PORT CHALMERS. The Hon Mr Nurse asked the Colonial Secretary (1) How many times the Californian mail steamers have been unable to enter the harbor at Otago, and for what reasons. (2) How many of those steamers have touched on the bar in going in or coming out, (3) And what damage, if any, has been sustained by them crossing the bar. The Hon Dr Pollen stated in reply—1. The Colima was detained once, but that was owing to her being out of trim, and as neap tides were on, and a heavy sea was running, the pilot did not like to run the risk of taking her over the bar. 2. No steamer had touched on the bar in going in or out of Port Chalmers. It had been said that the City of San Francisco did so, but that had been officially contradicted. The Australia certainly had grounded, but it was three-quarters of a mile inside the bar where she was on her way to the mooring-ground. 3. No damage had been done. LAND TRANSFER ACT, 1870, AMENDMENT BILL, The Hon Dr Pollen moved the second reading of this Bill. In doing so he said that the measure was promoted by the Government at the instance of the Registrar General of Lands, The object of the second clause was to throw the risk of the nonregistration of deeds upon those persona upon 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 acknowledgments 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 mortgages in 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 the 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 land broker under the Act unless duly authorised. Dr Pollen then explained the reason of the eighth clause, which provides that the words "one calendar month” shall be substituted for " six calendar months” in the 87th section of the Land Transfer Act. The Hon Mr Waterhouse would not oppose the second reading of the Bill. He thought some legislation was desirable. He urged the Council, however, not to proceed with legislation on this matter without searching inquiry. Mr Waterhouse spoke in eulogistic terms of the Laud 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 factious 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 pi'otegc of the Minister for Justice, as Registrar of the Supreme Court at Christchurch, said he was acquainted with the gentleman in question, and considered the appointment a good one. All parties 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 Hall) was pleased that in this instance the Minister for Justice had departed from the usual rule, and appointed a layman and not a professional man. The Bill was then read a second time, and the following committee chosen:—The Hons Dr Pollen, Messrs Hall, Aclaud, Waterhouse, Johnston, and Stokes. LOCAL ELECTIONS BILL, In speaking to the subject in committee on the Local Elections Bill, the Hon Dr Menzies paid a compliment to those of the i laboring class with whom hehad been brought into contact professionally and otherwise in his district. Taking the fifty acre ssetion holders as specimens of their class, he thought, considering their education and experience, as much good feeling would be found amongst them as in any other section of the community. Wednesday, July 26. INDECENT ASSAULTS. The Hon Mr Waterhouse, in asking the Mon 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 persona charged with indecent assaults 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, urged the necessity of a larger use of the lash as a prevention. Hon 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 1871 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,