GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 693, 8 September 1876, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

{Per Press Agency.,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, September 7. The House met at 2 30 p.m. CENTRAL PRISON.

Mr Carrington asked what waß the amount of the tender which the Government proposed accepting for the erection of the central prison ? Hon C. C. Bowen said it would not now be fair to state what the amount was, but it was such as the Government would have been prepared to accept. The House this year had decided against proceeding with the work, but next session the Government would again submit the question. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read first time: —A Bill to Prevent Members of the Assembly being Appointed to Offices of Emolument under the Government a Bill to Facilitate the Vesting and Transfer of Lands belonging to the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand. WHARF ACCOMMODATION AT ONEHUNGA. Mr O'Rorke moved —" That in the opinion of this House the want of suitable wharf accommodation at Onehunga is a detriment to the trade of the Manukau." He said he could assure the House that the trade justifies the outlay, and if the work was done the expenditure v. ould be amply recouped by the increased profits on the Auckland and Onehunga Railway. The Hon E. Bichardson intimated that the Government would take an early opportunity of asking the House for a vote for providing the desired accommodation. He fully concurred in the idea that the expense was quite justified, and ought to be incurred with as little delay as possible. The motion was agreed to. BRIDGE OVER WAIPAOA.

In reply to Captain Morris Hon E. Bichaedson said the Government intended to build the bridge over the Waipaoa River before selling the Patutahi block in Poverty Bay, and to construct a drain of about a mile through the Patutahi block.

Captain Morris asked that £4OO be put on supplementary estimates to repair Waioeka River bridge at Opotiki.

Hon B. Bichardson said the Government intended to decide what they would do with regard to the bridge, and would ask the House to sanction the necessary expenditure. Messrs Stout, Lumsden, and Beynolds, took objection to treating ore part of the colony better than another. Why was one place to receive special expenditure. There were many places in the colony that would be benefitted by the construction of a bridge or drain out of the Colonial purse. The Premier pointed out that the whole of this was confiscated land and the property of the colony, whereas the other lands referred to were expended locally. All that the Government proposed to do was to ask the House to sanction the proposed expenditure, and then charge the cost on the land revenue of the district. As to the motion itself, they wished it to be withdrawn.

Sir G. Grey considered the explanation was only throwing dust in the eyes of the House. Last session it was promised that the confiscated lands were to be given to the province of Auckland, but they did not fulfil their promise. |_ The Premier—" The Bill was thrown out in the Dpper House."] The Council waa a nominated one, and the Government put in who they liked, and could have had the Bill passed had they chose. The hon member then proceeded to denounce the practice of private members going to th:! Government and treating for benefits for their own districts, and bringing forward motions cut and dried without consulting: the Superintendent and the Provincial Council.

Sir B. Douglas did not recognise Sir Geo. Grey in that House as any more than the member for the Thames, and repudiated all authority of that hon gentleman over him. He found his district suffering under a wrong, and he did his best to redress that wrong, and he thought if the member for the Thames minded his own business it would become him better.

Mr Bees agreed in the same direction as Sir George Grey, denouncing what he said were private arrangements between invidual members aud Ministers, saying that the next thing that bo done would bo tnat private members would make bargains with the Government for their own individual benefit.

Hon C. 0. Bowen replied to the charges —first, that they did not want to get rid of the confiscated lands, and thatjthehon member had put the motion on the Order Paper at the instigation of the Government. He emphatically denied both allegations, and he was accustomed to have his words believed. It was an insult to the Upper House to say that they were tools in the hands of the Government. The Government, in truth, were really very anxious to get rid of the confiscated lands. As to a private understanding having been arrived at between the hoa member and the Government, there was not a shadow of foundation for the charge. Mr Moorhouse referred to the remarks of Sir G. Grey and Mr Bees as purely obstructive, and dictated by political enmity arising from provincialism. He characterised the remarks of Sir G. Grey as extravagantly foolish; and referred to Mr Bees as rushing open-mouthed at the House at the instance of his chief. He would, if it was Parlia

mentary, say the latter hon member was a political nuisance; and as he understood he was an athlete, he had hoped he would be disporting himself at the football match that day. Mr Lxtsk strongly deprecated the practice of constantly imputing improper motives to members. Captain MORRIS, before withdrawing the motion, repelled in the most indignant terms the imputations and insinuations thrown out against him by Mr Bees, and explained that the notices were put upon the paper before he had spoken to the Government at all.

MR FARNALL, Sir B. Douglas moved for a Select Committee to consider the allegation made against Mr Farnall by the late AgentGeneral. The Premier said the House should not go into the matter. They all knew the high character of the late Agent-General, and knew he would not inflict an injustice deliberately upon any one. Mr Farnall had been a subordinate of the Agent-General, but as he was found to be inefficient, he was dismissed. There was no other charge against him. The case had already been fully inquired into, and all evidence was available. There was no imputation upon his character. The motion was withdrawn. PETROLEUM. It was made an instruction to the native fuel committee to enquire into the prospects of payable quantities of petroleum being found in New Zealand, and what they would recommend to encourage the search for it. PRIVILEGE. Mr Bees moved having been made, and returns and papers having been laid before the House shewing apparently that members of the Legislature during the term of the present Parliament have been or are interested in agreements or transactions with the Executive Government, it is expedient that a select committee be appointed to inquire and report upon the circumstances under which the same have been entered into, and as to whether the provisions of the Disqualification Act have been thereby infringed." The hon gentleman argued that it appeared to him that all the members of the Government were not, according to the Btrict interpretation of the Disqualification Act, legally able to sit in that House, and referred to the words of the Act in support of his arguments, and said enough had been ehown to justify the granting an inquiry into the whole matter. The Premier asked that the motion be withdrawn. He pointed out that a select committee was not competent to discuss the question raised in the hon member's speech—viz, the position of Ministers. If the hon member wished to raise the question of the position of Ministers, he should bring that down to the House in the usual way, and they would be happy to discuss the whole thing. It was not the duty of the House to interfere in the ordinary functions of the law. The House had divested itself of all functions in these matters, and delegated them to the impartial tribunal of the country, where all party feeling was out of the question. If the House chose to constitute itßelf the guardian of its own purity, they would have to alter the law on the question. It was was only a waste of time to go on with the discussion. Mr Stout pointed out that the resolution as worded did not meet the wants of the case, and moved that the resolution be amended so as to make it read—" That the committee inquire as to whether any of the provisions of the Disqualification Act, 1870, or the Attorney-General's Act, have been infringed by the Ministry," Mr Bees accepted the amendment, and the Government agreeing, it was carried.

FIRST READINGS The Public Trusts Office Bill and Marriage Act Amendment Bill read first time. The Speaker left the chair at 5.30.

The House resumed at 7.30 in committee on the Debtors and Creditors Bill, taking it up at clause 29. That and the following clauses up to 52 inclusive, passed without material alteration. Clause 53 (trustees not liable for costs) was moved by Mr Stout to be struck out. He objected to trustees being placed in a different position to anybody else, and pointed, out that this would be leaving the door open for malicious proceedings. . Mr Button took the same view, and the clause was struck out. Clauses 54 to 5S passed. Clause 59 (what property should be divisible amongst creditors) was postponed. Clauses 60 and 61 passed. Clause 62 (settlements by debtors) was postponed ' after considerable discussion. On clause 63 (fraudulent preferences) there was an animated discussion. The clause fixed on six months as the time within which action could be taken for fraudulent preference against a bankrupt. It was sought to be amended by inserting " three" instead of "six." A division was called for by Mr Sharp, and the amendment carried by 34 against 11. Clauses 64 to 200 inclusive passed without material amendment. Clause 201 (if plaintiff fail defendant to have full costs) was struck out. The remaining clauses were passed unamended and progress reported. The following Bills were passed: — Fraudulent Debtors Bill, Waiuku Native Grant 3 Bill, Dunedin Reserves Exchange Bill, Dunedin Waterworks Act Extension Bill. The following were read a second time : —Otago Harbour Board Amendment Bill and Queenstown Commonage Bill. The Otago Educational Beserves Management Bill was advanced a stage. The House adjourned at 1.20. POLITICAL NEWS. {From a correspondent of the Press.) The resumed debate on Mr Wason's Pastoral Bill last night was very brief, and ended in the second reading being negatived by 36 to 20. Mr Fisher tried to speak, but was ruled to have spoken previously. Sir G. Grey was highly flattering to Mr Wason on his intellectual abilities and acquirements, Mr Stafford emphatically denied Sir G. Grej's former statements re the compact with the Government. The morning paper says nothing of the probabilities of Sir J. Vogel's resignation of his seat or his acceptance of the agency, neither does the Argus. Tne Post accepts both as certain. Mr Moo' house, this afternoon, made a warm onslaught on Hir G. Grey for wasting the time of tb<' House, and on Mr Bees for his manner in the debate, ending by calling him a nuisance, which he modified into political nuisance. What is called the Opposition caucus, but iconfined to the Otago members, and a few Other?, was held to-day to consider Mr Macarjdrew's proposal to exprapt Otago from the operation of the Abolition Act, Of

course it was unanimously agreed to support the resolutions. It is stated as not improbable that Sir G. Grey may introduce a Bill to make the retention of Provincial institutions optional with the provinces, but that apparently is all too late. Sir G. Grey's proposed committee to inquire into the costs of Sir J. Vogel's mission to England, is rathe» too strongly flavored of Opposition to pass unquestioned. It is proposed to consist of the mover, Messrs Bees, Lusk, Rolleston, Stevens, Andrew, and the Premier. There was a diversion from the proper subject during the discussion on Mr Wason's Pastoral Leasing Bill, resulting in a small passage of arms between Mr Stafford and Sir G. Grey. When the subject was previously before the House Sir G. Grey referred to certain compacts between Mr Stafford and the Government, by which his and other Canterbury votes were influenced. When speaking last night Mr Stafford took occasion to give this an unqualified denial. As summarily reported in the Times he said he could only account for the assertion by attributing it to the too fertile imagination of the hon member for the Thames. Not only had there been no such compact, but he had never even spoken to any member of the present or past Ministry on the subject. Referring to the complaint that Canterbury members had come up pledged to support a particular course, he said an hon member who was continually talking of the rights of the people, should regard it as an incontestible proof that the people of that province at any rate were represented. As to his having pledged himself by a compact he denied having communicated with the late or present Government either verbally or by letter on the subject, it was an unworthy accusation. Sir George Grey then rose aad said he had been informed of the circumstances by the hon member for Timaru himself, and that hon member could not deny it. Mr Stafford—l deny it altogether. Sir George Grey remarked it was a question of memory against memory, and went on to relate how he hadheard that the hon memberfor Timaru and the Hon Dr Pollen had met at Christchurch for the purpose of settling what was to be the future of the country as to the abolition of the provinces, and upon asking the hon member for Timaru whether the report was correct, he had admitted that it was. The details of the conversation he had not given, but he had admitted that he had met Dr Pollen, and a compact was entered into by which the hon member had bound himself to vote for the Government on all points which affected the existence of the Government. Mr Stafford said he had never used such words, and never had made and never would make such a compact with any member. Sir Geo Grey said he could trust his memory, and was quite sure the hon member had told him so. Mr Stafford said it was quite true that an interview had taken place between himself and Dr Pollen, and that the question of abolition was talked of, and it was true that he had mentioned that to Sir G. Grey, but he had only told the hon member what he had told the House the first day of the session. He had on that occasion said in consideration of Government having extended the question of abolition to both islands, he should, in all questions affecting the continuance of the Government in office give them a loyal and cordial support. A member of the Government who immediately followed him said they had heard that declaration for the first time, and that was true. So much for the compact. It was true he had spoken to the Hon Dr Pollen about abolition, and pressed him to extend it to both islands on the occasion of the meeting, but that was not the question Dr Pollen and he had met to talk over. What the subject was, none but Dr Pollen, his colleagues, and he (Mr Stafford) had ever known up to the present day.