GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 735, 27 October 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(Per Press Agency .) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, October 26. WASTE LANDS BILL. The Waste Lands Administration Bill was read a second time after a short debate. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Thursday, October 26. The Honse met at 2.30. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to Captain Morris. HOUSE COMMITTEE. On the question whether the House would give effect to report of the joint House committee, Hon W. H. Reynolds drew attention to the necessity of having a bath erected on the premises of the House. He said there had been a great deal of sickness amongst members during the session. It was absolutely necessary to their health that these bathrooms should be provided. PROVINCIAL ABOLITION PERMISSIVE BILL. Sir G. Grey moved the second reading of the Provincial Abolition Permissive Bill. The hon gentleman argued against the wisdom and constitutionality of the Government depriving the Inhabitants of How Zealand of privileges which were not granted to any ether part of tho empire, of Getting up a spurious aristocracy, and endowing friends of the Government with the lands of the colony, and destroying the freedom of New Zealand, and unfairly oppressing the people. The hon gentleman then went into the question of conferring titles and life peerages, and the securing of large pastoral licenses, the effect of which was to debase the people of New Zealand. All this was done with deceit toward the Imperial Government of Great Britain. There had been a firm determination that the House should not represent the large constituencies, but the little insignificant ones that were entirely in the hands ot the Government, and who coerced these parties. In fact the rotten borough system discarded in England was revived here. The hon gentleman went on to show that what the Bill asked was only reasonable, and that if it was not conceded the feeling of irritation that pervaded ’ the North and South of the colony must end in a demand for separation from this centre of Government. He asked them to avoid these storms and perils by granting his request—a request he put to them as raup'arintsnddat of a great province, Mr MandheS'characterised the speech of Sir G, Grey as a wild declamation quite unworthy of the man, and he hoped the Ministry would not reply to such a speech.. The Premier briefly atated it would be unnecessary to answer the speech of the mover of tbs Bill. Such arguments as he condescended to use had been answered over and over again. He hoped the Bill would be rejected. The people of New Zealand had within their own hands the power of moulding their constitution, and he had perfect reliance in their judgment. Mr Hodgkinson argued in favor of the Bill, and went on to show that the Abolition Bill was passed in contravention of all political morality, and in defiance of all principles of right and justice, and he vfas confident the Act would be resisted. Mb Tole supported the Bill at ferae leegth. Mr Bees also supported the Bill. Sir G. GREY having replied, a division was taken, and the second reading was negatived by 36 against 23, BILL DISCHARGED.

The Hew Zealand University Act Amendment Bill was-discharged, thfc gpsaket left the chaff at