GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 962, 26 July 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

fBY TELEGRAPH. PER PRESS agency.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, July 25. The House met at 2.30 p.m. ATTCKLAND-MEBCEB RAILWAY. In reply to Mr Dignan, Mr Ormond said it was not at present intended to make any alteration in the Auckland-Mercer Railway by extending it from Britornart Point to Queen street Wharf. OTAGO RAILWAYS. Mr Burns moved—" That the Government be requested to make a Hying survey of a line of railway from the south end of Look-out Point Tunnel on the Dunedin and Clutha Railway up the Kaikorai Valley, and to arrange with the proprietors and occupiers for permission to construct the line." Mr Ormond said the Government could not commit themselves to anything of the kind. There was a Bill being prepared to provide for district branch railways, and the hon. gentleman would see that under thatmeasure every facility was given for works of the description referred to. The motion was withdrawn. COLONIAL TITLES. Sir Gr. Grey moved —"For the production of all correspondence between the Secretary of State and the Governor during years from 1870 to 1877, relative to titles, honors, and decorations conferred upon New Zealand colonists who held office under the Crown in this colony or who had been members of the Legislature." The motion was agreed to, after being amended so as to cover all correspondence on the subject since 1860. EXECUTIVE PROVINCIAL OFPICERS. Mr Delatoi t r moved for all correspontfj/mce relative to the appointment and subse■q,ue.nt acceptance of the resignation of executive jirovincial officers throughout the colony during (the last twelve months. He also hoped .the Government would not only lay the correspondence on the table, but afford the fullest information upon the matter. He was anxious to see that what had been done was •constitutional. Mr Gisrorne seconded the motion, and referred at considerable length to the discussion during the previous session as to the •delegation of powers by the Governor, to show that Government had overstepped their jpowers. The Premier replied to show that they had full power to do all they had done, and that, after the opinions of all the lawyers had Ibeen taken upon the point last session, it was admitted that after all the clause under which tthey acted was the simplest plan that could !be adopted for the delegation of powers previoitsly exercised by superintendents. Motion agreed to. LAW COURTS. In reply to Mr Manders, as to preparing the District Courts Bill, The Mwister op Justice replied it was intended t» appoint a commission to inquire into the juribdiction of the courts of law of a!\V!W Zealand, with view to their relative jurisdiction, so as not to clash with the Supreme Court. hellamy's. Sir G. Grey withdrew his motion for the exclusion of all persons from Bellamy's, other than membevs of the Legislature, the House Committee having reported in the direction of his wishes. NATIVE AITAIRS COMMITTEE. Sir G. GREY moved that Mr Sheehan's name be placed upon the Native Affairs Committee. The Premier said the reason Mr Sheehan's name had not been placed upon the committee was tliai he was very much mixed up in native affairs, and was in fact looked upon as the paid advocate of the natives. Mr M.vcandeew said he always found Mr Sheehan a very useful man upon that committee.

j*£r Ekyce bore similar testimony. Mr Reader Wood considered it a slur upon Mr Slioehan, and a most unmerited one, for, as long as ho had served upon that committee, lie liiid never been accused of partiality. His connection with natives was a private matter, and ought to have uothing to do with influencing the Government to exclude his name. It appeared to him the only object of the G-orernment was to get as many of their supporters as possible upon all the committees. Mr Reid contended that the composition ol the committee was perfectly fair, as, indeed, were all ol! them. With all possible respect for Mr Sheehan as a useful member, he held the opinion that those most interested in and conversant with native affairs were not always the most desirable persons to bo placed upon the committee. He was very largely interested in native matters, and, how were tliey to

know that he was not directly interested in some of the investigations to come before the House. In a case of that kind it would be therefore more becoming for Mr Sheehan not to be on the committee. Mr . Gisborne and Mr Swanson warmly supported placing Mr Sheehan's name upon the committee as one eminently qualified to render valuable assistance with his knowledge of Maori language and customs. Sir G. Grey said that the action of Government in deliberately excluding the name of Mr Sheehan was shameful, because it assumed fcnat Mr Sheehan would be base and dishonorable enough to act in a way discreditable to honorable and upright men. It ought to be left to himself to decline to serve upon the committee. The motion was agred to upon the voices. AUCKLAND LAND WITHHELD FROM SALE._ Mr Stevens moved that the House be informed whether it was true, as stated publicly, that the Government had withheld from sale waste lands in Auckland, because they would have been taken up by holders of volunteer scrip. Mr Reid said it was rather difficult to answer a question so indefinite, because they had not the exact statement before them. He might say, however, that the Government having ascertained that speculators were going to obtain possession of blocks of land in Tam-anga and Poverty Bay, and knowing that to allow that to be done would be a great injustice to the settlers, and at the request of these settlers, they withheld the land for a short time to enable the holders of scrip to take it up. No injustice had been done to any one. Mr Lusk considered that it was no matter who held the scrip—whether the man wlio risked his life for it or the purchaser of it. The country had entered into an obligation and ought honorably to fulfil it. There should not be any embargo placed upon the exercise of scrip bv volunteers, and for a considerable period. Sir G. Grey considered the explanation of the Minister of Lands most unsatisfactory. The Government had no right to withhold the land one hour from sale after it was ready to throw into the market. How were they to know that scrip was in the hands of speculators or not P The Premier said this Government did not wish to excuse themselves in any way. The hon gentleman did not appear to know the law upon the matter. It should be known that the Government had special power to deal with confiscated lands. They had these valuable blocks of land, and they ascertained that a few parties in Auckland had bought up all the scrip (some of it at Is 6d in the pound) and therefore they withhold these valuable blocks of land adjacent, which was ready to be opened. Their reason for doing so was that they considered the area too small to put into the market. The Government possessed certain power, and he held that they exercised it for the best and the interests of the public. Mr Hamlin said there was an impression that the intention of the Government was to withhold land from sale until the period for taking it up had expired, and thus render the scrip useless. He hoped the Government would prevent such injustice. He could also inform them that all the scrip was not held by speculators. Mr Rolleston said it appeared to him that in keeping back the land the Government played into the hands of a knot of settlers who objected to outside competition. The waste lands of the Crown should be perfectly open to the competition of the whole colony. Mr Whitaker explained that scrip could only be exercised on ordinary waste lands of the Crown, but last session it was proposed that the confiscated lands should be considered waste lands. Then the question arose whether scrip could be exercised over that also. He decided that it could, and arrangements were made as speedily as possible to throw these lands into the market, but as there were incompleted surveys and unsettled native claims they were compelled to first have all these settled, and so avoid claims for compensation. They would otherwise become (?) and consequently the land' had to be held back, but there was not and never had been any intention to prevent the exercise of scrip over these lands. Mr Stevens pointed out that there was some discrepancy between the Minister for Lands and the Attorney-General in explaining the circumstances of the case. Being, however, satisfied witli the ventilation of the question obtained, he asked to withdraw the motion. Agreed to. j CUSTOMS RECEIPTS. Mr Gisborne moved for a comparative return for the last three financial years, showing the Customs receipts for each year for spirits, tobacco, tea, sugar, and ad valorem, showing the increase or decrease each year. He thought nd valorem duties organically wrong. It placed a premium on fraud and demoralised the relations of trade, besides giving an advantage to the dishonest trader over the honest one. He wanted this information for the House to enable it to consider the question at some future time. The motion was agreed to. steamers. Mr Reader Wood moved —" For a return showing the amount paid by Government to any shipping company from July LS76 to July 1877, with all the details of such payments ; also for a return of the cost of working the Stella and Hinemoa during the past financial year." Mr McLean said there were so many erroneous reports abroad that it would be as well if these returns were prepared. There was no objection to do so. The House rose at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. committee of supply. The House went into Committee of Supply, and a resolution ordering supplies to remedy deficiences in the several departments, was moved to be considered to-moi'row. WASTE LANDS COMMITTEE. On a motion to place Mr Teschemaker's name upon the Waste Lands Committee, Mr Delatour .took objection to the composition of the committee as not representing different parts of the colony fairly. Sir G. Grey spoke at some length with the object of postponing the motion to enable tlie House to prpperly consider the constitution of the Committee, arguing it was impossible that Auckland could get justice from a committee so composed. No more unfair selection was ever made in the world, where the names of Superintendents who had been in opposition last session were excluded. It was clear that the committee had been so constituted with an object inimical to the interests of Auckland. The hon gentleman then commenced descanting on land transactions in Auckland. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Hon. Dr Pollen introduced Bills to amend the laws relating to Industrial Societies and the Civil Service Act.