GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 993, 31 August 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Telegraph.] [PEE PRESS AGENCY.]

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, August 30. The Hokitika Gas Bill was read a second time. Leave of absence for fourteen days was granted to Mr Kennedy. In reply to Mr Rolleston, Ma jor Atkinson said the Government had no power to give effect to the division of the South Rakaia road district. New Bills Introduced. —South Rakaia Road Board Bill (Wason), Sharebrokers Act Repeal Bill (Lusk), Public Reserves Sale Bill (Bowen). mk barton’s petition. The debate on Mr Barton’s petition was resumed. Mr Mac an drew was opposed to refusing to receive the petition. He thought inquiry should at least be made. Mr Curtis moved an addition to Mr Whitaker’s motion to the effect that the refusal to receive was owing to the allegations of the petition not being sufficiently specific, and of such a nature that, even if proved, they would not justify the House in removing the Judges. Mr Gisborne opposed the motion and amendment.

Mr Fox said it was a matter of regret that such differences had arisen between the Bench and the Bar. It seemed a case of “ I do not like thee Dr. Fell.” The question was whether Mr Barton or the Judges were the Dr. Fell. There seemed nothing specific to inquire into except, perhaps, want of courtesy. He condemned, as an act of the grossest indiscretion, the demonstration of the Wellington bar towards the Judges in reference to this case. He deeply regretted barristers did it, and that the Judges encouraged allowing such an improper demonstration. This alone rendered him unwilling to vote for refusing the petition. Mr Moorwouse strongly condemned the presumption of Mr Fox in charging the Bar and Bench with acting in concert in this matter. He defended the action of the Bar. Mr Travers also defended the conduct of the Bar in the matter referred to. Mr Bees almost blushed for shame at the conduct of the Wellington Bar in the matter. It was most improper of the Bench to receive such a demonstration, and disgraceful to the Bar to so attempt to curry favor. It was most scandalous that members of the House who, as such, were to judge the Judges, had as barristers acted in such a manner. The conduct of the Bar had degraded the Bar in the eyes of the public. Mr Keynoeds thought the address to the Judges a piece of toadyism, and hoped the members of the House who took part in it would have the common decency not to take any part in the decision of the question in (he House, lie saw nothing in the petition to justify the House in removing the Judges. Mr Bowen believed any circuit in England would have resented such an action as that of Mr Barton. He pointed out the importance of preserving the independenccjof the Judges, and avoiding placing them on trial, except in very serious cases, As the standing orders stood ho saw no more satisfactory way open of dealing with the question than of passing Mr Wliitaker’s motion, with Mr Curtis’s addition. Mr Man TVER s and Mr Wood (Mataura) would vote with Mr Whitaker. Mr Montgomery thought the petition disclosed no case for the removal of the Judges, but it woidd be a dangerous precedent to refuse to receive it. Mr Button, without passing any censure on others, said ho would not have taken part in the address to Judges had he reflected on

Iris position as a member of the House. He admitted it was unseemly for him to do so, but he had done it without consideration. Sir G. Geey opposed refusing to accept the petition. No petition should be refused except it was disrespectful or improper. It would be the proper course simply to resolve not to take any further action in regard to the petition. Mr Stafford considered the petition was frivolous and vexatious. He would therefore vote for the motion. Mr Whitaker’s motion with Mr Cui'tis’s addition was agreed to on the voices. POLICE LONG SERVICE PAY. Mr Pykk moved for an address to have placed on the supplementary estimates a sum sufficient for the continuance of long service pay to all police officers hitherto in receipt of it, and also all arrears. In doing this, he spoke of the services of the few men in Otago who were concerned, some of whom had lost as much as 5s a day. Major Atkinson opposed the motion. Some Otago sergeants had been receiving as much as £2OO to £3OO a year. The Government could not pay the Otago police more than equally good men were receiving elsewhere. If there were special cases the Government would inquire into them and pay compensation for anything they had lost by transfer from one service to another, as ordinary provincial officers were compensated. The Government, however, could not sanction demoralising the whole force by continuing different rates of pay. He asked Mr Pyke to postpone his motion till he could make inquiries as to special cases. The debate was adjourned for a fortnight. NATIVE LAND PURCHASES. Mr Travers moved —“ That pending legislative action, no purchases or negotiations for the purchase of Native lands made or entered into since the withdrawal of the Native Land Court Bill, 1877, shall be valid unless sanctioned by a measure introduced into the House.” Major Atkinson said the Government was making inquiry, and intended to introduce a Bill to that effect. The motion was agreed to.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Thursday, August 30. Mr Laiiman gave notice to ask whether the Government intended this session to introduce a Bill dealing with lotteries and art unions. The Invercargill Gas Loan Bill was read a second time. It was subsequently read a third time without amendments and passed.

PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS.

[from the correspondents of the press.] Wellington, August 30. The interrupted debate on the question of discharging Barton’s petition from the Order Paper came on to-day, and received frequent and manifold interruptions before the House got finally rid of it. It was supposed on all sides to be a private members’ day in the House, but it was actually a lawyers’ day, and they failed to show up in good form. The lawyers who waited upon the two Judges in reference to Mr Barton’s petition with a view of informing those high judicial functionaries that they in no way concurred in the sent iments contained in that petition, looked in the House heartily ashamed of themselves for the course they had adopted. The lawyers who had kept away danced a forensic war dance round their unfortunate learned brethren. It was amusing to observe how those gentlemen excused themselves for their attendance. One stated he dropped in casually to see what was taking place in the lawyers’ robing-room in the Court. Another stated that he saw one of the shining lights of the Bar rush up in an energetic manner to note what was taking place in that very same room, and forthwith, feeling it his bounden duty to protect or assist any one of the same fraternity in distress, followed him. Thus they found their way into the presence of the Judges. Mr Button at length came forward as a scapegoat for the profession, and to all intents and purposes said he was very sorry for what he had done in waiting upon the Judges, but that he would never do so again. If, he said, he had recollected at the time that the magic letters M.H.R. followed the patronymic of Button he would not have gone at all. Sir Robert Douglas, who does not follow the law, proposed that the debate be adjourned, in order to allow the lawyers to have a grand field day on their own account at a future time, which might, perhaps, permit the lay members to have a pleasant dinner with their Wellington friends. The suggestion of Sir Robert Douglas was eagerly caught at, and ably responded to by Mr Rees, who gave that loud laugh ” that speaks the vacant mind ” at the prospect of a day of so much talking. Thus he expressed his joy as the youngest member of the House. Sir George Grey spoke. Need more be said, for when Sir George speaks all know that a born-orator addresses the House. For two days past no word had been spoken by Sir George, but now he raised his voice iii defence of the ostracised gentlemen of the gown. It will be quite understood how Sir George pointed out the iniquity of the motion before the House. He did so in tones that were “ sad by fits, by starts were wild,” and which reverberated from the wires on the ceiling. During the whole of this debate it must not be thought that Mr Travers was at Bellamy’s sipping Maraschino. No, indeed. He was having a far more potent draft, though less palatable draught, administered to him in his place in the House. For the first time since his appearance in the House his intellectual brow was not on view to the occupants of the strangers’ gallery. His head w r as adorned by a wideawake-looking hat lliat served so admirably to conceal his features that it is impossible to say what expressions played over his face. Judging, however, from the intermittent manner in which he gnawed at his nails, one may safely say he did not like the way his mission was being discussed, especially so when Mr Rees, with that fine sense of satire for which lie is remarkable, announced that Mr Travers had been endeavoring to “ curry favor” with the Judges. This being too hot for Mr Travers, he informed the House that it was distasteful to him. Barton’s petition now knows its place no more in the House.