GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 994, 1 September 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Telegraph.] [pee press agency.] HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, August 31. The House met at 2.3 U. Mr Carrington, as a matter of privilege, drew Major Atkinson’s attention to Sartoris and Downes case of last session, and read certain letters between himself and Captain Borrett and others in England, in reference to the charge made against him of having accepted a commission in the matter. He felt a great wrong had been done him by the accusation, as shown by the comments of newspapers, which he read. He wished now to put himself right with the people of the colony. He read declarations from parties concerned that he had never been promised any remuneration, Mr Stafford also read a letter from Borrett, entirely exonerating Mr Carrington from the charge made. questions. Replying to Mr Pyke, Mr Reid said he would make inquiries with a view to laying out a township at Bannockburn, in the Vincent County. Replying to Mr Sharp, Mr Reid said instructions were given to the survey officers not to charge any fees for the inspection of maps other than working plans. Replying to Mr Travers, Mr Whitaker said the Government would introduce a Bill to amend the Dangerous Goods Act. Replying to Mr Wakefield, Mr McLean said the Government were aware of the financial difficulties of the Kakanui Harbor Board, and were considering how best to deal with the subject. The difficulties were the Board’s own fault. Replying to Mr Wakefield, Mr Ormond said the Government w T ould make inquiries how r b st to increase (lie accommodation at the Timaru Railway Station. THE CASE OF GEORGE JONES. Mr Rees asked certain questions as 1o (he land transactions referred to in the “ Oamaru Mail” libel article. Major Atkinson said the matter being pending in a Court of law r , it would be improper to give any information. Mr Rees maintained that his question did not refer to the libel case, but was whether the Government had paid any money as compensation for certain blocks of land, and, if so, when, how, and t o whom. He moved that

the House adjourn. The S feaker said he did not think the extract read by Major Atkinson from “ Todd’s Practice ” as a reason for declining to answer the question was applicable to the present case.

Sir G. Grey thought the matter one of the greatest urgency,(and appealed to the honor of the House. Major Atkinson’s refusal to answer the questions meant that, if answered, they would prove Geoi-ge Jones innocent. He appealed to the sense of honor of the House whether it would allow a prosecution instituted by itself to be carried on while information which would prove the innocence of the accused was withheld by the Government, Mr Fox thought this was an attempt to reverse the decision arrived at by the House, not to try Jones but to send the matter to the Supreme Court.. If the Premier possessed any information to show that Jones was innocent, Jones could call on him to give evidence in Court. Mr Gisborne thought the Government quite justified in refusing to answer. Mr Whitaker said Jones could, in Court, call on members of the Government to give any evidence or produce any documents. Mr Hislor denied this. When the House ordered Jones to be prosecuted, they did not mean persecuted as was being done. He maintained that the House had a right to ask for full information regarding the land transactions of Government. The motion for adjournment was negatived. MONDAY SITTINGS. On Major Atkinson’s motion, the House resolved to meet on Mondays for the remainder of the session. THE EDUCATION BILL. Mr Curtis resumed the debate on the Education Bill. He congratulated Mr Bowen on the Bill. It made education secular, free, and compulsory, without carrying any of thescjprinciples to extremes. He thought the Bill generally a very excellent measure. He thought that the reading of the Lord’s Prayer in each school should be left to the decision of local committees. He would move an amendment in committee to that effect, so as to follow the system now pursued in Nelson.

He regretted that no provision was made by which the Roman Catholic population could take advantage of the Act. Here again he would prefer the Nelson system, which had worked admirably. He would give no public money to any school where religion was taught as a part of the daily course of instruction. This was not done in Nelson, yet Catholics and Protestants worked there heartily together in carrying on the work of public education. It was not fair to expect Catholics to allow children to be instructed in histories tinged with strong sectarian views. In Nelson they allowed Roman Catholics to select their own books subject to the inspector’s approval, but no religion was to be taught or any religious instruction to be given in their schools. He had drafted amending clauses to assimilate the Bill to the Nelson system. The Roman Catholic schools there were decidedly superior to others, and more than half the children attending them were Protestants. He only proposed a reasonable concession to the feelings of a very large portion of fellow colonists, Mr Barer entirely agreed with Mr Curtis. The Nelson system was in force in Westland, and worked admirably. It would do serious wrong to Roman Catholics to pass the Bill in its present shape. The Legislature should endeavour to heal, not to aggravate religious differences. In Westland the Church of England and Roman Catholics were fully agreed regarding this matter. He hoped the House would adopt Mr Curtis’s amendments. Mr Gisborne complimented Mr Bowen on the Bill. He approved of large education districts. He regretted the abolition of education rates. He strongly supported secular education only by the State. He thought the Bill infringed this. Roman Catholics could not be expected to read the Protestant Bible or the New Testament, or repeat the Lord’s Prayer. Conscientious convictions would exclude a large section of the community from taking advantage of the system of education, although taxed for its' support. Natural Justice required the House to meet their scruples if possible. He would, therefore, support Mr Curtis’s amendments, as doing that section Justice without infringing the principles of secular education. This system was sound in theory, and proved efficient in practice. Dr. Henry would support the Bill if Mr Curtis’s amendments were adopted; not otherwise. The Nelson system worked admirably. Mr Wakefield approved of the Bill generally. He thought local committees, with an efficient system of inspection, would bo sufficient without Education Boards, which were a relic of Provincialism. If they could not be got rid of the mode of election should be improved. The largest school committees in a district might easily be left without any representation on the Education Board by a combination of a few small local committees. Representation should bo in proportion to the number of children being educated by each committee. Too much power was given to Boards, too little to committees, especially in regard to the appointment and removal of teachers. He would to the utmost oppose the religious clause of the Bill. This clause proposed protection, not secular education. The debate was interrupted by the dinner hour. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, August 31.

11, was agreed that the following Standing Order be adopted by the Council : —“ It shall be the duty of the Speaker to take care that on the third, reading of all Bills initiated in the Legislative Council any provisions which may appear to him to infringe upon the privileges of the House of .Representatives be marked, and that the provisions so marked be printed in erasure type, and not be held to form a part of the Bill as forwarded to the House of Representatives.” A return was ordered showing the tonnage dues, wharfage rates, and port charges of whatever kind levied on ships, merchandise, and other imports and exports at the several ports of Hew Zealand. Dr. Menzies obtained leave of absence for a fortnight. PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS. [l EO.M TllO COUBESPONDEST OP I'itE PRESS.J WBiiiuaTox, August 31,8 p.m. It is rumored that George Jones’s ease will not come off in the Resident Magistrate’s Court till Friday next as the Magistrate cannot attend on Monday, and it is not thought politic to trust it to a Justice of the Peace. Mr Stout has given notice of a motion that the Government during recess should frame estimates for six months only, in view of the dissolution of the House,

Mr Bees asked the Premier some leading questions with regard to the two hundred thousand acres over which the libel action of the Attorney-General has cropped up. Mr Rees wished to know particulars as to any money the Government might have paid. It was evidently looked upon as a move by the fragmentary portion [of the Opposition adorned by Mr Rees and Sir George Grey. For the nonce Mr Rees was perfectly nonplussed at the reply of Major Atkinson, who quoted “Dodd” to show that the question being svhjudice was beyond his (Major Atkinson’s) power of replying to. Mr Rees rose and forthwith moved the adjournment of the House, which motion of course fell through. The House will sit every Monday in future tiil the end of the session for the transaction of Government business only. Ministers are determined to get through the work of the country. The session is likely to conclude in about live weeks.

The Sartoris-Downcs claim came up again. Mr Carrington, whose action with respect to this matter last year will be remembered, read many letters, showing that the accusation made against him, to the effect that he was to receive £ISOO or £I6OO for his Parliamentary services in getting the Bill passed, were literally groundless. The Education Bill is under discussion. The clauses relating to religious institutions are being roughly handled by members.