GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1432, 18 September 1878, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [pbb pbesß aghnoy.j Tuesday, Septembeb 17. tapanui eailway. In the Council to-day, after the transaction of some formal business, Colonel Whitmoke in reply to Mr Waterhouse, as to the Tapanui"Waipahi railway, said such a contract had been let, and authority would be sought in the tchedule to the Bail way Bill, which would ehortly be brought in. There was no money to be paid on account of it for some two years. govebnob'b despatches. Colonel Whitmobe said that despatches to the Governor, which had been received, would be presented next day. COUNTIKS MAP. Colonel Wiiitmobe, in reply to Mr Hall, said that the counties map could bo procured from all the principal booksellers in the colony. BILLS ADVANCED. The Municipal Corporations Bill was read a second time, almost without comment. The Repeal and Administration Bills were advanced a sta^e. COUNTIES BILL. The debate on tho Counties Bill wa>3 further postponed till next day. DOG REGISTRATION. The'Council were in committee on tho Dog Registration Bill when 5 o'clock arrived. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, Sei-tembeb 17. The House met at 2 30. PETITIONS. Mr Babpf presented a petition from 400 Catholics, praying for Government aid to their Bcbools. Mr Tole presented a similar petition from Auckland provincial district. ELECTORAL BILL. Mr Montgomkby gave notice of an amendSlant in the Electoral Bill to prevent electors

voting in more than one electoral district, with various other disqualifications.

rnivATE TOWNsnirs. Mr Swanson asked the Government whether they intend to take steps to regulate the laying out of towns by private persons, so that a proper proportion of such towns bo set aside in most suitable places for tho following purposes : —Endowments in aid of local rates, reserves in and around the town for health and recreation, proper spaco for school and play grounds, sites for mechanics' institutes, museums, town halls, court-houses, post, telegraph; and police stations, reformatories, fire brigade stations, drill-sheds, &c.

Mr Stout said the Government had no power to take steps to carry out what was required, unless authorised by the House. When the present Act passed through the House a provision for that purpose was struck out. They would, however, consider the matter during recess.

FIBST HEADINGS. Several Bills were introduced and read a first time. THE HINEMOA. Mr FtTZROT asked the Government when t"he return asked for on the 2nd of August last, showing the total cost of the working and maintenance of the Government steamer Hinemna from Ist December, 1877, to 30th June, 1878, also the return giving the namesof those persons, other than his Excellency and staff and Ministers, who during the aforesaid period travelled in the Hinemoa at tho expense of colony, will be laid before tho House. The Premier said very great difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the information asked for, but it would bo obtained as soon as possible and laid on the table. THE ELECTORAL BILL. The House resumed in Committoo on the Electoral Bill, Clause 16 passed unaltered. On clause 17, providing who shall be entitled to vote, Mr Sharp moved that the word "person " bo struck out and word " male " inserted, so as to exclude women.

It was strongly urged that women who paid rates should be entitled to vote.

The question being put, tho amendment was rejected by 40 against 23. Mr Whitaker moved the insertion of the words " as an occupier," which made the clause read " every person enrolled as an occupier on the ratepayers' roll," &a. This was agreed to on the voices. The clause, as amended, was then carried on a division by 45 against 19. Clause 18, entitling Maori ratepayers to vote, was postponed. Clause 19, relating to aliens and convicted persons, was also postponed after some discussion.

Clauses 20 and 21 passed unamended. In clause 22, making every duly qualified elector eligible for election to the House of Representatives, Dr. Hodgkinson moved the insertion of the word " male " after the word " every." The House divided, and the amendment was carried by 38 against 26.

Mr Eox moved —" That the words ' who shall have attained the a?e of 25 years ' be inserted after the word • every male person.' " He quoted in support the usage of the United States, which allows no one to be a member of the State Legislature under 25. The motion was negatived on the voices.

Mr Wakkpield moved an amendment to prevent any person ever convicted of felony or any infamous offence becoming a member of the House.

The Premier hoped the motion would be withdrawn.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

EVENING SITTING. ELECTORAL BILL. The Houso resumed at 7.30 on the Electora Bill. * Mr Wakefield's amendment re convicts was withdrawn aftor some discussion. NATIVE MINISTER'S STATEMENT. Mr Shebiian then jproeeeded to deliver his statement on native affairs. He referred to the peaceful and satisfactory state of our relations with the natives, arid the well-grounded hopes that might now be entertained of gradually elevating the natives to a condition approaching that of Europeans. Ho referred to the very unsatisfactory state in which questions of native land purchase and surveys were when ho took cfllie. So bad was this that he said large blocks of confiscated land were left untouched and apparently unclaimed so long, that the Maoris thought they had become theirs again. On one occasion he found a native driving cattle on to the Waimate plains, which he alleged he released from Titokowaru and other natives. He very soon made that person aware that he was trespassing upon Crown lands, and he was very glad to say he was upheld by the Court. On the whole he thought the management of native affairs previously showed a want of nerve and firmness, and he thought he would be able to show that the present Government had so acted as to restore the confidence of the natives in the Legislature, and generally to show the House that the conduct of the present Government had been such as to justify the belief that they were worthy of being still trusted with the management of native affairs. He quoted statistics to show that the Maori race was slowly but surely approaching extinction. Since 1874 the race had decreased by 1966 persons. He attributed this to the want of proper care for the very young, and the neglect of their old, their poor diet and habitations, their indulgence n liquor, and their well-known communistic habits and depraved way of living. A hopeful sign as against all this was the fact that the half-caste was of superior physique to either tho Maori or European. There was also a considerable revival in tho direction of religion, he having seen four different forms of worship being observed and going on at the same time in one enclosure; but this was a matter the Government should not interfere with. The good effect of this had been seen in the influence of Te Whiti in restraining the violent propensities of some natives. Exceedingly hopeful, too, was the decrease in the taste tor strong drink. During the four days of the Hikurangi meeting not a single Maori was drunk, and the consequence was a general improvement. In appearance the Maoris were healthier, better dressed, and altogether happier. He would not prevent tho Maoris obtaining a glass of liquor in a European settlement; but they would ask the assistance of the Houso to prevent the use of ,'alcoholic liquor in native settlements. As to education, there were sixty schools, with an attendance of over two thousand children. They proposed to spend £14,000 this year on native schools, by raising the salaries of teachers, so as to get a better quality. It was also proposed to extend the system of boarding schools for native children, because when a Maori boy left school and went back to his tribe, what was there before him but to take up and follow the ways of the tribo. He strongly deprecated the action of religious bodies in regard to large trusts of land. From the way in which these bodies neglected their duty in these matters, it was the duty of the State to interfere and compel them either to make proper use of these trusts, or give them buck to the State, He proposed that Maoris should be enabled to sit as jurors in courts of justice. Respecting representation, . be thought it would be better to confiuo the Maoris right to that of freehold only. He believed they were now on the eve of a final completion and permanent settlement of peaceful relations with the natives. He referred to the negotiations with the Maori King, saying that it was the accession to office of Sir George Grey, which led to the re-opening of negotiations, and that, but for that, there would have been no negotiations. For days and days, after they took office, invitations to meet tho King and his peo] h lit. rally poured in upon the a. There was now an absolute certainty that the proposals made at Hikurungi would be accepted, and made the basis of a permanent arrangement with the Kingitos. The result of the Waitara meeting w.is ridiculed in some quarters, but he ventured to Bay I he Wait ara meeting was the keystone of the question, and in proof he gave several instances of actions of cordiality on the part of Rewi, showing his anxious desire to work in harmony with Europeans. Ever since, neither he nor his. people under.

took anything of importance without telegraphing to the Premier or himself. Then he could point to the steamer built solely for Maori trade, and owned by Rewi and other influential chief's. A noticeable effect of the recent native meetings with Ministers was the general spread of law and order throughout the whole Island. In a few days concessions would be made by which a line of road and telegraph would be made, where hitherto it had been impossible to do so. So important did he consider their work during tho recess, that, he felt that a section of members of the House seemed animated by a desire to make little of the results of tho exertions of the Ministry in native matters. Tho hon. gentleman paid a high compliment to the assistance and invaluable services rendered by Major Brown in effecting an amicable adjustment of the difficulties which surrounded tho work of getting Waimate plains surveyed peacefully. He instanced the case in which To Whiti had refused to act as protector of the plunder of somo thieving Maoris who sought refuge with him. Then another significant instance of the chango which had come over tho Maoris on the West Coast was the fact that a turbulent chief, To VVharua, only recently liberated, who threatened violence to some surveyors, was arrested as a vagrant and fined £5. In regard to native land purchases, he" could assure the House that, 'dthough they had been only some eight months employed, there had been three times the quantity of land put through the Court than in the previous year. He lamented the amount of injury and embarrassment caused to the previous Government in tho acquisition of native lands by private persons. Fortunately tho Act of last session saved the present G-overnment from that. He proposed to increase the number of native judges and abandon the system of purchasing or holding leaseholds from natives, if they could not acquire freehold. List year they prohibited every officer in the Native Department from acquiring native land. They now proposed to go further, and prevent every Government officer trafficking in native land. Regarding the purchase of nativo lands, there were at present (of blocks in negotiation when taking office), 253 outstanding blocks of 3,143,000 acres on which £186,000 was paid, and to complete which £593,000 was yet to be paid. But he believed the Government would have to abandon some of these blocks or make some different arrangements with tho Maoris. He believed the Government would not be able to acquire the freehold of all tho Hot Lake districts of Rotomahana, but they would prevent its alienation to private parties. As to the removal of certain officers which the member for Wanganui was moving to inquire into, he would point out that the Native Department was self-governing, and whoever was at the head of it must have power to change and remove his officers whenever the public interest required it. He had only acted in the public interest. Coming to the Native Land Bill ho proposed to introduce, they proposed to restrict their land purchase operations, and to allow no title to be completed by private purchase, without passing the ordeal of the Governor in Council, so that should Government desire to obtain any block or blocks for the public, they could do so by payment of the stipulated purchase money with the incidental expenses at the moment of purchase, or any portion of it on the same terms, or could insist on the cutting up of the block into small allotments. The claims made by the South Island natives regarding certain alleged promises made to them in regard to their land should be investigated. He hoped the time was not far distant when the native question would be no more, and tho Native Department abolished, and both races would be obeying one law, and speaking one language. [Loud applau?e.] The House then adjourned till half-past ten.