GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1708, 11 August 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Feidat, August 8. The Council met at- 9, and adjourned till 11, when the Appropriation Bill not being received, the Council adjourned till noon on Saturday.

Satukday, August 9. The Appropriation Bill was received and passed through all its stages. In committee, Sir W. Fitzhbebeet made a speech on the colony’s financial position. Ho said the Council should treat with tho utmost caution Loan Bills, and endeavor to maintain tho colony’s credit, even if obliged to reject them. He diapproves of local bodies having State authority to borrow. If they failed to redeem their liabilities it would do harm to Colonial credit.

The Maori Prisoners Trial Bill was passed ■through all stages. On the motion of Sir E. D. Bell, an amendment was made that the Bill should only remain in force a month after the meeting of the New Parliament. The Peace Preservation Bill was read a first time.

On the motion for the second reading of Bill, it was moved that the second reading take place that day three months. Sir E, D. Bell, Messrs Pollen, Waterhouse, Scotland, Johnston, Buckley, and several others denounced the Bill as iniquitous, and a reversal of the fundamental principles of law. All concurred that the Bill’s effect would bo to cause a break-out at once. Sir E. D. Beil said the Governor would be breaking the law if ho signed such a monstrously unjust measure. Colonel Whitmore said as both sides of the Lower House had agreed to the Bill, the Council should not dissent. Sir E. D. Bell’s amendment was carried by 16 to G, and the Bill was, therefore lost, The following was the division list: —

Ates— l 6. Messrs P. Buckley Messrs Kohero G. Buckley Labmann Sir F. D- Bell Ngatata Messes Chamberlin Pbarazyn Edwards Pollen Grace Patterson Hart Eichmond Johnston Waterhouse. Noes —6. Messrs Baillie I Messrs Martin Dignan I Wilson Henderson j Whitmore. The Council adjourned at 6 p.m. till noon on Monday.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Saturday, August 9. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House resumed at 1.40. THAMES-WAIKATO EAIIWAY. Mr Richardson asked that the papers laid on the table re the Thames-Waikato Railway contract be printed. The papers were ordered to be printed. THE NATIVE BILLS.

Hr Sheehan introduced the Maori Prisoners’ Trial Bill for second reading. Mr Bolleston said he did not wish to criticise this Bill or the Peace Preservation Bill at such a stage, because they must accept these measures of the Government; nor did he think Native measures should be matters for political strife. But he wished to point out their position in connection with Native affairs. They unders' ood the position, and the less they said about it the better. They had only newspaper extracts to enable them to judge of the Native policy, and ho contended that Native questions should be introduced to the House, and its policy controlled by them, instead of being left to the quiet control of the Minister.

Sir W. Fox said they would not express any opinion on these Bills, because they wore assured of thoir necessity for the preservation of the peace of the country. Mr Saunders would only ask that the poor fellows now in custody should be treated with every possible indulgence consistent with their safety and the interests of the country. TAlNUl.said the Bills should have been translated for the use of Native members. They desired that the trial should come on as soon as possible. If the Bills were translated ho could express an opinion. He was ?lad the Government had taken steps to bring matters before them.

Mr Macfaelanb said this was an extraordinary and unjust course to adopt. If the Ministers had kept their promises all this would have been unnecessary. He charged a certain gentleman, who was a member of the House and a solicitor from Napier, with deceiving tho Natives and contributing to the state of disaffection in which they found the Natives at present. He protested against tho Bills before the House, although tho Opposition did not oppose them, Mr Swanson, in reply to members who said Ministers were alone responsible for the Bills, said the hon. member for Egmont caused the introduction of the Bills, and he regretted that the Government had seen fit to introduce them. He considered it was a shame that such Bills should have been brought before them at such a time. It was the member for Egmont who pressed for the Bills, and he did not know what the result would be. He was annoyed that the Opposition should have forced these Bills upon the Government, and was ashamed. Mr Kelly said the necessity for the Bills arose from tho attitude of Te Whiti on tho West Coast, and he thought the hands of the Government should be strengthened in this matter to assist them in preserving the peace of tho country, and he would help them to carry out such an object. Mr Bowen said this was a serious matter, and one upon which they should have an expression of opinion. Ho agreed with one of the Bills, but threw the responsibility upon the Government rather than the Opposition. Mr Babton said he-was ashamed that these Bills should have been found necessary to assist the preservation of the peace of the country. He considered it was an acknowledgment that they had hitherto acted illegally. He read an extract from the report of Mr James Mackay on the prisoners in Mount Coek Gaol,, showing that if certain arrangements had been made, as promised, in regard to their land, they would never have been found in their present position. He considered they should not countenance this secret arrangement between one of the leaders of the Opposition and the Government. If it was a fact that the Natives took this course in order to force their cases before the Court, then they ought not to pass such Acts. He felt they had the responsibility of the lives of settlers upon them as well as to keep the laws of British

liberty untarnished. He would protest against the Bills, and leave the responsibility upon the Government and the Opposition. Mr Stbwaht thought the Bills wore a piece of dangerous legislation, and ho would oppose them. Ho considered tho Bills reflected a serious injustice on the Maori race, and were a violation of Magna Oharta and the Habeas Corpus Act. The Bills contravened great constitutional rights, which they should accept and respect. Major Atkinson said the question was simply were the Bills necessary, not whether they were a violation of the privileges of Englishmen. If tho last speaker know anything of the Natives in his district, ho would not oppose the Bills, because he would know that not only did the settlers require protecting, but the Natives themselves required legislation to guard them against their own infatuation. Tho situation being what it was special legislation was necessary to place matters on a proper footing, and both Bills were necessary if the peace of the district was to be preserved. If the responsibility rested with the Government, it rested upon them to give sufficient power to carry out that responsibility. They had the fact that To Whiti believed himself possessed of Divine power, and something was necessary to quell the action arising from his mistaken conduct. An offer had been made to Te Whiti to teat his titles, and Mr Sheehan had informed him that the Government had even offered to bear the cost of such a trial if Te Whiti would test it.

Captain Russell said the question of active administration should not be associated with

these Bills, which wore separated from that matter. The Natives had forfeited their right to claim the privileges of British subjects, and they had no right to say they washed their hands of responsibility in this matter. He did not respect a man who shirked his responsibility. He could forgive a man who made a mistake, but not one who strove to get out of his responsibility on any subject. Ho should support the Bills.

TA3IOANA said this was the first ho heard of the Bills, and he did not know what to think oi it. He thought it would be sufficient to go into the matter when the next Parliament met, in thirty days. The Natives had been imprisoned and put to hard labor, and he did not know what the Bills were for. Let tho trial go on in the ordinary way, without the necessity for any Bill. They could not make up their minds as to the Bills. Some of them were away, so that he was grieved about it. The people in prison were his people, and ho asked that the Bills should be set aside for the present, until they had time to consider them. He considered the member for Egmont, who caused these Bills to be brought in, was afraid ol tho Maoris, although ho need not be, as they would do no harm if liberated to-morrow. Te "Whiti wanted a fair hearing of tho case, but not away from tho place itself. Mr Bees wished the Maori members to know that these Bills were as much for tho benefit of the Natives and to prevent any struggle, as they were for the benefit of tho Europeans. Mr Sheehan said tho object of the Legislature was to avoid any trouble on the West Coast, and also to give them power to set their foot down at once when necessity arose. The Maori Prisoners’ Trial Bill was then

read a second time. The Bill gives tho Governor power to 'fix a date of trial, and alter the place of same, such trial not to be delayed beyond three months. The Peace Preservation Bill was then called on for second reading. Mr Swanson wanted te know why the operation of Acts should be made one-sided. All ought to bo made amenable to it, whether Maori or European. Captain Kennx supported the view taken by the hon. member for Newton. If, as had been asserted, Europeans were at the bottom of this business, the making of the operations of the Act general was the more necessary. The Bills were then reported with trifling amendments, road a third time and passed. APPROPRIATION BILL. The Speaker notified the receipt of the Appropriation Bill from the Upper House, the same having passed through, all its stages.

TIIfBBE AND MO BE BBTUEN. The Pbbmibb laid on the table an amended return of timber and flour imported into the colony, which was ordered to be printed. The House then adjourned till 5 p.m. On the House resuming at five nothing was done, the House waiting for the Bills not sent from the Legislative Council. The Council having rejected the Peace Preservation Bill, the result was accepted by the House on the ground that it was unadvisable to contest the matter any more. The House then adjourned until twelve on Monday, when it will bo prorogued.