GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1789, 14 November 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Press Special Wire.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thuesday, Novembee 13. The following Bills were read ft first time :—Building Societies Act Amendment Bill, District Law Societies Act Amendment Bill, Eine Art Copyright Act Amendment Bill, Wairarapa Racecourse Bill, Auckland Loan Consolidated Bill. The following Bills were read a third time: —The Wellington Provincial District Highway Board Bill, Administration Bill, District Courts Proceeding Validation Bill, Among the notices of motion was one by one by Col. Whitmore, to ask what Government intend to do relative to the question of harbor defence for the colony, and the long deferred visit of Col. Scratohley. Nearly all the afternoon was occupied in the discussion, in committee, of the Election Validation Bill. Mr Wilson proposed that the Bill should not apply to Captain Colbeck. There was a long debate of the question on this point, a large amount of party feeling being shown. Mr Pbtbb proposed to strike out all the three names. Colonel Whitmoeb and Mr Reynolds proposed a Select Committee to inquire into Captain Colbeck’s case. This was opposed by Dr, Pollen and Mr Waterhouse as being an infringement of the privileges of the Lower House. Ultimately, the Bill was got through, and was ordered for the third reading next day. The second reading of the Triennial Bill was adjourned till next day, at the request of several who intend to speak against it. The Council rose at 5.30. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thuesday, Novembeb 13. The House met at 2-30. Several petitions were presented. Leave of absence for one week was granted to Mr Richardson. The Minibtbe fob Public Woeks, in reply to Mr Tole, said the removal of the railway workshops from Auckland to Newmarket was referred to Mr Whitaker for his opinion thereon. In reply to Mr Dalianoe, The Minister of Justice said the Government had under consideration the advisableness of repairing the present gaol at Wanganui or erecting another one elsewhere. They would see what was the best course. Mr Reid asked if the Government would place £4OO on the estimates in settlement of Barton and Hamilton’s claims, and was told that a settlement was in progress. Mr Geoeob asked if the Government would lay before the House a return showing the amount paid to each newspaper in the colony for advertising]and printing, separately, for six years previous to 30th September, 1877. The Peemieb said the return would take too much time to prepare, and unless the House ordered it, they did not think it necessary. Mr Tolk asked the Postmaster General if he would lay before the House a report of Chief Postmaster at Auckland, on advisability of erecting a poet office in connection with the telegraph at Newmarket. The Prsmier said he "had much pleasure in doing so. Leave was given to introduce the following Bills :—(Mr Hall) Patents Act Amendment Bill; (Mr Wright) Bill to Amend the Forests Trees Planting Encouragement Act, 1871. Mr Thomson moved that the petition of upwards of 600 residents and settlers in the southern districts of Otago relating to the Balclutha bridge be referred to the Government for consideration.

The Government did not object to receive the petition and the motion was carried. Mr Eichabdson moved that it be an instruction to the Standing Orders Committee to consider and report whether it is desirable to adopt any special rules or standing orders for consideration of Sills of a local or personal character, or of Bills which, though not strictly private, affect the interests of private individuals. The motion was carried. Mr Db LiATTrotrß moved that the House concurs in the recommendation of the reporting Debates Committee, that in future no proof of speeches made in either house be sent out from the printing office except to the Speaker and the members whose speeches are reported. He said the practice had been followed for some time past of submitting proofs to the Governor, and it was to stop this that the motion was made. The Pbemieb said it perhaps undesirable that nnrevised proofs should go out of the House, but there was nothing to prevent revised proofs going out. The motion was carried. Mr Dick moved that it is expedient for the Government to have power to control theatrical performances, and that a Bill should be brought in by the Government giving such power. Ho said that a prosecution in Dunedin having failed, it was found necessary to introduce a Bill to remedy the evil. He suggested that the Government should bring in a Bill for the purpose. Mr Stewaet supported the motion. Mr Kox/tESTON said a Bill would be brought down for the purpose. The motion was carried. Mr HAM. moved—“ That a Select Committee, to consist of fourteen members, be appointed to examine into and report upon the question relating to the public accounts, five to be a quorum, and that the committee be a Parliamentary committee.” Mr Ptkb proposed to add “ also that it be a special instruction to the Committee to recommend that inquiries be made by the Government as to the best system of providing for the auditing of local bodies’ accounts by the Government. Mr Turnbull, Mr Bowen, and Mr Gisborne urged that provision should be made to compel an audit of subsidised local bodies by the Government.

The motion, as amended, was adopted. The interrupted debate on the question that, in the opinion of the House, the Governor be moved to issue a Commission to take evidence at the principal commercial centres of New Zealand, and to report upon the operation of the present tariff, with a view to such a readjustment of the Customs duties as may be considered best calculated to foster the various industries now established in the colony, was called on, and adjourned for one week. Tb Whboeo moved that Crown grants be issued for those lands which have been returned to the Maoris by the Government. Mr Beycb said the grants were in course of issue, and no delay) would take place in the issue. The motion was carried. On the motion of Mr Stevens it was resolved that a return of securities held - against the public trust funds should be supplied. It was resolved that a return be laid before the House giving a detailed statement of the damage done to the _ railway since its construction by the flooding of the Taieri river, together with the cost of repairs consequent thereon. It was resolved that on Wednesday next, a respectful address be presented to tho Governor, praying that he will cause the sum of £500,000 to bo placed upon the Estimates as a grant for the provincial district of Otago for roads and bridges. Mr Sheimski, the mover, said he had tabled tho motion in consequence of a similar one on tho order paper referring to another district. Mr Shddon moved—“ That the petition from 2000 residents of towns of Kumara, Goldsborough, Stafford, Hokitika, and Greymouth relative to railway deviation, be ordered to be printed.” Tho motion was carried. Mr Gibbs moved—“ That a copy of a telegram addressed individually to numerous electors of Oollingwood electorate, and signed « Q.. Grey,’ and received on tho day of the election, be laid before the House.” He said that since ho gave notice of this motion ho wished to allow tho matter to drop, and would ask leave to withdraw it. Objection was taken to its withdrawal on the ground that it should never have been put. Several members deprecated such a motion. The Pebmibb said there was only one instance of an unpaid election message forwarded by Sir O. Grey. The motion was negatived. Mr Saundhbs moved “That in the opinion of this House twenty copies of ‘ Hansard ' should be placed at the disposal of each member of the House of Eepresentatives, and that tho price at which they should be sold to the public should be as low as will cover the cost of paper and extra printing of each."

Mr Gisbobnb thought this should be referred to the Reporting Debates Committee. If hon, members required more than eight oopies each received gratis, they should pay for the same. The Peemieb supported the motion. Mr Tubnbull thought that the cost of 10s per annum, at which “Hansard” was supplied to the public, was very little for any member to pay for extra copies for jus constituents out of his handsome honorarium. Mr DbLatoue said 6d per copy was fifty per cent off the cost. There were subscribers giving £lll per annum, and the cost °* P r *™' ing was £2312 and of reporting £2553, making a total cost of “ Hansard £s3oi per annum. The cost of making members corrections was alene between £250 and £3OO per session extra. The cost, to comply with the motion, would be about £SO per week for one dozen copies each member. An amendment that the question be referred to the Reporting Debates Committee for consideration, and that this recommendation be added to the motion, was put and a division taken thereon, with the following result —Ayes, 30 ; Noes, 22. The motion as amended was then put and a division called for, with the following result—Ayes, 35 : Noes, 18. The motion was carried. Mr Reevbs moved that a petition of the inhabitants of Grey Valley, Duller, and Inangahua be printed. A division was called for—Ayes, 35 ; Noes, 12. The motion was carried. EVENING SITTING, Major Atkinson intimated that he would ask for supply next sitting day. The Awatere Shearing Reserve Management Bill was read a second time. ELECTION TELEOBAM3. Mr Macandbbw called attention to a question of privilege in connection with the production of certain telegrams, being a return to an order of a member of the House. He was under the impression that telegrams were sacred, and would not be got in this way from the telegraph office. He should move that these telegrams be withdrawn from the House, and a committee be appointed to inquire whether or not the production is contrary to law, the committee to report in ten days. The Pbbmiee said that this was not the first instance of the kind during the session, as he could remember several telegrams referring to election matters were laid on the table in the early part of the The telegrams laid on the table were not paid for, and were not private telegrams. In consequence of having been sent at the public cost they were public property, and if it was shown that any of them had been paid for, then they could be withdrawn. If the telegram was not public property, then there was no justification in making the public pay for it.

Sir Q-. Geet could not conceive how the honorable gentleman could delude himself into the belief, that his argument was a rational one. If a telegram was sent on a subject which was clearly of a private nature, the cost of the same should be collected, and if this had not been done it was unfair to drag the same before the world through a mistake of a private secretary in not paying for a message. It was monstrous to carry out such a system of annoyance. An attempt had been made to create an unfavourable impression by giving a return of Government advertising .for a certain period, without any means of comparing the same with a return for any other period. This was an illustration of the way matters were conducted in order to create an impression against certain persons. To delude the House Ministers brought down a paper certifying that there was no correspondence referring to a certain compact with members, when it was well known that the document required was in the possession of one of the members. These were things of which he felt ashamed. Mr'MONTQOMEBT asked who gave authority to search for these messages ? The Pbbmiee said he had accused the late Government in his speeches of using the telegraph for election purposes, and these telegrams were laid on the table to show that this was done. Mr Montgomeet said no telegrams ought to be produced without an order of the House. He hoped the Committee moved for would be granted. Mr Gisboenk said the messages ought not to have been laid on the table without an order of the House. These were telegrams of a private nature, and they had been treated as public messages. It was shown also that ene of the messages had been paid for, and yet it had been produced as if of a public nature. Mr Stewabd said the telegrams produced were not merely sent on election matters, such as were asked for, but were private messages, one of which had been paid for, and others which were intended to be paid for. The Premier had told them that he had seen originals in the offices since adjournment, and he would like to know what right they had to control those who had taken an oath not to divulge the secrets of the office. It was the principle he contended for, and which the House should assert. Mr Sheehan asked the Speaker to direct to be read the question put by the member for Cheviot some time ago, and which the telegrams now laid on the table were in answer to. The question read as follows : “Mr Saunders to ask the Commissioner of Telegraphs whether the late Ministry have sent telegrams on electioneering subjects as public telegrams, and if so, whether the Government will lay copies of such telegrams before the House ?” Mr Satjndees aaid the doctrine laid down was that when a thief was caught he should be let off by paying the cost of the property stolen. No gentleman of high principle would use public property to promote his private ends. £Tho message was not finished at 2 a.m.]