THE MAORI PRISONERS BILL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1995, 16 July 1880, Page 3

THE MAORI PRISONERS BILL.

[By Tbleobaph.] [>BOM OUB OWN COBBBSPONDBNT.] WELLINGTON, July 15. The Maori Prisoners Bill will be read a second time to-morrow. The-preamble is a very long one, and contains amongst other things the following—Whereas it is not deemed necessary to try the said Natives with a view to tho infliction of punishment, and whereas there are other aboriginal Natives now confined in the said gaol who have been convicted of certain offences and are now detained in default of entering into sureties to keep the peace, and whereas it would endanger the peace of the colony and might lead to insurrection if tho said Natives were released from confinement and permitted to return to the West Coast district pending measures which may be desirable to adopt in pursuance of the recommendations of the Commissioners, and for the purpose of allaying any discontent that still exists in the said district: be it therefore enacted that this Act Bhall remain in force until the end of the next session of Parliament, and no longer. All the said Natives so committed for and waiting trial, and all other Natives so detained in custody for default of entering into suroties to keep the peace, shall be deemed to have been lawfully , arrested, and to be in lawful custody,'and may be lawfully detained. No Court, Judge, justice of the peace or other person shall, during the continuance of this Act, discharge, bail, or liberate the said Natives now in custody as aforesaid without an order from the Governor in Council, any law or statute to the contrary notwithstanding. The Governor, by warrant under his hand, from time to time, os occasion shall require, may change the persons by whom and the places in which the said Natives or any of them shall be detained in safe custody ; such persons shall be deemed and taken to be the lawful gaolers and keepers of such Natives, and tho places where they are detained in custody to be lawful gaols for their detention and safe custody. All gaolers, constables, and other peaco officers are hereby required to assist in giving force and effect to the foregoing provisions. The Governor may from timo to time by warrant under his hand direct that all or any of the said Natives shall be discharged from custody, and may therein prescribe any terms and conditions he may think fit. If any Native shall escape from custody, or having been discharged under tho preceding clause, shall commit a breach of any condition on which he had been liberated, he may at once be re-arrested by warrant under the hand of the Native Minister or any other Minister of the Crown, and returned to his former custody, and dealt with as if ho had not escaped or been discharged as aforesaid.