GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2000, 22 July 1880, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WISE.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, Judy 21. The Legislative Council to-day only sat three-quarters of an hour, and the only business besides routine matters was the first reading of the District Courts Bill, the Maori Prisoners Bill, the Oamaru Waterworks Act Amendment Act, and the third reading of the Election Petitions Bill. The Council adjourned at 3 45. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, July 21. The House met at 2 30 p m. NOTICES OP MOTION. The Hon. J. Hall gave notice to move—- “ That Wednesday in future during the remainder of the session bo devoted to Government business, and that members speaking to a motion be not allowed to speak to the same again on a motion for adjournment.” The Hon. T. Dick gave notice that he would ask leave to introduce the Public Entertainments Prohibition Bill. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Andrews, The Hon. J. Hall said that Government would not lose sight of the importance of the telephone in connecting passenger and other important stations on the railway, but they were still aware that there was serious difficulty in the way of making use of that instrument for public business. Replying to the Hon. W. Gisborne, The Hon. J. Hall said that the following circular letter had been sent to registrars under the Regulation of Elections Act, 1879, directing attention to section 6 of the Act, and explaining. “ It shall be the duty of every registrar to make the rolls as complete as possible, and with that object from time to time to place thereon or add thereto, the name of every person of whose qualification as an elector he is satisfied, and it shall further bo his duty to assure himself of the right of every man to have his name retained on the rolls. I am to impress on you that this provision is of the utmost importance, and is clearly intended by the Legislature to expedite the preparation of electoral rolls, also to make the rolls when compiled as complete as possible. It is therefore the duty of each registrar not only to receive such application for registration as may be made under clause 7, but himself toplace on the roll the name of every person of whose qualification he has any means, by enquiry to rough the police or otherwise, of satisfying himiolf. It is for this, among other reasons, that the police have been instructed to afford registrars every assistance in their power. You will bear in mind that the registrars will not have fulfilled their duties unless they have made the now roll as complete and at the same time as accurate as possible.” Replying to Mr Murray, The Hon. J. Hall ssid that the report ot the Life Assurance Department would not bo laid on the table before the end of August or the beginning of September, the agents’ accounts net haying come in on the 15th inst. Private companies usually took three months to prepare their reports. Replying to Mr Murray, The Hon. R. Oliver said that he expected to make his public works statement some day next week. Replying to Mr Stewart as to whether the attention of the Government had been directed to the circumstances under which Mr Purnell, a barrister ot the Supreme Court, had been recently ordered by the Resident Magistrate at Ashburton to be committed to prison for seven days for alleged contempt, and if it was the intention of the Government to take any steps in the matter, The Hon. W. Rollbston 'said that Mr Parnell called upon him and made a verbal complaint. Ho informed him that if he would make hia complaint in writing it would be furnished to the offender, and after his explanation had been received Government would consider what further action should be taken. Ho now repeated his answer for the information of the hon. member. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—To amend the District Courts Act, 1878 (Mr Finn) ; Treasury Bills Bill (Hon. Major Atkinson), NATIVE LANDS SALES BILL. The debate on the second reading of the Native Lands Sales Bill was resumed. Mr Tole said that the Government had no right to allow estates to be disposed of to the detriment of the public. The Bill as it stood would enable large blocks of Native Lands to get into the hands of private speculators. He objected to this kind of legislation. They had a number of other measures affecting the Native policy. and should have

deal with a part of the subject, so that they might consider the policy as a whole. It had been alleged that the Bill was only brought down for the purpose of making a show in the matter, and it was not proposed to carry it beyond the second reading. He hoped that would not bo done, but that subject to certain committee amendments it would bo passed into law. . Mr Montgomery thought that it would

be right to have two or three [persons appointed by ■, the Natives to assist the Waste Lands Boards in deciding in what manner lands should be dealt with, whether under the deferred payment system or otherwise. He would support the motion, reserving to himself the right of suggesting an amendment while in Committee. The Hon. J. Beyck replied. Regarding the remarks made by the member for Mount Ida he could toll them that when he took office he had quite made up his mind for attacks of that sort. Ho was quite prepared to accept the consequences when he took office, as ho was determined to let, daylight into the workings of the Native Department. What ho intended was to show that the system was bad, and had been abused, and in doing so ho fully expected to be attacked. But ho complained of the mode of attack resorted to by the member for Mount Ida. Ho had charged him with blnndnese, and although he did not look upon that as on offence, ho was of opinion that if the member for Mount Ida would infuse a little more blandness into his remarks it would bo well for both him and the party to which ho belonged. Ho believed that, the member know a groat deal more of the Auckland business than ho pretended. It wes conspicuous that he scarcely addressed himself at all to the Bill before the House. The statement that he (Mr Bryce) had stopped the survey at the instigation of European speculators was false, and he defied him to point out anything leading to that conclusion in the papers before the House. The deputation that waited upon him was a deputation of Maoris, not Europeans. It wag at their instigation alone that the survey was stopped. The circumstances under which the Government got mixed up with the block wore then detailed, the speaker stating that advances had been made on it in the loosest possible manner. There was very slight prospect indeed of the land being secured, as the Maoris were irritated with the affair and altogether it was in a most unsatisfactory state. Was it wonderful that the Government should desire to get clear of it. He saw no hope of getting the block, and if ho could get their advances repaid he thought that was the best course. Nearly the whole of the land had been got through the Court, the title ascertained, and the Government was ia a fair way of getting their advanoea repaid. Surely the House would agree with him in thinking that that was a satisfactory conclusion of a very unsatisfactory piece of business. The member for Mount Ida had gone on to|say that he (Mr Bryce) had been playing a double game. He could find no support for that statement. Ho had considered as to the best steps to be taken to get the Government advances repaid, and the course he pursued was the only one that appeared tenable to him. It was the course he directed the Maoris to follow, to get the ownership of the land ascertained, and at the same time to keep the proclamation on until the advances had been repaid. That was no double game. Ho scouted the idea, adding that ho had never told a He or made a false representation in his life. Referring to the statement made by the member for Mount Ida, he said that that gentleman had been guilty of making wilful and deliberate misstatements. Having done his best to damage the reputation of Mr Bryce, he next attempted to damage the reputation of the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. He was charged with having given a false answer to Sir|G.lGroy,when he enquired at whose instance the block was brought before the Court. In making that statement, Mr DeLautour must have known that he was saying what was wholly destitute of truth. They were told time afier time about the illegal transfer. They found that the proclamation had not been removed so that the land had yet to be dealt with according to law. To talk of a double game in face of facts like these was utterly preposterous, and if he had made the statement and acted in the way alleged by the member for Mount Ida he would never lift his head in that House again. Referring to the Bill itself, he said it was not proposed to force the Natives to place their lands in the hands of the Waste Lands Boards. It would be a voluntary act on the part of the Maoris, and in no respect could it be said to be compulsory. Objections had been made to the charges provided by the Bill. That was a mere committee objection, and could be dealt with when in committee. One chief object he sought to attain was to deliver the Maoris from the solicitations of agents sent out to get them to sell their lands. That had been a great evil, and one which he did not wish to see perpetuated in any form whatever. The suggestion about special settlements in connection with those lands was a valuable one, which would be kept in view. Another proposal ho favoured was that the Maoris themselves should be represented on these Boards. It was an id; a, he thought, that would work out fairly. They were shut out from the free trade system, and the present system, so that some other would have to be adopted, and he contended that the one proposed was most judicious. The motion was put and carried on the voices. Sir Geobgb Gbey said that he hoped in Committee they would devise means by which the Natives would have the control of thoir own estates. This was necessary for his own self-respect. The Native hud no bright hopes before him of bettering his condition, and if they deprived him of hia land they blighted his prospects in this life altogether, and loft him destitute of the prospect enjoyed by others of bettering his position. Upon going into committee he would move for the appointment of a Select Committee to enquire into the circumstances of the Patero block, expressing the opinion that it would bo found that the version given by the member for Mount Ida was correct. Mr Maoandeew reiterated hia opinion that the Bill should be sent to the committee to bo reported on. He looked on the transaction with suspicion. The Bill was ordered to be committed on Friday. MISCELLANEOUS. Tho following motions were put and carried : By Mr J. 0. Beown—“ That a return be laid before the House, showing the number of Post and Telegraph Offices, and tho localities of the same that have been opened to the public since November 30ch, 1879, detailing the cost of keeping open such offices, and the revenue derived up to 31et May, 1880. By Mr J, O. Beown —“ That a return be laid before tho House showing the revenue and expenditure for the nine months ending March 31st, 1880, in connection with the Post and Telegraph Office at Waitahuna.” By Mr Huebt—“ For a return of the number of Inspectors in each provincial district.” THE PBANCHI3K. Dr. Wallis moved—“ That this House is of opinion that tho Qualification of Electors Act 1879 should bo amended so as to extend the Parliamentary Franchise to female freeholders.” Mr Seddon moved—“ That tho motion bo amended so as to read that tho franchise be not extended to female freeholders.” The House adjourned at 5 30. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. SHIED BEADING. The Dentists Bill was read a third time and passed. MUNICIPAL COBPOBATION3 BILL. In committee the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill was further couaidorod, and the following addition made to clause 21, subsection B, for regulating and making provision for the construction of chimnios to carry away smoko from engines, and protection from sparks therefrom, and for the prevention of nuisances from smoke. Clause 24 was struck out. Clause 29, burgesses to have only one vote, was struck out on a division by 37 to 8. Clause 30, gasworks, was struck out. Mr Moss proposed as a new clause that instead of printing tho proposed by-laws in extenso in a newspaper it shall bo sufficient if an abstract be published, together with a published notice that tho by-laws or laws in extenso are posted in a conspicuous place within the borough. The House divided on the motion —Ayes, 14; Noes, 19. A number of new clauses were added to the Municipal Corporations Bill, which was then reported with amendments, and tho report was ordered to bo considered a month hence, so as to give municipalities time to