POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2592, 28 July 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

* (.By Telegraph. J WELLINGTON, July 27. A memorandum from the Hen. H. B. Hart, in reply to Sir W. Fox'a note on Mr Hart's speech in the Legislative Council, relative to tho West Coast Committee report was laid on the table to-day. Mr Hart's answer was substantially to the following effect: —l. As to the validity of tho confiscation, he oontends that Sir Wm. Pox leaves the question where he (Mr Hart) left it. 2. That Sir William Fox's explanation justifies Mr Hart's assumption that the portion of the report referred to wis " hurriedly prepared." 3. Mr Hart "regrets his omitsion to notice the short extract from the speech of Sir D. McLean, but asserts that it by no means discloses his policy respecting the confiscated lands, which it was the object of Mr Hart's more extended citation from that speech to make olear." But ho says—" The reader who refers to Mr Hart's speech will be surprised to find how few are the alterations in the speech needed to adapt it to this varied form of the contention." Mr Hart adds, "Sir W. Fox refers to the faot that Mr Hart's late speech was made when neither of tho commissioners had a seat in Parliament."

Lord Kimbcrley's despatch, thanking the House of Representatives in the name of the Queen for their congratulati.n on Her Majesty's preservation from the reoent attempt on her life, was presented to Parliament tonight. It is couched in the .usual official strain.

The joint committee for the revision o statutes recommend that the Imbecile Passengers (Consolidation) Bill, drafted by the Statutes Revision Commission, be passed es drafted. The principal changes from the old Act are rendered necessary through the abolition of the province!. It is suggested that the Collector of Customs should exercise the functions provided under this Act. The same Committee, reporting on the Prisons (Consolidation) Bill, advise that it be passed as amended. The amendments are merely verbal, and the Bill is that of last tension. The annual reports of cfliaars in the Native districts were presented to-night. Tho only one of any special interest is that of Major Parri* : and that is mainly a recapitulation of more than a thrioe told tale re West Coast difficulty. He remarks—" The present state

of mind of the Natives ia one of uncertainty for the future. Their faith in To Whifci is at strong as erer. They talk of a re-union; being near at hand. If the coarse now being pursued towards Te Whiti and Tohu be continued long enough I do sob anticipate much more trouble."

The Importation, Examination, and Adulteration of Tea Bill, introduced by Mr Seddon, intituled An Act to Prevent the Adulteration of Tea, provides that tea shall bo subject to examination on importation and to chemical analysis, and that tea unfit for human food shall be forfeited. Exhausted tea, or tea mixed with other substances not to be delivered. The Governor in Council may make regulations. Importer or owner of condemned tea to pay expenses incident to the analysis Importer or owner of condemned tea to have the same published if found guilty of having more than twice imported tea which was subsequently condemned. Nothing in this Act to interfere with remedies under The Adulteration of Food Aot, 1880. This Aot to hn read with The Customs Begnluti.u Aot, 1858, and The Customs Begulsv. tion Act Amsj.dment Act, 1866. Major Parris, in his West Coast reports, remarks ated that it was never explained to the Natives what land was reserved for them. Suoh an assertion is not only unfair but notoriously false," and he adds, " from tbe commencement of the work of the Royal Commission, and all through, To Wbiti has beea fully informed, end was well avra-o of all the proposals for the settlement of the land question," and in concluding Major Parris says, "To many who are irritated by the long delay in the accomplishment of their wishes, which is associatedwith Te Whiti's name, his career will appear to have bsen one of mere folly, delusion, unreasonable, or of conscious imposture, but those who are capable of taking an impartial visw of the whole case, and can admit the full riiiht to the Maori to strive by all fair means to retain his old free mode of life, and enough of his primeval wilderness of forest and fern to enjoy it, will find in Te Wbiti"» conduct as the leader of his people in a trying peri oil' much that is worthy of their sympathy and rospsot. Te Whiti was in fact the representative in this part of New Zealand or the love the Maori people retain for their ancient customs and wayi of living, and of their dread of being bustled oil the scene by swarms of strangers and by the introduction of new conditions of life under which they instinctively felt them* selves unable to compete on equal terms with the eager and vigorous new comers in the atrugglo for existence." To-day's sitting has bsen cccupied with private business, but little progress has been made, only four out of eighty-six Orders of the Day having been dealt with up to the suppsr adjournment. There is no sign of any further movement on thq.part of the Opposition, and the general opinion is that no serious party fighting will now take piece this session, owing to the impossibility of effeoting any organisation. There are likely, however, to be some vigorous strugges of a local and non-party character over the schedules of the Loan Bills. Tha present intention of the Government is to put supply first again tomorrow and continue to push on the estimates.! To-morrow Mr Kelly will ask the Commiesioner of Telegraphs to state what clause, if any, of an existing or repealed statute authorises the Telegraph Department to make the following announcement on telegraph slips, viz.: —The Government will not be held responsible for errors, omissions, or delays in the transmission of telegrams, nor for the non-transmission of any telegram, nor for delays in the delivery, nor for the nondelivery of any telegram from whatever cause the same may arise.