GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2622, 1 September 1882, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(PRESS association telegram. 1

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thubsday, August 31, BHBBP ACT. The Sheep Act Amendment Bill (Mr Oliver) was read a first time. COUNTY WAIHBMO. The Hon. Mr Milleb moved a resolution "That the proposed county of Waihamo should not be constituted,” and the motion, after considerable discussion, was carried, BAND ACT. The debate on the second reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill was resumed, A number of members made short speeches, nearly all being in favor of the Bill. At five o’clock the Council adjourned till 7.30. EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30, and the debate on the Land Bill was continued by a number of members, none of whom expressed any new views either for or against the measure. Ultimately the debate was again ftdjouiQods BILLS. The Napier High School Bill was read a second time. The Eangiora Domain Board Empowering Bill and the Private and Local Bills Costs Bill were read a third time. Several small Bills were passed through Committee and the Council rose at 10.15.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, August 31. The House met at nocn. QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr Petrie, The Hon. Mr Bollbston said the Government recognised the necessity for altering the boundaries of the Westland and Nelson land districts, eo as to meet the requirement of the residents in the Grey and Inangahua, and attention would be given to the subject during thd recess. Replying to Mr Bathgate, ihe Hon. Mr Betcb said the componoation paid to McNally, an ex police officer, was computed in accordance with the usual estimate made in such oases. Replying to Mr Peacock, The Hon. Mr Dick said the bonus for the production of malleable iron had not been a success in the past. The Government would again go into the matter, and if they saw any prospect of a satisfactory development of iron ore, they would be prepared to do something towards its encouragement. Replying to Mr M. O. Johnston, The Hon. Mr Dick said action would be taken during tho recess to determine whether prison labor could with advantage be employed by the State in the manufacture of New Zealand flax for exportation.

Replying to Mr M. W. Green, The Hon. Mr Dick said that locomotives had been made in the colony, but they turned out unsatisfactory. Tho Government would, however, consider the best means for getting contracts of this kind undertaken by firms in the colony. In replying to Mr Taiaroa, The Hon. Mr Beyoe said that Mr Ponton, Judge of the Native Lands Court, had resigned on his pension, but had boon recalled by tho Government. He had written since asking to be released. There was no intention of appointing him to administer the Native Reserves Act.

The Deferred Payments Settlors Belief Bill was withdrawn. The following passed through committee s —Gisborne Harbor Board Bill, Ashburton Racecourse Bill, Private Tramways Bill, Tho following Bills were read the second time Gisborne Harbor Boord Bill and Ashburton Reserve Bill. The Disposal of Pastoral Lands Bui was withdrawn. afternoon sitting. The House resumed at 2.30. GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL, This Bill was considered in committee. Mr Macandeew moved that sweepstakes bo reduced from £5 to 10s. After a considerable amount of discussion, Mr Steward, who was in charge, agreed to report progress. He said ho was quite convinced that there was a largo majority in favor of the measure, but in face of the obstruction shown by the minority it would bo impossible to make any progress, and as this was probably the last occasion private members’ Bills would have a chance of passing, he would agree to withdraw it in order that other Bills might be gone on with. If ho gob another opportunity ho would again bring the Bill forward. If not he would reintroduce it next session. The motion for reporting progress was agreed to. BILLS PASSED,

The following also passed through committee, were reported, read a third time and passed—Gisborne Harbor Bill, Ashburton Racecourse Reserve Bill, Private Tramways Bill, Fencing Act, 1881, Amendment Bill, Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, Mortgage, Release, and Chattels Security Act Amendment Bill.

THE LIBEL IHL, On the motion for committal of the Libel (No. 2) Bill, Sir John Hall objected to the Bill, as it dealt with subjects altogether foreign to the title. He quoted authorities in support of this contention. In farther explanation he stated that his objection to the Bill rested not so much upon the divergence referred to as to the proviso that newspapers should be exempt from responsibility for publishing a defamatory statement uttered afc a public meeting. It was not the uttering of those statements which caused thet, wrong. As a rule such statements were made amongst persona who knew the party referred to, and little or no importance was attached to it. Its publication in a newspaper was the cause of the real harm, and that was what he objected to. He was told that ho should prosecute the slanderer, but he would ask who was the slanderer ? In ninety* nine cases out of a hundred he waa a mere man of straw. Interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The adjourned debate on going into Committee of Supply, and the amendment that the proposed county of Waihemo should not bo constituted a new county, was resumed

Mr J. McKenzie, He blamed the mover of the amendment for not having announced his intention of moving an amendment of this kind by notice on the Order Paper. Mr Maoandrew opposed the amendment, contending that there was no community of interest between the portions sought to be secured. Ayes, 37; noe», 27. The amendment was accordingly lost, Mr Fish asked if, after a vote of this kind, it wne not nsnal for Government to consider its position t COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. Mines, £16,487. Passed. Miscellaneous, £IO,OOO. Passed. Native officers, salaries and contingencies, £7735. Miscellaneous, £lll9. Passed. Item, Native Land Court, £12,423. In reply to a question put, Tho Hon. Mr Bryce said that the headquarters of the department would be shifted to Wellington. It was contemplated to form registration districts, which would have the documents of their own particular districts, and no doubt Auckland would be one of these, In respect to his judicial functions, the Chief Judge would reside where these judges might happen to be required to exercise their functions. With respect to his administrative function bo would have to reside in Wellington, In his judicial funo-

tions the Government never had and would not interfere with the Chief Judge in any way. Mr Huebt said the change of the residence of the Chief Judge would exercise a prejudicial effect on the Native mind. The Natives would be quite unable to divest their minds of the idea that undue influence was being exercised upon them by the Government. The Hon. Mr Bbyob said it was necessary that the Government should have an opportunity of conferring constantly with the Chief Judge, and it was quite impossible to do so freely, unless the Judge were resident in Wellington. The most of the petitions re Native lands came before this House and the Government, and it would facilitate matters considerably if the Judge and the head office were established at Wellington. Sir Qbobgh Gbby said that predecessors of the present Government had spoken of this change, but on further consideration they had allowed the office to remain at Auckland. He hoped the present Government would upon mature reflection follow a similar course. Mr Bryce bad made use of the remark that bets bad been made he would not be able to remove the Court os pr- posed. He hoped the Ministers would rise above such paltry considerations and decide the point as true statesmen would be found doing. He did hope that such miserable considerations as bets would no longer continue to influence his mind on this point. Mr Hdhst renewed his protest against the proposed removal of the office, and predicted that if carried out it would be subversive of sound judicial - dministration on the part of t e Native Land Act. Replying to Mr Peacock, The Hon. Mr Bryce said that the administrative functions of the Chief Judge consisted chiefly of revising publications re Native officers appearing in the “ Gazette." They might think that was but a trifling duty, but he assured them it was quite the opposite. Mr Moss said that the power of the Chief Judge was unbearable. He could decide whore a Court would be held, snd whether rehearings or not would be granted. He oonld do all these things in his own back parlor, and no one could call upon him to give his reasons, Mr Peacock moved the item, "removal of office to Wellington, £500," be struck out.

Mr Sheehan said that Auckland was the centre of the Maori dominion, and it was by far the host position that could bo got for the head office. At least two-thirds of the Natives were located north of Auckland, and the bulk of the blocks to be put through were situated in that provincial district. The result of this removal would be great confusion to the Maori mind. Fenton and Auckland were the names chiefly associated with the opening up of these lands and to supersede both, as was proposed to be done, would operate against the settlement of these lands. Again, the removal of the Court to Wellington would greatly increase the cost of patting the blocks through. In fact, it would be the means of eating up the whole value of the land. He hoped the Government would reconsider the question. There was no doubt but that the King Natives were about to come in, and nothing would delay that more than the removal of the Court from Auckland,

Tho amendment was put—“ That the item £SOO be struck out.” Ayes, 31—Messrs Brown, J. O. (Tuapeka), Buchanan, J. (Napier), Oadmac, Daniel, Duncan, Foldwiok, Green, J. ( Waikouaiti), Grey, Harris, Hobbs, Hurst, Joyce, Macundrew, McKenzie, J. (Mocraki), Mitohelson, Montgomery, Moss, Peacock, Sheehan, Shepherd, Shrimski, Smith, Steward, Swanson, Taiaroa, Thomson, J. W. (Olutha), Tole, Tomoana, Turnbull, Whitaker, White, W. (Sydenham). . Noes, 36 Messrs Allwright, Atkinson, Barron, Bryce, Oonolly, DeLautour, Dick, Dodson, Driver, Fitz Gerald, Fulton, Green, M. W., Ball, Holmes, Hursthouse, Hutchison, Johnston, O. J., Johnston, W. W„ Kelly, Levin, Mackenzie, F. W-, McDonald, Mollraith, McMillan, Morris, Pearson, Pilliet, Eolleston, Rutherford, Sutter, Sutton, Tawhai, Trimble, Weston, Wright. The vote as printed was put and passed. Vote—Native Lands Fraud Prevention Act, 1881, £484. Passed. Vote—Chargeable on Native Reserve account, £1273. Passed. Vote—Militia and volunteers, £18,339. The Hon. Mr Bbyce, in reply to Mr C. J. Johnston, said he bad not had time to fully con eider the report of the Volunteer Board. It was only made just before the session commenced, and he was not prepared to say how far the Government was prepared to give effect to the recommendations. After discussion the vote was passed. Vote—Police and Armed Constabulary, £195,533. Mr MaoAndeew looked upon the amount as extravagance. It represented 8s per head of the population. Tho sooner they placed the police under local authority the bettor. If the like of Dunedin had to pay for its

own polica, they would do with far fewer men. The same thing would apply to other centres of population. The Hon. Mr Bkyob agreed in the opinion that there was room for economy, but he reminded them that any attempt at bringing about such economy was thwarted by the extravagant ideas members had in reference to the requirements of their own districts. The Government some time ago reduced the number of officers from twenty-throe to eleven, without detriment to the service, and yet there was nothing that drew down more odium upon the head of the Government. Passed as printed. Miscellaneous, £137. Passed. Vote—Education, £250,513. Mr Db LAUTOUB pointed out that the average salary paid to teachers did £96 per annum. Ho compared this with the salaries paid to other branches of the public service, showing that they were manifestly underpaid. Ho congratulated them on the fact that nearly every child of school age L. been occounted for. Mr Maoandbew agreed that_ the schoolmaster ought to rank with the highest grade ot the civil service. He had been struck with { the number of young children attending school in Otago. Sis idea was that the

children should be at least eight years, end until that age they should be keps away. The item passed. Native Schools, £11,920. Passed. Industrial, £10,170. Passed. Deaf and Dumb Institution, £2357. PsfeStd. Miscellaneous Service, £BOIO. Passed. Postmaster* General and Commissioner of Customs. Telegraph cable subsidies, £5360. Passed. Conveyance of mails by sea, £SB 690. Passed, Conveyance of inland mails, £25,190. Passed.

Carriage of mails by railway, £750. Passed. Class 11—Minister of Public Works. Working railways, £547,400. _ Mr Fergus moved that the item locomotive superintendent be reduced from £7OO to £6OO.

Item retained as printed on a division of 26 to 10, and tho vote was passed, as also the votes for public domains. Architect’s office. Public buildings and miscellaneous. (Amount not telegraphed.) These items completed the estimates. Progress was reported, and at 3.30 a.m. the Honse rose.