HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 4, 25 July 1861, Page 6 (Supplement)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, June 25. The House assembled at 12 o’clock. Present: —the Speaker and 39 Members. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr. Stafford called the attention of the S’'''" 1 - er to an infringement of the privileges of (he House a paper published yesterday morning having professed to give details of tho voting for the Audit conducted under the secrecy of the Ballot on Thursday last. He did not know how the information was obtained, nor did he know

'whether the information was correct, not having ■had access to the voting papers himself. The Speaker said he had been considerably sur- • prised to see this in the Newspaper referred to, and had directed the attention of the Chief Clerk to it, who had informed him that the papers in question had been shown to a member of the House, the Clerk who supplied them being ignorant that :xu bu uomg no had been trespassing against the rules of the House. They had not been shown to any one connected with the press, which must therefore have been supplied with the information oy ine non. member. Such an irregularity however would not occur again. Mr. R. Wood rose to explain. There had been he said, a discussion on the subject bet ween himself and the member for Onehunga, and ho (Mr. W.) had asked the Clerk to let him see the papers, which he did, not knowing (nor did he Mr. W) that there was anything irregular in it. But he denied that he had directly or indirectly given any information to the newspapers. Mr. O’kokke begged to say, his name having been mentioned, that although he had been informed by Mr. Wood as to how certain members had voted on the occasion, he had not communicated that information to any person or newspaper. PETITIONS. Mr. Domett presented a petition from the Dun Mountain Mining Company, for leave to bring in a Bill for making a Railway from their mines to the Port of Nelson. Petition received, and referred to the Committee on Standing Orders for proof of the requisite notices. Mr. J. Muneo presented a petition. Petition received. PAPERS. Mr. Weld laid on the table the following papers : 1. Copies of correspondence respecting the introduction of a better system of Government amongst theßarawns. 2. Report on the grass seed question by Mr. Me Lean. Mr. Richmond laid on the table, a partial return to nn Order of the House, for a statement of the amount expended since the SOtli of June, 1860, from the portion of the Land Purchase Loan allocated to the Provinces of Auckland, Wellington, and Hawke’s Bay, respectively, and for what expended. AGENTS IN WAIKATO. Mr. Fox asked the Government, whether they have at present any Agent or Emissary in communication with the Waikato tribes; and if so where and when sent. Mr. Richmond said that obvious reasons of policy prevented the Government from answering that question, and he thought ought to have prevented the hon. member from asking it. (Oh !) He had his Excellency’s command not to answer it: he might however state that the various rumours in circulation respecting that matter were totally unfounded. Mr. Richmond moved that a supply be granted to her Majesty—Agreed to. . Mr. Richmond then moved that it be an Order of the day for to-morrow that this House go into Committee of supply to be granted to her Majesty —Agreed to. Mr. Fitzherbert moved that the minutes of Evidence taken before the select committee on Banking, in 1856, be printed. The report, he said, had been printed, and as they had several bills with respect to the est ablishment of banks now before the House, it was desirable that the evidence should be printed also.—Motion agreed to. Mr O’Neill moved that the plans attached to Mr. Ileaphy’s report be printed. Motion agreed to. Mr. Eox moved that a respectful address be presented to his Excellency the Governor, requesting him to send down to this House copies of any instructions received by him from her Majesty the Queen, commanding him to suppress unlawful combinations, and to maintain her Majesty’s supremacy in New Zealand, referred to in his Excellency’s terms of peace offered to the Waikatos. Motion agreed to. Mr. A. J. Richmond moved for leave to bring in a bill to enable the Superintendent of the province of Marlborough to construct a railway from Picton harbor to the Wairau. Motion agreed to. Bill read a first time. borne discussion then took place on papers relative to the Taranaki question, and Mr. Stafford rose to speak on the subject when a message from his Excellency was announced. The Message was read by the Speaker, and Mr. Stafford moved, that it be taken into consideration to-morrow. Motion agreed to. The Speaker announced two bills as having been received from the Legislative Council. Both were read a first time : one was ordered to be read a second time on Thursday, and the .other on Friday next, on motion by the Colonial Secretary. Mr. R. Graham moved, that the report of the select committee on Pleuro-pneumonia be adopted. Motion agreed to. On the motion of W. C. Richmond the “ advances to Agents bill” was read a third time and passsed.—The Chairman of Committees was ordered to return to the Legislative Council informing them that tho House had concurred therein. The second reading of this bill was postponed till Friday. The Native Crown Titles Bill, was, at the request of Mr. G. Graham, postponed till Tuesday next. Thursday, June 27,1561. Mr. Bell presented a petition from H. C. Balncavis, representing that he has not received the grant for the land to which he is entitled as Military settler under the Queen’s regulations, and prayfor relief in the premises.—Petition received. In reply to a question put by Mr. Butler, the ■hon. Mr. Weld said that Ilis Excellency would take some measure to redress the wrong done to a SCH.CI m UIIU-U, uy mu iuu njiv u,»nj bj a Native chief a half-caste child from his house. Mr. Eox asked the Government whether, after .the report of Mr. Commissioner Halse on the conduct of Major Cooper, in reference to the abduction of an aboriginal girl of tender years, it is the intention of the Government to continue Major

Cooper in the command of the Wanganui Militia, and in the Commission of the Peace ?

The hon. Mr. Stafford said the question of the hon. member was objectionably worded. It contained statements which were not correct. In the first place, Major Cooper was not a Justice of the Peace. In the second place, the abduction had not been proved. He however, would not attempt to justuy the conduct of Major Cooper. A strong letter had been written and sent down touching this matter—ho should lay a copy of it on the table, so that the hon. member could see it if His Excellency saw no objection to it. The question of tender years was a doubted point in the case—the person was a young girl. It was stated that she was a 'Native, child. Now, he did not know what constituted a Native child. Were girls at the age of 15 or 18 years ? Mr. Fox explained that her father had stated she was between 10 and 12—certainly not more than 12. The hon. Mr. Stafford : It was a most reprehensible act, and die course taken by Ilia Excellency would be seen. Mr. Bell moved, For leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the apportionment of the Public Debt of Otago aud Southland. Agreed to. Bill received, read a first time, ordered to be printed, and to be read a second time on Wednesday next. Mr. Ormond moved for a copy of all correspondence between the Colonial Secretary and the Provincial Government of Hawke’s Bay, relative to the Individualization of Native Title, especially a memorial from Eenata and other Chiefs of the Ngatitahungunu tribe. Also that such correspondence be referred to the select committee appointed to enquire into the Native Land Title. Agreed to. Mr. D. Bell moved, That the Resolutions of the Military Defence Committee be taken into consideration, with a view to an order of the House being made, constituting that Committee a Secret Committee. resolutions. 1. That the Imperial Government not having accepted definitely the arrangement proposed by the Colonial Government on the 6th September, 1859, to the effect that the Colony should pay £5 per annum per man as its general contribution towards the expenses of the Queen’s forces at that time proposed to be stationed for its defence ; and having further set aside that arrangement by the demand of a large additional sum for extra allowances for the officers and men, preferred in the Duke of Newcastle’s Despatch of 7th March, 1861, it is the opinion of this Committee that the whole matter is still open for future arrangement between the Governments. In this opinion the Committee is fortified by the view taken of the arrangements by Mr. Chichester Fortescue, Under Secretary for the Colonies, in his speech in parliament, in Fobruary, 1861. 2. That the Committee proceed to consider the question referred to its consideration, and report under four heads. (1.) What is the character and extent of the military defence with respect to troops, fortifications or places of refuge now required for particular parts of the Colony. (2.) In what proportions that defence should be composed, of regular troops, or colonial forces. (3.) What sum should be contributed by the colony in time of peace towards its military defence. (1.) What additional sura the colony should contribute in time of internal or external war. 3. That in order to arrive at a just conclusion on the subject, it would be necessary for the committee to obtain evidence from military officers, and also to possess the most complete information from the Executive Government. 4. That the committee, recognizing that such evidence and information would probably touch upon matters which it would be improper at present to make public, instruct the Chairman to apply to the House to constitute this committee a secret committee. Mr. Stafford moved this amendment: —This House orders that the committee appointed to consider the question of Military Defence be constitued a secret committee, for the purpose of enquiry into the state of defence of the several settlements of the colony, and considering what measures arc required for affording protection to the settlers in case of military operations becoming necessary. After considerable discussion this amendment was put and carried. Mr. Stafford moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Registration of Electors’ Act, 1858. —Motion agreed to. —Bill brought up, read a first time, ordered to be printed, and to be read a second time on Friday next. Mr. Stafford moved the second reading of the Commissioners Powers Bill.—Bill road a second time. It went through committee, and was reported with amendments. The House adjourned at a quarter to 2 o’clock. J Friday, June 28. The Speaker took the Chair at 12 o’clock. The Native Minister laid upon the table a copy of a correspondence between the Bishop of New Zealand and Mr Parris—ordered to be printed. On the motion of Mr. Fox an address to his Excellency was agreed to, requesting a copy of the Maori translation of the Terms of Peace offered to the Waikatos. The Native Minister promised that it should be laid on the table on Tuesday next. A message was received from the Legislative Council, informing the House that they had passed a bill for defining the boundary line between Canterbury and Otago, and requesting concurrence to the amendments made therein. Ordered to be considered on Tuesday next. It being 3 o’clock, the House proceeded to the orders of the day, when it formecWtself into a committee of the whole, for the further consideration of his Excellency’s message, No. 2. The hon. Mr. Richmond introduced the subject to the Committee in a short address. When— The hon. Mr. Stafford moved a reply to his Excellency’s message. The amended address was

iiuopiou, ano emexeu *a/ uq l ncn ini,o consiucTS* tion on Tuesday nest, preparatory to its adoption. The Commissioner’s rowers Bill was reported without amendments, and was read a first time. The weights and measures ordinance amendment

jbill was read a second time and committed when it was reported without amendments, and read a third time. , le Registration of Electors Act Amendment bill was read a second time; committed with amend* .ments; to be recommitted on Thursday next. ~ 9? 9‘° n J° t * on r - Rox, an address was voted ia> UiS xtiCclltJliCY lOP fi roily of u. Igrfgi* fVnrn tlih .Rev. Mr. Buddie, on the subject of the present The petition from H. C. Balneavis was referred to the committee on private pti'o vances • Mr : 9 okETT > with the leav e of the House, brought m a bill to empower the Dun Mountain Copper Mining Company to construct a Railway, and for other purposes. Read a first time, and notice was given to refer it to a select committee. On the motion of Mr. Williamson for Mr But!er who was absent, the House agreed to an address to Lis Excellency for copies of all correspondence relating to the taking away of a half-caste child from wuru by a chief from Kaikohe. Mr Fox gave notice that on Wednesday he would s move “ That this House has not confidence in his Excellency’s present advisers.” “ Commissioner’s powers bill” and “weights and measures hill”—forwarded to the Legislative Coun - cil for their concurrence. The House adjourned at 8 o’clock.