TELEGRAPHIC

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 96, 16 November 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [per press association.] Wellinton, November 13. Sheehan will make a statement of Native AfiVirs to«morrow. It is understood that Larnaoh will bring down the Financial Statement on Friday next. H.M.S, Sappho is back from Nelson. A deputation of the City Council will wait upon Grey to-morrow with regard to | introducing a Contagious Disease Act. Frederick Gillon, recently tried for rape on a little girl at the Hutt, received a flogging of 25 lashes to-day. He howled desperately. The following is the list of names on the division for adjournment of debate moved by Atkinson. Opposition, Atkinson. Beetham, Bowen, Brandon, Burns, Curtis, Douglas, Fitzroy, Gibhs, Henry, Hunter, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kennedy, Lumsden, Manders, M'Lean, Moorhouse, Morris, Murray - Aynsley, Ormond, Reid, Richardson, Richmond, Rolleston, Rowe, Russell, Seymour, Sharp, Stevens, Sutton, ,Teschemaker, Travers, Wason, Whittaker, Williams, Woolcock. Government} Baigenfc, Ballance, Barff, J. 0. Brown, Byrce, Bunny, DeLatour, Dignan, Fisher, Gisborne, Grey, Hamlin, Hislop, Hodgs kinson, Joyce, Kelly, Larnach, Lusk, lVTacandrew, MacFarlane, Montgomery, Murry, Nahe, O'Rorke, Pyke. Rees, Reynolds, Seaton, Sheehan, SLu-imski, Stout, Swanson, Takamoana, TUom,scaa, Tolo, Wakefield. House met at §.30. In reply to Baigcnj; La?naoh said the Government were making enquiries about creation of- Bridge over the Buller River on main road from Nelson to Reefton. ! In reply to Gisborne Sheehan said that 1 in reduciug the. constabulary recently thelate Ministry badj granted a gratuity of four months' pay to officers, and one ' month to men,, The House w,ent into committee on the Land Bill. On Canterbury run clauses, i Shqoban, proposed, to in.cr.eape assessment,

on sheep from ninepence to a shilling, and from fou.r to five shillings on great cattle, and redqca increased tenure from ten to five years. Eolleston objected to these alterations. A long discussion ensued, on division, the minimum assessment on sheep was adhered to by 3<J to 26,. Council bnsiness unimportant. The debate on the adjourned privilege question was continued. Travers. defended hj.n oonduat as consistent throughout. The House had asserted its privileges, and the question now was regarding the. constitutional position of Ministers. It was this question the Governor wished to refer to. the Sacretary of State. With the House, the Secretary of State could have nothing to do, Sheehan said the adjournment was sought because Atkinson found his party would not follow Travers. He strongly opposed an ex parte statement of the case being referred Home, and condemned Traver's motion as inconsistent. If the House referred its privileges to outside authority to suit party purposes, the first step would be taken to destroy constitutional freedom. He defended tke motive of Ministers. Hodgkinson thought the Governor's proposal to refer the matter to the Secretary ot State was a fresh breach of privilege. Grey strongly condemned reference to foreign authority. It was a shame of the Opposition to countenance such a proposal. If the Governor was entitled to refuse Ministers advice because of a want of confidence motion pending, constitutional Government was at an end. The Governor contended he was responsible only to the Secretary of State, when he should be to the Queen, and to the laws and constitution of the country they were governing. Of the Secretary of State, the House knew nothing. Another un« constitutional act was the Governor's reference to the Governor of New South Wales. Constitutional liberty was in danger if Governors, disregarding their proper advisers, were to consult each other and form an allegory guided by code laws and precedents of their own. The House should assert its own right to determine all questions affecting its privileges. Great principles were afc stake. Atkinson denied he was countenancing any appeal to outside au'hority, Grey had done so. Motion to adjourn debate was carried by 38 to 37. Gisborne then moved it bo resumed on Friday, urging the necessity of the House sending its view of the case Konie by the same mail, as Governor's memos. This proposal was lost by 38 to 27. Stout said mutters had now come to a faction fight in tho'House, and the sooner the couutry was appealed to, the better. He strongly condemned the attempt to politically ostracise Grey because of his liberal views and opposition to cliques and rings of all. kinds. Travers defended his conduct, and condemned that of Ministers. Their position in retaining olliuo was unconstitutional' He opposed their party now because he had been deceived. When he joined them it was on an absolute promise, that Grey should not be Premier. He warmly eulogised Grey's past servioes to the Colony, but objected to him as Premier. Stout at great length replied to Travers pointing out inconsistencies in his various speeechos. He characterised the alleged agreement to banish Groy from office as a couspiraoy. It was evident the only fault alleged was that he had served his conntry, and deserved well of it. What Travers said shows the country that the present congest is not one of principle, but purely one of personal antagonism to the man wba had rendered distinguished services to the State. ', Eees strongly urged the necessity for at once referring the motion at issue to the decision of the country. lieid thought too much was being made of very small matter. Had the privileges of the House been endangered, and Ministers resigned in defence he would have supported them. He thought Ministers deserved censure, for recommending Wilson, and publishing the papers. No Secre* tary of Sta,te was likely to attempt to in terfere with, the House. The privileges and liberties of the House w K ere not in any way attacked or infringed, and the matter should drop. At }240 on a motion for adjournment the House agreed, so the whole mitter therefore dropped. November 15, The House met at 2 30. Leave of absence for thn remainder of the session was granted to,Mr Button Rees gave notice of motion " That in dealing with Lusk's case, the Hou,so had not intended to impute corrupt motives to him, and that the fine of 3§5P be remitted. Grey moved the second reading of Disqualification Bill JN o 2 explaining tha{. it was introduced on the recommendation of the Committee, and intended to cure a teohnical defect in the law by which members elected could become contractors, The Bill was opposed by Reynolds, Whittaker, BarfF.Rees, Keid, and others. Montgomery supported it. Kennedy explained that he had not Willingly or knowingly infringed the law and bad no connection with any contract. Grey stated the Government did not wish to press the Baty on the House. They already had a Bill in preparation for next session dealing with the whole electoral law, simplifying and rendering it more This Bill wpußdjal dis- >

qualification as well as election petition referring both to tho decision of nn im-t partial tribunal. If they choose to reject the present Bill, and wait till uext year for the Bill the Government intended introducing he would not object to the Bill being read a second time on the voices. The Mines Bill passed through committee and was read a third time. t In the Legislative Council, an important amendment was made iv the Education Bill by the introduction of a new clause whiph empowers Boards to grant any school committee such aid in books and money or all money if the committee desire as the Board think expedient t and this was carried on a division by one vote. Following Bills read a third time : tittle ftirer Cemetery Keserve Exchange Bill ; Balclutha Athenaum i Eakanui Harbor BUI ; Waikouiuti Athen»ura and Land Borough Bill 3 New Plymouth Endowment Bill } the Timaru Harbor Board Ecdowment Bill was read a second time. Sheehan opposed going into commitee j on Disqualification Bill No 1 (Kellys) as j it proposed to entirely alter the present subject. After slight discussion the Bill thrown out on a division by 33 to 10. Nelson, November 15. A largely attended public meeting was held in the Provincial Hall last night to consider the present political situation. The Mayor was in the chair. The following resolutions were carried almost unanimously :— " That in the opinion of the meeting the interests both of the colony and the district would be best .served by Parliament giving Sir Georgo Grey a fair trial. That in the opinion of the meeting in the present disorganised state of the House of Representatives, o*ving to parties being so evenly declared an appeal to the people is the only satisfactory and constitutional course, copies of these resolutions to bo forwarded to the pity representatives and Sir George Grey," It was moved as an addition to the first resolution the words, "&o that the charge made against the Government may be proved or disproved ibis session," This was rejected, only six supporting it.