HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Kumara Times, Issue 641, 17 October 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

7 : f{ , In: the House, Jihis /afternpon/ Macandrew, in replying to Mr Thomjis,:] said the Govern (neiit; recognised. the < fact ihat local bodies . in the j would -be unable to Scope with; the’ difficulties caused by -recent;.floods in the South; and the-Bouse yrould probably be asked tbvste A sntnof' money to be lent to them. ,*.- ...

An important point affecting : private Bilk was raised by Mr Stout, who moved that the report of the joint committee on private Bills should be disagreed with. Major , Atkinson considered the report of the committee,: final, as the House relegated the question to them as a sort of legal tribunal. The Speaker took time to consider the question ) the debate being adjourned until Wednesday next. There was some discussion on the motion of Taiaroa that the petition of Henare Matan and. other natives be printed. The petitioners prayed that Justice Richmond should-not be permitted to try native land cases,.because he had caused the Waitqtari War, and this had led to the Waikato War, and because when sitting as Commissioner he had expressed decided views with regard to some natives of these repudiation cases. Tairoa ultimately withdrew his motion. The adjourned debate on MrSaunders’ motion relative, to taxation and Public Works was resumed by Mr Bowen, who supported it. In the course of the debate Mr Sheehan denied that any district'bad failed to participate to some extent,, however small, in the benefit arising from the Public Works expenditure; but he admitted that something must be done to aid outlying districts; His own idea was that Government should take over main roads; if this wore done, however, subsidies, must cease. It appeared iniquitous to him that’populous long settled towns should receive the same subsidy as poor thinly settled outlying districts. Messrs t)e Latour, A tkinscm,Hodgkinsou,Murray, and Fyke spoke, all acknowledging to some extent the justice of the principles contained in Mr Saunders’ motion, the majority could not be carried into practical effect. The motion was again talked out by adjournment. ; H On the House resuming at 7.30 last evening, The second reading of the Law Amendment Bill was farther, discussed. Mr Hislop said,: in order to give members a further, opportunity of adbill be read fchat.jay six months. \ ■ tbp measure WppM[ revolutionise the practice of the Supreme Court, .and would require- a : long-time for the legal mind to underatandthe results if it became law.. He criticised theraeasurein detail, and said such a measure would not be forced through the H ouse at this last .stage of the session. The Attorney-General said Mr. Barton was wrong in his. assertions, and he wished the junior member for WeHiogton had taken the trouble to read .the matter before shaking So freely oh the bill. He rebutted Mr Barton’s assertions one by one. ••• :.•■. Mr Brandon hoped: the AttorneyGeneral would press the bill ■ through the House. -.7 •- .The bill was read a' second-tirae and ordered -to be committed for Thursday. The House adjourned at 9130. • ;