HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 402, 10 September 1856, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

August 5. The Speaker took his seat soon after twelve o'clock to-day, but about four o'clock had to request, (on account of continued indisposition) that the chairman of committees might take his place. LETTEB FEOM Mr. ADDEBLY, M.P. The Speaker read the following letter which, he had received from Mr. Adderly:— " House of Commons, February 21, 1856. " Sir, —I beg to acknowledge your letter dated loth September, 1855, containing copies of resolutions passed by the House of Eepresentatives, relative to the debt claimed by the New Zealand Company, and of a report of a select committee. I fear there is little chance of my hearing the result of the consideration by the Legislature, of the terms which I have transmitted as the offer of the New Zealand Company for a final settlement, before the parliament will have terminated its present session. I have j also been informed from the Colonial office, of i the resolutions of both Houses of Legislature, and of a payment of £500, which.'in accordance with these resolutions, I am authorised to expend in defraying expenses of agency. I beg to repeat, as I said before, that I must decline availing myself of such ■authority. It will not be required, and my own time and attention are <-juite at the service of the Colony of New Zealand (hear, hear, and applause). I shall be happy, when Mr. Seweli arrives (hear, hear,'and loud laughter), and further news renders any proceedings possible in reference to the settlement of the debt, to consult with him (renewed laughter, in which the Colonial Treasurer joined) in the steps necessary. I am, &c, C. B. Adderly." The Speaker also stated that he had received a private letter from Mr. Adder] v, giving some statistical figures, which was at' the sen-ice of honourable members. Mr. Stafford gave notice of motion that the letter be entered on the- inimiU*, ;\:nl that an address of thanks to "Mr. Adderly from the house be voted.

INTRODUCTION OF SETTLERS. . Mr. E. Graham gave notice of the following question:—To ask the Colonial Secretary whether it is correct that, on the application of Dr. Stratford to him regarding land at Monganui. he had informed him (Dr. Stratford) that he did not think that there would be any land available in this province for so large a body of people, two or three hundred "families, for the next three or four years ; but recommended him to consult the Superintendents of the other provinces, as, in his (the Colonial Secretary's) opinion, Auckland ' was more adapted for a military station, arid, that in his opinion, the Anglo-Saxons purchasing land here would be the'means of-driving the natives to the Southern settlements. The Colonial Secretary said he did not need any delay to enable him to answer the question. The honourable member had been .misled by an absurd representation of what actually passed. Mr. McLean, who was present throughout the interview, would be able to confirm what he (the Colonial Secretary) would state. He distinctly denied ever having stated to .Dr. Stratford that there was no likelihood, for three or four years to come, that land would be open in the 'Province of Auckland of adequate extent for settling two or three hundred families, or having stated anything so utterly absurd as that Auckland Was'fit only for a military station. It was simply and absolutely untrue that he ever made either of those statements, or that he said anything;like them. "What he did say was, that it appeared from the report of the Land Commissioners that there existed obstacles to the acquisition of the Victoria Valley, but that there were millions of acres available for immediate settlement in various parts of New Zealand, and he recommended Dr. Stratford to apply to the various Superintendents,' then- in Auckland, who would be able to give him full information as to their respective provinces, and with some of whonx he might perhaps make an arrangement. He was sorry any member for Auckland should think it necessary to put such a question as this to him (hear, hear).

.Mr. Graham then gave notice of motion that-Dr. Stratford'sletter be laid on table. CALL OF THE HOTTSE. On the motion of Mr. Stafford, the names ■of the members were called over, and a number of Standing Orders were suspended for the remainder of the session to allow the house to introduce and pass bills through their various stages on the same day. The motion, was agreed to without opposition. SURVEY MAPS, &C, IN CANTERBURY. Mr. Hall asked the honourable member at the head of the Government, " What steps the i Government intend to take-with, reference to ' the amount claimed to be dne to the province of ; Canterbury, on account of the Land Office and the -Survey Maps in that province." Mr. Stafford said that the Government would be prepared to deal with this matter, when they had -determined how the maps, &c, were to be disposed of in the other provinces under similar circumstances. -Canterbury, it was true, might have a. special claim, but the ministry was not yet prepared to" affirm it. j Mr. Fitzgerald then gave the following notice of motion:— ." That an humble address be presented to his Excellency to cause a sum not exceeding the •sum of six thousand pounds to be placed on the estimates to defray the cost of the Land Office and maps of the Province of Canterbury." SALARY OF GOVERNOR. Bis. Stafford moved for leave to bring in a bill to alter the Civil List so far as relates to the salary of the Governor. The House having agreed to an addition to the salary- of the Governor, the object of the present bill, which was a very short one, was to alter the Civil List accordingly. Mr. Brodie understood that the ministry, at the time, had said that the money would not bo required before 1857. Major Greenwood supported the motion. Ulr. Dal or was also of opinion that this bill was not in. accordance with the understanding at the time, He thought the debts of the colony should first be paid—that they should be just before being generous. The motion was agreed to. On the motion for the second reading,— Mr. Brodie recalled the words of the Colonial Treasurer, that the vote of the House would

not be carried into effect till the Government heard from England. The 'Colonial Treasurer explained, and was understood to say that, in having so said, he had simply expressed his individual opinion. Mr. Bell considered the intent of the Constitution Act. to be that such an alteration as that now proposed could not be carried into effect until the .pleasure of her Majesty was signified thereon. Major Greenwood thought the House was ■getting very squeamish. Her Majesty would not object to the eoloiry voting its own money. Mr. Daldy said that the House was squeamish, not as to her Majesty's assent, but to the colony being able to pay the money. He would move that the bill be read that day six months. Mr. Brodie seconded the amendment. The Colonial Treasurer thought that the House, by ignoring this bill after its previous resolution, would be acting most unworthily. ' The bill was then read a second time, and committed. Its clauses were strenuously opposed by Messrs. Brodie, Daldy, and others. The Ministry so far yielded to the views of the opposition, by moving the substitution of the words " the day on which her Majesty may be pleased to assent to this Act" for " Ist day of July, 1856." The bill was then reported with amendments, read a third time, passed, and forwarded to the Legislative Council. DEPUTY TO GOVERNOR. Mr. Stafford moved for leave to bring in a bill to enable the Governor of New Zealand to appoint a deputy on certain occasions. Agreed to, the bill brought up, read a first time, ordered to be printed, and to be read a •second time on Wednesday. APPROPRIATION BILL.

On the motion of the Colonial Treasures, the Appropriation Bill was read a first and second time, and its third reading fixed for Friday, on which day it was arranged that the consideration of the estimates should be completed. , , , RESIDENT MAGISTRATES* COURTS EXTENSION OF JURISDICTION BILL. Mr. Hall, in the absence of Mr. Fitz Gerald, moved for leave to bring in a-bill to extend the jurisdiction of the Itesident Magistrates' Courts in civil cases. The Legislative Council had taken exception 'to portions of the Resident Magistrates' Ordinance Amendment Bill, and had thrown it out. The present bill was'one which gave to the Eesident Magistrates part of the powers of the former bill—powers which were very "necessary, and to which he had reason to believe the Legislative Council would have no objection to offer. The Colonial Secretary seconded the motion. Leave was given, and the bill read a first and second time. ■ On the motion for going into committee on the bill, it was strenuously opposed until after the orders of the day had been disposed of. It was ultimately negatived on a division; noes, 12 ; ayes, 8. . PROVINCIAL LAWS BILL. A deputation was announced from the Legislative Council, —who presented this bill as amended in the Council. The amendments were ordered to be considered on Wednesday. WASTE LANDS BILL. T^ On the motion of Mr. Stafford, the amendments made by the Legislative Council in this bill were read and agreed to —Messrs. Fox and Hall being appointed to announce the same to the Legislative Council. OLD LAND CLAIMS FINAL SETTLEMENT BILL. On the motion of the Colonial Treasurer, this bill was further considered in committee. The chainnari finally reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. Mr. Stafford moved for leave to bring in a bill to alter the duties of Customs. After a, long and warm debate, the motion was put and agreed to, the bill read:a first and second time, committed, and • leave obtained to sit again at seven o'clock. - ; The House adjourned at half-past five, and met again at seven. HOUSE ACCOMMODATION COMMITTEE. Mr. Bell brought up a further report of this committee, which was read, and ordered to be considered m Committee of Sxipply.

CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. On the motion of Mr. Stafford, the House went into committee for the further consideration of this hill. On the Speaker resuming the chair, the report of the committee, on the motion of Mr. Stafford, was adopted, the bill read a third time,'passed, and forwarded to the Legislative Council by Mr. Stafford and Dr. Campbell. On the motion of Mr. Stafford, the following resolution was agreed to: —" That the duties made payable by the second clause of the Customs Duties Bill, 1856, be authorised to be charged on and after this date." RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' EXTENSION'OF JURISDICTION BILL. On the motion of Mr. Hall, the House went into committee iipon this bill. It was finally reported with amendments and the report adopted by the House. On the motion of Mr. Bell, the House adjourned at 25 minutes to "three o'clock a.m.