HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 116, 19 July 1866, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Tuesday, July 10. Petitions were presented from Daniel Monro, D. B. Cochrane, and Joseph Farrall, claiming the consideration of the Government for services rendered aud losses sustained. A discussion arose as to the best mode of securing accommodation in the house, but nothing definite was arrived at. In reply to Mr. Haughton, Mr. Stafford said, clerks of magistrates and warden's courts were not appointed magistrates without the recommendation of the Superindendent of the province in which the appointments were made. The resolution from the committee that a supply be granted to her Majesty was reported, and read a first and second time. It was agreed that the House should meet on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 2 o'clock, for the ensuing fortnight. Col. Haultain stated that the correspondence relating to the Waikato militia was in the hands of the printers. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Hargreaves, seconded by Mr. Fitzgerald, that it be an instruction to the postal committee to take into consideration the advisability of allowing the mail steamers to remain, at least, 24 hours at Lyttelton after arrival. Mr. Stafford promised to lay on the table a return showing the number of ounces of gold that have passed through the various Custom Houses for the year beginning from the Ist April, 1865, and ending . 31st March, 1866. VfEDNESDAY, JULY 11. Petitions were presented from "W. Taj'lor, the Rev. S. Blackburn, and Mr. M'Caskell. Mr. Whitaker asked the honourable the Colonial Secretary, Whether it is the intention of the Government to propose in this session any measure to make an alteration in the. present form of Government of the colony, or of auy part of it, and in doing so called attention to a despatch from Mr. Cardwell on separation, and a despatch from Sir George Grey on the necessity of some change of Government in Auck-

: land/and MrJCardwell's reply. thereto; stating that on the point peftiaps the legislature of the colony might make some temporary enactments. He ■wished to elicit the views of the Government on the -point, for if they did not bring the matter forward, he would do it himself. He had put the question in a wide and generalform in order "that" he might Be at -"once, answered -without difficulty.. , , Mr. Stafford said that he had listened with pleasure to the remarks -which had been made, because the question had been thought rather indefinite. It appeared to the Government that the~question might express meanings which, the lion, member had not intended. If it meant separation;' the Government would reply in the negative. ' No one could accuse the Government of want of impartiality in administering . the affairs of Auckland ; with regard -to want of promptitude, no one was better able to bring forward a scheme to remedy it than the hon. member himself. The Government could not bring any plan' forward, because it did not conceive that it could propose any radical alteration in the form of government at the request of the people of Anckland unless it was thought to be for the benefit of the whole colony. He regretted to see the ' combination which existed among the Auckland members '; but if any scheme was brought forward -within the four corners of Mr. Cardweil's despatch, it would receive the greatest consideration. Mr. Stafford said in reply to Mr. Cargill, that the Government were prepared to assimilate the law here, respecting the adulteration of food, to that of • England. The Partnership Amendment Bill was read a first time. Mr. Stafford said the Government intended to bring in a bill, similar in its provisions to' the Provincial Compulsory Land Taking Act, 1863. Mr. Stafford said the Government were going to bring in a short act, denning the position and status of Inspectors of Bankruptcy, and .to make one or two trifling amendments. The Indictable Offences Bill was read a first time. A Representation Act Amendment Bill was intro-. duced by Mr. Stafford, and read a first time. The . amendments -were merely of a technical character. On the motion of Mr. Stafford, the following Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday week : — " An Act to rectify certain errors in the ' Gold Fields Acts Amendment Act, 1865.' " Mr. Stafford moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report on the question of providing a general penal establishment for the Colony. Such committee to consist of Mr. Whittaker, Mr. J. C. Richmond, Mr. Eyes, Dr. Feather-' tone, Mr. A. Richmond, Mr. Hall, Mr. Dick, Mr. Wood, and the hon. E. W. Stafford ; three to be a quorum ; to report within a month. A Select Committee was appointed to inquire into and report upon the claims of Dr. Samuel and Mr, Marshead, with respect to the leasing of iron sand in the province of Taranak'i. Mr. Hall's Canterbury Waste Lands Amendment Bill was read a first time. A committee was appointed to consider and report upon a claim for additional pay made by certain officers and men of the Waikato militia. A Select Committee was appointed to consolidate and amend the various Acts relating to the goldfields.

The men charged with the murders on the Maungatapu, will be brought up for examination again to-morrow. It is not likely the examination will be terminated to-morrow, as several witnesses are expected from the Wakamarina, and other places. The difficulty of getting witnesses together from a distance causes unavoidable delay. Jn our report of the proceedings of the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, in the case of Waxman v. Murdoch, the verdict was for the plaintiff, and not for the defeu-. daut as was then stated. At the adjourned inquest held on the body of Mr. Dobson, at the Grey, on the I Oth inst., the verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown. Mr. Warden Kyixnersley states : — It is only necessary to glance at the map to see the injustice of awarding to Canterbury half the Customs duties of the port, while nearly the whole of the back country, where the diggings are situated and the goods consumed, is in the Province of Nelson. Mr. Warden Kynnersley reports in reference to the Customs' Revenue at the Grey : during a fortnight 52 boats, containing 188,984 lbs. of goods left the port for the Nelson gold-fields j while, during the same period, only 9 boats, containing 25,900 lbs. left for the Canterbury side. <""\ We understand that a number of useful birds \ from Hobart Town are expected to reach \ Canterbury in about six weeks for the Accli- \ matization Society. It is intended to liberate. I them at once on their arrival,- as it is presumed that they will thrive well in that province ; the birds which arrive from England cannot j be treated in this way, for they have to bey kept for some time in confinement until they/ become ased to their new home, . .

- The export duty on gold at Cobden, returned by the banks jov . last month, was Nelson, £1,560, Canterbury, £850. , The Lytteltbn Times says, the Volunteer, /movement has undoubtedly taken firm root f in Canterbury. We can muster now a very - fair number of men, commanded by energetic officers, and fairly up in their drill. It has just occurred to us that an addition might be— made to the force in the shape of a cadet corps, to be composed of the youths of the town and neighborhood. Such a. corps has been in existence in Dunedin for more than a year, and we notice by the New Zealand Gazette received yesterday, that his Excellency has accepted the services of the Nelson .. (city) Cadet Rifle Volunteers. Surely Christ-'"-church could raise a corps of the same nature. "Independence Day" was celebrated on the 4th inst., by the American residents in Dunedin, but the "Times" believes it is a fact that the number of Americaus there is at present less than has been the case ou any 4th of July for the last four or five years, this being partly due to the temporary absence of several well kuown American citizens.

The presence of Mr. . G. v E. -Barton, ofDunedin, at Hokitika, on a : professional Visit, has induced the W. O. Times : tp allude, to the persecutions lie' has recently experienced in Dunedin. . The ;Times remarks that it 'is unquestionably a defect in .our. Jurisprudence that any man is open to be assailed by irresponsible aud malicious calumniators. In our opinion. the law ought to make the repeated' preferment of. a groundless criminal charge a criminal offence in itself,- and one severely, punishable. Such is not the law at present. An action for malicious prosecution may be brought ; but it is a mere farce to bring such an action against a man. not worth powder and shot. Criminal proceedings can only be instituted where there is a "conspiracy" to charge an innocent man with an indictable offence. To sustain that charge, however, the concurrence of two or more persons in the plot must be proved. At present, Mr. Barton appears to be without his remedy. He has been the object of " persecution, not prosecution."