HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 197, 21 August 1871, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

From V. c Post August 1 8. On yesterday's Order Paper was a motion by Mr. Collins for a return of the names of all persons, not being officers of the Provincial or General Governments, to whom (he use of the telegraph without payment has been extended lately. — The hon. the Premier objected to giving the return, and said that if it were furnished, sources of information at present available would be closed, and confidence abused. He said that, as the political head of the Government, he had occasionally to communicate with persons on subjects not strictly connected with the public service, and to these he had given permission to use tbe telegraph. — The hon. Mr. Stafford said that, in common with others, he had frequently heard expressions of suspicion that the telegraph had been improperly used. He regretted that the Government should refuse the return asked for, as the refusal would tend to confirm the opinion that the conduct and management of the telegraph department should be removed out of the bauds of political Ministers, and beyond the reach of political influence. He hoped the mover would ptvss the motion to a division. — The hon Mr. Gisborne said that members must be aware that the Government of the country, particularly in this island, during a state of almost civil war, could not be carried on without some latitude being allowed to Ministers, aud that it would be manifestly inconvenient were the names of natives, for instance, who are in communication with the Government, to be divulged, as it would cause them to become marked men among their tribes. — Mr. Creighton said there was really no occasion for the display of virtuous indignation by the Hon. Mr. Gisborne. There was a wide spread feeling of distrust regarding the matter mentioned. He would move, as an amendment, " excepting the names oi persons telegraphin" on native matters." — The Hon. J. Hall said that, although he, as Jin old member of the Government, was jealous of tbe powers of the Government, yet he would support, the motion. The member at the head of the Government had said that, as a political leader, he required the free use of tbe telegraph ; but he took exception to that doctrine. If the Premier, as a political leader, had the free use of the telegraph, other political leaders should have it also. He believed Ministers should pay equally with others for any telegrams they wished to send that were not strictly on public business. Mr. Creighton condemned the refusal of the Government to produce the return required, and suggested that, perhaps, the insertion ol a few words excepting from tbe return ail names of those who have telegraphed on native matters would meet the case. This, however, the Premier said would not induce him or the Government to accede to the request for the return. — Mr. Collins, iv replying, said that he had moved for the return, not from any feeling of hostility to the Government, but io the hope that an uncomfortable feeling outside the House might be allayed by the publication of what he asked for. The refusal of tbe Government convinced him that there was something in the rumors that he had heard, aud that the Government did not feel able to stand the test which he bad hoped might have cleared them. The first division ot the session took place upon this matter, the amend* * '. AA AAA A. AiAAJJ. ,vS

ment being lost by 25 to 30, and the original motion by a still larger majority. Friday. Taiaroa gave notice of motion for the formation of a native council to consider land questions in the North Island. It was the first notice of motion given in the House by a Maori. — The Hon. W. Gisborne laid on the table sundry estimates aud plans of railways — The Speaker announced that, in consequence of letters he had written, he had received a letter from Mr. Travers, agent of Sir David Monro, stating the steps required by law to be taken for the proper consideration of the allegation against the return of Sir David Monro, and that till some authoritative decision on the points raised had been given, he should decline to name some member of the House to select the committee. — A letter was also read from ihe petitioner, naming Mr. Bunny as the member to waich the Bppoiutment of the committee on bis behalf. — The Speaker having explained that tbe points raised w^re just those to which he drew attention a few days ago, the Hon. the Premier moved that the previous ruliug of the Speaker on the question be sustained. — Tbe Hon. E, W. Stafford objected to the course pursued as opposed to Parliamentary practice. He could not see that the House, by a resolution, could override the Statute Law, and he therelove moved, as an amendment, that the opinion of the Attoruey-General be taken od the objections raised by Mr. Travers before the House took further action in the matter. — Mr. Haughton spoke against the amendment as an attempt to delay the decision of the case from party motives. — The Hon. J. Hall objected to the introduction of the word "party" iuto the discussion. He suggested that both motion and amendment should be withdrawn, and the House hear both parties on the points raised by Mr. Travers before coming to any decision. — Mr. Gillies reminded the House that the que.*" tion before them was the great constitutional one of whether the House by resolution could over-rule the statute. — Mr. Fitzherbert said that the tribunal before which election petitions came was the House, and it had to decide them not on technical points. It would be a bad day when the House, in a difficulty, rushed to its lawyer. The House was ite own lawyer. [The remainder of the debate has not yet reached us.]