PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 183, 3 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Monday night. The House met at 2*30. Mr Reid presented a petition from the brewers and publicans of Westland against the imposition of the Beer Tax. Mr Wood gave notice that he would, on going into Committee on the Native Land Sale Bill, move a resolution affirming that the Native owners should be enabled to dispose of their lauds without Government interference atter receiving certificates from the Native Lands Court. It was agreed on the motion of Mr Hall that tbe House tomorrow resolve itself into Committee to consider the following resolution : — " That this House approves of the arrangements made (telegram dated 31stMay, 1879) for duplicating the telegraph cable from Port Darwin, upon the conditions set forth in the memorandum of agreement between the Governments of New South Wales and Victoria and Colonel Glover on behalf of the Eastern Extension Australasian and China Telegraph Company, dated December 4,1878." A Bill to amend the Property Assessment Act, 1879, was introduced and read the first time. The House considered the amendments made hy the Legislative Council in the Election Petitions Bill, and after debate, disagreed with them. A committee was appointed to draw up and sustain reasons for dissent.. Mr Bryca moved the second reading of the Native Lauds Bill.. It proposed to render the proceedings less costly and cumbersome than under the existing Act. The object was to return as niucb as possible to the procedure of the Ace in force prior to 1873. Messrs Thomson, Tawhai, and Te Wheoro supported the Bill, expressing at the same time an opinion that it should in Committee be amended so as to provide that the Natives should have more to do with conducting the business of these Courts. Sir Wm. Fox supported the Bill, but suggested that it did not go far enough in the way of making provision for taxing tbe costs of agents and lawyers employed by natives. Mr Wood also supported the Bill, but WQuld oppose the Native Land Sales Bill. Sir George Grey and Mr Delatour opposed the Bill. Mr Thomson objected to the Bill, and charged one of the members of the Government with having been mixed up in these land transactions. Mr Roileston denied tbe imputation, aud on its being repeated by Mr Thomson, he (Mr Roileston) rose to a point of order, which tho Speaker disallowed. Mr Thomson concluded by repeating his objections to the Bill. Mr Bryce replied, after which the Bill was read a second time. The House adjourned at 5-30. Tuesday. The Native Land Frauds Prevention Bill, and Native Succession Bill were read the second time without opposition, and the House went into Committee on the Native Lands Court Bill. Major Te Wheoro wanted a clause inserted to give a Committee of Natives power to determine what cases should be brought hefore the Court. Mr Bryce refused to accept this. Sir G. Grey supported the proposal. Several members urged tho postponement of the matter, but Ministers would not consent. A long irregular discussion followed, there being an evident design to stonewall, and at 240 a.m. a motion to report progress was lost on a division of 22 to 13. The Chairman then left the chair for half-an-hour, and, on resuming, Mr Bryce consented that the Bill should be recommitted for the consideration of what the Native members wanted. The remaining clause then passed, and the Houso rose at 3.30 a.m.