PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4487, 6 August 1875, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, August 5. The Council assembled at the usual hour. PRAYERS. The Hon. the Speaker having taken his seat, prayers were read. PAPERS. The Hon Dr. POLLEN laid on the table several papers. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OP NEW ZEALAND BILL. The Hon. Mr. BONAR said that he had been requested by the General Assembly of the New Zealand Presbyterian Church to introduce a Bill, having for its object the recognition of the Presbyterian Church by the Legislature, and also for the purpose of enabling such church to deal with certain properties held in trust for purposes connected with the Presbyterian Church in this colony. The Bill passed the first reading without amendment. MARRIAGE ACT, 1854, AMENDMENT BILL. The Bill having passed the third reading, was ordered to be sent down to the Lower House. ADJOURNMENT. The Hon. Dr. POLLEN said that as most of the Government Bills were now receiving the attention of the House of Representatives, he would move that the Council adjourn till Tuesday next at the usual hour. The Council then adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, August 5. The Speaker took the chair at two o’clock. NOTICES OP MOTION AND PETITIONS. A number of notices of motion and petitions were given. PAPERS. Amongst papers laid on the table by the Government was a return showing amount of revenue from dues under the Arms Act, and a statement of the reserve fund for 1873-4. ABOLITION BILL. At this stage, The Hon. Major ATKINSON said the Government proposed to take the second reading of the Abolition Bill at half-past seven on Friday (to-day). The proposition was agreed to. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. On the motion of Mr. Sheehan, leave of absence for ten days was granted to the member for Waikaia, Mr. Bradshaw. EXTENSION OF TELEGRAPH. Mr. BUCKLAND asked the Commissioner of Telegraphs whether it was the intention of the Government to extend during the present financial year the telegraph line from Hikutaia to Mackaytown, Ohinemuri? He referred to the increasing importance of the districts, and the desirability of establishing communication with Grahamstown.

The Hon. Mr. REYNOLDS replied that on the notice of motion being given by the hon. member, the Government had telegraphed to Mr. Sheath, the gentleman who controlled the Telegraph department in Auckland, but had not yet received any reply. When a reply was received, the Government would be happy to inform the hon. membex’. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Mr. ROLLESTON asked the Government when the Repoi't of the Registrar of Friendly Societies would be laid on the table, as he believed the information contained therein was of considerable importance ? The Hon. Mx - . BOWEN said the report, which was being px-epared, would be laid on the table as soon as it was sent in. CONFISCATED LAND AT GISBORNE. In reply to Mr. Kelly, as to whether a block of confiscated land at Gisborne had been offered for sale, or if not, when the sale was likely to take place, The Hon. Mr. RICHARDSON replied that it was pux-posed to offer the block for sale as soon as the survey was completed. In reply to Mr. Rolleston, The Hon. Mi - . BOWEN said, with regal’d to certain lands set apart as endowments for the Colonial University, to be dealt with in the pi'omotion of higher education within the pi-ovinces in which such x-eserves were situate, that xxp to the present time certain difficulties were in the way of their immediate disposal, and some of thorn were known to contain mineral deposits ; but the proceeds from them would be devoted to tho pi'omotion of superior education as intended.

CAMPBELLTOWN ATHEN.EDII. Mr. CUTHBBRTSON asked leave and obtained permission to introduce a Bill to incorporate the Campbelltown Athenamm, stating that as a great many of these Bills would be introduced, he would like to know from the Government whether they would be prepared to introduce some measure to give such bodies the benefit of incorporation. There was no response from the Government, and the Bill was read a first time, its second reading being made an order of the day for Wednesday next. MANGERE BRIDGE. Mr. SHEEHAN moved, —That it be an instruction to the Public Accounts Committee to inquire into the circumstances under which the cost of the Mangere bridge was debited against the vote for roads and works north of Auckland, and to report thereon specially to the House. He produced letters from two members of the Provincial Executive then in office, and from Mr. Gillies, who was Superintendent, to the effect that the charge had not been made with thoir consent. Mr. WILLIAMS seconded the motion. The Hon. Mr. RICHARDSON entered into a long explanation of the whole transaction, and stated that Mr. Gillies had said there was no other source from which to derive the money for the construction of the bridge but the vote for public works iu the north of Auckland. Tenders were called for, which when they came in were considerably iu excess of the engineer’s estimate, but on telegraphing to the Superintendent, he received an answer from him that his Executive still wished it, and the work was proceeded with. He (Mr. Richardson) took it that Mr. Gillies was as much a member of that Executive as any other member.

Mr. KATENE thought it a good thing the Provincial Council had not received a vote for the bridge ; they would not have received a penny of it. His address was powerfully central, and in conclusion, he wanted to know what was the use of having those Provincial Councils. CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS. Sir GEORGE GREY moved for a return giving the date on which the Governor was supplied with a copy of the Chief Justice’s opinion as to the power of the Assembly to abolish the provinces and representative institutions therein. Also, that an address be presented to his Excellency, requesting that he will cause to be laid on the table copies of all despatches which the Governor may have addressed to the Secretary of State in reference to that opinion.

The Hon, Mr. BOWEN said if Sir George meant the opinion of the Attorney-General, the Government would have no objection whatever to state that no opinion of his had been laid before the Governor, but would say also that if it had been, they certainly would have declined to lay on the table the date of the occasion of any communication between his Excellency and his legal adviser. With regard to the despatches, the Government had already laid on the table those which his Excellency had considered of importance. If the hon. member would mention any other despatch, the Government would bo glad to ascertain the pleasure of his Excellency. Mr. EOLLESTON thought the views of Sir Georgo Grey would be met by substituting the words “ copies of any despatches in reference to the proposed abolition of provinces.” If so, he would move an amendment to that effect. Sir GEOEGE GEEY assented.

The motion, as amended, was then read. Sir GEOEGE GEEY did not ask for the date of the occasion, he [asked for the date at which his Excellency had been furnished with the opinion, and he had asked for nothing unusual under the circumstances, since it was the custom to lay on the table despatches

of the kind, with the date of their reception written on them. He had, however, elicited the information he wanted, namely, that the Governor had not been furnished with a copy of the Attorney-General’s opinion when he was asked to put his name to the Biil to abolish the provinces. On that point his mind was entirely satisfied. The Hon. Mr. BOWEN said he would take the opportunity of reading the correspondence which had passed between the Chief Justice and himself, relating to the statement of Sir George Grey, that he had previously given a contrary opinion to that furnished to this House.

Sir GEORGE GREY: I never said he gave different opinions. That was stated by another member. The two opinions are in perfect conformity one with the other.

The Hon. Mr. BOWEN then read a letter he had sent to the Chief Justice, inquiring if he had given an opinion contrary to that recently expressed, and if so, whether he had given it before or after the passing of the Act 31 and 32 Victoria. The reply thereto he also read. It stated that Sir George Grey must have been under a misapprehension, as he was not conscious of ever having entertained or expressed (while . Attorney-General) an opinion, before or after the passing of the Act 31 and 32 Victoria, other than that the General Assembly had power to abolish any or all'of the provinces. Sir GEORGE GREY rose in explanation, and again stated that he had never on any occasion said that the present Chief Justice had given an opinion contrary to that laid before the House. What he affirmed was that prior to the passing of the Act, the then Attorney-General had stated that a province ceased to exist the moment its boundary was altered, and in illustration quoted the alteration in the boundary of Canterbury. He had long known the present Chief Justice, and had always entertained the greatest respect for him, and it was on account of relying so fully on his accurate judgment, that he was anxious to have the first opinion in order to explain the first part of that second opinion which he had recently laid before them. The Hon. Mr. STAFFORD said it had been widely circulated in New Zealand that Sir George had spoken of the Chief Justice’s first opinion as being quite different and contrary to that laid before the House. He (Mr. Stafford) had read some of the papers to which reports to that effect had been sent. He remembered that it was the opinion of the AttorneyGeneral, who had been appointed by Sir George Grey—who was at that time (in 1865) Governor of the colony—that had induced him (Mr. Stafford) to send Home a memorandum, which led to the passing of the Act 31 and 32 Victoria, 18C8. The motion, as amended, was then put and carried. RAILWAY DEVIATION AT WAITEPEKA. Mr. THOMSON moved, and it was carried, that an inquiry be made into the merits of the proposed railway deviation at Waitepeka. PAPERS TO BE PRINTED. Mr. BRADSHAW moved that the papers laid on the table relative to the construction of the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach railway be printed. The Government offered no objection.

CHURCH OF OTAGO INCORPORATION BILL. This Bill passed through committee without amendment, was read a third time, and passed. COMMITTEE OP WAYS AND MEANS. After a number of orders of the day had been postponed, The House went into Committee of Ways and Means, and the Government formally introduced the schedule of the Stamp Duties Act. The House then adjourned.