PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4867, 27 October 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, October 26. The Hon, the Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. • 1 SPEECHES op the uaobi members. The Hon. Dr. POLLEN said ha had been asked whether it was intended to continue the publication of the speeches of the Maori members, in the Waka Maori, as had hitherto been done. As the vote for that publication had been disallowed in another place, he could not say whether the speeches would be published in future. ; MAORI MATTERS. * The Hon. Mr. NGATATA asked, without notice, whether Mr. H. B. Mackay’s book referring to land purchase iu the Middle Island had been translated or would be translated?— The Hon. Dr. Pollen said so far as he remembered it was intended that an abstract of the book should be made and translated by the Legislative Council interpreter.—The Hon. the Speaker having made some remarks as to the position of the matter, the Hon. Mr, MANTELL.said his recollection was that the whole of the book was to be translated. The subject then dropped. WASTE LANDS BILL. The second reading of this Bill, one of the measures rendered necessary by abolition, was moved by the Hon. Dr. Pollen, who regretted the late period at which it was introduced. The hon. gentleman shortly explained its provisions. —The Hons. Colonel Whitmore, Mr. Watrrhouse, and Captain Eraser followed, the latter critising the Waste Lands Board system, sharply.—The Hon. Mr. Hall was dissatisfied with the conduct of the Government in regard'fothis Bill. He, with Mr. Waterhouse, wouldpass the machinery portion, of the measure, and leave the rest for a future session. He should be sorry to see the Canterbury land system interfered with. With'the deferred payment system extended, he thought hardly any -Government would be able to stand against these settlers. He thought the squatters of Canterbury had great reason to complain of the clauses dealing with them.. Uncertainty, he considered, had been thrown over pastoral property. He would say again that the Government had not dealt fairly by the owners of such property.—The Hon. Mr. Holmes endorsed what had been said by Mr. Hall as to the Canterbury land system. More bona fide settlers, a denser population, existed in Canterbury than in any other part of the colony. He spoke in favor of the Waste Lands Board of that province. He agreed with" previous speakers that it would take a long time to understand the Bill properly.—The Hon. Mr. Bonar agreed with Mr. • Holmes : that 820 acres was a more fitting area than 200. After criticising the measure shortly, he said he would support the second reading. After the Hon. Mr. Campbell had made some remarks, the Hon. Dr. Pollen replied. The Government were not omnipotent. They had not been able to get the Bill into the Council sooner. He trusted that hon. members would give the measure the requisite , consideration. It was almost indispensable that such a measure should pass. With reference to the alterations made iu the waste lands laws of the different provinces, they were -more apparent than real. The second reading waa-then agreed to. BILLS THROWN OUT. The Goldfields Act Amendment Bill (No, 2) and the Noxious Animals Bill. HARBOR BOARD BILLS. The Council then went into committee on some Harbor Board Bills. TheTimara and Oamaru Bills passed through with amendments, and the Council adjourned till the evening.