PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5134, 6 September 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ■Wednesday, September 5. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. PETITIONS. . A petition was received from the Hon. Mr. Nurse, praying for redress to certain contractors of Invercargill, who complained that owin'* to the letter-box not having been cleared, their°contracts had not been delivered in time to be received. PAPERS AND REPORTS. Certain returns, which had been.asked for, were laid upon the table by the Hon. Dr. Pollen. The Hon. Mr. BON AR brought up the report of the Waste Lands Committee on the Timaru Mechanics’ Institute Bill. The report having been read, the Bill was ordered to be committed next sitting-day. NOTICE OF MOTION. The Hon. Captain PHASER gave notice of a motion for next sitting-day. QUESTIONS. In reply to the Hon. Sir F. D. Bell, the Hon. Dr. Pollen said that the matter was one in which the Government had no right to interfere whatever, nevertheless he would communicate with the Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court, with a view to having the acreage stated, wherever practicable, in the case of Gazette notices of investigation of native titles. In reply to the Hon. Mr. Booklet, the Hon. X)r. Pollen said that he had already brought the third clause of the Invercargill Gas Loan Act, 1877, under the notice of the Attorney-General. WELLINGTON COLLEGE ACT, 1872, AMENDMENT BILL. The second reading of this Bill was carried, and, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Pharaztn, it was ordered to be referred to the following select committee*; —The Hons. Dr. Pollen, Mr. J. Johnston, Captain Fraser, Mr. Hart, and the mover. NATIVE RESERVES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon Dr. POLLEN moved the second reading of this Bill, which was carried, and it was then ordered to he committed next sittingday. , ~ The Council then (at 3.30 p.m.) adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, September 5. The Speaker took the chair at the usual hour. PETITION. Mr. Kabaitiana Takamoana presented a petition from East Coast natives, praying the Government. to sanction the establishment of Native Councils for the purpose of assisting in administering the functions of the Native Land Court iu that district. —Several otHer petitions were presented, and notices of motion given. QUESTIONS. The Hon. Mr. POX asked the Minister of Justice, —If his attention had been called to the case of Hacker v. Forbes, Dalrymple, and Co., lately decided in the Resident Magistrate’s Court at Masterton; and, if so, whether he intends to direct a prosecution against the defendants, or some of them, or to take other steps in the matter ? The Hon. Mr. BOWEN replied that the Government had taken action in the matter. The Hon. Mr. REYNOLDS asked the Premi er) _Whether he would inform the House what were the intentions of the Government with regard to printing required for the various provincial districts, viz., whether tenders would be called for locally for printing required for use in provincial districts, and accepted, providing the cost did not exceed similar work executed in the Government .Printing Office 1 The Hon. Major ATKINSON, in replying, stated that it was intended to distribute locally, as far as possible, the printing required to be done by the Government. Mr. WAKEFIELD asked the Chairman of the Printing Committee, —Whether.it was the case that the manuscript of the address recently delivered by Mr. George Jones at the Bar of this House, and furnished by him to the clerk for the convenience of this House, had since been refused to be returned to him . when asked for 1 The SPEAKER explained that the proper course to pursue with regard to this question was to move for the document to be returned to Mr. Jones. LEAVE TO INTRODUCE BILLS. Leave was granted to. the Hon. Major Atkinson to introduce a Bill to provide for the creation of New Zealand consolidated stock, and for making arrangements with the Bank of England in relation thereto, and for other purposes; also, the Public Revenues Bill. NOTICE OP MOTION. Mr. WAKEFIELD tabled a motion with regard to Mr. Jones’ document, in compliance with the course pointed out by the Speaker.

MRS. M'MASUS’. CASE- • Mr, REES called the attention of the House to the fact that the evidence of Mrs. McManus given before the Public Petitions Committee, was published in the New Zealand Times of that morning. He had also given evidence before that committee ; but he held that the, statements in relation to himself which appeared in the paper referred to would, were they not from a privileged document, be considered libellous. He thought that an injustice had been done him by the publication of the evidence the New Zealand Times had taken the trouble to reprint. He considered it would tend to-injuriously affect him professionally. As a matter of right and justice he asked to be allowed to clear himself of the charges indirectly laid against him. _He did not know what course to take to obtain what he askedfor unless the chairman of the committee, or the committee itself, would take some steps in the matter. Mr. KELLY, the chairman of the Public Petitions Committee, explained that when Mrs. McManus came before the committee she made certain statements regarding Mr. Rees which it was only fair that that gentleman should have an* opportunity of rebutting, and for that reason he was called to give evidence. His explanation to the committee was perfectly satisfactory. Mr. DIGNAN concurred in the remarks made by Mr. Kelly. MOTIONS. Mr. WOOLCOCK moved, —That, in the opinion of this House, the present state of the franchise and electoral law of this colony was exceedingly unsatisfactory; and that the At-torney-General be requested to redeem his promise to this House, by bringing in a Bill dealing with tile whole question, with as little delay as practicable, so as to secure its passing both Houses of Parliament during the present session. , The Hon. Mr. WHITAKER replied that it was intended to deal with the subject of this motion next session, when a Bill would be brought forward. After some discussion Mr. WoolcocK, considering the reply of the hon. Attorney-Gen-eral satisfactory, consented to withdraw his motion. , Mr. SHEEHAN moved, and it was agreed to,—That a select committee, consisting of Hon. Mr. Ormond, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Dr. Henry, Captain atoms, aiessrs. Ballance, Fisher, Johnstsn, Woolcock, Montgomery, Eollestoa, Takamoana, and the mover, be appointed to inquire into the question of Government land purchases in the Poverty Bay District, East Coast, and into the circumstances which led to to- the dismissal of J. A. Wilson, Land Purchase Commissioner. The committee to have power to call for persons aud papers. Five to be the quorum. Report to be brought up in six weeks. - ■ , Sir R. DOUGLAS moved, and it was agreed to, —That the debate on the second reading of the Native Land Court Bill, and the amendment thereto, be printed in the Maori language, and circulated amongst the native tribes of New Zealand. Mr. THOMSON moved, —That the fines on Crown grants should be remitted. The Hon. DONALD REID thought it would be unwise if the House consented to this motion. He considered the arguments, adduced in support of the motion were not sufficient to warrant the House in remitting the fines already imposed and remaining unpaid. At the present time a sum of £10,191 was outstanding for fines. In cases where great hardship has arisen in consequence of the imposition of those fines, the question of remitting them would he entertained by the House. A long discussion ensued, the House going into committee on the question, when the motion was eventually rejected. The Hon. Mr. FOX moved,—For the proportion of all instructions issued to the police during the past year having for their object the suppression of gambling, sweeps, lotteries, and raffles. Also a return of the number of prosecutions and convictions for gambling or illegal games in public-houses, or other public places. Also the production of any instructions issued to the police to enforce the law against the sale of spirituous liquor to persons of the native race ; and a return of all prosecutions and convictions for offences against the laws in that behalf. The Hon. Mr. BOWEN stated, in reference to this motion, that it was only last year that regulations had been issued bringing under the control of the ■ Government the whole of the police force throughout the colony. He was aware that very great abuses existed iu the way in which natives had been allowed to get drink. The Government was fully alive to the necessity of taking active steps towards removing those abuses, and had issued instructions to that effect, and fully intended to have the law enforced with respect to supplying liquor to natives. In the part of the country that he (Mr. Bowen) came from, there was no ignorance on the part of the police of the law relating to the sale of liquor to natives ; aud although the natives were not very numerous there, several prosecutions had been instituted against publicans who broke the law. With regard to gambling, general instructions had been issued to the police, especially with respect to gambling in public-houses, to put the law into full force. With reference to lotteries carried on away from public-houses there was a largo question involved. It would be a dangerous thing if the Government took it up in part only, and had prosecutions entered. The very same question had been raised in the House of Commons by Mr. Whalley. Mr, Whalley was informed that lotteries were contrary to law, but the Government did not intend to undertake the responsibility of prosecuting the offenders. In reply to a subsequent question put by the Hon. Mr. Fox, suggesting that instructions should also be issued to magistrates, in addition to those issued to the police, the Hon. Mr. Bowen remarked that he would like to see the judicial functions of magistrates kept separate from those relating to the police. BILLS. The following Bills passed second reading, and were ordered to be committed; —The Lawrence Municipal Waterworks Bill, the Canterbury Rivers Act Amendment Bill, Christchurch City Reserves Bill, and the Fort Chalmers Mechanics Institute Reserves Bill. LOCAL OPTION BILL. The House proceeded to the further consideration of this Bill in committee. Clauses 2, 6,7, and 8 were struck out. Progress was reported, and the committee adjourned until Wednesday next. GOLDFIELDS REWARDS. A committee of the whole House then proceeded to consider the following resolution: — That this House agrees in the resolutions of the Goldfields Committee on the subject of goldfields rewards and aids to prospecting laid before the House on the 17th instant, and that a respectful address be presented to his Excellency the Govern r, praying that steps may be taken to give effect to those resolutions. After an explanation from Mr. Gisborne the question was adjourned. OTHER BILLS. The second reading of the Sharebrokers Act Repeal Bill was adjourned. • The second reading of the Auckland College and Grammar School Bill was carried on a division. The House went into committee on the Law Society’s Act Amendment Bill and the City of Wellington Loans Consolidation Bill, In the latter some amendments of detail were made. The second reading of the Auckland City Endowments Reserves Bill was made an order of the day for next (this) day. The Thames Water Supply Bill was referred to the Committee on Private Eills._ The reasons of the Legislative Council for insisting on their amendments in the Auckland Highway Districts Validation Bill were considered. The House disagreed with the reasons, aud a conference was appointed to state reasons. The Tapanui Pastoral and Agricultural Association Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Wednesday next. Mr. RF-ES moved the second reading of the Crown Redress Extension (No. 2) Bill, which was carried, and the Bill was ordered to be committed on Wednesday next. The St. Andrew’s Church (Wellington) Trustees Incorporation Bill was read a second

time. on!, the motion,.of Mr,. Travers, and its committal was ordered for that day, week. The Fine Arts Copyright Bill was read a second time, and its committal ordered for that day fortnight. The House went into committee on the Auckland Provincial Council Library Bill, and amended it'so as to vest the library in the City Council of Auckland. . , , The second reading of the Onehunga Endowment Bill was postponed until to-morrow (this day). ' . The Auckland Grammar School Site Bill was .committed, reported, read a third time, and passed. ! The Wellington Reserves Act Amendment Bill was read a second time, and its committal was ordered for to-morrow (this day). The House adjourned at 12.23 a.m.