PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5152, 27 September 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, September 26. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at halfpast two o’clock. PAPERS AND RETURNS. Various papers and returns were laid upon the table by the Hon. Dr. Pollen, REPORTS. The Hon. Mr. BONAR brought up the report of the Waste Lands Committee on the Oamaru Athenaeum Reserves Bill, and moved that it be committed next sitting day, which was agreed to. The Hon. Captain BAILLIE laid on the table the report of the Select Committee on Public Petitions on the petition re the Te Aute estate. NOTICES OF MOTION. Notices of motion for next sitting day were given by the Hons. Messrs. Nurse, Mantell, and Bouar. MOTIONS. The Hon. Mr. HALL moved,—Bor leave to introduce a Bill to provide for the incorporation of Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in New Zealand.—Leave was granted. The Bill was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and its second reading fixed for Friday next. The Hon. Mr. MENZIES moved, —For leave to introduce a Bill intituled an Act to vest the site of the Queenstown Athenseum, in the provincial district of Otago, in trustees, and to enable such trustees to borrow and raise money on the security of such site and buildings thereon, for certain purposes, and to vest all property belonging to the said athemeum in such trustees.—Leave being granted, the Bill was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and its seaond reading fixed for Tuesday next. The Hon. Mr. MANTELL moved,—That there be laid upon the table a return showing all analyses of metalliferous rocks and ores containing gold, silver, lead, copper, antimony, zinc, and tin, which have been made at the Colonial Laboratory since its institution.— Carried. MESSAGE. A message wasread from theHouseof Representatives stating that they agreed to a free conference on the Auckland Highways District Validation Bill, and that three managers had been appointed by them for that purpose. The message also covered the Provincial Laws Evidence Bill, and the Education Bill, which ■ were read a first time; on the motion of the ;Hon. Dr. Pollen their second readings were fixed for Friday next. ORDERS OF THE DAT. The adjourned debate on the question,— That the Council be informed what steps, if any, have been taken by the Government to carry out the resolution of the Council, passed in the session of 1875, with regard to the Te Aute College and other educational trusts, was, on the motion of the Hon. Sir F. D. Bell, further postponed till Tuesday next. The second reading of the Masterton and Greytown Lands Management Act Amendment Bill was, on the motion of the Hon. J. Johnston, postponed till next sitting day. After a lengthy discussion, the debate on the second reading of the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill was interrupted by the clock striking 5 p.ra, and was consequently, on the motion of the Hon. Dr. Pollen, adjourned till next sitting day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, September 26. The Speaker took the chair at the usual hour. NOTICE OF QUESTION. Mr. BEES gave notice that he would ask why the steamship Luna was sold privately, and not by public competition ? questions. Mr. MACFARLANE asked the Minister of Justice, —If he will lay before the House the following returns ;—From the Resident Magistrates’ Courts of Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland of all cases for debt tried before these Courts during the last two years ; also, showing the names of the litigants, the amounts claimed, and the amount of the verdict in each case, together with the amount of costs awarded, and any further information that can be given as to the ultimate result of each case, especially where imprisonment followed the judgment. Also, returns from the Supreme Courts of the same cities, setting forth as fully as possible each case of bankruptcy or insolvency, and applications to Court for protection, during the same period ; showing the names of the insolvents, and the amounts of assets and liabilities as sworn to ; together with the particulars of each case, and the result of the same, including the sums paid in dividends ; also, the number of cases yet in Court awaiting adjudication. He said he believed the return could be furnished with very little trouble. It would show that although imprisonment for debt had been abolished years ago, yet a large number of debtors were imprisoned, A great many of the cases would be found to be of trifling amount, and he thought a limit should be placed on the amount which could be sued for. The Hon, Mr. BOWEN intimated that the returns asked for could be furnished. The Hon. Mr. FOX asked the Government, —Whether they are prepared to compensate the Rev. T. Grace for the losses inquired into by the late Commissioner Beckham, whose report in Mr. Grace’s favor was adopted by the Petitions Committee in 1871, and which the late Native Minister, in 1874, promised to have adjusted ? He said the motion related to the claims of a party whose property was destroyed during the war in the year 1868. The whole circumstances were already in print. It appeared that a great deal of the damage was not done by the natives, but by our own troops. The Hon. Mr. BOWEN replied that the Government had the matter under consideration ; but owing to the evidence being so voluminous, they had not time to answer the question. Mr. MACANDREW asked the Minister of Justice, —If it is the intention of the Government to supply the various Courts of Justice throughout the colony with a copy of the “ Practical Statutes of New Zealand,” lately edited by Mr. G. B. Barton, barrister-at-law ? The Hon. Mr. BOWEN replied that the Government already provided the Courts in the colony with copies of all the statutes ; but they did not think it advisable to incur expense in supplying the Courts with collections of statutes which were undergoing changes every year. Mr. MACANDREW asked the AttorneyGeneral, —If the attention of the Government has been called to the necessity of legislative action in order to the protection of seine fisheries throughout the various harbors of New Zealand, during the spawning season ; and jf the Government will take such action this session ? The Hon, Mr. WHITAKER said it was not the intention of the Government to introduce a measure dealing with the subject during the present session, though they would take the matter into consideration with the view of future legislative action.

The Hon. Mr. FOX asked the Minister of Justice, —Whether he will lay before this House the information and depositions taken in the case of the charge against Needham, for at-, tempted rape, at Christchurch, and any correspondence thereon with the Resident Magistrate who . disposed of the charge under the Summary Jurisdiction Act? The Hon. Mr. BOWEN replied that the only correspondence that had taken place on the subject was the Government sending for a copy of the depositions taken before the Resident Magistrate. The copy had just arrived, and would be laid on the table of the House without delay. Mr. LARNACH asked the Government,— The total expenses to the colony of the AgentGeneral’s Department, each year, since its first establishment in Loudon, up to the 30th June last? The total allowances in commissions and otherwise made each year to any engineer or other person out of New Zealand, in connection with the Public Works and Immigration scheme, during the same period? The Hon. Major ATKINSON said a return containing all the information asked for would be laid on the table. ORDERS OP THE DAY. Mr. LARNACH said, before proceeding with the first business on the paper, he would ask leave to withdraw No. 21, with the view of inserting in lieu thereof : —“ That this House disapproves of the action of the Government in continuing to publish the Wales, Maori newspaper at the public expense, in defiance of the vote of the House, and in allowing its columns to be used for the publication of libellous matter.” The Hou. Mr. WHITAKER said the Government understood the motion now made by the hon. gentleman as a vote of no confidence, and he would move that it take precedence of all other business. The SPEAKER said that the first notice on the paper had already been called, and Mr. LARNACH then moved, —That the Government be requested to make early arrangements for the establishment of an imprest stamp office in the city of Dunedin, for the purpose of facilitating the conduct of business generally, and for the convenience of the mercantile and trading community of that portion of the colony. The Hon. Mr. BOWEN said the Government would oppose the motion, as the establishment of such an office would involve great expense without any adequate return. The subject was a debateable one, and with a vote of no confidence tabled, it would be against precedent to go on with other business. He moved that the debate be adjourned. This was agreed to. The Hon. Mr. WHITAKER moved the adjournment of the House till the following day at half-past two. The Government accepted the motion of the hon. member for Dunedin as a vote of no confidence, and it was in accordance with precedent that no business should be gone on with till it was disposed of. The next day was a Government one, and they would have control of the forms of the House. The Government intended that the motion should take precedence of all other business. Mr. SHEEHAN supported the adjournment, and said he was glad to see that the Ministry had taken up the gauntlet which had been flung down. The motion for adjournment was carried without dissent, and the House rose at 3.25 p.m.