PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 720, 31 July 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[by telegraph.] Wellixgtox, July 30. The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. Mr. Green (Port Chalmers) and Mr. Saunders (Cheviot) took the oath ane their seats. Some notices of motion having beei; given, the following Bills were introduced by Mr. Stout, and were read a first time : —" A Bill to amend certain provisions in the Act relating to the Civil Service," "A Bill to amend the Mercantile Law Amendment Act, 18C0," (i A Bill for the management (0 of Trades Unions in the Col on v."

Mr Seymour George moved the address* in reply, and went through the addres? clause by clause, C'-mmenting upon each in commendatory terms, and asking tlv House and the country to re-echo thi sentiments emhodied in that address Regarding the purchase of native lands lie hoped that better value would be obtained for their money in the future than had been the case in the past. As to th< new Electoral Bill, he hoped and believef it was the intention of the Governmen; to extend the franchise as far as possible, and give every man in the Colony a voti after a certain term of residence, togethei with improved registration. He considered it time that a certain tax should be placed upon the lands of the Colony, .so that those who had benefited by the outlay of borrowed money might pay a share of the Colony's burdens, and thu.equalise the incidence of taxation. He would ask the House to give its best attention to the promotion of direct steam communication with Great Britain. Hi asked the House to express its gratification at the recent- telegraphic arrangements made with Australia. The hon member was greeted with applause 01; rising and sitting down. Mr. Hobbs seconded. Referring t> native matters, he said he hoped an early opportunity would be taken to devistsome means to induce the natives to ex change their tribal rights for Crowr grants. He paid a high compliment to the Premier and Native Minister for tlu bold and successful way in which the\ met and dealt with the native chiefs. Hadvocated the recognition of the powers of the chiefs of the tribes, and hoped, in dealing with native land, that if mistake.' were made, and the natives were dissatisfied, they would have at least their owi people to blame. He was in favor of Volunteers, provided the officers wenproperly qualified, and that general efficiency were obtained. He supported steam communication with Home, though he hoped at the same time they would not overlook the commerce of the islands in their neighborhood in the Pacific. (Applause.) Mr. Wallis said he would comment on the address as a candid and plain spoken friend. Laßt session he gave the present occupants of the Government benches a loyal support, and promised to continue that support so long as they kept in the path they had laid down for themselves ; but he had come to the conclusion that their practices did not agree with the principles they professed and preached when on the opposite side of the House. When the present Government acceded to office last session, by certain tactics—friends during the excitement of the struggle called it generalship, though many people outside called it artful and awful dodgery —when Sir George Grey obtained office last year he chose to surround himself with certain gentlemen in order to carry out the various reforms he had promised to introduce, and yet none of these genrlemen kicked in the same paddock. Certainly soine wero thorough Radicals', but then others were something very different ; indeed, ho was at a loss to account for the Premier selecting such a composite Cabinet. What had the gentlemen been doing during the recess ? They had been told, " Oh, if our party get into office we shall do better than had been done." But what did he find ? That both

the departments during the recess? Wliv, the Education, Justice, and Public, Works -Departments had been, allowed to fall into, a most unsatisfactory condition. Instead of reorganising and reforming these Departments, Ministers flew hither and thither all over the Colony, and lie made bold to say the people of the Colony would be astonished at the cost of these voyagings of pleasure. The Hinemoa, which had been so much begrudged to their predecessors, had become a Ministerial yacht. Where were the many reforms they had promised ? Did anyone think they were likely to obtain it in the matter of finance I The Ministry had promised a reduction of taxation, but it was only to reduce in one direction and increase in another. It appeared to him that their financial reform really meant increasing the burden of taxation. Yet this was what they called just and equitable taxation. As to manhood suffrage which the Premier so eloquently and persistently advocated. what had become of it ? To go by the speeches of the members of the Cabinet, he found there were to be four differentkinds of franchise, which appeared to him an absurdity. He could not help thinking their main object was to retain their soats. He hoped the Premier would return to his early love and carry out the promises iie had once made. Let him settle the Maori difficulty, introduce universal suffrage and representation on Haresproportional system, and he would immortalise himself.

The Hon. Mr. Fox said he did not rise as an Opposition member, but as an independent one. It appeared to him that certain clauses of the speech savorec' of. what he called misappropriation and ;■ want of generosity. He alluded to the remarks which attributed to the Premiei and the Native Minister the satisfactory position to which native affairs had been brought. There was no allusion to the ■"' -ijrated man who had passed away.

.„l to whom the real credit was due <>t gradually inducing the good feeling which had been brought about betweei both races. The hon. gentleman thei proceeded to recount the rapine ano murders of Te Kooti, Titokowaru, ant 1 others, and other difficulties whicl surrounded the Colony when the late Si: Donald M'Lean undertook the delicate an< •langerous task of pacification. Land tha' ihey then could not put a foot on wit: safety had since been sold for L2O piacre. The address said that "at las' peaceful relations have been establishes •ictween the Waikato and Ngatimaniopot. rrilies," but how long was it since the> 'iad any disturbance with these tribes < They might as well be asked for congratu Nations that Noah's flood was ended. H believed lie had good cause for sayin. hat the recognition of the remnant of th. Native race in Waikato did more t. mpede the prospect of our obtaining leaceful possession than anything whie; ad been done for many years. He the; •eferred to the negotiations which liar aken place between the Premier and thlatives, but as to the exact result o these negotiations, who knew anythim ibont them ? The public mind was in ; ;reat- state of obscurity on the matter. Mr. Wakefield said he was surprise rliat party feeling had so blinded Mr. Fox. His story of the state of things it 18G9 was untruthful. The neck of tli. ■vbellion was broken before Mr. Fox tool.nice by Colonel Whitmore, and yet tli ion. gentleman claimed the whole credi if the peace. Then, as to the visit of tli Premier to the King, it was tru Sir Donald M-Lsan and Dr. Poll'-;. iad visited the King, bvu thei' tieetings were unsuccessful, while that " he Premier was successful. It was truthat only Rewi was at the meeting, bn here was good policy in having onl;Rewi there. There would have been n■hance of success had all the chiefs beei heiv. He believed the expectations ex Hi s.s.'d in the speech were justified, an< ■ hai a very great deal of good had beei ■fleeted by the late visit of the Premie; mil Native Minister to Waitara. The Hon. Mr. Sheehan then, in :• lengthy speech, defended the action i ' she Government and said the papers \vonl< be laid before the House regarding th meetings at Hikurangi and Waitara There was no demand made at Waita*-.-"'or t!ie return of the confiscated land Rewi's asking for Waitara was mereh ■Metaphorical, and was used to giv iitn a locus standi. There was thutmost publicity of both meetings, am for the first time for seven years, pnbb :ity had been given to negotiations be tween the Government and the Kin; natives. He did not believe that the lar> Government would have accomplished i; .ive years what the present Governnvi't had done. He did not, however, meato say that they had planted the tre which now benrs fruit. The tree line been planted by others, and Sir D. M'Lean had watched its growth. Tli Hinemoa had not been used as a pleasurboat. and members would soon know whether or not this was the case js her log would be laid on the table. He regretted that owing to various cans : the Government had not been able thave circulated certain measures befon ■he session as they had intended, but tin Licensing Bill was now being printed and would be circulated in a couple of days. The Native Lands Bill, thongl not circulated, had been thoroughly explained to all classes of the natives by himself. In conclusion, he said that ii be House and country supported the present Government, they would no! next .s. ssioii have to speak of in tlulangnage of prophecy, but to 1 elate the history of accomplished faet3 Karaitiana and Major Atkinson said :i few words, when the Address in Reply was agreed to without a division. The Address is to be presented to his Excellency by the Speaker to-day. The House adjourned at midnight.