PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 5 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

"Wellington, August 4. In the Legislative Council to-day, Mr. Waterhouse gave notice to ask if the land revenue set apart for the Taranaki Harbor Board was used for any purpose besides the payment of interest and sinking fund. If so, under what authority. Replying to Mr. Wilson, Mr. Whitaker said the Government were taking steps in conformity with a former resolution passed by the Council as to the purging of the Commission of the Peace. Replying to Mr. Mantell, Mr. Whitaker said the question of paying natives for the Hinatonga block would be decided by the Government in a few days. Mr. Reynolds postponed his motion for a Committee of enquiry into the cost for clerks of the two Houses. The Speaker said the Council could only inquire into the arrangements of its own House. The Ashburton County Council Waterworks Bill, and the Malvern Water Race Transfer Bill were read a first time. The Fire Brigades Bill passed its second reading after a considerable amount of opposition, as did the Oamaru Waterworks Act Amendment Bill. On the motion for the second reading of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Endowment Bill (Mr. Stevens' measure, not the Government's), Colonel Whitmore moved that it should be thrown out, for from being able to lock up any more reserves, the time might be coming when we should have to reconsider those already made. Sir Dillon Bell was astonished that such a preposterous Bill had got through the Lower House. Mr. Waterhouse opposed the Bill, which Colonel Brett characterised as a gigantic swindle, and blushed at Mr. Miller's audacity in bringing it in just now when we were bankrupt. It was proposed to raise L 5.000,000 for charity. Mr. Robinson said to pass the Bill would be obtaining money under false pretences on land already mortgaged for our national debt. Captain Fraser supported the Bill, because if it passed we should establish under it lying-in hospitals, whioh it was a disgrace to the Colony that it had not got long ago. Messrs, Menzies and Bonar opposed [the Bill, which was thrown out by 30 I to 6. There was then a discussion for an hour on points of order, the Oamaru Harbor Board Act Amendment Bill not having complied with the standing orders. The Council adjourned at 5 till 7.30. At the evening sitting, it was decided to delay the Oamaru Harbor Bill fourteen days, so that the promoters might comply with the standing orders. The Maori Prisoners Detention Bill, Imprest Supply Bill (No. 3), Arms Bill, Mercantile Law Bill, Banks and Bankers Bill, Chattels Securities Bill, Bills of i Exchange Procedure Bill, and the Census Act Amendment Bill were road a second time, passed through Committee, and read a third time and passed. The Council rose at 9 p.m.

In the House of Representatives today, The Ashburton County Council Waterworks Bill was read a third time. On the motion that it be passed, Mr. Hurst called attention to the fact that this was a departure from the avowed intention of the Legislature to authorise no further borrowing. He had been met by the argument in a number of cases that, to ascertain the amount oi borrowing having been authorised, it was absolutely necessary to empower further borrowing, otherwise previous loans would be thrown away. They might depend upon it that this would ultimately become a colonial liability, and that in face of the fact that they had given a pledge that they would borrow no more money for a considerable time. He thought that a delay of 12 or 14 months would not be a serious embarrassment to the district. All he desired to do was to raise a protest against the policy of borrowing which the Bill involved. Sir G. Grey asked if Government, now that it had realised the financial position of the Colony, would bring down a Bill to prevent private persons, from borrowing. Mr. Hall replied that Government had all along realised the financial position of the Colony* and they also realised the fact that the present financial crisis had been brought on by their predecessors in office, of whom the hon, member was one of the most prominent parties. Mr, Wright replied, after which the Bill passed. Mr. Richardson presented a petition against the retention of the bottle license system. In reply to Mr. Andrews, Mr. Oliver said there were 16,000 denominations of railway tickets, and the price could not be printed on eaeh. The railway officers in the north as well as the south would be required to wear uniforms ou duty. In reply to Mr. Andrews, Mr. Hall said Government did not think it desirable that all inquiries into the misbehaviour of civil servants or railway officers should be open to the press. Mr. Tomoana asked Government whether they authorised their agents to make advances for the purchase of Maori lands which have not passed through the Court. Mr. Bryce replied, that the praotice had hitherto bee® to make some considerable adva,jj<?e on suoh lands, but the practice was now almost entirely discontinued. In reply to Mr. Murray, Mr. Hall said the Government would be glad, to, receive any information regarding: the provisions of the homestead laws" of the United States of America for seouring to a limited extent freedom from distraint for debt, and also concerning liens and bills of procedure, the working of the National Bank system, the patent laws, and the registrar tion of titles to land there.

In reply to Mr. Richmond, Mr. Bryce said the Government it might be possible to establish saw,® system of' rural police at a comparatively low rate of pay in such country distriota where it has been necessary with the view of retrenchment to remove police of the regular force formerly stationed there, so that life and property may have some protection. In reply to Mr. Finn, Mr. Dick said the Government did not thinly was expedient to add to the censing Bill before the House enabling persons feeling aggrieved by the. decision 'of the Licencing B.ench, to appeal from such decision, such appeal to be heard by the board to be eleoted annually by ratepayers in each lioensing district, and to be called the Lioensing Appeal Board. In reply ,to Mr. J. B. Fisher, Major Atkinson said that for himself, he frad no hesitation in saying that fret thought persons holding polio, in Government Assurance QlS.ce,,. and dying between the closing of the books and the declaration of the b.otius should be allowed to participate, and that the whole system of Government annuities was about being overhauled by competent actuaries, wh,ose report on the subject would be ta&en into consideration in due time.

In reply to Mr, Tola, Mr. Hall said the reports of the various Royal Commissions were under the consideration of the Government. With some of these they would no doubt agree, and with others they would not.. In reply to Mr. Rei,d, Mr. Rolleston said the question of subsidising free public libraries was, a luxury they would have to dispense with in the meantime. In r§ply to Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Oliver said the Government offices and property were insured/ the insurances 'being fairly distributed amongst colonial offices of New Zealand. : on_ Government House wasLIOjOOO jDepartmenM Officei, L 20,000 5 Buildings, L20,000j

Library and Books, LSOOO ; Printing Offices, L2OOO. ng In reply to Mr. Giaborne, Mr. Rollestoti said the Government had, in accordance with the report of the Petitions Committee on petition of J. Johnson, ordered the prosecution of James Gilmer for perjury, and he had informed the Crown Prosecutor of what they thought of the way he had bungled his former case. Mr. Moss called attention to an article which appeared in the New Zealand Times of that morning, reflecting most unfairly upon the conduct of the Maori members. The object of that article was to show most unfairly that Maori representation in the House was a farce. He waß present on the occasion referred to in the article and he wished to state that these gentlemen had acted fairly, and the imputations made were most unjust. A Bill to amend the Law Practitioners Act was introduced, and read a first time. Mr. Hall announced that the Public Works Statement would not be delivered until Friday evening. In Committee, the Native Land Fraud Prevention Bills were further considered. Mr. Bryce moved that the House go into Committee on the Native Land Salea Bill. Mr. Reader Wood thereupon moved as an amendment that no system of native land sale will be satisfactory to this House which does not confer upon the nativos, named in the certificate of title obtained from the Native Land Court absolute power to dispose in the open market by sale, lease, or otherwise, of the lands described in such certificate without any Government interference. He said lie had never had anything to do with the purchase or acquisition, by himself or others, of native lands. The Bill proposed an entirely new principle in dealing with these lands. The curious thing was that, in introducing the Bill, Ministers had not given any reason why this Bill should be carried. They had given no information whatever on that score. A great deal had been said against the Bill. The natives | members were all opposed to it, and he> believed it would interfere with the prosperity of the North Island, and do a cruel wrong to natives themselves. Government had said the present system was full of evils, and illustrated that argument by circumstances which had nothing to do with native land purchases. The Native Minister's remarks referred to the land purchase system of the Government itself. The Government rejected free trade in Maori land, and said that the only othor alternative was the Bill before the House,, but the grand secret was a feeling on the> part of the natives that when they parted with their lands they had nothing to show for the land they had parted with,. Having once got his certificate off titlto, Government had no more right to interfere with native land than they had to interfere with European land. Holding these views, he could not support the Bill, before the House. Mr. Tomoana supported the amendment, stating that the Bill as printed would be the cause of great trouble hereafter. The native mind would be so much inflamed at the Bill that there was no saying what they might do. He complained about the exorbitant charges, stating that if land realised LIOOO, at least LSOO would go in charges. Sir G. Grey said that in Committee h©> would move amendments to the effect that the land be vested in trustees andl that it be open for negotiation for sale and otherwise on the part of Government. Mr. Moorhouse spoke in favor of tho amendment. It was no valid argument that natives might act foolishly with their lands. He shouid like to see the natives* get their Grown grants for nothing. Thi& proposal was practically Bpeaking to. shut, up the, North Island, and he could not, I support it, | Captain Colbeck produced a letter, written by 54 of his constituents, natives* demurring to the proposal of placing thoiir lands in the hands of any board, stating also that they were competent to manage their own affairs, and asking him to do all in his power to prevent the Bill passing. These were friendly natives, who had been loyal to the country for a.period of 140 years. He hoped the Bill would not. be passed. Mr. Macandrew said that if an number of Maoris with that of Europeans, were added to the land boards, having anything to do with the administration of the Bill, it would be a decided improvement. Mr. Tawhai said ho opposed the Bill when it was first brought down, and he did so still. calculated that fees, &c., provided, for by the Act would amount to 90 per cent., and a number of other ,clauses, making taxation, would absorb i the rest. He was pleased with the motion, proposed by Mr. Wood. Mr. Hall said that he felt sum the* native members had been misinforj&fid aa to the purposes of the Bill. If thft natives were left to deal with Europeans they would be placed at jv disadvantage* He hoped the natives, would dearly understand that the only object Government had was to get their lands disposed of to the beat advantage. Then again,, the Bill was- not compulsory. They wo,uM not be worried and teased if they did wish to take advantage of tho Act.. Bfe i hoped they would go into Committee- audi ' endeavor to make the Bill aa coiapleto as they could. Mr. Whyte looked wpon tho Bill as an honest attempt on tho part of the ment to deal with these lands, and giye, barm ftd'e settlers a chance. Still a pro-. : vision like that proposed by tho member for Waitemata was necessary.. Major Te Wheoro opposed; tho BjJK Mr. Lundon also spoke iu opposition to the Bill. Mr. Thomson said that while they should be careful to do justice to tho. natives,, they should see that the interests of settlement were attended to. Ua i thought tho provisions of the Bill wwt in i that direction. Mr. Ballance did not think the Waste Lands Board would coma to, entertain any great amount of confidence.. They might with benefit allow tin© principle of trusteeship. Free trade in land simply meant monopoly to, the exclusion of the great mafjs of the community, , Mr. Montgomery would support tho Bill if amended so*as to give the natives, i greater powers of disposing of their ! Mr, Bryoe thought Mr. Wood was in-, troduoing his amendment through undue, fondness for a scheme he Iftudi fostered >A 1852, but which later experience, hfldl shown to be fraught with moat objectionable |io-callM free trade in native lands, would really be a close monopoly to, a few Maori experts. Govorft -1 I ment could not say they intended to abandon all purchases, or to say they ft* tended to go on with what, they were doing. They would endeayoj? to close up as many transactions as possible in some blocks on which 9W,f03; advances had beea made, but ■would be abandoned if the refund 9$ the advances could be secured. purchase of other blocks on which I large sums had been paid, and which were nearly concluded,, would be carried out. Discrimination would also be exercised as to whether the laud was good or baa. He was favorably disposed to the idea of trustees, and looked forward with interest to the clauses to be proposed by Sir G* 'Grey. }(f the idea could be fenced! wit™ sufficient precautions against abuse, h® i would gladly adopt the proposal, and the> proposal about special settlements might also be engrafted. He was also favorably disposed towards the suggestion of S" 1 "® the natives representation on the Wastei Lands Board, although, perhaps, tne> clause suggested by Mr. Montgome y might not be. the. best possible means oi doing tfyis.. ; . i... Mr. Barron thought it belter to witidraw the measure altogether, and allow

A n .iives to introduce a Bill, promising sSthey should give it their careful consaid that by the time the t sold under this Bill the natives ** u <ret an account for a deficiency mTefd of a cheque, and to his mind the Go--8 Iment purchase was the only safe and The main point ought to -Jure reserves for Maoris ; the next I tn «ve them a chance of selling their fa tothe best advantage. He would 7t! them to convince the natives that the rises were fair, and the result would the Maori mind would be irritated 4 disturbed. He would support any fair for the appointment of trustees, ffthen they should be careful if they a* trustees to have them tied down. 5 believed it would be well to purchase if the land instead of picking out the Every purchase meant the extension e Vu w and order. Mr. Speight supported the present Reader Wood's amendment was nut and negatived, and the House S into Committee on the Bfll. Clause 1 was agreed to. Mr. Bryce moved that progress be reHumlin protested against the Bill, , noved that the Chairman leave the but he afterwards withdrew the ""progress was then reported, and the Boose ro3e at 2.15 a.m.