PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 31 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

' .. . I I i ; August 30. in the legislative Council this afternoon,

A list of Bills which had received the Royal assent was read, and tho Property Assessment Bill was passed through all its stages.

The amendment proposed by the Government in the Public Works Bill re works at Dunedin was agreed to, and the Council adjourned till 4.30. On resuming, no business was ready, and the Council adjourned till next day.

In the House of Representatives today. Sir W. Fox gave notice that he would move that it is highly inexpedient that the sale of intoxicating liquors on the premises of the House should be continued, and that a motion be brought under the notice of the House Committee, early next session, with a view of having the same abolished. _ An amendment was made to the Financial Arrangements Act by message from the Governor to the effect that 20 per cent, of the land fund should be payable to local bodies to the Ist August, 1880, instead of Ist April, ISBO, as originally proposed. Mr. Hall said this alteration was made in accordance with what he understood to be a general desire of members of the Ho.us,e. The amendment was agreed to. An amendment was proposed in a similar measure to the Public Works Bill providing for the reclamation of certain lands at the head of the Dunedin Harbor.

The amendment to the clause was agreed to on the voices. The clause as amended was carried.

The House reassembled at 2.30.

Replying to Mr. Bain, Mr. Rolleston said that during the recess Government would consider the whole question of causing a Bankruptcy Bill to be prepared and circulated before next session of Parliament, in •which the various suggestions made by the joint Committee on bankruptcy shall be incorporated,, together with any other changes in the existing law which might coranxe&d themselves to Government.

Replying to, Mr. Brown, Mr. Hall said Government would consider the propriety of- subsidising at the rate of £ for on any contribution not exceeding L 250 towards the re-erection of the Tuapeka Mouth bridge, thereby giving access to 6600 acres of Crown lands situated at Waitahuna West, enchancing its value, and ejie&uraging settlement thereon. In the however,, he saw no reason for dealing with this matter exceptionally ast the question clearly proposed.

Replying to Mr. Speight, Major Atkinson said Government would not interfere with the revenues but would consider the propriety of rearranging the Customs regulations so as to cause the weight of the smallest legal package of tobacco which can be taken out of band to be reduced from GOlbs to QQlba, so as to meet the requirements of small tobacco dealers, such arrangement to include the reduction of the legal package of cigars to 251bs or 2500 cigars.

Replying to Mr. Murray, Major- Atkinson said Government would consider during the recess, and most probably would deal with thequestion next session, so as to gyre effect to the recommendation of the agricultural Committee that, excepting importation from Fiji, the same duty should be imposed upoa imported maize as is imposed. upo« other imported

gram. Sir Q, gave notice that he would mo\ie wly next session that Government, having acquired an interest in any block of land in Auckland, it becomes Crown land, so that Government can only dispose of the public interest in it by allowing the public openly to compete for tho same ; that the adoption of any course, by which such interest is disposed of secretly or privately gives great advantage to private and it is contrary to law to dispose of such land otherwise than in the manner which permits competition to every colonist. It is not o.nly unlawful, but it is contrary to public policy and morals ; it robs natives by preventing them from obtaining the greatest value for their lands by open sale. It prevents the proper settlement of the lands by placing great tracts of territory in possession of a few individuals. It creates a class of great landed monopolists. If they retained the vast extent of land they have unlawfully acquired, it gives them great political power over their fellow men, which may lead to centuries of oppression and distress, If they dispose of it they make enormous and ill-gotten profits, to the impoverishment of their fellow colonists, who were justly entitled to th<& very sums they will be required to pay the others ; that the Government, by entering into such arrangements as they propose in the cass of the Patetere block, through whom members of this House, acting as paid agents of an association* are corruptly bestowing an interest equivalent to a vast sum of m°usy upon persons, some of whom,, there is reason to believe, have illegally dealt with the public lands. The Government are thus, whilst betraying a public trust, imperilling the dignity of this House ; that such a proceeding is also unjust, inasmuch as its being done under the authority of the Government may induce innocent persons to invest in suoh lands, although it is probable from the unlawful nature of the transaction it will ultimately be set aside by Parliament.

Mr. Beetham gave QOifcioe that early next session -he vifould move that the previous Government be censured for the payment of a sum of L3OO to Mr. Rees, as reported by the Public Accounts Committee.

Mr. Sheehan said that the motion tabled by his colleague re the Patetere Block was most both to himself and another member of this House. He also objected to the resolution just tabled by the member for Wairarapa, Both of |! these motions reflected upon him, and on 1 the Government of which he was a memj ber, The Patetere Block question had been relegated to a Seleot Committee, | and the fact that the Committee had not had time to report was no fault of his. Both resolutions were based on a misrepresentation, and other hon. gentlemen would be under the bane of these misrepresentations during the whole recess, and have no opportunity afforded for rebutting the same. He mOjVed the adjournment of the House, in order that he ;might be enabled to, aliude to the question more fully. ' Sir Ge.orge Grey said that he had been prevented from bringing down his motion so as to be disposed of this session. He said that every word of the resolution was correot. The circumstances of the case were tl\ese : A block of land was about to be handed over to European, speculators t6 the prejudice of the native owners and the Colony. What he asked for was that the block should remain, with the proclamation over it, as it was until next session, and he would be perfectly satisfied. The jMibjie had not yet been told what the preoiae nature of the arrangement was. If allowed to stand over as he had requested, he would withdraw his notice of motion ; otherwise he could not do so.

Messrs. TuvuUuU and Montgomery deprecated, the bringing down of motions reflecting on members at the close of a session to be considered next session.

Sir William Fox spoke in favor of the required assurance being giveo that the block would not be dea,\t with during the recess. He def§n,ds4 the right of members to, bxipg down notices at the end of the* session to be considered the following.

Mr. Whitaker said he was one 0 f m, members whose conduct was impum, by the resolution tabled by Sir G. rj He denied that he was in tho degree interested in the transaction % he had to do with it was that ho had b professionally engaged in connection J;!? the matter, but personally had no ftMi! interest in the transaction. An alWnr had been made that the land was wn'?! 1 LGO,OOO. That was not tho caao a third of that sum was thd full value. Mr. Beetham said that he object altogether to the class of motions n before the House. His object in the motion he had, was that tho for the Thames (Sir G. Grey) having be** allowed to table the motion, he did hoi> oll thing, that was necessary to be done, on i\' other side. He was willing to wither 10 ' his motion re L3OO, provided tho lnomy l * for the Thames did the same tiling, Mr. Hall denied that members h a ,s „ n( , the opportunity for bringing forward au c ) resolutions long ago. The papers w w <y laid on the table.on the Ist July, and witw the whole facts before them any membe could have had the subject brought bofo/ the House long ago. His opinion wj. that the member for the Thames desired to keep tho matter before the publio and not to bring it to an issue. If Government were to agree to hang up the transactions, as had been asked, they woulA virtually be endorsing the opinion set forth in the resolution, viz., that there, was evidence of corruptions on the of the Government. He had gone so fe', towards satisfying the member fo» v.' Thames as he could possibly go. " 0

Mr. Madandrew denied that L3OO hnd been paid by the late Government to Mr Rees. The money was paid to a Maori member of the Cabinet to bo disburaod by him in a particular way. Replying to Mr. Saunders, Mr. Maoandrew said ho did not deny that tho money had been paid by Governniont for the defence of Maori prisoners.

Sir G. Grey said he would bo satisfied with the assurance given by Government; that the matter would be further considered. He would therefore withdraw; his resolution.

Mr. Sheehan said that two matters had! been brought before the Public Accounts; Committee. The one was the L3OO p»i& to Mr. Rees,' and the other the L2ooo> paid on the West Coast land purchases., Ho was the person whose conduct wasi chiefly impugned, and yet every other person but himself had been called upom to give evidence. He had been triod in his absence, and found guilty. Ho had not a chance of being present to see what was going on. If Government would say they would withhold all the proclamations, then he would not object. What, ho objected to was that only the Patetesre Block; should be withdrawn. They .had boon, told Government intended' withdrawing; from all these land purchases, and auoh, being the case, ho one could object to his aoting professionally in the purchase of one of these blocks. The member for- the Thames had not had a truer supporter than himself, and yet he brought forward a motion of shia kind. He had been hero two months, and yet the member for tho Thames had never given him the slightest, intimation of his intentions. In regard', to the resolution, his own friends hadl attempted to make him a scapegoat—to. drive him forth in the wilderness—bate they would not succeed : he would! havo the whole thing out, and then it would bo shown that he had been sinned against more than sinning, and by his own friends. In regard to this block, he had only dono what had been done by professional meu all along. His connection with tha Patetere Block was purely and simply of a business charaoter. When he commenced business in Waikato, he wrote to the Native Minister that if he could assist, in completing the purchase of these his services were freely at the disposal of the Government. The reply was that they did not wish to complete the purchasei The senior member for the Thames had done him a great wrong, unintentionally, but still a great wrong. The- motion might have been brought forward long ago, and yet he held back until nearly all the members had gone, when, ha brought it forward. Government could not complete this sale, and was, the North Island to be tied up ou that account? Suroly not. He regretted; that the question had; been raised* but in justice to himself hecould not avoid saying what he had BaicL Stevens, as Chairman of the Public: Accounts Committee, said that the L2oooi i matter was in a position which would ! enable Mr. Sheehan to present himself as a witness at any time, and as regards the L3OO payment, his evidence on the point, was taken last session.

The motion tabled by Sir George: Grey was then withdrawn.

Mr. Hall moved two resolutions, tho first to provide for the payment of members' travelling expenses going to Parliament, and the second that no, deduction be made in honorariums of members who, as Royal Commissioners, were absent, during a certain portion of the session. The first resolution was agreed to. Mr. Montgomery opposed the 'jocoikT, but it was carried.

Mr. Oliver moved the second reading of the Railways Construction Bill, 1880, to authorise the line from Hamilton to Cam- | bridge. Mr. Murray reprobated the action of the Government in bringing down the Bill at this late period of the session, and concluded by moving an amendment on thfr Order Paper, " That in the opinion of this. House it is inexpedient to construct branch I railways at the sole cost of the Colony if I there are not sufficient funds available to complete the main railways which are now partially constructed, and which promise a profitable return for the cost of completion, either directly by traffic or by tho enhancement of value to public lands; but I for the construction of such branch rail- ■ ways as have received or may receive tho ■ sanction of Parliament, this house is of opinion that the Government may from public lands or money appropriated byParliament, and available for the purpose,, advance half of the actual cost of constructing sirch railways, at a rate of interest on the value of such advance,, not being les3 than L 5 per cent, pw annuta ora security of such railways, aijkd of a special rate as and in manner provided for tho construction of diatri<jt railways, Crown and native lands, being ratable^ Sir G. Qrey also, denounced the Go* vernment for- haying delayed the Bill io such a late period of the session. Mombers who would undoubtedly have voted against the Bill had gone away, not think' ing it would be brought on. He counselled the Government not to attempt going on. with it.

; Mr. Speight opposed the Bill. Mr. Oliver said that if members would consent to read the Bill a second time, and with the view of bringing the session at once to a close, the Government would not press it further this session. The motion for the second reading was , carried on a division by 25 to 17. j The Bill was then read a second time. Mr. Oliver said that in accordance with the promise he had made he did not intend proceeding with the Bill further. The House went into Committee on tno Permanent Officers Salaries Bill* The Bill provides that there shall be deducted ! from salaries fixed and payable under the Permanent Act of Assembly JO" per cent, for each month commencing with August 1880, and ending wi,ih Jlune, 1881. '-l»® Vet .does not apply to salaries fixed by she Governor's, Salary and Allowance Afte 1873, or the Civ il List Amendment Act 1873, or to the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court, or to, officers of both Houses of the General Assembly. In Committse K Mr,. Richardson moved that the Qhaitman leave the chair, whw« was lost on a division of 9 to 2& » Macandrow moved,, as. an ameao-

that the clause be made to read "without any exemption whatever. The motion was lost on a division of 18 t£> Mr Gisborne moved an amendment to tjiafce" the redaction apply also to the Governor's salary. Lost by 19 toll. The Bill was then reported, read a third ifmc sod pzis3ecl. I The Pablic Works Appropriation Bill introduced, read the first and second times, in Committee, read a third time Bill was also passed through all its stages. , . , , , Walter Johnston desired to place on record a statement of the amount of money anent by the Eoman Catholics in New Zealand in education, and the number .of children attending their schools. They reoresented one-seventh of the community, and they naturally felt very sore the way they were treated under the existing law. _ . Mr. J- C. Brown complained that by the Representation Bill two Taranaki districts, which did not together contain as many electors a3 hi 3 district, were to be given double representation. jj r Macandrew protested against tne Ute hours which the House had been forced to sit, and against money being Toted at such hours. jlr. Montgomery gave a number of reasons for considering the result of the session as exceedingly unsatisfactory. Messrs. Barron and Thomson criticised the work of -tfee session at some length, tie former stating tftat, barren as the remits had been, they would have beesu much more so bat foe given by the Opposition to.-paffi6ihe feir meaaares that got thrttaglu jtfr. Hall replied that there never was a jession when discussion for the. sake of discussion was indulged in as in the present session. This was the secret of fjje time spent needlessly. A more disorganised and disorderly set than the Opposition had never been known in that Bouse. The Opposition itself repudiated everything like a leader, and each man appeared to lead himself. The member fur the Thames was one of those singular who conld not lead and would not ■ fallow. The Opposition bad tried the awmber for the Thames, the member for J\itt Chalmers, and as a last resource they had tried the member for Akaroa. During the reces3 it would be the endeavor of the Government to remodel the Kepresentaifoa Bill and base it on the soundest possible principle that could be obtained. They had adjusted the finances of the country, they had discussed the \Ve3t Coast difficulty, and broaght a number of . other measures before the country, the i effect of which would yet be felt in the legislation of the country. At 1 a.m. the House was called, when no quorum was reported. There being i no quorum, the Speaker left the chair, 1 jut will resume at 2.30 to-day. •