HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2300, 31 July 1880, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

iiKDUrnoxs ov pav. Mr Stewart presented a. petition signed by 350 employees connected with the locomotive and other railway departments, praying for a reconsideration of the determination to reduce their wages. MAORI J’KISiiXKIi.S. Mr Bryce introduced a Maori Prisoners Detention Bill, and asked them to pass it through all its stages without discussion. The prisoners were part of an organisation setting itself up against the authority of the Queen. The Bill with amendments was reported. On the motion for its third reading, Mr Montgomery regretted that a Bill had not been passed months ago proclaiming this a disturbed district. The measure was one the necessity for which should not have arisen. Sir George Grey also protested against the measure, ■which a few minutes’ delay would have made more I perfect than it was. Mr Reader Wood said that it was a false position the House took up, to to say they had passed a measure not on their own responsibility, but on the responsibility of Government, He had no desire to throw aiy obstacle in the wa} r of Government, but lie considered this the most impracticable measure that could well be imagined. He alluded to the fact that an inquest had been held 'the other day in Dunedin upon one of these prisoners who died of consumption. Surely men so situated, sick unto death, ought iu the interests of humanity to have been scut home to their own district. Referring to the debate which took place on the subject a few days ago, be said that that debate Mas far more creditably conducted by the Maori members than by the Europeans. Major To Wheoro said that he had no wish to embarass ike Government, but he disclaimed all responsibility for the measure. In further support of that position ho would call for a division on the motion for the third reading. Mr Bryce said the Government had shown every proof that they were prepared to accept the very fullest responsibility. They had arrested these men without a warrant, and that showed that they were not at all disposed to shirk responsibility. The House divided —Ayes, 41, Noes, 24.

On the motion that the Bill do not pass, Mr Speight protested against passing the Bill. It was au admission that they were unable to govern the natives b3 r the same law which governed the rest of the community. It was an Act which would }'et be looked upon as a piece of barbarism. Mr Pykc denounced it as a cruel and unconstitutional measure. He demanded of the House, of the country, and of the Imperial Council, that such a law should not be passed as applicable to the Maoris. It was a disgrace to their civilisation.

Sir George Grey said the next thing they would hear of was that women and children of the native race would he

arrested. A greater outrage on Constitutional Government had never been perpetrated. Ho asked the Government even yet to consider what it was asking for. It was awful to think that men, women, and children should he torn from their homos and thrust into prison, as this Bill asserted. He asked them to spare lam and others who thought with him, the shame and disgrace of such a measure.

Mr Bryce said that a responsibility rested on Government. The member for the Thames had painted all the horrors of imprisonment, and yet matters in that respect would not he in the slightest degree changed if his proposal were carried. He was both disappointed and ashamed of the action of the opposition,and if evil resulted, heavy responsibilities would rest upon them. The speaker said he regretted the Bill had not been translated into the Maori language. It was an infraction of the rules of the House, which he would look into. The motion —'• That the Bill do now pass” was carried.

SUPPLY. An Imprest Supply Bill for £250,000 was introduced and passed through all its stages. PATETEUE BLOCK. On a motion for going into Committee of Supply, Sir George Grey moved the appointment of the following as a committee to enquire into the Patetere block transaction :—Messrs Bryce, Jones, Kenny, Shephard, Thomson, Wood, and the mover: Mr Bryce demurred to the proposal, and suggested that the first committee should be named with Messrs Pitt and Fulton in the place of the two gentlemen who declined to act (Sir William Fox and Mr Slovens.) The motion as amended on the suggestion of Mr Bryce was put and carried. LOCAL (JOVEKNMEXT. On the motion to go into Supply, Mr Moss said that their revenue should enable them to meet all their liabilities without making all the panic that had been made about monetary affairs. Then they proposed a property tax which in its present form he apprehended would be most obnoxious ; but if they arranged it so that it would be locally applied it would be popular. The resolution he wished to propose was that a Boyal Commission be appointed ft to consider the most desirable form of local government for this colony; such Commission to consist of nine members to be elected by the registered electors of the several provincial districts. He felt strongly the importance of this question. If they could separate local from general finance, a vciy great work would be achieved. They would get rid of much of the log-rolling and other difficulties they had to contend with. He would say let these local bodies be so constituted that they would not be responsible to the House, but to the people amongst whom they resided. It was one of the most important questions to which their attention could possibly be directed, and he hoped the House would view it as such. Mr Hall said the Government should have had an intimation that a question of so much importance was to be introduced, so that they could have come down prepared to say what they though of the proposal. He did not think that the proposal was one that would recommend itself to (he House. They had been taunted with “ Government by Commission,” and this was a proposal to perpetuate the system. The motion was withdrawn. COMMITTEE Of SUPPLY. The House then went into Committee of Supply. Government Insurance Department, £20,925,

Major Atkinson proposed to strike out £SOOO for separate Government Insurance ollices. liter some discussion the reduction was agreed to and the vote was passed. The House rose at 12.15.