PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2868, 3 June 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council mot at 2 p.m. yesterday. ADOPTION OF CHILDREN. On the motion of Mr Stevens, a return was ordered of the number of applications made under the “ Adoption of Children Act, 1881.” Mr Stevens said the Act was but little availed of, inasmuch as those who wished to adopt children from orphanages objected to pay the fees prescribed by the Act. BILLS READ. The Affirmation and Declaration Bill was read a third time, and passed. The Bank and Bankers Act amendment Bill and the Vagrant Act 1866 Amendment Bil were read a second time. COAST SIGNALS. In reply to a question by Dr Menzies, the Hon. Mr Whitaker said the Government had received no information respecting a self-acring fog horn buoy, but inquiries had been instituted with’ regard to fog signals, and correspondence on the subject had been carried on between the Agent-General and the Trinity House in London. Papers had just been received by the San Francisco mail with drawings and specifications of first class automatic signals, but the papers had not yet been examined, as there had not been time. The Council rose at 3.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. EDUCATIONAL RESERVES. Mr Sheehan gave notice that he would introduce a Bill to render all the educational reserves of the colony available for the national educational system of the colony as a whole. FIRST READING. On the motion of Mr Macdonald, a Bill to amend the Native Land Court Act 1880 was introduced and read a first time, JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. Mr Lovestam asked the Colonial Secretary to reconsider his determination not to bring down any proposal for the amendment of the law relative to judgment summonses. He instanced a case in which a creditor had sent from Nelson a sum of money to defray the cost of his attending to answer to one of the summonses, and the debtor used the money for filing his schedule in bankrupty. The Hon Mr Dick said nothing had transpired to cause him to alter his determination. Bills relating to the Resident Magistrates Courts would he placed before them, and if any member thought fit he might move in the direction of any amendment he deemed requisite. THE STANMORE ELECTION. The Hon. Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act Amendment Bill, which was carried.

The Standing Orders were suspended and the Bill went into Committee, Mr Turnbull moved the following additional clause :—“ Whereas, on the trial of an election petition regarding the election of a member for the House of Representatives for the Stanmore electoral district, the Judges who tried the said petition found that W. H. Pilliet had been guilty of an illegal practice and declared the election void ; and whereas such finding has been reported to the House of Representatives, and duly entered in the Journals of the House ; and whereas it is desirable that it should be referred to one of the Judges who tried the petition to say whether in his opinion the said Walter ilippolyto Pilliet should be relieved from all or any of the penalties incurred by him through such finding of the Court; Be it therefore enacted that it shall be and is hereby referred to His Honor Mr Justice Williams, one of the Judges who tried the said petition, to certify, having regard to section 2 of this Act, whether in his opinion the said Walter H. Pilliet should or sbonld not be relieved from any or all of the penalties or disqualifi cations he may have incurred by reason of anything be did in or about the Stanmore election, and such certificate shall forthwith be forwarded by the said Judge to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and if the said Judge shall certify that in his opinion he, the said W. H. Pilliett should be so relieved, then, on the same being forwarded to the said Speaker, the same shall be reported to the House, and thereupon the said W. H. Pilliet shall be freed, discharged and indemnified from and against all penalties, forfeitures, incapacities and disabilities which the said Judge shall specify in the certificate so given and forwarded by him as aforesaid.” Mr Weston objected as it would bring the Judges into the political arena.

Mr W. Williams concurred with this view.

The Hon Major Atkinson thought that handing these cases to the Judges set matters free from the suspicion of political influence, and he could not see the Judges would be likely to become mixed up in politics. Mr Kelly thought any special case like this, should be dealt with by special Bill. Mr Connolly moved as an amendment, tho following additional clause : —“ Whereas, on the trial of an election petition with regard to the election of a member of tho House of Epprosonta tivos for the Stanmore electoral district, the Judges who tried the said petition found that Walter H. Pilliet had been guilty of an illegal paaotice, and declared the election void; and whereas such finding has been reported to the House of Eoprosentatives and duly entered in tho Journals of the House ; and whereas it appears that tho illegal act committed by the said W. H. Pilliet was of a purely technical character, and ho should bo relieved from the disqualifications imposed by the said Act: Bo it therefore enacted that the said W. H. Pilliet is hereby freed and discharged from and indemnified against all penalties, forfeitures, incapacities and disabilities that ho may have incurred

by reason of anything ho may have 1 done in and about the election held 1 in and for the Stanmore electoral district in the month of December, 1881 ; and notwithstanding anything he may have done or omitted to do, he shall be eligible for election to a seat in the House of Representatives, and shall hold the appointments he held prior to the said election, and preserve the privileges he possessed prior to the said election,as if he had not committed any offence under the “ Corrupt Practices Act, 1881,” and no proceeding under that Act committed by him prior to the passing of the Act shall be commenced against him in any Court; provided that the foregoing provisions shall not be taken as altering or in any way affecting the certificate of the J udges that the said Stanmore election if void. The amendment was carried on the voices, and the Bill was reported as amended. native policy. The debate was resumed by Mr Tamonoa who advocated the trial of Te Whiti. Mr Turnbull spoke very sharply against the Bill. Mr Hurst gave grept credit to the Native Minister for his skill and firmness, and Mr Fergus followed in a similar strain. Mr Bracken thought Te Whiti should be asked to instruct the House in native affairs. He thought the Europeans had treated the Maoris ungenerously. Mr Hursthouse reminded these pure minded Southern men, who were so indignant at the injustice done to the natives, that the South Island got their estates from the natives for a mere mess of pottage. There was too much sentiment imported into the question. Mr Moss advocated a hearing at the Bar of the House for Te Whiti. Colonel Trimble doubted whether Te Whiti wanted to be heard. Major Tawhai thought Te Whili had been unjustly treated. Te Whiti should be beard. While the Maories at the bidding of the missionaries, were lifting their eyes to heaven, the missionaries W’ere grabbing away their land. The question was then put that the Bill as printed be read a second time. The House divided—Ayes, 52 ; Noes, 14. Ayes— s2. Allwright Mcllwraith Atkinson McKenzie, J. Beetham McMillan Bryce Michelson Cadman Morris Conolly Munro Dick O’Callaghan

Dodson Peacock Feldwick . Pearson Fergus Petrie Fitzgerald Postlethwaito Fulton Rolleston Green, J, Rutherford Green, M. W, Sheehan Grey Shephard Hamlin Stevens Hobbs Sutter Hurst Sutton Hurthouse Swanson Johnston, C. J. Tole Johnston, J. Trimblo Kelly Watt Levestam Whitaker Levin Whyte, J. B. McDonald Wilson, J. G. Noes—l 4. Bracken Moss Buchanan Taiaroa Daniel Tawhai DeLatour Te Wheoro Duncan Tomoana Joyce Turnbull Montgomery Whyto Pairs. AYES NOES. Weston Macandrew Seaton Hutchinson Wynn Williams Shrimski Thomson, H. Holmes Brown, J. E. Bathgate Mr Bryce replied at some length ; acknowledging Sir George Grey’s generosity, and vindicating his own policy. He had lost friends and gained nothing, but he had done his duty. Major Te Wheoro was speaking at 1.30 a.m. [By Telegraph.j THIS MORNING. After 1.30 Sir George Grey concluded the debate by urging that certain alterations should bo made, in Committee, in the Bill, and that a clause should be introduced to assure to the Natives their reserves, which had been promised them. M&jor Te Wheoro moved as an amendment on the motion, that Tohu and Te Whiti be heard at the bar of the House, either personally or by Counsel, before the Bill is committed. Mr Moss seconded the amendment, which on division \<%s lost by 43 to 22. The motion for committal on Tuesday was then carried. The house adjourned at 1.45. LATERThe division list on the motion that the Peace Preservation Bill be committed on Tuesday, as against Major Te Wheoro’s amendment that Tq,Whiti be first at the bar, is as follows. For the original motion—Ayes, 43 ; Noes, 22 : Ayes —43. Atkinson Beetham Bryce Buchanan W. Connolly Dick Dodson Fergus Fitzgerald Fulton George Green J. Green W, Hamilton Hobbs Hurst Hursthouse Johnston C. Johnston W. Kelly Levien e McDonald M’llwraith McKenzie J. McMillan Mitchelson Munro O’Callaghan Peacock Postlethwaito Rolleston Rutherford Shepherd Stevens Steward Sutter Sutton Swanson Trimble Watt Whyte J. B. Weldon J. G. Petrie. Noes—22. Barron Grey Bracken Joyce Cadman Montgomery Daniel Moss DoLautour Pearson Duncan Sheehan Feldwick Tairoa Tawhai To Wheoro Thompson J. W, Tole Tomoana Turnbull Whitaker White W.