LATER. Wellington,June 21.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 56, 28 June 1884, Page 3

LATER. Wellington, June 21.

The House met this forenoon at 11.30. Major Atkinson moved that the llousg go into Committee of Supply. Sir George Grey moved that the Government be instructed to take the opinion of the law oilicers of the Crown with respect to the action of the Canterbury Land Board re Walker's case. Air Rolleston said Government intended to take the opinion of the law oflicers and if there was a fair case to bo taken to the Supreme Court he would assist Walker in taking proceedings. Tho matter had already been referred to the law officei's and under the circumstances he thought Sir George Grey's motion unnecessary. Mr Shrimski " slated " Government for their action. The motion to go into Committee of Supply was then alloA\ ed to pass. Major Atkinson announced that Government had decided to detain the Wakatipu from Monday till Tuesday to suit the convenience, of Government. A somewhat irregular discussion took place Otago dummyism and game leases. Mv Tole rose and moved the adjournment of the House. Sir George Grey and Gum Leases. Sir Georgo Grey put a question regarding gum leases., Mr Rolleston said in the year 1576 it was j found while Sir George Grey was Superintendent of Auckland that tho only v ay leases , could he granted for working the gumfields was>by granting large leases. Sir George Grey, he said, signed the first lease," and 4ie then proceeded to com- 1 menton^Sir^GeorgefGreyConduct in attacking^iiratWoi^adsystemhe^hadinominally initiated. He^considered 1i! it a pernicious system, and^tliought N it^might be improved upon. Hetaccused&ir, GecGrey of wishing to prejudicofliim in l%iew of^the.coming elections. J&e said,.*" Oh, heavens'! that there should be a man in**this»Houseswho would

do,£uch,asthing." Sir George Grey's action was.-neither honest nor upright. Mr* Brown here^ rose^and drew the SpeakerVattention^to th&tanguage. The Spcakor'H'as understood to say he disapproved J language. JShfcGeorgejpreyfynoved, " That the words bejftaken down," but this was lost on the voices. Mr#Rolleston said he had felt grieved that an imputation&hould be«cast on himself and Mr Mitchclsor^; but if heJ&had used unparliamentary language he was sorry for it. lio then continued to, give the history of the gum leases&saying that Pit was absolutelysimpossible'to dig gum if the land was dividetlljinto small areas, as the value of thogigum did nofc^pay the cost of surveys. Iwwas impossibl^Ehis session to bring down legislation meet the case, but it was unfortunate^that during a long course of years attentions had not been drawn to the technicality. Should he be in the House next session, ho would bring down a bill to meet the case. | Mv McKenzie said 19 out of every 20 in Otago would blame Mr Rolleston's action in not appointing a new board for Otago. Mr Tole said he was unable to find any proclamation signed by Grey in 1876 ro giim land.

A Dumxnyism Debate. Mr J. Green rose and defended the action of the Otago Land Board and Mr Holies ton's action respecting that matter. Mr Fish attacked and Mr Fergus defended the action of Mr Rollestcn and of the Otago Waste Lands Board. Mr Levebtam spoke in favour of elective Land Boards. After other Otago members had spoken on dummy ism, the House adjourned at one o'clock.

Wellington, June 23. On the House resuming at 2.300n Saturday, the desultory debate on the administration of the Wasto Lands Boards of Auckland and Otago was continued, member after membernsing and denouncing the Minister of Lands.

Sir George Grey and Gmnfield Leases. Mr Tole asked Mr liolleston the date of the " Gazette " notice offering land for lease for gum-digging purposes which he had stated was signed by Sir George Grey. He (MrTole)hada "Gazette" ot 187G before him, and could find no such notice. Mr liolleston said he had telegraphed for information, and when it was to hand lie would reply to the hon. gentleman. Sir George Grey rose and explained his connection with the matter. A telegram from Auckland gum merchants stated that they did not understand the position, and that the gum-diggers' interests were endangered. Major Harris attacked the railway administration, complaining of the raising of rates on the Waikato railway for the purpose of paying losses incurred on Southern lines. Mr Hobbs, recurring to the gum question, drew the attention of the Minister of Lands to the Press Association telegram from Auckland concerning the leasing of kauri timber lands, and referred to an abuse that had come under his notice, arising out of a store kept by the Crown Lands agent in the district referred to, the said abuse being the insufficient description of a block of land, which, though said to contain a few kauris, was really a valuable kauri bush. Mr Montgomery, in a lengthy speech, ciiticiscd the figures of the Financial Statement, but his remarks generally were pointless. He accused Major Atkinson of having composed the Statement with the view of influencing the elections. Mr Holmes followed in the same strain, and spoke till the 5.30 adjournment.

Warders Flogging Prisoners. In the House on Saturday afternoon, Mr Feldwick called the attention of the Minister of Justice to a statement that had appeared in the Auckland Star concerning the dismissal or threatened dismissal of warders because of their disinclination to (log a prisoner. He said the men would sooner hang than flog, and he thought that this service should be performed by the common hangman. In arguing against the advisability of warders flogging, he pointed out that these oilicials "\\ ere often in charge of parties of convicts outside the walls ot the gaol, and desperadoes might revenge themselves on an officer who had Hogged them. If the men had boon threatened with dismissal, ho hoped to hear from the Minister of Justice that this had been abrogated. Mv Tole rose and said he also desired to bring under the Minister's notice the demoralisation and widespread indignation caused by the imposition on the warders of Auckland Gaol of the duty ot flogging prisoners. The gaol was in his constituency, and he hoped to hear from the Minister that an alteration would be made.

Privato Wealth in Now Zealand. Some interesting particulars concerning private wealth in the colony are contained in a paper laid on the table of the House in connection with the property assessment, and attached to the Financial Statement. The total number of payers of property tax for the year ISS3-4 is 25,060, against 22.057 for the year 18S2-3. The taxable real and personal property in ISS3-4 is LSs,ooo,ooo,against L7'i,500,000 in the previous year. Tho total real property in ISBO was L 93,000,000, and last year it totalled L 101,000,000. The property tax payable in ISS3-4 was L 270,190, of which L 2*02,953 was payable by persons, L 51,312 by companies, LI 1,355 by banks, and L 4,5u > 8 by insurance companies. Returns of personal property prepared from owners' statements show the value to be : — Horses, cattle, sheep, and other live stock, LS, 542, 110 ; wool, grain, and other produce, L 795,05 5; merchandise, including goods on consignment and stock-in-trade, L 9,710,794; furniture and household goods, including musical instruments, plate, jewellery, works of art, books, carriages, and stores, L4,0C2,73S ; cash in hand of persons making statements, cash at bank or doposited in building or other society shares, L 5,731,251, 731,251 ; money owing to persons making statements secured on mortgages, L 19,423,55 5; debts owing to persons makingstatements,LlO,2s9,92l ; all other property belonging to persons making statements, except exempt property, L11,4G2,9G5. Personal property in New Zealand not included by owners in their statements produce LI 1,338,356; agricultural implements, L 547,04 0; vessels, steam or sailing, L 11 ,600,000 ; estimate of proportion of divested capital, that is, invested capital that escapes taxation by reason of lite interest in "it only being taxable, L 500,000 : total, L 3,955,396. Statement of mortgages :— Mortgages (foreign capital), L 15,915,90 4; mortgages (colonial capital), L 14,997,557 : total, L 30,01&,461. Indebtedness of people in New Zealand taken from ownors' statements of property, exclusive of mortgages — debts deducted by taxpayers, L 13,040,000; debts deducted by noni taxable persons estimated at L 11 ,500,000. After the 7.30 adjournment on Saturday ! evening, Mr Holmes continued his remarks, and was followed by Major Atkinson, who replied to the arguments used during the debate at considerable length. The Farmers told to " Clear Out." Sir George Grey reviewed the action of the Government during their term of office. The Treasurer had told a deputation of farmers who waited upon him that if they

could not make their farms pay, the best thing they could do would be to clear out. Were these heartless words, used to poor, struggling men who came to the head of the Government with the view of obtaining relief in their misery for themselves and their children, worthy of the Treasurer of the colony of New Zealand ? Major Atkinson : I did not tell them that the bebt thing they could do was to clear out. What 1 said was if we could not farm our lands profitably it would be a poor lookout for the colony, and if we could not make the land pay for tillage or dairy farming then we had better clear out. Sir George Grey thought that the explanation of the Treasurer was anything but satisfactory. The fact remained that the Treasurer heartlessly told those poor heart-broken men that they had better clear out. These men had asked for relief, but they had failed to obtain it from Government, and they never would until a law was made by which the rights of the people were protected. If such was done, it would have the effect more than anything else of dispelling the present depression.

Free Immigration. Mr White desired to know if it was the intention of Government, in face of the present general depression, to Btop free immigration. Mr Rolleston said that free immigration would be stopped until the wish of Parliament upon the subject had been ascertained. At present the only immigrants who were expected to arrive were nominated immigrants. Wellington, June 23. Sitting of the House To-day. The House met at 11 o'clock.

Flogging by Prison Warders at Auckland. Hon. Mr Connolly, in reply to Mr Feldwick's question re Auckland pi'ison warders, said that no warder had been dismissed for refusing to flog prisoners. One of the warders resigned some time ago, giving as the reason that he might be called on to flog prisoners. Warders were required to flog prisoners, but none had been dismissed because of refusal. Mr Moss moved the adjournment of the House, and expressed a hope that the House would not allow the matter to pass without notice. The result of it would be to brutali.se the warders and place them over a number of helpless men— criminals, no doubt, but still helpless. He protested against it, and if he had his own way, he would say that the judges and magistrates delivering the sentence, or the Minister of I Justice himself, should perform the flogging. Mr Feldwick seconded, and said a public flagellator could be obtained for L75 to LlOO per annum, and could be sent from one gaol to another. Mr Daniels said if such floggings were allowed it would be a disgrace to the colony. If it was allowed, Christianity would fly from the colony, and he would oppose it if he stood alone. Hon. Mr Connolly, after mentioning that Mr Daniel evidently misunderstood the question before the House, said that flogging by warders was the universal practise in England and had been practised in Wellington gaol for 20 years and he had never heard of any abuse having arisen. The idea of keeping a public flagellator had never occurred ,to him, and he did not know how it would work. There was no common hangman, and he did not see the necessity of appointing a common flagellator. Mr Daniel asked the Minister would it not be possible to bring in a bill to deprive persons once convicted of rape of the means of committing the offence again. Mr Smith accused the Minister of Justice of pigheaded ness in beginning the question. If it went forth that warders were to flog, all the best men would leave the Service. Sir George Grey spoke at length on the justice of flogging. Mr Rolleston said that Mr Connolly's Prisons Bill favoured mitigation of punishment in gaols. Mr Seddon asked would it be possible te bring on a motion without notice that warders be not required to flog. Tnis met with a chorus of "noes" from the Ministerial benches, and The Speaker ruled that, the House not being unanimous, the motion could not be moved. The motion for adjournment was lost on the voices, and the matter dropped. Hon. Mr Rolleston said he found on inquiry that there was no proclamation signed by Sir George Grey re gumdiggers, but he found that a correspondence had passed through the Superintendent's office, which corresponeencc he asked leave to lay on the table. Mr Seddon asked Mr Rolleston to withdraw his statement that a proclamation had been issued by Sir George Grey. Mr llolleston said that it had been issued by an officer under Sir George Grey. Mr Hutchison denied that the Commissioner of Crown Lands had been a provincial officer. Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the debate till 2.30 this afternoon.

The Member for East Coast. Mr Locke, the new Member for East Coast, "was sworn in. Nearly an hour was occupied discussing the virtues of New Zealand timbers as against Australian jarrah for railway sleepers. On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Turnbull moved as an amendment that orders in council should be gazetted in the first publication after the orders had been made. Major Atkinson hoped the House would not press it, or it would enormously increase this size gazette to no good purpose. Mr Wakefielcl argued that Government in neglecting to gazette orders in council had broken the law. Mr Turnbull then withdrew the amendment, Major Atkinson jn-omising to look up the matter, and if there had been a misinterpretation of the law he would have it set right. Mr Seddon then moved as an amendment that the Minister of Mines should instruct the Warden at Kumara to give miners a rehearing in the matter of Kumara sludge channel, and spoke at length on the matter.

Gross Libels in an Auckland Paper. It is rumoured this morning that certain coarse and indecent allusions to members and officials of the House which have been appearing in an Auckland weekly print are to be brought up in the House as a matter of breach of privilege. Later. — Members on all sides of the House are indignant at the action of the Auckland weekly papres, and lawyers state !}hat Mr Steward, whose name is appended to the gross paragraphs, has cause for action against the publishers and paoprietors of the paper. Ministers, I understand, have privately intimated that if any member aggrieved mentianed the matter in the House, the Attorney ■ General would at once take proceedings. It is believed, however, that as the bringing forward of the matter in that manner would hurt the feelings of many excellent ladios i here, it will not be done, and that Mr Steward will take steps privately.