Mr L. M. Grace in the House. Wellington, August 19.

Te Aroha News, Issue 166, 21 August 1886, Page 3 (Supplement)

Mr L. M. Grace in the House. Wellington, August 19.

Amongst other questions on the 'Order Papers on Tuesday 10th, were the follow-, Ing :— Mr Grace asked the' Native Minister whether the* Government will consult with the Chief Judge of the Native Lands' Court with a view to amending rule No, 37 of the Native Lands Court, that it be made always the practice that whenever an applicant for a rehearing is made against the decision of the Native Lands Court in a first hearing of a block of land or in the first hearing of a sub-division claim the applicant or applicants for, and the parties opposed to such rehearing be given the option of appealing in Chambers or in open court at a time and a place to be fixed to *rgue in support of or against such rehearing being granted. Mr Grace said his object in asking the question was with the' hope of something being done to remedy a want much felt. He thought If the course indicated was adopted it would tend to lessen the number of reiiearings ia the Native Lands Court, and be the means of giving general satisfaction to the parties interested. The practice Mtherto had generally been for the Chief Judge, without seeing or hearing the parties interested, to consider in his office frivately whether such application for reeatings be granted or not. Special provisions had been made in the Native Ti%ndB Court Bill of this year to meet the case in point, and he understood that it was usual to provide for such questions in the rules of Court. The Native Minister, in reply, stated that he recognised the importance and value of the suggestions involved in tho question put by the hon. member for Tauranga, and that he would carefully bear the subject in mind when rules of the Native Lands Coast were being revived during the recess. Mr Giace further asked the Minister of lands— (l) Whether the sanitorium at Rotor u a is intended only for the use and benefit of invalids and visitors from outside districts, and natives, and not also for European residents in the Rotorua district ; (2) Will the Government in future, -on the certificate of the medical officer in charge, admit any applicants whose caae, in the opinion of the said officer, may be benefitted by the institution? In putting the above questions Mr Grace drew attention to a communication having reached him from residents t>f the district r,o;nj laining that the public institution, although open to strangers and native, was closed to Europeans residing in the loca'ity, and instanced the case of the late Mr Liechmer, Editor of the " Hot Lakes Chronicle " and another, who were refused admission, and died shortly afterwards ; although it was said the public of offered to subscribe the funds necessary for their maintenanoe at the hospital. If such a regulation \> ere still in force Mr Gracefelt sure the Hon. Native Minister, now that hts attentionjhad thus been drawn to the subject would at once effect the desired alteration. The Native Minister informed the House that the regulations complained of by the Hou. momber had been for Borne time in force, but that in future the sanatorium at Rotorua vouldbe open for the benefit of European residents in the district as well as for any othera whoee cases would be, in the opinion of the medical officer in charge, likely to be benefited by treatment at the hospital there. Mr Grace asked the Government whether they will cause to be printed for circulation Professor Thomas's repoit on sheep disease, together with the pamphlet thereon which he drew up for the Royal Agricultural Society of London. In drawing the attention of the Government to this matter he explained that he understood that Professor Thomas had, up to date, only made an interim report, which was very short and meagre; but he "had been informed that a fuller report was in the course of preparation, and thot a very valuable pamohlet on shaep diseases had been sent home to the Royal Agricultural Society by Professor Thomas. The information contained in these reports, if calculated, would prove very valuable to abeep owners, especially in the Bay of Plenty district, where the farmers had been for a long time endeavouring to ascertain a ramedy for the parasitic diseases in sheep ■which exist there. Mr Tole replied that the Government would see that the euggestion was carried out. When the house, whilst in Committee on the Special Powers and Contracts Bill, reached a clause of the schedule which had been put into the bill by the Government at the request of Mr Grace' in the interests of the residents of Rotorua. The clause is as follows :— " Notwithstanding the provision of section 11 of the Thermal Springs Act, 1881, or any other Act to the contrary, any person who at the time of the parsing of this Act is in actual possession of a lease of land within tho limits prescribed in Section 11 aforesaid may arrange with the native owners of such land for an extension of the lease for a pariod of ninety-nine years from the date of the original lease ; and Section 11 aforesaid shall be read and construed as though the words ninety-nine years had been insarted in the first line thereof instead of the words twenty-one. On the Chairman rising to put the question, Mr Ballance, the Minister in charge of the bill, explained that the clause had been embodied in the bill by the Government after a careful consideration with the hon. member for Tauranga of the altered circumstances owing to the recent volcanic eruptions in the Hot Lake district, but hon. members were aware the clause had b3en struck out on the bill being referred to the " Waste Lands Committee, on the grounds that the Government were breaking faith with the Europeans on the Government township, but that ha did not altogether agree with the Committee ; he would however leave the matter in the hands of the House. Mr Grace moved that the clause be retained, and Baid the clause proposed to elve the sama benefits to the pioneer settlers of Ohinemutu now enjoyed by the settlers on the Government township. The volcanic eruption had greatly effected the diet, and every encouragement should be given to the settlers under the exceptional circumstances which could not be done in the face of tho obstacles which had been in the past place in the way of the residents there ; the clause would benefit all Jiving on the north sid9 of the road. It did nat break any pledge which Government had made with the lessees of the Government township and ho hoped the House would pass the clause without further discussion. Mr Rollestbn • opposed the clause at great length. Mr J. B. Whyte warmly supported the clauee. Mr Locke thoaght that the action taken in the' past by the Government with reference to the oH towns Kip, was a very arbitrary one, *nd paid that he would support the clause. Cal. Fraser reminded the Bouse tfia* the Cr3<r«rnment gayeJjßasea for 99 years, and faeeaw no reason why the* natives should not bo allowed' to do tha>' same in- "this ciae-. Mr Bruce-oxplainod that .he had

Lands CoMmittee -because" h« thought jffiB'* teifto 1 ' 6* "99 '^S^'^toorad^, '^d ' because he was^ntfeif :th6" impression ltfwpuld ahly benefit 1 persons" . Hi? ''Rbll&foh' roae/tq s o^|>B«e ir tH6 clause, ana' J s^d'it f %duld' give^^^mioiS^pbly J to' a f&W i&3iyidual&7 T% Sbfc iake ?diStrlcfc, tie |>aft(ijeU rv outpwa8 c a very palpable one. Si'rQepVe'e CrVey didhdfc' yet Bee ?i why a few i^ebple.phxjuld have special be'n'efjteponferred *on theni! ! Mr 3racb said tbeae 'people were, "thY piorieel'S' of: Oliipeinutu.-. ' 'Ehey had made* the'Rotbma 'dxstrjLbt what it is, but that, as' he felt it 1 was the feeling of' the" 'hpiiee that the term should be shortened he would accept a and agree to'the'99 years being reduced to 42. Sir George Grey said he was astonished to hear an hqn. member talk of pioneers in that dist in 'th^se ''times') ! he would vote against the clause. Mr Grace called for a division, and the clause was retained by a majority of seventeen. 1 Mr Rolleston moved that v fshe leases be subject to the' certificate of the Frauds Committee. Agreed to. [ August 19.

The Business of the Session. The following synopsis of the business transacted during the present session has been prepared in the form of a parliamentary paper : — Select' committees : On public matters, 9; on private bills, 4, Standing committees," 13 ; ditto on private bills, 3. Public Bills: Originated in the House ; received the Royal aßaent, 65 ; dropped or otherwise disposed of, 56. Brought from the Council : Received Royal assent, 7 ; dropped or otherwise disposed of 2. Local bills : Introduced, 24 ; paesed House of Representatives, 16 ; passed and assented to, 16. Bills other than local bills : Introduced by private members, 36 ; passed House of Representatives, 7.; passed and aesented to, 5 Time devoted to consideration : 34| hours. Private bills, originated in the House : Received Royal assent, 3 ; dropped, 1. Brought from the Council : Received Royal assent, 1. Petitions presented from Europeans, 364; from Maoris, 96. Divisions in the whole House, 82; in committee, 144. Sittings : Days of meeting, 65 ; hours of fitting, 476 ; daily average, 7 hours 19 minutes. Votes and proceedings: Questions asked of Ministers, 545 ; entries in jouihals, 1,213 ; daily average, 27 ; orders for papers, 59. Papers laid upon the table : Ordered to be printed, 183 ; not ordered to be printed, 59. Reports from Select Committees : Public petitions, 185; native affaire, 152; wastelands, 47 ; goldfialds and mines, 10 ; local bills, 24 ; other committees, 43. LISTS OF ACTS PASSED BOTH HOUSES. Ipublic acts. Administration Act Extension Antnuls Protection Ac, 1880, Amendment Apportionment Appropriation Beer Duty Act, 1880, Amendment Chir. table Trust Extension Civil Service Reform Coal Mines Companies' Branch Registers Cc unties Deceased Persons Estates Duties Aot, 1831, Amendment Deeds and Instruments Registration Defence Pestitut i Persons Act Amendment D 'strict Railways Purchasing Act, 1885 lixcenßion and Amendment Kast and West Coa*t (MiddJe I-land) and Nelson Railway, and Railways Construction Act, Amendment Firat Offenders Probation Pish Auction Friendly Societies' Act, 1882, Amendment Gisborno Publio Prison Government Lire Insurance, No. 2 Government Loans to .Local Bodies, No# 2 Harbours Act. 1878 Amendment Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Aot, 1885, Amendment Imprest Supply : Imprest Supply (No. 2) Justices of tho Peace Act, 1882, Amendment Local Bodies Finance and Powers Act, 1885, Amendment Local Bodies Loans Lost '.ebenturejs Mining Companies Mortgage Debentures Act, 1885, Amendment Municipal Corporations Native Kquitable Owners Native Land Administration Native Land Court Native Reserves Title Grants Empowering New Zealand Loan North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Owbaoko and Kaimanawa Oruamatua Re-inveatigatioa of Title Police Force Host Office Act 1881, Amendment Propet ty Assessment Act, 18S5, Amendment Property Tax (NO. 2) Public Bodies Leaseholds Public Ro venues Publio Tru3fOfflcea Act, 1872, Amendment Pablic Works Appropriation Kabbit Nuisance Act, 1382, Amendment Railways Authorisation and Management Railway Construction and Land Act, 1881 Amendment Settled Land Sheep Act, 1878. Amendment Special Powers and Contracts Stamp Act, Amendment Wertioprton and Wanganui Education Districts PRIVATK ACTS. Cathedral Site, Prtmell, Leasing Hutt and Petone Gas Co. Now Zealand Bible. Tract, and Book Society Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's Additional Capital and Debentures Validation -~~ LOCAL ACTS. Auckland Harbour Board Loan Borough of Mornington Boundaries City of Christchurch Municipal Offices City of Dunedin Leasing Hakateramea Racecourse Reserve Newmarket Reserve Act. 1878, Amendment North Timaru Cemetery Sale or Exchange Oaruaru Harbour Board Loan One-Tree Hill Reserve Otauo Harbour Board Leasing Act, 1885, Amendment Otago Harbour Bridge Port Chalmers Fire Brigade Site Waimate Racecourse Trustees Empowering Wellington Haibour Board Leasing Wyndham Show Ground Reserve LIST OF BILLS DROPPED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF. IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Employment of Females and Others Act, 1881, Amendment Gold Duty Reduction Gold Export Duty Abolition Government Loans to Local Bodies No 1 Limitation of Votes Salmon and Trout Act, 1867, Amendment Small Birds Nuisance Aot, 1832, Bxtonsion IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Abolition of Provinces Aot, 1875, Amendment Alienation of Land Artificial Fertilisers Warranty Aucioneers Chattels Securities Act, 1880, Amendment Ccdlin Moth Act, 1881, Amendment Contagious Diseases Act, ISiS, Repeal Criminal Code Disqualification Act, 1878, Amendment Dog Registration Acts, Amendment Educational Frenchiee Xight Hours Employers Liability Act, 183\ Amendment Fisheries Conservation Act, l?8l, Amendmant Government Lie Insurance, No. 1 Hawera Cemetery Hawkers and Pedlars Intoxicating Liquors— supp^ to children Introduction of Coloured Labourers Lind Act Remedies Land Association Land Boards Land for Settlements Ijvw Practitioners Licensing Committals Election Lives of Children Preservation Magistrates' Courts Miners' Rigrhta Fof a Redno'ion Napier Oddfellows' Lodge Site Nelson Crown Tenants' Relief Nelson Fortshoi*e Reserve NewJPlymouth Harbour Loan New Plymouth Recreation Reserve New Zealand Note Gurrenoy Opunako Harbour. Board Otago Central Railway Extension and Construotion Property Tax, NoJ 1 Publio Advanoes on Land Railw'ays'Authorlratlon Rating Act;.. 3 882. Amendment < tf eduction of Gold Export Duty Representation South Island Naiive Reserves Aot; 1832; Amendment Stock Driving -.-< . , ; ■ Supretre Court Reporting Taurapga Harbour Board , IUnclaimed Deposits , • - r•' i Waimatfj VUUfoe Settlement * . ' Watrjft Harbour J,,-> ,; •„ ■ '-<' ,{ Workmen* Wages Aot, 1834 ;Walr»u Gm Od.