PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 158, 8 July 1904, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

Legislative Comjmßl THURSDAY, JULY 7-^jf§H The Council met at 2.30 p'j^^H THE SPEAKERSmreIjIM Thirty-nine members roaponqMHH the call-over of the Council for^B tion of a Speaker, whioh was L»^H ducted by secret ballot. 3 On the first ballot Hon. 0. ";jffl Loan (Otago) 19, Hon. Sir AttS Cadmuii (Auckland) 18, Hon. Q^m Howin (Canterbury) 2. The secJMB and final ballot resulted—CaddH Sir ALFRED CADMAN briefly M turnetl thanks for tho honour. W Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL, fn ofl fering congratulations, said he vo-M ed tho o]>inion of ull the- tuetnbortf in saying the honour of Uto Council would be upheld 'by Sir Alfred Cad. man. Hon. Captain IIAILUE alsooffoiV ed his felicitations. The Council adjourned at 3.20 p.m.

House of Representatives THURSDAY, JULY 7. 1904. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at 2.a0 p.m.

THE PUIUJC SERVICE, Mr A. L. HERDMAN (Mount Ida) . gave notice to move that a rwUMetl •?''-*tefSs "be pFeseTvted vernor praying him to bring iji a bill for the better regulation of the uuh* he service of the colony. COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT.

Sir JOSEPH WARD gave notice to introduce the Counties Act Amendment Bill. '

FIRST READING,

llio Native Land Hating Bill wm introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. ' Jn reply to Mr llerrles, ! Hon. J. CARROLL (Native Minis- I ter) s a i<i there was no material dit- 'J lercnceWetween this bill and the Hav* ~"" mg Act Amendment Bill standing on the Order Paper in Mr Herrlee 1 name Both proposed that native landa now liable for hair rates should be liable for full and special rates, but) . the Government bill safeguarded the lands of the Maoris in proceedings lor recovery of rates. The ment was in earnest in this matter • and would put the bill through this session if possible. .-.Jrf The next business on the Order aper was Mr W. H. Herri*. (Bay „/ Uenty) Rating Act Amendment Bill dealing with the same euLUect a* the Government! hill brought In hy Governor's message, Hon J. CARHOLL raised a point » ' of order that Mr Herrics' bill waa an appropriation bill, n nd could onlV bo introduced with the consent ol the Government; but . <

RATING ACT AMENDMENT^

The SPEAKER ruled that theblU could bo proceeded with.

In moving the second rceriln* Mr HERRIES said ho was onR, willing to accept the Native Minis-' ter's bill, which did not go as far as his, but ho believed that his iffr I terries) bill met with more, general acceptance among local bodies, He was, ho added, willing to put the Maori on the same footing as ths European in overy possible way.and lie believed that was the general opinion of the House.

Mr CARROLL said they a H desired that natives and Europeans should bo on an e«>al footing, but ihey must recognise that the ttativ* lufTend from certain disabilities He had no objection to tills WU, which went further than his.

I MrSEDDON (Premier) urged that I the House should insert a clause in [tho bill to prevent natives from dis. posing of their lands under the pretext that they had not paid their rates. They could provide that tils (Joverninent should advance thq money for the rates, and toko a moi*f gaffe on the land, otherwise everjf

acre of native land couM bo solil? In other respects ho approved of thfc proposal to muko native lands pafy full rates. | MrT. PAT ATA (Southern *>•»»«> urged that there was no Justine*, tion for increasing rates payable bf Maoris. g Mr HI VEJin (Eastern Maori) drt not think Maoris should have £ | pay any rates at all. Messrs Houston, B tt umo, RemhJ. ion, Jennings, Field, Symes, DudJ I'. Mackenzie, and Laing also sp<H expressing! general approval of7h« principle of the bill. A The debate was interrupted hi the '•■ HO adjournment. (

EVENING SITTING, i Tho House resumed at 7.80 ilm. HATING ACT AMENDMENT Tho debate 0 n the second ' nadtng )fMr Herries' Hating Act Anendnent Hill was continued. Mr MASSEY (Leader of tfc Oplosition) said that natives in the Vorth Island were in largo nraberg ;%|«infe|a iwtitpon plraiyin(j| the! they ihouid bo allowed to deal wft\ and ilienate their lands as they pleased for their own benefit and fo f the uogiess of settlement. H«kclar« d that native affairs were i?>w in a worse muddle than they weto when the Government took officeJh 1890. (e strongly supported the 111 Sir JOSEPH WARD poinjed o„t hat prior to the commencement o( he pre-emptive right of io Government Maori lands wt't sold to Europeans for next tonoijlng. It,. vas tho duty of the c o lon jto present the Maoris disposing/Jof their ands. As to a solution 31 the naive land problem it hjlfycon bo-', ore the House for ycaiif and the • realdifficulty was that Jjijorlty of Europeans in tho colonjwere deternined to prevent a fur*r sale ol lative lands and to coilirve what' was left to their ownaW Tho pre-. >ent policy should noijA condemnd before it hod had a*r trial. Sir WILLIAM IUJBSIJEL (Hawke's '•ay) said that they fffht to in;ist that natives Hhoui b'ecome free- , holders, which was t* only chance I if any improvement iking place. Hon. C. H. Ml LLSI Minister In hargeof tho ValunUl Department) laid the tone of thejebate sltowed that tho House wasplmost unaninouslv in favour offc principle of hu bill. I Messrs Smith, Iblierlord, Withet'ord, Alison, McGowli, Mander, Willis, A. Ij. D. S'raser,jLothbridge, and Kirk,'l)|ide also spokW general appro.al being expressed / tho bill. Mr Ilerries havini replied tho soI'.ond reading of Uvbill was agreed lo on tho voices, %d the bill was referral to the Affairs Committee --|