GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1261, 4 November 1884, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Council on Friday, The Government Insurance Bill was read a third time and passed. A number of bills were read a second time, the amendments made by the House of Representatives in the Road Boards and Codlin Moth Bills were agreed to, and the Council adjourned. In the Legislative Council on Saturday, the Drainage ®f Mines Bill and the Electric Lines Bill were read a third time and passed. Several Bills were read a second time, the Wanganui Harbor Board Empowering Bill was considered in Committee, and'the Council adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. In the House on Friday, a long list of questions was replied to. Replying to Mr Holmes, as to whether it is true that the late Ministry, in which Mr Rolleston was Minister of Lands, allowed a syndicate in Wellington, of whom one of his colleagues was one, to buy a large tract of Maori land in the Middle Island, extending West ' Wanganui Inlet to the Turuiwiwi river, which land is of an auriferous character, and a portion of which was a proclaimed goldfield, the Hod. Mrßallance said there was no' evidence in the Department to show that the late Minister of Lands had anything to do with the matter. Application bad been made for a tract of land consisting of 100,000 acres, which, according to the report on it, was not very valuable land. Replying to Mr Guinness, the Hon. Mr Ballance said it was not the intention of the Government to take any steps tc set aside the sale to the, Westport Colliery Company ot 150 acres of land at Wallsend, Grey River. Mr Rolleston made a long explanation in replying to some charges made by the Bon. Julius Vogel against himself and whilst a member of the Atkinson Government. After fully explaining the changes he concluded as follows :—He wished to inform the House that he had been guilty neither of carelessness nor corruption. The Treasurer was constantly endeavoring to brow beat the House. His (Mr Eolleston’s) transactions with the company were perfectly open and straightforward, and his character would bear comparison with that of the Colonial Treasurer’s. Sir Julius Vogel replied that be was not ac all sorry for what he had said. The Member for Geraldine often made unfeunded charges against him. The Hon, Mr Stout was very sorry the Member for Geraldine had taken up the matter in the light he had done. As far as he was concerned, he had merely stated he had done an illegal action in granting the lease. It should have had the sanction of Parliament. Major Atkinson denied that Sir Julius Vogel with his magic wand had restored the country to great prosperity. On the contrary, the action he was at present would sink the country into difficulty and disaster greater than aver before existed. He felt proud to be a member of a Government that included the Member for Geraldine. He considered the imputations the Treasurer had made against that hon. member were most unworthy. He should like to know I what Sir Julius Vogel had done for the country. He took the opportunity of warning the country that they were being led on into a course which would surely end in disaster, audit was wholly through the policy of the present Colonial Treasurer. Mr Seddon thought Major Atkinson had little to thank the late Minister of Land* for. Mr Bryce said that although he never expected to be in office again in the colony, he would always look back with pleasure to the fact of his associatien in the Ministry with Mr Rolleston. He defended the Member for Geraldine as to the lease in question. Mr Gillies said he could not sit and hear any man accused unjustly. He was greatly surprised to hear Mr Rolleston accused of unduly favoring the Westport Coal Company. His experience of that Company had been just the opposite, as he com sidered that the late Government had not assisted the Company to anything like the extent they might have done. Mr Brown, referring to Mr Bryce’s remarks, considered the late Ministry should have resigned before Parliament met. Mr Rolleston merely wished to say he thought the Treasurer had bad a useful lesson taught him by the debate, and he hoped he would profit by it. The Treasurer had, inside the House and out of it, made most uncalled-for inanitions against him and the Government of which he was a member, which he thought very unworthy of the position he held in the Honse. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Contolidated Stock Bill. After detailing the provisions of the Bill, he said the Government desired to give expression to the opinions expressed by several Members of the House on previous occasions. The proposal would enable them to do without extra taxation, to remit half the property tax, and to propose for the future a finance unburdened with funded debts to be converted into a floating debt. Mkjoir Atkinson criticised the Bill at great length, and said that it only proposed to pay off the debt by further borrowing. He concluded a powerful speech by moving that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. After several other members had spoken the Bill passed its second reading Sir Julius Vogel promising to consent to amendments when in Committee. The House then went into Committee on the Timber Floating Bill, and the Impounding Bills, in which several amendments were made. In the House on Saturday, Wahanui the great native chief was beard at the Bar of the House in reference to the Native Lands Settlement Bill now before the House. He said that the Bill was full of shark’s teeth from beginning to end and there was a sting in its tail. He hoped the House would carry just laws with regard to the land and that some of the clauses iii the Bill would not becarrisd as they appeared to have been formed without due consideration. He asked to be allowef to amend certain provisions. Wahanui also asked that the sals of spirituous liquors to the natives might be stopped and then withdrew, . Mr Pallance then moved the second reading of the Native Lands Settlement Bill, and paid a high tribute to the sentiments and opinions just before ex*

pressed by Wahanui. The Bill was only of a temporary character, and it was the intention of the Government next session to bring down a Bill of a more extensive kind. He expreasly disclaimed any intention on the part of the Government to use any force or coercion in dealing with native lands. He quite recognised it might be better If the machinery part of the Bill were left over till next session, and he would merely ask the House to read the Bill a second time so that it could be and certain clauses passed to prohibit private persons from dealing with the lands, and other questions that required to be dealt with attended to. He concluded by saying that the present peaceful attitude of the natives was brought about, to a large extent, by Mr Bryce, his predecessor in office, and although he did not always agree with Mr Bryce’s policy, still he would not refuse to give him every credit for his administration of native affairs.

Mr Wi Pere urged that the B : ’ 1 should be submitted to Wahanui before .. passed its second reading. He thought the Bill should only prevent the selling and leasing of land in the King Country. Mr Te Ao thought some of the provisions of the Bill should be amended ,and counselled that the Native Minister should meet Tawbaio and bis people face to face and consult them also.

Mr Hakuene after thanking the House for the courteous hearing they had given Wahanui, said he had no fault to find with the Bill and would make no alteration in it.

Mr Bryce said he thought, it was to be regretted that the Native Minister had not considered it necessary to make some agreement with the natives as to the land near the proposed railways. If such land was to be benefited by the construction of railways it certainly should bear a portion of the cost of construction.

Several other members having spoken, the Bill was put and carried. The New Zealand Loan Bill passed its second reading. Major Atkinson intimated that he would probably ask the House to consider the advisability of making some alteration in the schedule. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Property Tax Bill. The Bill, as members were aware, had to be renewed from year to year. This year it was proposed to reduce the tax by onehalf.

Major Atkinson, Mr Montgomery, Sir George Grey, Mr W. F. Buckland, Mr Rolleston, and others opposed the Bill on the ground that in the face of increased borrowing it was wrong to reduce taxation. Several members spoke in favor of the Bill and suggested amendments in Committee, and on a division the Bill passed its second reading by 41 to 21. The House then adjourned till Tuesday (to-day) at half-past 2 o’clock.