GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1375, 6 August 1885, Page 1

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.tn. on ’1 nesday. The Land Transfer Bill was further considered in Committee. In Committee on the Administration Amendment Bill, Sir F. Whitaker proposed a new clause providing that. tinproperty of a man dying intestate, leaving a wife but no children, shall at his death be allotted to his wife absolutely, and this was carried by 22 to 14. The Bill was then reported. The Wellington Coporation Leaseholds Bill, the Tiinaru Harbor Board Loan Bill, and the Presbyterian Church Presbytery Bdl were then read a second time. A debate on the motion that the School Committees Election Bill be committed was adjourned, and the Council adjourned at 5 p.tn. HOUSE OF’REPRESENTATIVE?. In the House on Monday night, the Hon, Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Native Lands Disposition Bill. He said the Bill Was brought down to prevent native lands falling into the hands of speculators, and also to provide for the sef lenient of thelmd. In the course of h's speech he said the lion, member For Wabutara (the Hon. Mr Bryce) had brought in a similar Bill in 1882. Dining the recess he had visited most of tlntuitive people in the North islam-1, and the present Bill jwas the embodiment of the opinions he then formed. He did not think it was perfect, but it could be amended in Committee and wou'd he found a very useful measure. In tinpast the natives had derived very little benefit from the sale of their lands, the proceeds haying gone into the uockets of middle men. He contended that the Bill violated no native rights, utd it offered the natives better terms by placing the laud in the open market fopublic competition. Tue Bill was inended to benefit the great mass of the public of the colony. Mr Ormond in a long speech severely criticised the Bill. He said if the natives took Mi Ba lance’s advice they would not sffl their lands, but would only base them, and be would like to ask members of the House if they would like to see 12,0.00,000 acres of land in the colony tied up under Maori landlordism. He contended that the Native Minister was doing everything in his power to stop the acquisition of the land along the North Island trunk line of railway, and his action in this respect would lead to grievous disappointment. He (Mr Ormond) thought the duty of the Government of the day was to carry out the liws -if the colony—not to advise others to intercept them. He thought the time had come when the millions of acres of land which were contributing nothing to the revenue should be made to contribute their share, and that the Natives must he shown they must, in common with Europeans, agree to the taxation of their land. He did not desire that ;the.question should be made a party one, but he hoped, if this Bill were negatived, the Government would direct their attention to devising some better system than the one proposed. The Hon. Mr Stout defended the measure. He contended that if the preemptive right were resumed it would lead to large borrowing. With reference to the taxation of Maori lands, he said the Maoris could not afford to pay the taxes, aid he considered it was a mere mockery to tell the House that such a system could be instituted. He thought the Bill was fair to the Maoris, and it was also fair to the Europeans, as it put the North and South Islands on the same footing. He hoped the House would pass the second reading of the Bill. . The Hon, Mr Bryce spoke strongly against the Bill. He considered the utterances of the Native Minister at certain Native meetings meant a good deal, ami he thought the colony would yet find they meant a good deal, as the promises made by that lion, gentleman could never be fulfilled. He could not see why Maori lauds should not be subject to the same law as European lundst He contended that it was clearly contemplated last year that the Government should acquire the land along the line of'the trunk railway for settlement. He thought the Bill would promo'e land-sharking to a degree that was little imagined.- He admitted that the Bill might be made workable in Committee, but be thought it would be much better to, construct a new Bill. He considered the present one should not pass its second reading.

The House went into Committee on the Auckland University College Reserves Bill, which passed with verbal ainet-.d-ments, was read a third time-and passed. The House rose at .12.30 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Christ’s College (Canterbury) Bill was read a third time and passed. A number of questions were replied to. Replying to Mr Levestam if the Minister of Marine is (1) aware that the Waimea river has .of.. late,-ye(irs.changed its course, and that, as a consequence thereof the Nelson harbor is silting up, and (2) will he cause some competent officer to examine into and report upon the above subject with a view of t,king the necessary steps to remedy the evil, the Hon. Mr Larnaclt said a report and survey would be made on the matter*

Replying to Mr Dargaville, the Hon. Mr Richardson said that several tenders had been received for the North Island Main Trunk Railway, and the deposits if all except the two lowest were returned. The lowest tender was not accepted, but correspondence was being carried on with dtese two tenderers, and a result would ■>• hably be arrived at in one or two days. . i i' ie debate on the Native Lands Disposition Bill was then resumed, ■ Messrs Pratt, Te Ao, Dargaville, Moss, Hobbs, Fyke, and Captain Russell opposed the Bill, no one up to the adjournment of the debate supporting it. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel then moved the following resolution :—“ That a Select Committee be appointed to c uisider the question of the construction of the and West Coast mid Nelson Railway, and to take recommendations regarding the <ame, with power to call for perso- s and o ipers ; three to he a quorum ; to repor: n ten days j the Committee to consisi of Major Atkinson, and Messrs Co«an, Fraser, Garrick, Hursthouse, Mucandrew, Menteath, Mitchelson, Steward, and the mover.” He then made a good speech in favor of the proposal, in the course of it remarking that he felt sure the Members for Egraont, Waitotara, and Geraldine would take no advantage of the misrepresentations made during the last few weeks, and said there was nothing underhand or improper in the negotiations that had taken place on the subject. Sir.Georgc Grey spoke against the proposed syndicate,.saying the colony should construct the work itself. If the colony gave the work to a foreign company, foreign workman would be imp >rt.-d to carry it out. Mr Sutter said he should do IPs utmns to oppose the measure. The Hon. Mr Richardson said the line would pay well, quoting statistics in proof of his assettiou. It would take toe colony 10 years to carry out the work, Mr D rgaville said he considered ilie proposed subsidy quite unnecessary. Mr Pyke wastu favor of tlie railway, but not in favor of the measure proposed io carry it out. Mr Uowuie Stewart site opposed the proposals. Messrs Smith and Holtrms snpp ■ri. c .,d die propos >I, and on the motion of Major Atkinson the debate' was adjour ed ai 12.55, and the Home rose.