GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1777, 16 August 1888, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Tuesday, The Select CommUtet appointed to report on the disqualification of certain members of the Council brought up their report, but made no recommendation. — Qn tbe motion.of Dr Pollen the report, with the papers, «ae ordered to be printed, and discustid on Thursday. Sevaral Bills were read a first time. The following Bills were passed :-*• Proclamation Validation Bill, Sheep Act Amendment Bill, Tobacco Amendment Bill, Customs Duties Consolidation Act, 1882, Amendment Bill. ; The District! Cout Acrt Amendment Sill was committed, and reported with amendments. On the following Bills progress was reported with leave to sit again :—The Rating Act Amendment Bill, Slaughterhouses Act Amendment Bill, and Poet Office Foreign Parcels Bill. Mr Stevens moved that the amendment made by tbe Honse of Representatives'in the River Boards Aot Amendment 81l be agreed to.—The debate W s adjourned. \

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On Monday, The Premier explained that the effect of olhure* 2,3, and 4 of the Bill was.to enable dealings to be carried on in respect of land held under a certificate of title and memorial of ownership, which, although good holding titles, would not permit of Crown grants being issued.—Clause 2, providing for the registration of Native land not held by Crcwn grant,. was amended, on the motion of Mr Hutchiaoo, to apply oniy to future transactions, and agreed to, after a long diecussioj.—C.ause 4, title to ba brought under the Lind Transfer Act. Mr Carroll mored that Assessors should as>ist the Chief Judge in ascertaining the I bona fides of transitions, aDd this was agreed to.—Mr Taiwhanga said he had to thank those members who had assisted him in opposing the Native B Us, and he expressed surprise that the Native members should turn round on their own people in this manner. He, however, could not remaio in the House while a Bi 1 was passing which would do so much haim to the Natives, and tio th9o waked out of the House.—Clause 3 was then agreed to. —Mr Taipua moved chat Claus« 7 be struck out. The Premier, in reply to a question, slid from £90,000 to £IOO,OOO was due to the Goveroment from advances. It was chiefly advanced since the initiation of the public work* policy. Finallv the Premier moved tbt the clause be amended to provide th*t not mjre th*n half the money be payable on account of those claims. The cliuae was passed is amended, and the remainder of the Bill passed without discussion. On the motion of Mr tiallance clause 14 was ameuded to prevent any ibdividufti or company acquiring more than 5000 acres of Native laud, on a diiieon by 31 to 16. Mr Taipua wished to compel the Natives to reserve at least 200 acres each for their own use, but this amendment was lost by 28 to 10. Clause 18, on tbe motion of Mr Hutchison, was amended so as to legalise past transactions under section 25 of the Native Land Administration Act, the votes being 24 to 21. The Piemier upon this moved to report progress, as Government objected to the amendment. Thus w is agreed to. The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act Amendment Biil was pasted through Committee, c'auw 8 being struck out, ani tbe Bill was reported with amendments. The Vlaori Real Estae Management Bill passed throogh Committee. The tw>> measures were then read a third time and passed. The House rose at 2.35 a.m. On Tuesday, Mr Larnach referred to an article that recently appeared in the New Z-aland Her It, in which was contained a Lcurrilous and libellous attack on him. He htd recently been compe'lel to go to his home in the south on tcconnt of illness in his family. The artie'e in question had referred to his absence, and said that it was only an excuse to be »way from Wellington attending to his own affvirs. Mr Laroach remarked that during the twelve years he had been in the House he had nevfr drawn his honorarium when lie was away from the country. He therefore moved that a breach of privilego of the Hours hod been committed. —This was carried after a lengthy dinoussion, the Premier suggesting that Mr Laroach could bring an action agauiHt the paper.—Mr Larnach then moved that the proprietor and publishers of the New ZtttUnd Her-M Messrs 'Hbrtan and Wilson (2), b"? ca'led • to the bw of the Hoist od Tuesday n'X'. The Premier, Sir John Hall, and otht-rs urged the withdrawal of the motion, and Mr Larnch withdrew i'.—Mr Sed'on moved that the House express its sympathy with the member for PeoinxeJa, and itgret that such unwarranted, untruthful, and libellous aisertions respec.ing him. which rtilect ou every member <>f tie House, should huve bsen made by t'ie newspaper in question.—The inoli »n wan agreed to on tbe voices and the matter dropped. Replying to questions it w»s stated that Government hoped to be hble to make some proposals for the amelioration of Crown tenants thin sfssioi ; that there was no trnth in the report that the General Manager of Railways h d tendered his resignation. The Native L >nd Court Bill was further considered io Committee.—The opjntion of clause 22, was restricted to the Bay of Penty district.—Clause 3«, relating to certain s; ecified decisions of the Land Court c u«ed a Jodjj debate, sereral members objecting to the pocsibi ity of injustice bei g infix ed by oj.en. ing up these cases again.—An amendment by Major Steward, providiog that any rehearing under the clause shou'd be without prejudice to any bona fide dealir ga with land before August 14'n, was oani d without a division. The remainder of the Bill paSKed. -The Premier moved the recommittal of the Bill, for the purpose of reinstating clause 18, which had ben amended on Mr Hutchison's motion on the previous day. In answer to Mr Hutchison he said that Government intendeJ to appoint a Commifsioner to deal during the recess with all pasttransHctioi s which did not come within the scope of the; Bill as it stood. In answer to Dr Newman,he said it would include such cases.as. those of the Mokau Coal Company and Mr Atfhur Owen, whose petitions] had been before tha House. On this 1

undemanding tbe alteration was made.— The Bill pissed its final stages and the House rose.