HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2996, 21 September 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

GOLDFIELDS COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT. ', The House met at 2.30 to-day. . report from the Goldfields' Committee was read recommending certain amendments in the Mines Act. '

CENSUS BBTUBNS. \ The census returns were laid on the table. : THE NAVAL TBAINING SCHOOL. Mr Tole asked the Government to make farther provisions for the classification, discipline, and general management f of the Naval Training School at ICohimarama, near Auckland. In reply, the: Col. Treasurer said that the whole subject was under consideration. THE; TAPANT7I BAILWAY CONTBACT. ' Mr Richardson asked the Minister for Public Works to lay before the House the specifications and general condition's of the contract for tenderers for the construction of the Tapanui railway, the date of the first advertisement for tenders sent in, the date of acceptance of the tender sent in by Messrs Proudfoot and Mackay, the authority of Parliament on which the Government have incurred the present liability, and whether any arrangement is made by which the present contractors have any preference for the contract for, the proposed extension of the line. ' The Minister for "Public Works said that everything in the matter had been done openly and above-board. All the information as to.dates' of tenders, Ac, asked for was laid on the table. At present no liability of any kind had been incurred, the liabilities were, entirely prospectire. The authority for the dontract was a resolution of the House last night, and he hoped it would also be secured by a bill passed shortly. No arrangement of any sort had been made with the contractors in respect to any extension.

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE KING NATIVEB.

Mr Sutton asked the Native Minister what papers he referred to on Tuesday when he said of the meeting at Hikurangi —(1) That certain proposals were made to the King party which were virtually, accepted and were in print and on the I table of the House. (2) When the Government will give the House such information as will enable members to understand what is the result of the several meetings with the king natives, and also what amount of money had been paid, and liabilities undertaken, in respect to such meetings. The Hon. J. Sheehan said that the papers referred to had been been printed and published before the Session in the newspapers. They had been accidently omitted from among the papers laid on the table. In reply to the second part of the question he said that the Government did not wish to supply anything more than the report of what passed at the public meeting, and hoped they would not be pressed for further information. The expenses paid and incurred would be sup* p ed as correctly as possible.

NEW BILLS. The District Railways Act 1877 Amendment Bill, Bank Holiday's Act 1873 Amendment Bill, and the Married Women's Property Protection Bill were read a first time. POLICE I?AY. The question of the rates of pay of the police force was remitted to a Select Committee, to report in 14 days. THE ADMINISTHATIOK BILL. The amendments introduced into the Administration Bill by the Legislative Council were agreed to, excepting clause 35. THE ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was further considered in committee. In clause 142 an amendment was made by which the numbers placed on the ballot papers can be sealed over as not to be open to inspection except by breaking a seal. After the whole of the main clauses had been passed through committee the Attorney-General stated that he would propose a clause to allow Maoris to vote both as ratepayers and as freeholders, Before any claim as a ratepayer can be made all rates must have been paid by the voter.

Mr Sutton pointed out that this was a different proposal to that contained in tha Statement on Native Affairs. He proposed that a Maori should decide to vote either under freehold or under a ratepaying franchise. The Hon. the Native Minister stated tbat no doubt at present the native representation was not more than half of what it should be upon a basis of population, of property, or of contribution* to revenue, upon all of, which, their claims were equally great. The special representation was only fair because the Maoris were debarred from voting under the house hold, leasehold, or residential qualifications. The Maoris had displayed a greater amount of interest in public affairs than the Europeans. He hoped the present dual representation would soon cease. The House should try to convince the Maoris that it was prepared to give a full measure of justice.—lnterrupted by 5.30.