EVENING SIDTTING.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3011, 9 October 1878, Page 2

EVENING SIDTTING.

, , . ' .. This day. , i i .DISQUALIFICATION BILL NO. 2. When the House resumed At half-past ten, on the Disqualification Bill No. 2, • clause six was retained on a division by 87-to-19: ■ ■ Clause eight was amended so as to disqualify Natives for accepting Government contracts. Mr Stevens moved the second reading of new clauses exempting persona to whom contracts d'evolvo b/ law, or per* sons receiving, publio money by law fer lands'sind property required for, public works. ' •'. "v r: i V' s '' Agreed to. The bill Was reported and ordered to.be recommitted.ou Thursday. vr ._ ,^ >:.-,; -BILLS BBAD A SECOND TIMB.' -' The following bills were read a second time and ordered' to be committed on Thursday:—Dangerous Goods Amend* ment, Public Revenues (consolidation measure), Literary Institutions and Public Thames Harbor I card Act Amendment. ~ The Brands Kegistration Bill was read :a second time, and its committal ordered ifor Monday; the Impounding Bill the isame. j . NATIVJI LAW SUITS BILL.. X" « A long discussion ensued on the second reading' of the Native Law' Suits Bill, moved by MrStottt* which proposes to constitute a court with final jurisdiction to ndjudicate on disputed native* land on the East Coast. -, f ! 4Mr t>rmond stronglyldenoiaced the b^ll, .which, he said,, ought to.be desig-. nated-"' ta'biU to confisoato the'firopeHy of certain Europeans and give it to friends of the Government " ' He "denied^ that Europeans would shrink from inquiry, and asserted they are willing to'accept;a commission, ,with final J powers,"- proceedidg' according, to the pfinc/ples of real justice and good conscience, or a court presided over by a judge selected by judges them- 1 selves, and proceeding on the same principles. He .considered that the Govern-, meht would naturally, be; biased, on these land questions, and therefore the proposal to empower them to seletet a-presiding judge was monstrous and iniquitous. ' The property in dispute would amount to two" millions, which any nominee of the Government would hare a right absolutely to dispose of at discretion. The people in his district who would be affected by the proposed legislation would consent to the appointment of some person unacquainted with and uninterested-in Maori land questions, who would be assisted by some person who understood these matters.

Mr Russell advocated the same course, and argued that there should be no appeal from the' Court. He twitted the Attorney General on having as a Minister to. decide upon the appointment of a Judge to preside .over a Cou-t to try these cases, when the , Attorney-General would himself', hold many briefs in the. cases heard before the Court. ' > Mr Macfarlano was disappointed -with the bill, as it did not provide for a trial of these cases, before a Judge and Jury. He condemned so much absolute power being given to one man. ' . Mr Whitaker traced previous efforts to bring these disputes to a satisfactory conclusion, and said the real point at issue between the parties was whether these < cases should be tried'according to strict, rules of law, or real justice and good canscience without legal forms. The Native Minister said the Natives I

would never consent to decide these case* by equity and good conscience, when Europeans tenaciously took advantage of all the forms of law to defeat legal processes. He emphatically denied any bias actuating Ministers. He only desired to bring these vexed questions to a satisfactory conclusion. He had relinquished his professional engagements in connection with the Easb Coast lend cases when he took offiea. He would be willing to refer the appointment'of a judge to' the Queen, but if this bill were rejected, the natives would fall back on the ordinary tribunals. The Ho ~,. Mr Stout denied any political bias in these cases. The/Government proposed to obtain the services of some eminent legal authority outside the colony to hear these cases, such as Mr Higginbottom.

The Bill was read a second time, and its committal fixed for Thursday. The House adjourned at' five minutes past one. ,-»■»-.- t .