HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3318, 11 August 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Afternoon Sitting.

Wellington, Saturday night. MAOBI PBISONBBB TBUt BILL, 1879, AND THB PBACB PBESEIIVATIotf ACT- , On the motion for the second reading of those Bills, Mr Rolleston said that the Government took the sole responsibility 6f this Bill. They had, so speaking, closed' the monthof the House on the subject,;in the action taken re the, dissolution., They bad for' some time past been establishing a system of personal Government, instead of that constitutional la* in native affairs; , They were not nqw in a, position to discuis the question, and, in fact,, nothing w*s left but to swallow the measure, whether they liked it or not. I

Sir W. Fox cuacurred in these state* mentg. ,

Mr Saunders said ho believed they would all concur in the opinion that the men now in custody should be tried with every possible indulgence the circumstances of their case would admit of. Mr Tainui said it was the feeling of Natives outside that the trial should be brought on as soon as possible, in order that they might see whether the Natives were in the wrong or not. He was glad Government had taken measures to pre« serve peace. . .Mr J. S. Muofarlane that the position of Native matters was the result of a bfeachef- fiutk, ; oft- thmia/ft of both this aud previous Government!. Mf Bfr*nton ehMried the Opposition with haviug been instrumental in forcing these bills upoa the House, fad the effect would be that the prophecj of JTe Whiti would* be fulfilled; the Natif.s would eventually be released, and the eouequence wbuldifoifha^TetWJdti'sinflaenoe *??M* ot the disaffected Natives. the Opposition were responsible for then like this to put in the handsorthe Government .the power sought by taese rj»iils.v^,^6ra|fl fS l^^p ! Ai.houldßot be put upon their trial at a time like this ; but, on the other hand, ~li»~erotested against the powers proposed to be pfaed in the! iuuids oft w£ Government as provided for by the Peace Preservation Ast. . CfMr< Bartwncritjeiißdj Am fondue* of 'tile Chief Justice'in tbVMaVement he made on .this,,, subject to the Grand JusjJ at a recent initirig* of the Court, and stated that tnach of the. trouble created ' was attributable to that proceeding. He measures, andUjntimatod that hit feelings on the Jsubject"wereHbo strong that he would wash his hands of the matter altogether ""anil decline voting on the Stewart of the Bills was practically a suspension of the i^ftw^rS: res ••sste ev,^?rih»fe,min44he o action of the Maoris amounted fd simpielrespass W -M^the,.c^wMto be a personal right, and he therefore felt called upon^^irtj^ioftsfflßi, to the best of his ability. ;o»Majot Atkinson Bs id all the objections taken to the Bills had been merely 'theoretical, the cry that the S/roeeeding was not constitutional ought to be refuted! The question to be considered was, was ;th»?/measure- njcsgsary*, jSimy settlert required .protection from the Nslivts.and the;JTaWes; Wtt ? f gJher hanfrequired 'proUotibn fromUh^r own^nfatuation, and he for one-was prepared to aeeept the rtwjtt.a.™. He the' present state 6t Native Affairs exceptional idtffMtfon was necessary for preserving fiio peace^oFffitfiiWSict. It was true'that (he powers tir^bWd to be given to Government were"«iftl but on the ti Oj ther ;, hand their , risibilities beqame great in .proporioaf,'„,leferring to the; state of therhattvMMijnlho ••» he quite., believed Te WWtv.Jpiagined himself to.be possessed,-.ff tPis^ power. Then there were twq.elas^jqjjfEuropeans, one who inclined to Believe the natives ,right, and v> ,'the oth«. „«ho,.- wanted ;tp \make.; use:.,of;ytbW^W order ;to' secure their lands; ' >">°Tt» natives when broucbt up said they" *t»got the land from Te; Whiti, and that the Euro. pean settlers had "got 1 it from the Governor. consequently the dispute was between the Governor and Te Whiti7 "Tfiaf shewed that • the origin, of the dispute jtss not occasioned by the unfulnUed^romisei made by previous Governmentsrbut was the feeling of,, a natural right on their part. The'difficulty had been occasioned by interested parties who deserved to get |lands. i It, appeared tohisithe.bills would pive sufficient out hot two much power to cope with the difficulty. Captain KuMell*aui the natives now in rebellion on the West Coast were in no sense of the. word Bfitish subjects. He admitted the importance of the measures, and professed willingness to aeeept his full share in the retpoflsibau^ of their passing. The circumstances were such as to justify men in putting aside technieeiitiw,, aid -to proceed on the principle that the public protection was the supreme law. Mr Tomoana said i^w^Wbf sufficient to go into this matter when the new Parliament met. He looked upon the Bill as.. v a;i rao^t r naiair one. The natives had been already imprisoned, and what need was there for a special measure. The course qwasjtfc let the natives be tried in the usual way, and not bother with any bill. He was greatly grieved •bous;.*l)f T ßa*. JBhe-aeople in prison belong to huraceTand if they were found wrong, they were prepared to their lands to-morrow they would eomnut no violence. Te Whiti was willing to place here. In reply, titt Na£jre Mjnjatt^said that the object of the bills'was not only to deal with Maori prisoners, but likewise to enable Government to stamp out any disturbance that might arise. A message was now read'! fjgoni the TJpper"' Hbtise ■ : ihiima-tMg'^nat the Appropriation Act had passeaT The House then adjourned. On resuming, the Speaker announced I message from the IJpter Houie that the Maori Prisoners Trial Bill had passed On resuming at"7.30 the House without any .. business being transacted adjourned till poon'Oh Monday, when the prorogation will take, place.