HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3394, 7 November 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tlie House met at 2.30, hepoht.

Tbe report of the Primitive Methodist Tetnpornl Affairs Bill in select committee was brought up and reported upon. CLUTHA BRIDGE. Mr Thomson presented a numerouslysigned petition from the resideuts of Cluiha district relative to the reconstruction of the Ulutha bridge, destroyed some time buck by a heavy flood. ENFKAMCHISEHENT OF WOMEN. !"01. Trimble guve notice that lie would move that every woman of the age of 21 years, whoso same appeared on local ratepayers' roils, should be added to the district electoral roll. COURT AT EIVKJITOX. Replying to Mr Hirst, Mr Rolleston said Government would inquire into the expediency of providing for the District Court at Eiverton. LAND TAX. Mr Seddon asked what |is the cause of the delay in forcing the payment of the first moiety of the Land Tax. Mr Hall said the present Government was not responsible for tbe delay. The fact was that sufficient time was not allowed for the preliminary arrangements. A portion of the first instalment of the tax had been passed and the balance ,not paid. They were therefore in this position —they must either return what had been collected or else obtain fresh legislation on the subject. The Government proposed to adopt the latter course. KTTMABA BBSEBVE3. Mr Seddon asked whether Government wiil without delay cause to be gazetted tUo reserves appealed for and recommended as an endowment to the borough of Kumara under " The Municipal Corporatious Act, 1876." Mr Kolleston said 500 acres had been gazetted for the purposes named, and that no further reservations could be made under the Act. DEVELOPMENT OF COALFIELDS. Replying to Mr Murray, Mr Oliver said the construction of railways and the construction and improvement of seaports to encourage the development of the coalfieMs of the colouy, were subjects in which the Government took a very deep interest, and were desirous of giving every reasonable facility for the construction of these works.. TEBEMAKAU BRIDGE. Replying to Mr Seddon, Mr Oliver soid the sum to complete the new road and approaches to the Teremukau bridgß had not been provided for. The Government had received correspondence oa the subject, aud they replied they could not then comply with the request, und no further communication had been received on thn subject. LOCAL BELF-GOVEBNMBNT. Replying to Mr Shanks, Mr lJall said Government will be prepared to lake into consideration during the recess the necessity of providing some means by which provision can be made whereby in townships with a less number of householders than required by the municipal Act those townships piny, if they think fit, form themselves into governing bodies, electing say 5 members to be called a Town Board, to whom it shall bo compulsory for County Councils and Head Boards on, denmud to pay over all revenue collected within the boundaries of the said townships, and subsidies upon the same. OTTB JULIUS.

Replying to Mr George, Mr Hall said the Government did not intend to give efFectjto the recommendation of the AgentGeneral that his designation should be altered to Resident Minister, and that Mr Kennaway be styled Assistant AgentGeneral. EM. COUBT AT IXTTELTON. Replying to Mr Allwright.Mrßolleston said Government had UDder consideration a proposal to place a sum of money on the Estimates for the purpose of constructing a Police Station nndgK.M. Court at Lyttelton. MINISTER or MINES. Replying to Mr Eeid, Mr Hall said it was not the intention of the Government to appoint a Minister.of. Mines with an independent portfolio. NATIVE TBIBUKAL. Replying ly Mr Haraliu, My Bryce slid

(lie G'on'rmmMit had arrived fit no Kuril determination as to the establishment of n tribunal for '.he juu po-o mi'iitiotied in the report oi tiio JN'alivo Ali'airs CommiUce of 1878. THAT E. I! WOKGAN.

The adjourned debute was resumed on the question—That !he guoler of Wangunui gaol be summoned to bring K. B. Worgnn, now prisoner in that, gaol, in safe custody to the Native A (Fails Committee, on Wednesday, the I.2th day of November mat., at eleven of the clock in the forenoon, in order to his being examined as a witness, and to, from lime to time, as often as his attendance shall be found necessary by the said Committee, and that Mr Speaker do issue his warrant accordingly. The Premier said that the Government still maintained that it was necessary, before giving effect to this motion, that the Chairman of Committee should give them a satisfactory explanation why the motion is proposed.

Mr Moss demurred to tbis contention, and defended the course proposed to be taken by the Committee, and concluded by stating that it would be the duty of the Committee to come down to the House and resign their appointments if the position taken up by th« Government was insisted on.

Mr Speight said the Government having seen fit to take upon itself the responsibility it had done in the matter, it ought to have been prepared to make the question a Ministerial one. Mr Harulin, Chairman of Committees, detailed tbe action taken in Committee, and read a petition on which these proceedings were taken. He proceeded to lay that it would bo plain from what has been stated that the evidence of the incarcerated man, Worgan, was essential to the end of justice. 11 c had no personal feelings in the matter. If the House chose to take the responsibility of refusing to allow his evidence to be taken, he would say nothing under the circumstances.

Mr Moorhouse objected to the Committee being interfered with by either the House cr Government, but thought the Speaker's warrant would be useless in the circutnstauces. He hoped that some effect would be made, so that tbe writs of the Speaker would run with as much force and effect as that of the Chief Justice.

Mr Oi-mond argued that the whole matter was one which ought to hare been tried in the courts of law. So far as the enquiry had gone th9y*had ho evidence in support of the bona fides of the case. It was the petition of one Davies, who does not bear a good name. The Committee was not, in bis opinion, a fairly constituted committee. He could go into it and say what would be their Terdictin almost any case. What be wished to get done was to prevent the evidence being brought out against parties, who may afterwards be placed upon their trial in the courts of law, and second,' to limit their action in the first iasiaueo to an inquiry regarding the grounds upon which the petition is based. He moved as an amendment —"That the Speaker's warrant do not issue until tbe Committee had reported as to the bona fide grounds of the petition, and that the Committee be instructed to confine the inquiries so as to ascertain whether or not tbe petitioners are iv a position to prosecute the case in a court of law."

„ Mr DeLautour-'said that he would take upon himself the bona fides of this petition, and went on to argue that there were circumstances in which it might be justifiable to take cases of this nature out of the operation of the common law, and investigate them in Parliamentary Committee. In this particular case, it had been his duty to sift the evidence before it was taken up, and after considering the fact minutely, contended they were such as justified him in assuming its bona fides. He contended that the Speaker had" the power sought of issuing his warrant. If 'he does not, the House wonld very soon take steps to confer that power on Mr Speaker. Mr Acton Adams said that no witnesses should be summoned to give evidence on his own petition at the expense of the colony, unless two-thirds of tbe Committee concurred in the praposa!. Mr Hall said that he now thought tbe reasons given by the Chairman of the Committee for summoning this witness had been sufficient. '1 he debate had assumed a new phase, doubts having been thrown upon the bona fides of the petition. It would be necessary for tfae Committee to inquire into that point, and if they reported in favor of Us bona fides, "then he thought the Speaker's warrant should issue. He bad no bias in the matter, never having heard anything about the merits of the case until yesterday. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.