Evening Sitting.

Thames Star, Issue 3417, 4 December 1879, Page 2

Evening Sitting.

The House resumed at 7.30. kctssell's claims.

Mr Shrimski naked a question in con* nection with a paragraph which appeared in the evening papers to the effect that a block of land in Auckland, thrown open for sale, had been claimed at the last moment by Mr Thos. liusseil. Mr Kolleston replied he knew nothing whatever al-out the matter. A TABT OF THE COMPACT. The debate on the question that the House to-morrow resolve itself in a committee of the whole to consider a respectful address to be presented to His Excellency the Governor praying that he will cause the sum of £200,000 to be placed upon the Estimates as a grant to the Provincial District of Auckland for the formation of roads and bridges, on being put the motion was lost on the voices. , A BI3IXL.UI ATTEMPT FOB OTAOO. The motion made to the eltect that the House go into committee of tho whole*

House to consider an address to be presented to his Exoelleney the Governor praying that he will cause tlie sum of £500,000 to bo placed upon the Estimates ns a grant for the Provincial District of Otago for roads and bridges. MrEolleston advised that the motion shouM be withdrawn. Tho motion was put and lost on tie voices. THE BIGHTS OF MAHRIKI) VVOMEM. Mr Finn moved tho 2nd'reading of tho Married Women's Property Bill. He explained that the bill was designed to protect the property of the poorer classes, the rich generally protected themselves by means of marriage settlements, and this was a measure to secure similar immunities to tho poor classes. Mr Hail said the subject was one of great importance, but it was impossible at this late period of the session it could pass. Tho Bill was read a second timt on the understanding that it wonld not be pressed through this session. Mr Acton Adams withdrew tho Licensing Act Amendment Bill, The amendments made by the Legislative Council on the Fine Arts Copyright Act Amendment Bill were agreed to. TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION. Sir G. Grey moved the second reading of the New Zealand Constitution Act Amendment Bill. The Bill consisted of six clauses, and after stating the abuses which the colony was subjected to at the hands of the Gorernmcnt and its Mends by the acquisition of large estates in Canterbury and elsewhere, he (Sir George) went on to say tht* its objects were to remedy these evils, and prevent a recur* | rence. He frit that in this House there was no fair representation of the people, and it pained him to think lhat the Government had done its best to burke his endeavor to carry a measure having a fairer and better basis for representation. He invited the House to join with him in insisting that the Bill now before the House be carried into law this session/

Mr Hall regretted that the (notion had not been made in a spirit worthy of the moTer, the House, and the occasion. They had simply a repetition of those well known tirades against everyone who happened to be in Opposition to himself. He had deplored the inequalities of representation in New Zealand, and the fact was if one man was more responsible than another for the state of things, it was he (Sir George Grey). Had ho .stood, aside when his. Government was defeated last session, a measure for the re-adjustment would haTe been sure to pass, and in that re-adjustment, a dissolution and a reelection would of necessity have taken place. He (Grey), however, preferred his chance of remaining in office to that opportunity for removing inequalities he now professed to deplore. He claimed fcr his Government the credit of having rescued the colony from the gravest possible financial embarrassments, embarrassments created by the late Government, and that was a far more important work, he was sure than the absence of which Sir George Grey so loudly professed to deplore. The present was a most inopportune period of the session to grapple with the measure now put forward. He concluded by moving that the Bill be read a second time that day 6 monthsi Mr fc'hrimski quoted statistics of the various electorates, and argued that the representation was inosfc unfair, and for that reason he would support the Bill. Mr Speight complained that instead of dealing with the motion, Mr Hall had treated the move/ with sneer* and contempt. The Government, as constituted, took credit to itself for having passed the great Liberal measures of the day. The fact was, they had branded their measures with the name of Liberal, but in reality th«*y were not, in any sense of the word; Liberal; and even then, such as they had got had been wrung out of them, because they knew they couli not hold those benches uuless they afforded some sort of evidence of liberality. Mr Turnbull hoped he would near nothing more about this Government earing the country from financial ruin. If members would look through the Fiuaucial Statement, it would be seen that" New Zealand never had been threatened with any such ruin. He would support the Bill. If they remained in session to Christmas, it would be better than to defeat a measure of such importance, and that should be sufficient for enabling it to be brought into law. ' Mr George said the Government promised at the beginning of the session to bring in the Bill for the readjustment of the representation. That was a distinct promise, and now they were told it was not to be done this session. Mr Sheehan said that nothing could be more distinct than the promise made that J the readjustment bill would be brought down, but he knew that it would not. Then again, the House wished a distinct resolution that it was to be brought forward, and yet after two months delay they were now toll that these promises and resolutions were to be disregarded. If the Government was honest in its intentions regarding other measures, he desired to see these honestly carried out, and they wore bound to bring in a measura of this kind. This ought not to be made a party question. They were simply asked tj go back to the old constitution. Although they were all anxious to get awaj he felt sure no ope would grudge a few days to get a m'easurc of this kind passed, and if Government would be honest in connection with its professions and take the lead in a matter like this, he was sure that the fact would be shewn. He would vote for the second reading. Mr Stewart reiterated that the Premier had given a direct promise to the effect that he would bring down the readjustment measure. He could not bo ignorant of the fact thai; they had done so arid in the position the premier now took up he was acting most unfairly with the House and the country. • Mr 'Macandrew scouted the idea that for the sake of shearing n few hundred sheep, or reaping a few tons of grain they should hurry away and leave a measure like this—a measure to which they were all committed. It need not delay the House more than a week, and ho for one was prepared to devote that time to a matter of so great importance. Mr J. T. Fisher supported the Bill. Mr McLean appealed to member! to come to a vole at once. No good end was served by churning it further. Mr .Reeves blamed the Government lor not having brou«ht down a measure of this sort at an early period of the session. He would support the Bill. . ■ Major Atkinson said the Bill did not aim at a redistribuiion; it simply provided for the election of a common commisiioii to divide the colony into electoral districts based on the principle of population. If necessary all could be done without the exfenss nod watte, of lime involvtd in'

this measure. Tts effect would not be to advance the redistribution of seats. Government was as anxious as it could possibly be to get a redistribution bill passed, but had not the time. No one wanted another general election between this and next May, when the House-will be again called together. A bill of this kind would, under ordinary circumstances, take a month or six wvelcs to pass. No one would sit that, time, so that it was absurd to briug it down ol this stage of the session. No Government would allow a matter of this importance to be taken out of its hands. Mr Hislop supported the bill. Mr Gisborne thought thai if the Government had not had time to bring in, a Readjustment Bill they ought at least, to have made provision for increasing the representation in districts at present notoriously under represented. Mr Pyke supported the. principle laid down in the bill although lie admitted it was too late in the session to expect that it .would pass this session. Under these circumstances he would move that the debate be now adjourned. The motion was ruled out of order ill respect that Mr Fyke had spoken to the original motion. Mr Murray moved the adjournment and Captain Culbeck seconded. Mr Hutchison disagreed with the details, although he fully agreed with the principle, and he would vote for the second reading. '' •' '.'' Mr Stevens would vote for the adjournment, in full confidence that the Government would next session brinf, forward a measure dealing with the whole question, Mr Hall, speaking to tho motion for adjournment, said no member of the | House was more anxious to see a redislrii bution than he was ; but it would be quite | impossible to pass such a measure this session. Next- session a. carefully considi rod measure on the subject would be brought down.

Sir George Grey said that having received a promise that a Redistribution Bill was to be brought down, he was led to keep quiet on the subject, and it war not until he found that he was being deceived that he brought down this measure. He did not believe in the promise that the matter would be provided for next session. The question .ought to have been fairly met, and not burked by a motion for an adjournment. The country should know how the votes went in this matter. The Premier was solemnly pledged to get the Bill passed, and he was bound by that pledge. It was his firm conviction that he would never pass such a measure '-rand never intended doing ao. The Premier had got. up that night in his place in the House and slated absolute untruths. - Mr Hall called upon the statement " untruth "to be withdrawn. Sir George Grey said that he did.not use the word in the sense of wilful un« . truth. ' • ; " After a Rood deal of discussion on the point the .debate proceeded. . ' Sir Geo. Grey went on to say* that they had been absolutely deluded, there'was still plenty of time to pass a bill. If the promise of the Premier about bringing. down this- bill was not carried out, he would still do his best to prevent further supplies being granted, and hoped mem* beys would stand by him in that determination. | The House divided on, the motion ! for adjournment—ayes 43, noes 29. j The division- list is' as follows tf--Ayes : Adams, Atkinson, Bain, Beetham, Bowen, Bryce, Colbeck, Dick, Fulton, Gibbs, Hall, Hirst, Hurst, Hursthouse, Kelly, Kenuy, Levin, Masters, Me* Caughan, McLean, Moorhouse, Murray (teller), Oliver, Ormond, Pitt, Pjke (teller), Richardson, Biehmond, Holiest on, Russell, Saunders, Seymour, Shliks, Sbephard, Stevens, Studholtne/ Snlton, Swansdn, Trimble, Wakefield, Whitaker, Woods, Wright. Noes :—Andrews, Bel. lance, Barron, Brown, DeLautour, Fisher J. B, Fisher J. T., George, OJsAwroe, Grey, Hutchinson, Ireland^Lmilon, Macandrew, Montgomery, Moss, Reerat* Reid, Sheehan, Shrimski, Sptt«kV Stewart, Tainui, Tawhai, Te Wheeiw, Tple, Turnbull, and Wallis. After a good deal of discussion on the point, the debate'was proceeded with. Sir, George Grey went on to say that they had been absolutely deluded. \ Mr George moved as a- farther amendment that the debate be adjourned till 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The debate continued until the House counted out. *