PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3970, 19 September 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Pee Pbess Association.)

Wellington, Saturday. The House re-assembled at 3 o'clock to-day.

The report of the Petitions Committee upon the claim of J. H. Shaw for com* pensation for loss of office was brought up.—Mr Stewart supported the claim for compensation, contending that the petitioner bad been removed from office as a member of the Statues Revision Committee by means of a subterfuge.—Hon. J. Hall repudiated the charge, and stated that ho would be glad if the matter was brought on at such a time aa would enable the whole matter to be exhaustively discussed. —Mr Ballance related the circumstances uuder which Mr Shaw bad been appointed, and concluded by giving bis opinion that bo had a grievance, and that the report of the Committee had not done him substantial justice.—Hon. J. Dick explained that Mr Shaw had been in the first instance appointed as a commissioner, and subsequently he was made assistant law officer, and held that office until he refused to advise a select committee of the House, when he resigned. It was after he resigned the law officership that he fell back on the plea of injustice done him in connection with the previous appointment. —The report was ordered to lie on the table.

In reply to Mr Jones, Hon. W. Eol« leston said it was the intention of the Government to bring section 76 of the Waste Lands Act, 1876, providing for the sale of pastoral lands in Canterbury, into operation.—ln reply to Mr Lundon, Hon. J. Hall said that while Government was anxious to have both races fully represented in the Legislature, they did not feel called on to say who they would propose the Governor should call to the Upper House belonging either to the Maori or European races.

On the motion by Mr Shrimski for leave to introduce the Pensions Bill, a debate ensued as to the subsequent modna of passing if, through its stages.—Sir George Grey expressed the opinion that, it should be tacked to the Appropriation Bill. The motion for its introduction was withdrawn.

THE BEPRESENTATION BILL. Amendments by the administrator of the Government on the Representation Bill were brought up for consideration.— Mr Sheehan said he fully admitted the right of the Legislative Council to interfere in this matter, but he positively denied the right of the Governor to make the amendments submitted, or, indeed, to interfere in the matter al all. He charged the Government with the grossest possible breach of faith in the amendments proposed. There were in all 20 alterations in the schedule, and he would oppose and divide on every one of them. The men who fought against the bill on the floor of the House in a constitutional manner had I been sacrificed, whereas those who supported the bill, subject to certain mental reservations, had b*n rewarded by getting all they wanted in the amendments now sent down by the Governor. Ministers who, time after time, dccliued to make any alterations, kept their alteration^ back to the ?er? Jaj»t uioifltmt, and

then brought them down. Ministers had | deliberately falsified the bill, and sold a , large portion of the House. What the Auckland members had failed to do, was | to guard the Auckland electorates in a constitutional manner. One individual gentleman, who desired to make things smooth for himself, had effected a compact behind their backs. But for a secret compact made outside the House by Ministers, in violation of their utterances inside the House, these alterations would not have been made. He moved an amendment on the motion for adoption, "That this House respectfully regrets it cannot agree with His Excellency's message, for the reasons following—(1) That the Bill is one exclusively affecting the powers and functions of this House. (2) That the Bill has passed this House after a long and conscientious discussion, without i amendment, and has also passed the Legislative Council and been returned to this House by the Council without | amendment. (3) That this House passed the same Bill upon the. full faith and assurance that the Bill would not be altered, but would become law substantially as it passed this House. (4) That all measures dealing with the members' rights or privileges of this House should originate in the douse, aud Ministers, by the adoption of this course, have betrayed their trust, and have made it plain that in their opinion this estate of the realm is the Lower House in more senses than one."—Mr Stewart contended that the Governor had taken his departure from the colony in the sense of a final departure, and not having appointed a deputy, and as such, he had no status as Governor, even although he returned, and that the Chief Justice retained office until the pleasure of Her Majesty was signified to the contrary.—After speeches from Mr Beeves and Mr Gibbs, the motion for the adoption of the Governors amendments was agreed to on the voices. In Committee, the following bills were considered: Supreme Court Procedure, Employment of Females and others, and Special Powers and Contract Bills. With respect to the latter, Eolleston said that he meant to omit the clause in the schedule referring to Onehunga.—O'Rorke complained bitterly that this clause was proposed in deference to the wishes of one or two individuals, and that the opposition was most unfair and unreasonable so far as his constituency was concerned. On a division the clause was retained—pyes, 30; noes, 12.—0n the question that the clause pass, Mr Swanson moved that the Chairman leave the chair—ayes, 19; noes 29.— A motion for reporting progress was then agreed to.—The Supreme Court Procedure and Employment of Females Bill were reported, read a third time, and passed.— The House rose at 12 o'clock till Monday at 11 a.m.