HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4566, 23 August 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30,

Leave .of absence for a fortnight was granted to Mr Tole on urgent private affairs.

Replying to questions Ministers said Government would give effect to the recommendation of the Waste Lands Committee in the case of 1). S. Allen.—Government was not aware that any of the purchase money on the Te Aroha block was siill unpaid.—They could not carry through the Impounding Bill this session or introduce an Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill.' ■ .

The Eiver Boards Bill was introduced and read a first time, Mr Dick saying it was, not intended to be proceeded with this session, but would be circulated during the recess.

Mr Pyke moved that the House concur in the report of the Otago Dummyism Committee, and in doing so reviewed the evidence at some length.—Mr J. McKenzie seconded, and Mr Macandrew supported the motion, but doubted whether a Boyal Commission was necessary ; power might be given to the Waste Lands Board.—Mr J. C. Brown thought a commission necessary.— Mr Fish thought those who had made false declarations should be prosecuted for perjury.—Mr DeLautour greatly praised Mr Pyke's conduct as chairman of the committee.—Mr Shrimski urged that those who were concerned in the breaches of the law, especially those of high social position, should be prosecuted.—The motion was agreed to.

The Affirmations and Declarations Bill was read a third time on a division of 49 to 10.

The Native Committees Bill (Bryce) Electric Telegraph Act Amendment Bill (Dick), Auckland Hospital fteserves Bill (Dick), and the Volunteer Act Amendment Bill (Atkinson), were each read a second time without debate.

Mr Eolleston moved the second reading of the Kawhia Township Sale Bill. It was necessary to enable Government to sell the land it had bought there.—Sir Geo. Grey urged upon Government to insert a clause to have an enquiry made into the {matter re the Char 1 ton family, which had been dispossessed of the land in question.—Mr Bryce said MrCharlton did not make any complaint or claim. Government bad bought at auction.—Sir Geo. Grey said Mr Charlton had sent him a petition on the subject to present, but he had not felt justified in doing so, as it contained statements affecting third parties.—The bill was read a second time. ' The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill (Bryce) was read a second time.

Mr Bryce moved the second reading of the West Coast Peace Preservation Act Continuance Bill. He said that efforts were still occasionally made to hold meet* ings, which he thought inadvisable, at Parihat a, and therefore the bill was necessary*--Mr Hutchison oppoted the bill as unjust and quite uncalled for. Mr Montgomery considered that he had all along done his best to preserve peace, and this bill was not required.—Messrs Fergus and Fish supported the bill—Mr Moss protested against the bill as calculated to cause rather, than avert trouble.—Messrs TurnbullvTe Wheoro, and Daniels also opposed the bill, and very itrongly condemned Mr Bryce's conduct in regard to Te Kooti.—Mr Stevens thought this special legislation was now quite unnecessary.— Mr Hurst supported the bill.—Mr Macandrew thought the Act one of the greatest blots on our statute book, and a shame to the colony.—Mr Watt and Col. Trimble supported the bill, and Mr Hursthouse would vote for it, although he regretted Mr Bryce thought it necessary.—Mr Bryce, in reply, spoke strongly of" the necessity of preventing the resumption of the Parihaka meetings.—The second reading was carried on a division of 30 to 12.

Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Counties Act Amendment Bill. This was agreed to, and the House went into Committee on the Land Act Amend* mentßill.

Lateb. —This day,

The Counties Act Amendment Bill was read a second time, on the motion of Major Atkinson, without debate. —The House then went into Committee again on the Land Acts Amendment Bill. A long discussion took place on clause 36, which proposed to repeal the clause giving deferred payment holders the right of purchase at the expiration of six years. A general debate on the land system and the nationalisation of land took place on a motion to report progress, and in the course of it Sir G. Grey reiterated his charges against the Government of administering the land laws and those relating to native reserves so as to enrich and benefit their friends.—Mrßolleston declared there was not one word of truth in the accusations so constantly made; they were slanderous, and unworthy of an English gentleman.— Sir G. Grey repeated them, and said he would prove them if given a committee and allowed to obtain the necessary returns.— Major Atkinson said the Government would gladly give a committee, if the hon gentleman would propose one, and state his charges in writing, so that they would be fairly met. After some further discussion, Mr M. W. Green and others spoke on the bill generally, and the clause, as printed, was carried on a division by the Chairman's casting vote, the votes being 34 on each side.

The remaining clauses of the Land Bill a3 originally printed were agreed to with slight alterations, and the new clauses added by the Waste Lands Committee, as well as a number of new clauses proposed by Mr Bolleston, including those necessary to give effect to the report of the Committee on Otago dummyism, were added to the Bill, as was also one new clause proposed by Mr Seddon. The Bill was then reported as amended, and the House rose at 2.20 a.m.