GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 129, 28 July 1870, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, July 20th. Mr. Creigliton's motions for to- j morrow are as follows :—": — " That, with a view to promote the speedy settlement and occupation of the waste lands of the colony, it is desirable that the General Government should forthwith resume possession of the waste lands of the Crown in the respective provinces, and administer the same, subject to the control of Parliament. That the General Government should prepare regulation for the sale, letting, disposal, settlement, an I management of the waste lands ui'tV colony, and submit the same to itu-'U.i'iK'ntfor its approval next session ; a:_J U-ut pending such approval, the several < Provincial Governments be restrained from selling, leasiug, or otherwise disposing of any of the waste lands which they may now sell, lea,se, or otherwise dispose of by virtue of any Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand. That in framing the regulations with a view to promoting the settlement, cultivation, and profitable occupation of the waste lands of the colony, the Government should, make provision for compensating the pastoral tenants of the Crown for any land in their possession which may be indifferently selected for the purpose of settlement under the aforesaid regulations, in accordance with the terms and provisions of any existing Act providing for such compensation, and that where no such law exists, the amount should be assessed by Commissioners appointed for the purpose ; provided that any pastoral tenant, in the latter case, within one month from, the date of making such award, should have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court to have the amount of compensation to which lie may be entitled, determined by a jury. That an Act should be introduced by the Government, giving effect to so much of the foregoing resolutions as may require to have legal effect given to them during the present session." In the financial debate, Mr M'Lean, in reply to Colonel Haultain, admitted that there had been a large expenditure on Defence last year, but said th-t it had been rendered necessary by the removal of the troops, and that the Government had also plenty of result to show for the expenditure. £78,000 for an Imperial regiment had been saved, and more had been done during the past year towards establishing a permanent peace, than during any previous period, while the colonial troops had not sustained a single reverse. 122 rebels had been killed, and 81-1 had been captured or had surrendered, while only 15 Europeans had been killed. He highly praised the Armed Constabulary, declared the attitude of the Maori King to be friendly, and said that he anticipated no danger from the friendly natives, who had always proved faithful whenthey had once joined us. Within the last few days 100 rifles had been recalled from, the Ngatiporou without difficulty. He warmly supported the proposals of the Government, especially with regard to the purchase of Native laud. Messrs. Macfarlane, Williamson, Taylor, and Di<*uan supported the Government policy, except in the matter of protection, which they all opposed. Mr. Dignau advocated an appeal to the country before finally dealing with the measures. Mr. Yogel will reply on the debate to-night, and a very long speech is expected from, him,.,

The Titnaru and Gladstone Board of Works Amendment Bill has passed through Committee. The Canterbury Rivers Bill has been passed. Mr. Fox moved the second reading of the Otago and Southland Re-union Bill. Mr. Webster very strongly opposed it. Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Gillies, and Mr. M'Gillivray supported it, and Mr. Driver opposed it. The debate ia adjourned. | Mr. W. H. Harrison presented a petition, signed by 2070 inhabitants of the Grey district, praying for annexation to Nelson. July 21st. Mr. Driver supported the Government proposals, but insisted on precautions being taken to prevent the money from being squandered, for which purpose he suggested the appointment of a Ministry of Works. He strongly opposed the Provincial Governments having anything to do with the expenditure, and regretted that the proposals had not been accompanied by a scheme to remodel the political institutions of the country, as whatever good Provincial Governments might have done in the past, they could only be productive of harm now. He approved of the construction of railways on the guarantee principle, but was opposed to payment for them being made in land. The refusal of the Government to accept the Imperial guarantee would raise the credit of the colony. Mr. Eyes supported the Government proposals entirely, but thought it would be a great mistake not to consult the Provincial Governments regarding the expenditure. Mr. Yogel spoke in reply for three hours and a half. He made an admirable speech, and was loudly cheered. The first three hours of his speech he devoted to a review, and answering of the speeches of the previous speakers. He said that there was nothing against further borrowing in the pledge alleged to have been given by the Commissioners. He read a letter from Dr. Featherston, in which the latter stated that the city men had urged his acceptance of the Imperial guarantee of. a half million loan, saying that the colony could, on its own credit,, raise at equally low rates any further sum required for legitimate undertakings. It had only to ask for money in order to receive it, if no further change in the Government took place. Unless war was to be regarded as its normal condition, the colony was not living beyond its income. Since 1853 it had spent; £5,915,000 on Avar and Native purposes. It was not intended to carry out all the proposed loan on public works immediately, the Bills being only intended to supply the machinery to do so as it was found desirable. He read a letter he had just received from Messrs. Charles Pox and Sons, London, offering to construct suitable lines of railways on guarantees at from £3000 to £4000 per mile. He reviewed the reasons urged for and against appealing to the country before finally proceeding with the measures, and if, after waiting a few days, the House was disposed to accept the modifications, they would go on with the Bills, but they would not consent to allow them to be torn up and mangled in Committee by crude amendments. They would rather withdraw them, if they could not be ascepted in their modified form. The modifications were as follows: — The Railway Schedule to be effaced, and the Government during the recess to obtain all possible information regarding the proposed railways, leaving it to the next Parliament to decide on that information what lines should be constructed. To reduce the amount of tlie proposed loan from six to four millions, apportioned as follows: — One million for miscellaneous purposes, one million for immigration, and two millions for railways. The amount for the purchase of land in the North Island — not necessarily Native land — to be reduced one-half, i.e., to £100,000 ; and the amount for the supply of water to the goldfields to be correspondingly increased from £200,000 to £300,000. To provide machinery for keeping the loan accounts entirely distinct from all other moneys. To have one central Immigration Agency in the United Kingdom, to which the various Provincial Agencies should be subordinate. The members of the Ministry would vote for the new duties, but leave them an open question, and would not object to having them rejected this session, as he believed that the country at the elections would approve of them. In deference to Mr. Travers's suggestions, they would withdraw the proposed bonus on the importation of Australian wines, and would bring down a Bill admitting them at differential rates of duty. The new loan would be placed j in the market at such a rate as would ensure that the purchasers should not receive more than, six per cent. He would consent to excise clause 22 from the Public Works Bill. The Government would adhere to the five years' loan for Defence purposes, but would consent to tho power of making an annual appropriation remaining in the hands of Parliament Mr Rolleston asked if the Government would refuse to accept the Imperial guarantee of the million loan, if the conditions were such that the loan would not fall in with the Government scheme.

Mr Yogel replied that the Government were not yet aware what the conditions were. If they precluded the colony from further borrowing until the million loan was taken up, the Government would refuse the guarantee. The Commissioners would be instructed to endeavour to obtain the Imperial guarantee at a low rate, for a short period, say 15 years, for | the whole four millions, instead of a I 40 years' guarantee for a loan of one million. He believed this arrangement would suit the Imperial policy better. In reply to Mr. Barff, he said that the Government would not I consent to make the capitation grant apply only to the adult male population, but, in order to encourage the settlement of families and the marriage of young men, they would make the infant born yesterday as much entitled to receive the grant as adults. In reply to Mr. Peacock, he stated that none of the loan was intended for harbour works. The Government did not approve of making new harbours, and the improvement of existing ones could best be effected by means of special Acts forming local Trusts with bor. owing powers. In \ reply to Mr. Hall, he stated that no railway would be made without the special authority of Parliament. The proposals with respect to land grants would remain as they were in the Financial Statement. The four million loan did not include the guarantee on any railways which Parliament might authorise to be constructed on that system. Mr. Yogel was loudly cheered on the conclusion of his speech, and the resolution was agreed to on the voices, only two Xoes being given. Mr. Collins had an amendment ready, proposing to limit the expenditure during the current year to the guaranteed million loan, and to take the voice of the country on the larger amount, but be did not move it after the modifications announced. The Government supports the Bill for the payment of common jurors, and intends to abolish the present exemption of volunteers. Mr. Creighton moved his resolutions on the land question in a very moderate speech, disclaiming all idea of spoilation, but accusing the provinces of the Middle Island of maladministering their land revenue. Mr. Armstrong seconded the resolutions, but the Government objected to the discussion as being rather inopportune. Mr. Bunny moved the previous ! question, and a rather acrimonious de- j bate ensued, a number of members making short speeches. The debate is adjourned. July 24th. The Otagp and Southland Reunion Bill was read a second time on the voices. The House was counted out during the discussion on the second reading of the Otago Hundreds Act Repeal Bill. The Financial Bills are not likely to come on for discussion before Tuesday. In Russia vaccination is not compulsory. According to official returns, 10,350,000 persons have died of small pox in that country during the last seventy years. Mr Odo Russell, it is said, recently received instructions from Lord Clarendon to ask for explanations from the Papal Government respecting the order expelling three English ladies from the city. The answer giwii was that subordinate officials had exceeded their instructions in the matter. It is stated, however, that the order of expulsion was issued by the Pope himself. Hollowaifs Ointment and Pills. — Without these the mother of a family would be short of the Domestic Physician of the nineteenth century j the one acting as a sure remedy for cutaneous disorders, and the other for internal diseases. So that any eruptions of the skin will readily give way to the use of the ointment, as likewise scrofulous, sores, that have resisted every other kind of treatment. A person at Pike's Peak, writing to a Minnesota journal, says that the miners are very much discouraged in that region ; they have to dig through a aolid vein of silver, four feet thick, before they reach the gold. A,sharp wheat buyer in Solano county, California, seeing quotations slightly advanced, telegraphed to the Bay to know if he should buy at quotations. The answer came — " No price too high I" On receipt of this message he "pitched in" and bought 200 tons, which he was obliged recently to sell, pocketing a loss of one dollar per ton. A comma after " No" would have saved him all that loss. So much for punctuation. The poet Gray was notoriously fearful of fire, and kept a ladder cf ropes in his bedroom. Some mischeivous young men at Cambridge, knowing this, roused him from blow in the middle of a dark night with the cry of lire ! The staircase, they said, wa3 in flame 3. Up went the window , and down he came on his rope ladder as fast as he could into a tub of water which they had placed there to receive him. $c was pu,t out.,