HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 213, 18 October 1860, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

August 31

Mr. Carter moved for a return of all correspondence in connection with the appointment of the present District Judge of the province of Wellington and the Resident Magistrate of the Wairarapa. Mr. Fox said, complaints were made from "Wairarapa of the District Judge not visiting the district more than once a year. There was another district, Wanganui, where there was a population of 2500 souls, and which the district judge only visited twice a year. When justice was paid for, it ought to be administered promptly and brought to the door. After some di-cussion, chiefly respecting the reasons for the late district judge, Mr. Sard’s, not being allowed by the General Government to retain the appointment, the motion was agreed to.

September 4,

Mr. Stafford laid on the table copies of Despatches from the Secretary of State. Mr. Sewell brought up an ad interim report of the Committee on the state of the Taranki settlers. [7’he chief points in this report were mentioned in the Chronicle of 4th inst.] Mr. Carter moved for the production of the instructions from the Home government to his Excellency on the subject of his assenting to bills'for raising loans for colonial and provincial purposes. Agreed to. On a motion by Mr. Fox for the production of all petitions or received by the government in reference to the appointment of district judge in the province of Wellington, a long discussion took place, which ended by Mr. Fox stating that the motion had been brought forward to vindicate the character of Mr. Ward, and it had answered this purpose.

Mr. Richmond' made his Financial Statement, which was given at some length in last week’s Chronicle.

September 5

Mr. Kelling moved, that a committee be appointed to take into consideration the propriety of allowing distillation in the colony. A committee was appointed. The Married Women’s Property Protection bill, and the Roman Catholic Endowment Sales bill, were passed.

September 7.

Mr. Daldy moved ’for a return of the pro? perty seized to enforce a fine levied by Resident Magistrate 7'nrton at Tauranga on Mr. Thomas Black, and showing how the said fine was distributed • when paid. He denounced the system of paying native witnesses half of the fines, which was a direct encouragement to perjury. Mr. Sewell moved, “ that the correspondence laid on the table relative to the expences of militia and volunteers be printed.” He found that his Excellency had received a guarantee from ministers, that the expence of the militia would be defrayed by the colony if the Imperial government refused to bear it. Afterwards it bad been found that his Excel? lency had power to defray the charge out of the Commissariat chesty leaving the account to be adjusted afterwards. Dut as ministers had first given a guarantee, it was likely they would be called on to fulfil it; they had likewise pledged themselves to bear the entire cost of the corps of Engineers that had lately arrived.

The Colonial Secretary said it was questionable whether the company of Engineers would remain. As to the cost of the war, he relied on the Imperial government affording to tbe colony all, requisite relief. The liability under the guarsufee was limited to the militia expences of Taranaki. Mr. Sewell asked from what source the money for the prosecution of the war was to come. It could not be taken from the ordinary revenue, and the borrowing power of the colony had its limits. The government -had already sanctioned a very large loan for a single province, and the aggregate liabilities of the colony were growing to an alarming extent. He earnestly desired that the house would look these liabilities in tbe face. The motion was agreed to.

A bill to amend the representation of the people in the General Assembly was introduced by Mi’. Stafford. He believed that the.progress of the colony warranted an addition to the number of representatives. There was now a thiiving population in districts which were then uninhabited. Since 1853 tbe population had increased from 29,000 to 73,000. The bill was allowed to be introduced.

jn reply to Mr. Daldy Mr. Stafford said, that the government had no objection to laying on the table a detailed statement of the expenditure of the£7oooai)propriatedto Native purposes. The Official Documents Evidence bill was ■ read a third time and passed.

, . The house then went into committee on • the Native Policy resolutions. t Mr. Heale moved No. 1.— <£ That by the express stipulation of the Treaty of Waitangi, . the British Government became bound to « secure the Natives of New Zealand the enjoyment of: peace and good order,’ and to establish a settled form of civil government, with a view to avert the evil consequences which must result from the absence of necessary laws and institutions, alike to the,Native -population and to her Majesty’s subjects.” . Mr, Gillies moved that the chairman do , report progress, because he objected to the 14th resolution, which would neutralise any other good intentions and arrangements.' The resolution was,. that at the present juncture in the affairs of the colony, it is inexpedient to attempt to introduce any change in the existing relations of his Excellency the Governor, with ffis responsible ministers, in* reference to the .conduct of native affairs. . Mr. Gjjlies’ amendment was carried by 14 to 12.

September 11

A long debate took place on the Native Offenders’ Bill, but as this bill has since been withdrawn by the ministry, and our space is so limitted we do not give a report of it.

Sebtemeer 1:2

Mr, Stafford moved' that tire series of resolutions as to native affairs be further considered in committee.

This : motion was objected to on the ground that the opinions of members had already been sufficiently expressed on these matters, and that as they would again have to be discussed when ministers brought in a bill on the subject it would be merely wasting the time of the house to enter into debate on them, But the motion was ultimately carried by a majority of 20 to 11. N The house resolved itself into committee and Mr. Fox objected to the words “ Tribal right-’ as likely to excite suspicions as to the intention of the government which had already tampered with the ancient tenures of the Natives. The Governor had declared tliai he would not recognise “ Tribal right,” and now the government was trying to shift its ground and treat Taranaki as an exceptional case, in consequence of the sale to Colonel Wakefield—the fact being that Waitara was not included in that purchase. Mr. Richmond admitted this ; but the government had not laid much stress on the sale to Colonel Wakefield. Several .alterations were made in the resolutions which as amended were reported to the house and recommended for adoption.

September 13,

Several motions having been made, among which was one by Mr. Renall, for a return of the number and particulars of intestate estates placed in charge of the official administrator of the Province of Wellington, since Ist January 1855, and not yet wound up ; the house resolved itself into committee of supply and passed, a number of items in the supplementary estimates for the year 1859-60. Mr. W. Richmond laid on the table a return relative to the seizure of the property of Mr. Black for the payment of a fine inflicted by the Resident A/agistrate Mr. Turton.

September 14.

Adebate took place on a motion by Mr, Fox, “ Whether in a late purchase of the Manawatu, a large reserve, at the site of a probable township, lias not been made or arranged forin behalf of the Rev. Mr. Duncan, and whether the said Mr. Duncan is the same individual who has been lately employed by His Excellency the Governor in.investigating the particulars relating to a certain petition signed by certain natives at Otaki and Manawaiu.” Mr. Stafford wished the words “ employed,” &c., omitted, as His Excellency had no connection with Mr. Duncan. He only knew him through Mr. Turton, Resident Magistrate. Mr. Fcx said that he must confess that the statement of thehon. member of the Governmeiit was not borne out by the correspondence laid on the table; he could not agree with the lion, member that the rev. Mr. Duncan, had not been employed by his Excellency: it appeared from the documents furnished by the government that Mr, Turton (the Resident Magistrate] and Mr. Serancke were employed. Did Mr. Duncan go about this work independently of Mr. Turton? The letter of Mr. Duncan to- Mr. Turton, an official under the government, had the appearance of the former acting in an official character. He (Mr. Fox) had no objection to the words being put; when he used the words employed he had no desire—: he bad no intention —of casting a sjur.on a minister of any but it did appear somewhat strange that the Dev. Mr. Duncan should lay claim to a reserve in the best part of the best land of {the province. The hor. member (Mr. Stafford) said he believed that Mr. Duncan had a small claim: Mr. Duncan had fenced sixty or seventy acres of a town site. A fter dwelling for some time on this case, in which he remarked on Mr. Duncan’s services in the Scotch mission ; Mr. Stafford’s allusion to that class of land claimants; Mr. Cook’s claim, for having a half-caste family; and questioning the right of the government to make a special gift of one of , the best sites of land iu New Zealand to Mr. Duncan—and also questioning the probability of that gentleman undertaking services in connection with the Otaki petition, without either directly or indirectly being employed by the government; and avowing in the most emphatic manner that be would set his face against such a loose system of disposing of most valuable sites of land, at the same time disclaiming any desire to cast a slur on the character of the Rev. Mr. Duncan; also reminding the government, of -the remarks which had been made in that house against Archdeacon 7/adfield ; Mr. Fox concluded by observing that if it were right and strictly proper to give persons of the Rev. Mr. Duncan’s class of claimants valuable portions of land, and of the very best sites, it should by all means be done uuder the sanction of law passed by that house, and based on some properly defined principles. The motion was ultimately withdrawn.

Mr. Weld moved the second reading of the Representation Bill; and said it had been based on the idea of giving a member to every 1500 inhabitants. . '

Dr. Featherston moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal clause's 5 and 6 of the Land Revenue Appropriation Act, and, to provide for the payment to the Provincial Treasuries of Auckland, Wellington, and New Plymouth respectively, of all sums paid by the receivers Of land revenue within the said provinces, to the Colonial, Treasurers under the sth clause of the said act —Question adjourned.

September 18

Mp, Stafford laid on the table returns asked

for concerning the Canterbury loan of .£300,000, and provincial loans generally; correspondence asked fdr , in reference to District Judges, and other matters. *

In answer to Mr. Sewell, the hon. Mr. Richmond said, that it was the intention of ministers to bring down a bill on matters con- - templated in the series of resolutions on Native affairs which bad passed that house.

The Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Mr, Sewell, the following resolutions, embodied in the report of the Taranaki Settlers’ Relief Committee, were read. We give the resolutions as amended, after a somewhat lengthened debate “1. 7’hat the expense of maintaining the refugee families of Taranaki, hitherto incurred by the Provincial governments, and all sums contributed, in aid of that object by the Provincial governments,—should be a charge oii the Colo’ny, and any Jsunis expended by any Provincial governments ought to be refunded accordingly. “ 2, That in order to reduce the expenditure on the above objects, it is desirable that discharges should be at once given to all militiamen and volunteers desirous of settling with their families, in other provinces. \

“ 3. That in order to afford to every person desirous of leaving - Taranaki, aiuF settling temporarily or otherwise in any other province, the opportunity of doing so, and the full benefit of his labour and outlay during such residence, as well as the power of returning to Taranaki whenever practicable, every such person shall be entitled to an'order for 40 acres of land ; the Crown Grant fur such land not to be issued until after a residence in the province of five years from the date of the exercise of the land order, unless payment for the land at the upset price under the. regulations aforesaid, . be,, previously made by : the occupier of such land/in whiclrcase the grant may be issued at. any time after the land order. Such arrangements to be subject to the approval of the Superintendent of such province.

“ 4. That a pecuniary allowance, in lieu of three months’ rations, be given to men settling and their families. “ s 5. That such land orders and allowances be without prejudice to any claims the recipients may have for compensation, but'be a charge against the- compensation which may hereafter be allowed.” The debate was resumed on Dr. Featherston’s motion to bring in a bill to repeal clauses 5 and 6 of the Land Revenue Appropriation act, The bill was read the first time. The house went into committee of supply, and after consideration of several items iu the supplementary estimates, Dr. Featherston spoke at considerable length on the general financial state of the colony and on the present budget. Ai ter the debate (of which we have as yet. received no report) had been adjourned at a late hour, Mr. Fox moved for a return of all arms and accoutrements, sold by the government or the military authorities, in the colony during the last five years. Agreed to. Mr. Daldy moved for a return of all the salaries paid by the General government. Agreed to. Mr. Sewell moved for a return of the estimates of probable revenue in the various provinces for tfie ensuing year. September 19.

Mr. Forsaith moved for copies of Despatches sent to or, receivecLfrom the seat of war since the last laid on the" table ; but ministers ob? jecting to the motion ,as inexpedient, it .was withdrawn. - Mr. BelFread a letter from the Governor in reference to a letter from the Bishop of Wellington, in which the Bishop had cast some aspersions on Mr. Bell while defending Archdeacon Hadfield. . After .reading the letter, in which the Governor said, that the Archdeacon had not informed him of his correspondence with W. King. till.after the battle of. Waireka, Mr. Bell concluded by hoping that his lord - ship would choose better arguments the next time he chose to attack him.

: The Joint Stock Companies bill was read a third time and passed. > . After a debate on the New Zealand Manukau and Waitemata Land Company’s bill, which some of the members thought should be dealfwith as a private bill,

- The. house resolved itself into, a committee of supply, and the adjourned debate on - Dr. Featherston’s financial resolutions was resumed, and kept up till a late hour, when it was again adjourned.