PARLIAMENTARY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3197, 19 October 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT ARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Oct. 18. A provision was introduced into the Municipal Corporations Bill, making the cost of testing the validity of the election of councillors payable by the Borough Councils. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Oct. 18. The House resumed at 7. 30 o'clock last night, and, after rejecting Sir George Grey's motion, went into Committee of Supply. Mr Sheehan moved that the vote for the Native Department be reduced by £5,000, instead of £10,000. He then went on to make a fierce attack upon the Native Minister and his Department generally, He said the Native Minister demoralised the Natives "with rum, and was responsible for the Waitara war, aud therefore indirectly for all subsequent wars ■ that a large majority of the Natives desired nothing better than to be rid of him and his offices ; that no man trafficked more largely in Native lands, or made so much money out of them as Sir Donald McLean. The hon gentleman gare a minute history of a number of Native land transactions at Hawke's Bay, to show that the Provincial and General Government officers, and even Sir Donald McLean himself, were guilty of dabbling in Native land speculations. He believed it would have been better to have bad no Native Department at all. The Hon Mr Bowen defended Sir Donald McLean, deprecating such an attack upon the Native Minister while absent from the House through illuess. He pointed out how careful the Committee ought to be in accepting Mr Sheehan's statements, who was the paid advocate of a section of Natives at Hawke's Bay, and came and gave the House an ex parte statement, putting his own case- in the best possible light. He also said that nine-tenths of Sir Donald McLean's land was bought either direct from the Government or at a fair and open competition at public auction. Mr Hunter explained how impossible it was for Sir Donald McLean to have had anything to do with the Waitara war, he being dangerously ill at Wellington. After a long discussion, Mr Sheehan's amendment was lost by 38 against 18, An item of £400, intended to cover the cost of the ' Waka Maori," was struck off by 29 against 21. The Defence Estimates led to a long and complicated discussion, all sorts of amendments being proposed and suggested. Some advocated the abolition of militia and volunteers in the Middle Island and Wellington, retaining them in other provinces. A discontinuance of prizes was also recommended, and the conversion of the present militia and volunteers into artillery companies. The majority of the members, however, were of opinion that prize firing wa3 the very life and soul of volunteering in keeping them together. Ultimately, on the suggestion of the Premier, prize firing was retained, and the whole vote reduced by £1,000. The Government Domains, £1,241, was passed. The House adjourned at 3,35 a.m. The House met at 230 o'clock this afternoon. After some formal business, Sir Robert Douglas moved that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole, to consider an address to the Governor, requesting him to recommend an appropriation of £1,050 to satisfy the claims of Mr H. W. Farnall against the province of Auckland, as stated by the report of the Public Petitions Committee. The Premier opposed the motion, saying that the appointment was illegal ; that the claim ought to have been made against the Provincial Council of Auckland, and should have been submitted to that body, inasmuch as two sessions of that Council had been held at which he could' have applied. There was no doubt he had been illegally appointed by the Superintendent of Auckland ; and that Mr Farnall gave away land orders under an Act which he knew was repealed before he was appointed. The motion was lost on the voices. The House then went into Committee of Supply. The Public Buildings vote of £27,415 was passed. The item for Departmental buildings (£14,300) was reduced by £4,000. •Sir George Grey moved that the item £450, for repairs to Ministerial residence, be struck out. This was negatived on the voices. After considerable discussion upon the item for Colonial Architect (£700), Sir Robert Douglas moved that the item be reduced by £5, just to give the architect a hint that they were dissatisfied with his work, especially with regard to the ventilation, and other matters connected with the House of Representatives. This was negatived by 27 against 16. Mr Burns then moved that the whole item be struck out. The debate was interrupted by the Speaker leaving the chair at 5.30.