THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

West Coast Times, Issue 278, 14 August 1866, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The Separation question having been finally disposed of, in the House of Representatives, by the decisive rejection of Mr Whitaker's resolutions, on the3lsfrult., The lion. Col. Russell made a statement as to his administration of native affairs. In reply to a question, the Colonial Treasurer (Mr JoUie) announced that it was not the intention of the Government to raise money under the Loan Act, 1 862. Mr Yogel moved that, in order to afford the country full opportunity of considering the proposed ,amendtnentg in the tariff, these changes should be introduced by resolutions, and authority taken to act upon them pending the decision of the House upon the Bill intended to give effect to them. Mr Stafford, as head of the Government, seconded the resolution, and said the course suggested was the one invariably adopted. He adSed that the Government would endeavor so to adjust their Jariff as to make the duties press more equally upon interests generally, and to encourage the importation of certain articles. A motion introduced by Mr Hall, calling for a copy of the conditions under which it was proposed to lease the General • Government line of Telegraph, led to a discussion, in the course of which Mr Stafford said that it was possible Government might lease the line, although the matter would be submitted to the Assembly for its decision. He congratulated the Canterbury Government on having made their provincial line pay, which was more than the General Government had been able to do. The resolution was agreed to. In committee, .in the Representation Amendment Bill, Mr Stafford answered a question of Major Richardson's, to the effect that, although he had for years been favorable to giving representation to the natives, he felt there was a great difficulty in doing so, and no provision of the kind was contemplated in the present bill, ■ The second reading of the Vagrancy Bill was proposed by Mr Stafford. •It was objected to by Mr Ball, as an infringement of " the liberty of the subject," and Mr Atkinson expressed an opinion that the measure had been brought in under a feeliug of terror at the late murders, and that it might do harm in the hands of an indiscreet magister. The following is a note of the speeches made hy hon members who supported the measure : — The Hon. Mr Stafford said that the bill would only apply to rogues and dishonest men, and was meant for the protection of honest persons. Had there been such an Act as this on the Statute Book, he believed that the murders on the Maungatapu would not v have taken place. Mr Hall said that the four men charged with the murders on the West Coast had been under the surveillance of the police ever, since their arrival in Canterbury, but nothing could be done to arrest them in consequence of such an Act as this not being in force. Mr Carleton said that he was credibly informed that persons belonging to the criminal class were in the habit of going to those places where no Vagrancy Act was in force. This showed the necessity of some legislation on the subject. Mr Moorhonse said that these men had been watched in Canterbury as far as could bo done without interfering with the liberty of the subject, and would have been taken into custody if an Act like this had been in force. The Bill was read a second time, and ordered tor committal. The Hon. Mr Stafford, in moving the second reading t>f 'the Registration Act Amendment Bill, said it would make some improvement in the law, although not perhaps all that was desirable. I n the late elections he had left it to the Returning Officers to appoint the nomination and polling days, and make other arrangements: that was not the way in which elections were arranged in England, but it was impossible to introduce a similar system in this colony. At present, in extreme cases, a man might have a property qualification, but not a vote for eighteen months ; this Bill would effect an alteration in that respect, and enable a man applying for a right to vote in January, February, and March, to have his name ou the roll in Sept-inber; further improvements might be desirable, but he might state that it would be most expensive to have more frequent revisions. * At this stage, the second reading of the Bill was postponed, as copies had not been distributed. Db. Coieitso's Successor. — Dr. Grray, Bishop of Capo Town and Metropolitan of the Church in South Africa, having deposed Dr. Colenso from the Bishopric of Natal, has, on his own authority, nominated a successor, to whom he will require the clergy of the diocese to pay Canonical obedience. The gentleman selected by Bishop Gray to fill the " vacant" see is the Roy. F. H. Cox, B.A , minister of the Church of St. Jolm the Baptist, HobartTowu. Mv Cox was ordained iv England, and held for some, time the curacy of Iping, near Midhuvst. About twenty years since he went to Van Diemen's ! Land, and has officiated at 'Hobarfc Town since that time. He is to bear the title of " Bishop Pieter-Mavitzburg," the chief town of the colony of Natal. The colony will thus have the advantage of possessing two bishops one nominated by the Canon and the other by the Metropolitan, and each claiming episcopal authority orer the clergy. The new bishopdesignate is a High Churchman. — " Times."