HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

West Coast Times, Issue 571, 24 July 1867, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, July 16.

Mr Reynolds asked whether there is any intention on the part of the Government to reduce the present charges on shipping for light dues, and if so, to what extent ?

The Hon. Mr Hall replied that the subject was under the consideration of the Government ; but as the reduction of the light dues would affect the revenue, it would be premnture to state at once whether they were prepared to reduce them. As soon as they had come to a decision, they would infoiun the House of it..

la reply to Mr Burns, the hon. Mr Richmond said that the G-eneral Government had supported Messrs. Every and Robinson in the proceedings they had taken against the Speaker of the Provincial Council of Otago. The object of the Gf-orernment was to obtain a legal decision upon the matter. A demurer was being argued, and as soon as a decision was given, no further assistance would be gi-wsn.

Mr Yogel then brought on his motion respecting the late action taken by the General Grovernraent in respect of Otago. He moved "that in the opinion of this House the authority under the Goldfields Act should be delegated to the Superintendent of the province, within which the Groldfields are respectively situated." The hon. gentleman spoke at length and eloquently on the subject, and was supported by Mr O'Rorke — who seconded the motion — and by Messrs. O'Neil, Qfraliain, Main, Borlase, all of them speaking to it. The Colonial Secretary spoke at some length against it, and introduced as an amendment, that in the opinion of this House, the authority under the Groldfields Act should, unless under exceptional circumstances, be delegated to the Superintendents of the provinces within which the goldfields are respectively situated. Messrs Lttdxow, Cakoili,, C. "Wilson-, and the Hon. J. C. RicmroxD spoke in favor of the amendment.

On the motion of Mr Macandeew, the debate was adjourned to the next day.

Wednesday, July 17. The Coxosial Secretary, in moving for leave to bring in a bill intituled "An Act to amend the Representation Acts," said the bill had partly bden prepared in pursuance of a promise given to the hon. member for "Westland at the close of last session. At the same time, while increasing the representation of Westland, the Government, in order to preserve the equilibrium of the representation of the whole colony, thought it would be only proper to give two additional members to the province of Auckland, and portions of the districts of Raglan and Franklin would be cut off for the purpose of forming new electoral districts. Although, perhaps, if regard were only paid to tho European population and revenue, the North Island was as well represented as the South Island, yet the Q-overn-ment thought it only proper that these two additional members should be given to tho North Island, as it also contained a large native . population. Looking at tho matter abstractedly, he considered that the whole representation of the colony was too large j but unless there was a distinct intimation from the House to that effect, he was not at present prepared to disturb the representation further than by tho introduction of four members — two members for the West Coast of tho Middle Island, and two members for the province of Auckland.

Leave was given. The Hon. Mr UiM; moved for leave to bring in a bill for the regulation of appeals from Justices of the Peace acting in their Summary Jurisdiction. Leave was given, and the bill brought up and read a first time.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply.- and voted LIOO,OOO for current expenses.

The debate upon Mr Vogel's motion was resumed by

Mr Macandbkw, who liad moved the adjournment, aaid ho had not intended to tako any part in the debate, but he felt ho could not pns3 over dilutions which had been made respecting him by some previous speakers — allusions made apparently from ex parfe statements of circumstances which had occurred several years ago, and of which ho wns the victim. He had been basely maligned. He could not deny that irregularities had occurred while he held ofllco before; but he utterly denied the inferences that had been drawn from those circumstances, and denied that ho had eyer misappropriated the public funds.

It had been asked why he did not apply to a \ court of law for redress against Ins slanderers, but lie had not done so because the temple of justice in this country required a golden key which he did not possess. TOh, oh.) Ho had had the honor of sitting m that House as member for two constituencies — constituencies as immaculate as the hon. member for Coleridge himself. That hon. member might be looked upon as a type of that humanity which looked upon poverty as a crime, and misfortune as synonymous with misconduct. Notwithstanding what he had said, the name of the hon. member for Clutha would survive in the grateful recollection of thousands of persons — would go down to posterity as one who had done the State some service, when tho name of the hon. member for Coleridge had gone down to its native oblivion. He was the elected head of a. fourth of the population of the colony — that office had been thrust upon him nolens volena, and his election had been accepted even by tllose who had opposed him. He should devote himself heart and soul to the public weal. In assuming the office, he wished to place the province in a higher position than it had ever before occupied ; but thanks to the action of his Excellency's advisers, he had not yet been able to effect that object. Under such an administration, it was difficult to decide where the power of the Provincial Government began and where it ended ; and if this were the case under one administration, how would it be under two ? The wisest plan would bo to repeal the Q-oldfields Act, and place the goldfields under the operation of the Waste Lands Act of the province. Even the miners themselves saw the absurdity of treating the goldfields as a distinct entity from the rest of the province. Notwithstanding what had been, said by the Commissioner of Customs, the miners were the most determined provincialists the province had. He had risen to protest against the quostion being treated as a personal one, and begged tho House to treat it on constitutional grounds. The blow was not aimed at the Superintendent alone, but against the Provincial Council also, as the Superintendent could not use the delegated powers without the consent of his Executive Council. If the House approved of the action of the Ministry, they would be adopting principles quite subversive of free government. There was but one feeling among all classes in Otago, that deep injury and injustice had been inflicted upon them, and they would not tamely submit to it. So strong was the feeling, that had it not been for his own exertions and those of others the people of Otago would liavo taken the remedy in their own hands. (No, no ; hear, hear.) Instead of coming there as suppliants to the House, the constitution woidd have sustained a violent shock. He had assisted to stem a revolution ; and was glad to say that the people of Otago had adopted wiser counsels and de-

(Continued in Page 4e.J

N.Z. Pabiiament — Continued from Page 3. pended upon the House for redress, and he hoped results would show that they had not depended in vain. (Cheers.) A long discussion ensued, sustained by Messrs Bunny, Campbell, Paterson, Haughton,Bradshaw, Mervyn, Carleton, Brandon, Atkinson, Hepburn, Featherston, Hall, Reeves and "Wood. The House then divided on the amendment, with the following result : — '■ Ayes — Messrs Atkinson, A. S. ; Atkinson, H. A. ; Baigent, Bradshaw, Bunny, Cargill, Carleton, Cox, Eyes, Farmer, Fitzherbert, Hall (teller), Hankinson, Haughton, Haultain, Ludlam, M'Lean, M'Neill, Ormond, Parker, Reeves, Richmond, A. J. ; Richmond, J. C. ; Stafford (teller), Taylor, Wells, Wilson and Wood— -28. Noes — Messrs Ball, Borlase, Brandon, Bunny, Campbell, Clark, Featherston, Graham G-. ; Heaphy, Hepburn, Hull, Macaudrew, Macfarlan, Main, Mervyn, O'Neill, C; O'Neill, J. ; O'Rorke (teller), Paterson, Reynolds, Yogel (teller), Williamson, and M'Farlane—24. The announcement of the result was received with loud cheers. The amended resolution was then put and carried, and the House adjourned.

The following is the report of the Committee on reporting and printing the debates : — " Your Committee have to report ad interim, that they have adopted the folio-wing rules for regulatiug the reporting and printing of the debates, and for distributing the pamphlets when printed. That members be allowed the opportunity of revising reports, on the strict understanding that the alterations are to be confined to making the reports more in accordance with the remarks actually uttered hi the House. The head reporter to be judge of the alterations made, and to refuse to pass those which he "considers are departures from a correct report of what the speaker said. Differences of opinion between the member revising and the head reporter to be referred to the Committee. For the purpose of carrying out the abore, slips of reports shall be sent to members concerned each day by ten o'clock, and the corrected slips be deposited in the head reporter's box in the lobby. The bo_ to be cleared daily at one o'clock, and the understanding to be that members who have not deposited the corrected slips by that hour desire to make no corrections. That contributions to the expenses of reporting ought not to be asked from the colonial newspapers, unless the means could be devised (which your Committee find themselves unable to do) of exacting contributions alike from all newspapers availing themselves of the House reports. That the House reports should be given free to the newspapers, as other Parliamentary papers are. That each member of the Assembly receive two copies, besides one bound copy at the end of the session. That it is desirable that the pamphlets should go post free. That the price per copy -should be Is, and the trade price 8d each. That the Government Printing Office should sell only to the trade. That hi regard to the distribution of the pamphlets, when the time" before the despatch of a mail is limited, the newspapers ought to be first supplied, then the members of the Assembly, and then the trade. That no opportunity ought to be lost of forwarding by mail the pamphlet parcels to the trade. That the Chairman be authorised in matters of detail not provided for by these resolutions to give orders, and also in cases of urgent necessity to relax the resolutions, reporting the same to the Committee at an early opportunity. A. S. Atkinson, Chairman."