PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2061, 6 August 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

(united press association.) WEDNESDAY. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The second reading of the Rating Act Amendment Bill was carried on division by 19 to 14, The Land Transfer Bill was read a third time, and passed, Th e Savings Bank Bill, Tuakitoto and Kai" tangata Lakes Bill, and Otago Harbor Leasing Bill were read a second time. In Committee on the School Commit* tees Elections Bill, progress was reported' The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to questions it was stated that copies of the Education Statement would be forwarded to the several Education Boards of the colony; that the Government intended going carefully into the report of the Royal Commissioners for the South Island purchases, and would afterwards decide on what was to be done m the matter. The following Bills were introduced A Bill to amend the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act, 1877. A Bill to define the hours of work for certain elasßes of labourers; Resident Magistrates Court Proceedings Validation Bill; a Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to Resident Magistrate's Courts; a Jiill to provide for the purchase by Government of estates in advantageous positions at prices not exceeding a fixed per centage upon tho Property Tax now paid on such estates. Mr W. F. Buckmnd resumed the debate on the East and West Coast Railway resolutions, He opposed the Committee, vid considered that tho Syndicate should have taken the scheme up without any concession whatever. Mr ToenboM ' thought the question had nothing to do with the Government at all, It was for the House to consider. He contended that the information before the House was not so full as it might be, and.that it was a proper subject for enquiry by a Committee. Mr Bevan said it would be an act of discourtesy on the part of the House to the committee asked for, He referred to tho vast resources of-the West Coast, and said it was necessary that communication should be opened up with that part of the country. He pointed out that since the year 1865 to the present time, no less than eighteen million sterling of gold had been obtained from the West Coast of New Zealand. He defended Meiggs'and Co from the charges that had been made against them, and said he hoped the House would agree to the appointment of the committee, Mr Menteatii said if a committee of the whole House were formed, it would mean that the matter would be looked at in a provincial spirit. He pointed out that the railway had been advocated by all the leading political men in the colony, and in promising his constituents to support it he felt he could not do wrong by voting for a railway which had been so strongly supported by tho leading men in the House.

The motion for the appointment of the Committee'was then put and lost, on division, by 34 to The following is the division list: Ayes, 27—Messrs Ballance, B«van, Cowan, Garriok, Guinness, HuratkusfljlvMS, Joyce, Lance, Larnaoh, Levestam, Macandrew, J.' MoKenzie (Moeraki), McMillan, Mmteath,' Montgomery, O'Callaghan, O'Oonor,' Pearson, Pare, Reese, E, Richardson,. Seddon, Stout, Tole, Walker, W. White. - Noes, 34—Atkinson, Barron, Beotham, Bruce, Bryce, J. C, Buckland, Buchanan, (Waikouaiti) Dargavillej Dodson, "Duncan, Fisher, Fulton, Grey, Hamlin, Hatch, H. Hint, Hislop, Hobbg, Lake,

Macarthur, M. J. S. McKenzie, Mitchelson, Moss, Moat, .'Newman, Ormond, .Peacock, Rolleston, Ross, Russell, Sutter T, Thompson, J. W. Thomson,'arid • Trimble, Pairs—fyes, Steward, Fraser, Holmes, Brown, Vogel, Turnbull, Harper, Kerr, Allwriglit, Oadman, Smith, Gore, PrattNoes, G, F. Richardson, W. J. Hurst Fergus, B. Whyte, Johnston, W. F. Buckland, Wakefield, Conolly, Samuel,, Wilson, Pyke, Locke, Hakuene. The debate on the second reading of the Native Lands Disposition Bill was resumed by Wi Pere, who was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. Evening Sitting. ' The jHouse resumed at 7.30. Mr Wi Pere continued his remarks on the Native Lands Disposition Bill, and suggested it should be referred to the Native Affairs Committee. Mr Hakuene supported the' principle ofthe Bill, especially that portion which prohibited the sale of landi in large quantities,- ' Mr Locke said a Bill like this was not wanted, and he thought the Waste Lands Boards should be popularised with the natives as a medium for selling their landß, It would have been better, he argued, o have circulated the Bill before the session, in order to enable members to test the feeling of the natives on tho question, He trusted the Bill would not pass, as it would prove unworkable. Mr Peacock favored the resumption of the pre-emptive right and would oppose the Bill.

Mr W, F. Buckian'u opposed the Bill, and hoped the House would not agree to its being referred to the Native Affairs Committee, as they wmild then practically affirm the principle of the Bill. He objected to to the Committee system, and argued that the greatest mistake made in the past wcs the conduct of Native Land Courts, in which moro money was spent than in the actual purchase. Mr Beetham objected to the Bill, as it would practically stop the sale of Native Lands in the North Island, He preferred the pre-emptive right to a measure of this kind, under which the Government retained all actual power. The statements made by the Native Minister to the natives respecting the taxation of their lands were unwise, and left a wrong impression on the Maori mind. He hoped the question would not be made a party one, and tlwt members would be left to vote as they liked, Mr Ross would vote for the second reading if the Bill would subsequently be referred to the Native Affairs Committee, Mr Bruce supported the individualisation of title, and would oppose the Bill. Mr Ballance, in reply, objected to the individualisation of title which would lead to enormous expense. He denied the statements attributed to him regarding the taxation of native lands. He agreed to refer the Bill to a committee, just as other matters affecting other interests were referred to committees. Mr Moss withdrew his amendment referring the question to a Royal Commisson, and the second reading was then carried on division, by 35 to 14, The House rose at 1.10 a.m.