HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 193, 5 August 1873, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY, AUGUST ] . In the House of Representatives to-tlay, the lion Mr Bathgate denied having stated in the House that he had not read certain bills introduced by him as stated in the Evening Post. The Evening Post 1 * report was incorrect iv every particular. The Speaker said the newspaper reporters ware admitted to the gallery by favor of the House, and their reports should be correct. He would take care that the reports of the Press should be correct. Mr Gillies said that Mr Bathgate was rash in stating that the report in the Post was incorrect in every particular. All the reporters in the gallery affirm the correctness of the Post's report.. He denied that the Speaker had the authority to interfere with newspaper reporters. The Speaker has excluded the Post's reporters from the gallery. Mr Johnston asked the Commissioner of Custom* when he would produce a statement showing the value of total quantities of all articles specified in the new tariff upon which Customs duties were paid during the financial year, and the amount of duty paid thereon. The Premier said there would be an increase ef £50,000. A great many persons were passing resolutions upon a mistaken notion : they are mistaken in supposing that it wili not lead to a decrease in the declared Yslueof imports. Mr Slieehan asked the Native Minister whether the Government proposed to afford tho House »u opportunity of discussing blic native policy. He said the policy was before the House in several bills ; and asked, the Government why they did not bring down the whole of the native measures, and hare n- discussion on them on one day. The- Premier siid that the Government did not admit tho necessity for discussion, and had thereforo no intention of submitting the question to the House. Certain, measures regarding native matters would bo introduced shortly, and Mo Sheohan could thru take action.

SATUKDAY, AUGUST 2. Mr Vogel stated in tho Houso yesterday that the total cost of the cable from Singapore to New Zealand would be £1,000,000 : and that the cable between New Zealand and Australia would cost £-400,009, The commit on the National Bank Bill will report on Tuesday. That bill must be regarded a* an opposed bill. The question of change of titfe oan therefore be brought [ before the Legislative Council. In the House last night, in committee on the Provincial Councils' Powers Bill, Mr (Sillies thought that nil the ob#ets sought would be gained by a declaratory act defining tho term " Court of Civil or Criminal Judicature." The wholo difficulty was due to the ambiguity of the- term. He pave notice- of amendment accordingly, and proposed reporting process to, take the- Attorney-General's opinion, oa them. Mr Bunny moved an amendment, to lenvp Hie provinces to deal with all matters, outsido thojo prubibted in tho Constitution Act. Mr Fitzherberfc condemned the bill as tho narrowest, most pettifogging, and technical bill that could have been, framed. It was evidently drawn up by n subaltern, and, as the Government could make neither 'head nor tail of it,, fcboy bring it for the House to amend in committee M* Togel, after speaking in defence of the bill, said that if the- Hows* and the Government desired, the same tnxl he would not object to reporting progress,, when, in the meantime, ft better bill for the purpose than, the- present might be famed. The- following are fuller particulars of the breach, of privilege case : — The reporter of the Post lias, beea excluded from the House by the Speaker in consequence of complaints bj Mr Bathgate regarding the inaccuracy of a certain report. — The Speaker said, witli reference to Mr Bathgute's compluint against the Pout report, that he had summoned tho reporter to wait on him and the reporter flatly refused. He

also read a letter received from the editor, accepting the responsibility of everything in th& paper, and questioning the right to. summon one of his staff. He wished to know what the House desired.— Mr Yogel said the House would support the Speaker in obeoking habitual misrepresentation in reports, but the present case was not suoh. The local papers gave very fair resumes of the proceedings, and the present oaso was an error under peculiar circumstance, and w«s very excusablo. — Mr Gillies concurred with Mr Yogel, and said the acoustic properties of the House would exousc any mistakes.— Mr Stafford said he had underotoodthat the reporter did not flatly refute, but pleaded engagements, mnd offered to wait on the Speaker at any other time j a very different matter. — Major Atkiason thought the Speaker was right, and the editor would probably have done the same. — -Mr Swranson thought it was hypocrisy in being to particular about what Wellington papers say and paying no attention to others. — Mr O'Connor regretted that the whole correspondence was not read, when the matter might lock different. — The Speaker, in a pet, said he understood that papers in the future might make what misrepresentations they liked, and he was not to notice them. Mr Vogel objected to such an interpretation oi" what he eaid. — Eventually the Speaker said he would pay no attention to complaints of reports except on motions that the Speaker do leave the chair. The Evening Post to-ni^ht accuses the Speaker of the House of Representatives with suppressing a portion of his letter. The Post-office Amendment Act, Washdyke and Pleasant Point Railway Act, and Bank Holidays Act wero read a second time. The Canterbury Width of Tires and Canterbury Waste Lands Acts were committed. The Native Councils, Insolvency, Education, and Miners' Franchise Bills were postponed. A motion for a report by the Genernl Manager re the telegraph lino from Maketu, Q-isborne, and Napier was ordaredi A. committee was appointed to consider the Diseased Cattle Act.