TELEGRAPHIC. PARLIAMENTARY. (From the D. S. Cross.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.—Thursday.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 337, 11 July 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC. PA RLIAMENTARY. (From the D. S. Cross.) LEGISLATIVE COUNClL.— Thursday.

The Hon. Mr Waterhouse, in moving " That in the oi3inion of this Council the mode of selling and disposing of lands under the New Zealand Settlement Act be regulated by the Act of the General Assembly, and not, as at present, by the regulations made at the will of the Government of the day." He said the regulations as to the sale of lands had never been adhered, to, and too much discretionary power was left in the hands of the Government. This was instanced in the case of 150,000 acres in the Waikato district being sold to Mr Cox, and al&o in what might have been the result of the negotiations of Mr Vesey Stewart ; there was also the sale of large quantities of land in tire Waikato to Messrs Russell, Taylor, Murdoch, and others, at 3s 6d per acre. He thought that the. character of the negotiations was in direct contravention to the regulations, and th^ it-w^uVJ be necessary to validate it by another regulation. He thought also that the discretionary powers* should be limited, and that full publicity should be given to all land transactions, * < The Colonial Secretary (the Hon Dr Pollen) f,«iid the statute'gaive the Governor in Council power to make regulations for the disposal of all lands except by actual sale, provided they were published in the New Zealand Gazette, and seeing, that a large amount of ' discretion was necessary during the recess, he thought that the legislation should not arrogate too much authority in the matter. He said, in the case of the sale of the large blocks of land in the * Waikato* the money liad been used to make valuable roads through the district itself. Colonol Kenny asked if the names of all persons of each transaction should be published. He had heard of land having been sold by the Government at a low price, and ibeing,repurchased by Melbourne firms at a much" highea rate, and afterwards converted into valuable property* The Colonial Secretary said the information could only be supplied on the resolution being passed, and it would be absurd to mix up the names of all private parties mixed up in land transactions. As to. the re-purchase by certain firms, he would like to see much more swamp land taken up in the same wayMr Waterhouse, in reply, said that certain discretionary powers' would be left with the Government, but that they should be stringently debarred from having any option as. to giving publicity of all transactions as to the minimum price per acre. The- motion was- agreed to. Mr T. L. Shepherd called tlio attention of the Speaker to the fact that a certain telegraphic correspondent of a paper called the Auckland Star, had sent to that paper a 'voiy personal and offensive telegram regarding a member of the House. If that kind" of thing were' allowed to go on, members would have to provide themselves Avith heavy horsewhips. The Speaker said the reporters' gallery was under the control of the "Hansavd Committee." Had the power been in Ms hands, he certainly should have excluded from, tho gallery, the autnor of such an offensive production. It was his opinion that members ought to be protected from such insults.