Parliamentary.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 981, 5 October 1878, Page 2

Parliamentary.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LAND TAX BILL. Mr Wakefield gave notice to move, •• For the re-conimittai of the Land Tax BUI." Mr Whitakergave notice to move, " That tho ordinary territorial revenue be kept separately iu the putlic accounts of the colony, with a view to the proper regulation of the immigration aiid public works charges.-' MAJ >R MAIR. AND MR SGAIUNCKE. Mr Fox moved for a committee to inquired into the circumstances attending the reniov.il from office of Major JVLdr aud Mr Searaucka The hou. ireiitleman, in reference to the previous actien he had taken in this matter, said the Premier had expressed willingness on behalf of the Government to submit to any inquiry, while a few days afterwards, the Native Minister declined to reognise the right of the Hou.se to inquire into any acts of that kind, and at the same time asked the House to rally round him and endorse that view. He might say that, as compare 1 with Major Mair, the person who succeeded him might be called an inexperienced boy. Major Mair, who had been fifteen yeais iu the Government service, had rendered invaluable services to the Government oa native matters, besides the excellent effect his influence had on the Maoris. The hon gentleman also referred in complimentary terms to the services of Mr Gilbert Mair and Mr Searancke to the colony. Mr Sheelian saw no reason to alter his views when he asked the House to aid him in resisting the motion just made. He hoped the time would come when the position of the Government and Civil Servants would be just the same as that of a private employer and those he employed ; but at present anyone who had control of the Native Department should have the power of dispensing with the services of any of his servants if found wanting in the qualifies requisite, because it sometimes happened that, although an officer might be all that was necessary as far as mere observance of red-tapeisra was concerned, at the same time he might be utterly deficient in zeal and those qualities by which success could only be achieved. He denied that Mr Grace had been appoiuted to Major Mair's place, but he had been appointed to do the work of two Resident Magistrates —Mair and Searancke. As for Mr Searancke, be had been very fairly treated ia the way of compensation, aud had nothing to complain of. He denied that Tawhiao or Rewi evinced any sympathy for the dismissal of Major Mair. He referred to the noticeable fact that, previous to the meetings with Rewi and Tawhiao by the Premier and himself, all communications I'eceived from Major Mair threw cold water upon all negotiations, and predicted gloomily as to the results. On the other hand, they received encouraging accounts and anticipations from Major Te Wheoro, aud in every instance his predic ians had been verified. As regarded the removal of these officers, he had not been actuated by any personal feelings whatever. If these gentlemen felt aggrieved, let them come to the House themselves. The Government regard the motion as one of censure, and he asked the House to help them. He had no fear, however, if an inquiry was to be held. He would inform them that the executive action taken had been taken solely in the public interest. Mr Kelly said any Government with self-respect must resist such a motion, and said t e hon. member for Wanganui acted very similarly when he was in office, and supported by the House. Mr Sutton protested against the extraordinary degree of personal government going on regarding the natives, and demanded as a rig'it that the mystery surrounding native matters should have been dissipated yeaid ago. Officers in one department should be treated the same way as officers in another, and when they were removed from office, some reason ought to be given.

Mr Fox deprecated this constantly treating everything as a vote of want-of-confidence. He expressed surprise at the Government refusing to take the sense of the House on the matter. At this rate, things looked as if they were going to drift into the secret tribunal system. He denied there was any necessity for all the secresy. The idea had been long ago exploded. The hon. member ridiculed all this mystery about the negotiations, which, so far as he knew, had resulted in nothing, and said that there was a telegram then ou the table which showed thtt the Waiuuite Piains could have been surveyed a month ago, had they not been stopped by the present Native Minister on his accession to oflice. The House then divided, and the motion was negatived by 47 to 22.