General Assembly.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1110, 5 August 1879, Page 2

General Assembly.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY. The House met at 7.30. .PETITIONS. Ml* Pyke presented a petition from the residents m Otago, praying that the upset price of deferred payment of land be re- | duced. notice oi? Motions. I Mr Barton gave the following notices f of motion : — "That on the motion made to grant supply, Mr Barton will call the attention of the House to the following o-rievances : — l. That justice is not, and for a long time has not been, administered m the Courts of the colony with fairness and impartiality. 2. That a barrister, m the act of pleading tho cause of a suitor, was corruptly and vindictively imprisoned for one month by two of the Judges, m order too stifle free discussion m Court, except m cases wherein it might further the interests of governing classes, to permit such discussion. 3. That the administration of justice m tho inferior Coiu-ts, and more especially m the districts of Taranaki and Wellington, has for a long time been corrupt, and, although the matter has been frequently brought under I the notice of the Government, the officers complained of are still retained ou the Bench, without inquiry. In some instances, when the discontent became too manifest to bo trilled with, the offending-

persons wore promoted to another district. | 1. That two Judges of the Supremo Court, sitting as a quorum of the Appeal Court, to consider a law point involving' the life or death of one Woodgate, a British subject, did corruptly, and for the purpose of preventing the prisoner's counsel from arguing against their foregone conclusion, browbeat and intimidate him, they then drew from their pockets a judgment prepared before fckoy.came into Court, condemning the prisoner to death. 5. That, notwithstanding the evidence taken last session before the Gaol Committee, and the report of that committee respecting the misconduct of certain officials m the Police Department, none of the guilty officials have been discharged from the service, or m any way censured or reduced m grade ; while, on the other hajid, certain of the witnesses m the employ of the Government examined before that committee have been systematically persecuted, and degraded from their proper employment. That, notwithstanding the glaring and notorious corruption of the judgments delivered by one of the Judges of the Supreme Court sitting as a Commission. on v the "Inquiry into the Heterangi purchase," Avhich judgment is published m the. records of this House, and beat's upon its face the evidence of a determination to aid certain governing families m defrauding- the native owners of the Heterangi block, 'no stops have been taken. to remove, or evert censure, tho Judge who waj guilty of such misconduct. That, although this House, m view of the great public exigencies at present existing .will not refuse to Her Majesty the necessary supplies for the public service, it desires to say that, had such exigencies 'not existed, supplies would have been refused , until such grievances had been inquired into, and the persons accused either acquitted of the 'charges, or expelled from the public service, and this House prays that inquiry be made, and jtistice be done." The Speaker said that care would be taken to follow the course suggested.

Mr Barton demurred to that course being followed, but the Speaker stated that lie could not consent to waive his right to follow the course proposedif he saw fit. privilege.

Mr Barff directed the attention of the House to a question Of privilege. He complained about being mis-reported m Hansard, and although fully reported m tho newspapers, not a single 'word of his remarks appeared m Hansard. He wanted to know how this omission was occasioned.

The Speaker was understood to say that the matter would be inquired into by the Reporting Debates Committee, and that the evidence Avould.be taken on oath.

EEPIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Dr. Wallis, The Minister of Justice said a letter had been received from Major Croker respe'eing tho conduct of Judge Gillies on. the trial of Mrs Croker, but , that the Government had not yet determined what should be done m the circumsta'nees. The correspondence was of a most improper character, and he questioned if it could be taken notice of.

The Premier, replying to Mr George, stated that 15,452 persons held property taxable uneer the Land Tax Act, and that 67,050 persons held land. THE BUSINESS OP THE HOUSE.

The Premier said that,, m accordance with au arrangement come to at last sitting, he had endeavoured to come to some arrangement with the leader of the Opposition to arrive at an understanding as to what Bills shonld be brought forward and passed through the House. He read the correspondence on the point, setting forth that he (Sir George Grey) besides tho Loan. Bill, and the 'granting of supplies, desired to proceed with the Representation Bill, the Electoral Bill, and the Prohibition of the Introduction of Chinese Bill. To that Mr E ox had replied, declining to consider anything else but the question of supplies and the Loan Bill. The Premier went on to say that such being the case, he Would bo prepared, when the first Order of the Day was called, to move, " That on Monday they go into Committee of Supply to consider the Loan Bill, and the Imprest Supply Bill." Ly

In reply to a .uggestion made by (Sir W. Eox, , I The Premier said that a statement, shewing the financial condition of th\ colony, and every available information on the point, would be forthcoming when the House went into Committee of Supply.

Mr Sheehan also expressed a hope that provision would be made for passing important private Bills — a proposal which oir W. Eoxsaid should have the best consideration of the Opposition. AN EXALAtfATION.

I Sir W. Pox said it was necesssry he should make an explanation as to ihe position taken, up- by members on hia side of tho House. The Governor's memorandum had, m his opinion, to be road m the light of certain correspondence and transactions which had taken place m the colony of JNcw South Wales. The circumstances were these : In Now South Wales, the Government, of which MiRobertson was the head, was defeated. Ho asked tho. Governor for a dissolution, but supplies were refused by the House. A month's supplies wore at last consented to, aud it was on that arrangement that the dissolution was granted. He (Sir W. Fox) held that tho memorandum of H_is .Excellency must be read m the light of these transactions. He reprobated to tfte very utmost the.proposal of a dissolution being granted without supplies. He had a right to conclude that if . this House refused to. grant supplies, His Excellency would not allow a dissolution. He would ask that side of the House t<a form a Ministry, and if thby failed he would then go to some other party — the middle party — and so, until he had exhausted all sides. The party ho represented took their staud upon the maintenance of' constitutional rights. He regretted the disposition evinced m other- of* the Australia^ colonies to grant a dissolution without supplies, aud as the party he represented did jinot m any waj desire to go againsl the strict principles of Parliamentary government, they would bo prepared to grant supplies, as they were determined they would not be parties to any of thoso ' discreditable transactions which had brought the affairs of other' colonies to a deadlock. . They took their stand on this. They were prepared to grant such supplies as would enable the Government to go to, the country, but these supplies would only be granted .for such time as would necessitate Parliament being* oalled together again at the earliest possible date. They were not prepared to make any further concessions, or do anything that would imply confidence m the Government, or that the Government is worthy of being entrusted with the affairs of the country. You will understand, then, we / take our stand. They were prepared to grant reasonable supplies. They were prepared to pass the Loan Bill ; and they would impose' the following conditions : — That the new Parliament be oalled t.o-r gethcr at the earliest possible date, and the supplies will only be 'granted for sucl}. time as will be necessary for that purpose, and no longer. A further condition is, that the Government will enter into no new contract. The nos:t condition is, that the Governor will not be advised tq exorcise the Royal prerogative of calling any person to ' the Legislative Council. There were two other items to" which they would call the attention of the Governor, and recommend to his favourable considewitiou. A commission had reported to the effect that tljere'wero hundreds of

names upon the Bay of Islands electoral rolls that had no right to be there. He would suggest that steps should at onco be taken to- get that roll purged. The next item was the s.ato of the West Coast electoral' roll In consequence of the negligence of the clerk to a municipality, in<not sending the riames of rate-" payers to the Registrar, hundreds of those entitled to vote had not' been placed on tho roll. There was a /member of that House who was of that number. ' Under these circumstances, he would suggest to tho Government that such an -amendment be made m tho Act when they went into Committee of Supply, as would remedy these defects. If these conditions were observed, and these suggestions adopted, members on his side of the Bouse would do their utmost to conduct affairs with moderation and despatch. „'.. .:....,,' The Premier, replied that the memorandum waa ' m print, and it- contained nothing that required to be interpreted by anything that took place m any other colony. -He would defy those gentlemen to withhold supply. If they attempted to do so, not one of them would ever come back again' to that House. If 'the Electoral Bill wiis passed, and the Representation Bill, it would euro, all difficulties referred to by Sir William Fox. The fact is, that they were responsible for the difficulties complained [of, and' that wa's, that more than 6.5,000 other persons wore disfranchised. Tho fact 'was, that if a full representation wa3 allowed: to take place,- very few members on the other side of tho House would come back again. With regard to tho assertion made about the delay that would take place, but little or no delay would take place from the passing of these Bills. , The delay would not exceed a month or six weeks. He charged tho Opposition with being responsible for.bringing the representation of the country to the shocking state m which they nOw found it. He knew that "they sat there fur a very , short time. Regarding- the stipulation, 'aboiit- not allowing the Governor to nominate any additional member to the Upper House, the Opposition said they would gire no supplies unless that stipulation wore agteed to. His reply to that was, that he and his colleagues woidd agree to no such stipulation. But the House would grant supply.

_ Several other members spoke on ei.ker side, and the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. On resuming, the House -adjburded at 11.40 till Monday at 2.30: .