TUESDAY'S SITTING Wellington, Yesterday. The House met at 2.30.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1261, 29 July 1880, Page 2

TUESDAY'S SITTING Wellington, Yesterday. The House met at 2.30.

Replying to Mr Fisher, Mr Bryce said that Alexander McDonald, who was lately appointed Native Land Purchase Agent at Otaki, is the name Alexander McDonald who some time since was convicted at the Supreme Court, Wellington, for stopping the mail coach and shooting horses. He was a man capable of rendering service in the position to which he had been appointed. Mr Fisher abked—" Whether E. F. Harris, who is gazetted Native Interpreter under the Act in the Xeic Zealand Gazette of the 29th January last, is the same E. F. Harris who was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for forgery? 1' Mr Biyce replied in affirmation, adding that when the appointment was made the fact of Harris' conviction was not known. Mr Bryce read the letter of recomme.idition which accompanied the application, signed by a Judge of the Native Lands Court, a Resident Magistrate, one or two J.P.s, and others supposed to be respectable persons, residing in the district were Harris lived.

COAL. Replying to Mr Lundon, Major Atkinßou said that the use of colonial coal was f-o rapidly superseding the imported article that the Government did not think it necessary to impose a tax on the latter.

GRAHAMSTOWN AND TARARU TRAMWAY. Iv reply to Mr. Sheehan, Mr. Hall said that the Government would endeavour to arrange the Public "Works .Statement to give effect to the agreement made some years ago, between the Government of Auckland and the local .authorities of the Thames, in reference to the Grahamstown and Tararn tramway.

GOVERNMENT INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. Replying to Mr. George, Mr. Hall said instructions had been given to the Agent-General, to secure the services of Messrs. Baillie and Harvey, actuaries, to investigate the Insurance Department affairs, and if their services could not be had, some other firm of equal standing.

PATETERE. Replying to Sir George Gr<?y. Mr, IJryce said he thought the telegram from the Attorney -General to the Native Minister, published in Patetere < orrespondencf, and appeared in the Auckland papers. Replying to Mr. Seddon, Mr. Bryce said when the West Coast Connni&S)ioneib' leport came down, Government would submit a proposal for dealing with the m hole question of pre-venting-the natnos fiom fencing on colonial loads ami ploughing the land of settlers. Mr Barron asked, "Whether Government intended to re&en e Crown lands, in accordance with sections 330 and 331 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1887, for the moic adequate endowment of boroughs a\ Inch ha\ c been unfairly treated hitherto"'' Mr llolle.ston replied tli.it there could be no doubt but that the Legislature intended that no more endowments should be granted, and Government did not think it desnable to re-open the question. On the motion for goingiuto Committee of Supply. Sir George Grey mo\od, "That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report upon the Patatere correspondence, 01 any cireumstaiueh connected \\ ith the contemplated acquisition of L'atateie lands by Europeans, with power to call for persons and papei.s— three to bca (juoruni — to repoit in a fortnight ; Mich committee to consist of the Hon. Mr IJryco, Sir W. Vox, Ca])tain Kenny, Mr Thomson, Mr Ste\ en.s, Mr Stewart, and the mover. Mr. Bryce and Sir "W. Fox desired that their names .should uof- I c placed on the committee, both claiming th.it their time wa& fully occupied with the work of other committee. Mr Stevens aKo too claimed exemption for .similar reasons. On the meommendation of Mr. Bryca Sir <t. Grey ooii'-pnto'l to allow the names of the commit toe (o ttaud over until tomorrow. The motion was pntnnd carried.

SUPPLY. The motiou foi going into supply was tli en put nml cm ried. The debate on the question tli.it the education vote be reduced by £.50,0-10 was resumed. Mr. Macandrew was disposed to agree with the mover, Avho believed that the sy^eni devolved far too much on tho (Jovcrnment and too little on parental autholity ; but the (Government having made it a cardinal i'e.itura of po icy that the vote should not bo in torf erred with, he .said it, was no good discussing it further. Mr Kelly thought it might be wiso to do away with Education Boards and extend the poweis of the committees .so as to do all required "work. Mr Moss hoped no attempt Mould be mule to cut the vole down on farthing below that proposed 113 the (Government. 0 Mr. t>wanson tootc exepption to the class of books road in the schools. Tliey were, in a great many instances, calculated to bewild-r pupils The lessons taught on the seasonal influences, for example, spoke of summer dming our colonial winter, and May and June as the .season of flowers, and summer associations at a peiiod of the year when everything- was dead in this p.ut of the world, lie thought an effort should bo made to get class-books better suited to the circumstances of the case. Nil (G. Grey contended that the circumstances of the colony were not of such a gloomy character at, to warrant the lar^o reductions proposed by Mr McCaughnn. Mr Fulton supported the system of school fees. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at .3.30. The House resumed at 7.30. Sir (George Grey contiuued and spoke strongly in defence of the present .system oi education Mr Sheehan said there could be no doubt but that thoAc t owed its, success and popularity to the fact that it was free, secular, and compulsory. Its features in that le^poct were duo to the action of the Opposition, who forced these cardinal points into tho measure. They could not retrace their steps. }?o felt that, consequently ho Avould vote for tho amount being passed as proposed. The public would never consent to go back again to the school fees, or consent to the denominational sy-tem. Mr Rolle&tcn said it would be a great mistake to abolMi the Education Boards. They had administeied their functions well and were doing excellent work. They were not extravagant, but they might fairly be asked to j educe their expenditure like other branches of the public service. Mr McCaugh.m withdrew his original motion, and proposed a reduction of tho vote by £64,000. On this the committee divided. Ayes 13 ; noes, 08. The following were the aye 0 ; — Adams, Exown, Finn Cfibbti.

Johnston©, Lundon, McCaughan, Murray, McDonald, Fyke, Richmond, Studholme, Tomoana, Wakefleld, and Wrigrht. Noes : — All wright, Andrews, Atkinson, Bain, Ballance, Barron, Beethara, Bo wen, Bern* don, Bryce, Bnnny, DeLautour, Dick, Fisher (J. B.), Fisher (J. T.), Fox, Fu%n, George, Gisborne, Grey, Hall, Hamlin, Harris, Hurst (W. . J.), * Hursthoune, Hutchison, Ireland, Jones, Kelly, Kenny, Levin, Mason, Montgomery, Moss, OrmondjjkEeed, Richardson, Rblleston, Seddon,-4Bbanks, Sheehan, Shepherd, Shrimski, Speight, Stevens, Stewart, Swanson, Tainui, Tawhia, Te Wheoro, Thompson, Tole, Trimble, Wallis, -Whitaker, and Whyte. The motion for redaction by £32,000 was put and carried on the voices. - - • The vote for native schools of £1,4,050 was agreed to. The vote industrial schools £4045. Mr Rolleston said it was intended that the schools should be taken over by the Education Department. Agreed to. Deaf and Dumb Institution,' £1895. Agreed to. Miscellaneous services, £4550. Mr Shrimski moved, "That the follow, ing items be struck, out : — Auckland Girls' High school, £1200 ; Thames High School, £400 ; Wellington College, £1200; Otago Boys' and Girls' High School, , £500." 1 Mr Rolleston explained the necessity for these items being retained. Mr Sheehan pointed out that there were no endowments for higher education in the North Island, and if these items were objected to the time would come when a common endowment fund would be insisted "upon, as well as a common land fund. ' After considerable discussion, the mo* tion to strike out the items was lost on a division by 42 to 11. The total value for miscellaneous services, £4550, wa9 then agreed to. The following items were agreed to : — Department of Justice, £1335 : Crown Lands Office, £2110 ; land claims, £900 ; Supreme Court, £7246. District Courts, £8085. Mr Rolleston said that this was a vote Government thought would sdmit of very considerable reduction. He proposed a reduction of 1800. Mr Kelly said that the question was whether a reduction should be made on this vote, or the vote asked for a Resident Magistrate. Before dealing with the matter, he asked the Government to consider that point. Mr Rolleston said he was quite satis* fied the department was over-weighted altogether. The Courts had not been a success in the colony, and the question was, should the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court not be so regulated as to overtake much of this work ? Cheap justice had not proved a success in the colony. The Tote as reduced was carried. Resident Magistrates' and Wardens' Courts, £48,216 4s. Mr Rolloston said this was a department in which the Government proposed considerable saving. He suggested that it be reduced £1000 Sir W. Fox pointed out that a" large number of clerks and bailiffs were employed who might be dispensed with. Again, in small coterminous townships each had its constables, who had literally nothing to do. It would be well to investigate this matter by a Commissioner, and he believed, if it was properly gone into, & vast saving might be effected. With a complete through system of railway lines one officer could move about from place to place without muoh trouble or inconvenience. The vote, as reduced, was agreed to. The following votes were then agreed to :— Petty Sessions, £1,000 ; Criminal Prosecutions, L 10,00 0; Coroners Act, 12,500. Prisons, L 50,529. Mr. Rolleston proposed a reduction of L2OOO, The vote, as reduced, was agreed to. Contingencies, L 45.000. agreed to ; Native Lands Court, L 10,267, agreed to, Native Lauds Frauds Prevention Act, L 643. Mr. McDonald thought this a waste of money, and moved its omission. The vote was agreed to. Miscallaneoua, L 1506, agreed to. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1. 20 a. m.