HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1407, 9 July 1881, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30.

Report. The Native Petitions Committee repot ted on. the petition of Kita Harinepa and others of Ho^ianga. The petition set forth that if petitioners claims to certain lands were not considered they would take up arms, and probably the other natives complained of would be killed. The report stated that the petition was coached in language which precluded its being considered at all, and the attention of members was called to the impropriety of presenting petitions so worded. After a lengthened discussion the petition was, on the motion of Mr Rolleston, by whom it had been presented, withdrawn.

Questions. Replying to questions put, it was' stated that a Native Lands Court would be provided for dealing with the matter of the Auckland natives succession claims, this course being preferred to the appointment of a commissioner to deal with the matter. The Redistribution of Seats Bill was not yet completed. The delay was ofcasioned by the delay in the completion of the late census returns, the same being requests for enabling the boundaries ot electorate to be fixed. The Entail Bill was printed, and would be introduced into the Legislative Council forthwith. The supply of school buildings was now pretty equal through the colony, and Government did not think there would be any necessity for a special scheme ioi the distribution of the vote. However, as there still might be some inequality, the Government would not bind itself to a hard and fast rule in the matter of distribution. The probabilities were that the distribution would be made principally on a population ba&is.

Supply. An Imprest Supply Bill for £250,000 was intioclucecl by messages from the Governor, and passed through all its stages.

Licensing Bill. The Licensing Bill was further considered in committee. For clause 1 a new clause was moved, providing machinery for the erection of a licensing committee. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.