HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1924, 4 November 1884, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SATURDAY. The House met at 11 a.m. It having been agreed that Wnhanui should be heaid at tho b.ir (»f the House, W.ihauui entered the Chamber find addicosed the House. He said it was his great desiio to speak on behalf of his people that brought him before the House, Tlieie were two subjects for which he was there. The first was in order to oxpliin his sentiments ; the second, that lie might look for the works done in the House. The first subject on which he wished to speak concerned the ancestral lands of himself and his people ; secondly, the action of the Native Lands Court with respect to those lands. No white man's foot had yet trod upon these lands, and no European had any authority over them, He would ask the House to devise a law for administering those lands. The late Native Minister had told him that his ideas on the subject were pood. He had seen the proposed Native Land Settlement Bill. He found it had great sharks' teeth from the head to the mouth. There was also a sting in its tail. He hoped the House would consider his words. Let not the House be carried away with the desire to obtain land, but let them do what was just and right. Since he had seen the Bill he asked whether the Minister would allow him to insert certain provisions. At present there was no einbarassment with regard to the land, but he was actuated by fear respecting it. The recent visit of Tawhiao was in reference to the disposal of this land by the House. He (Wahanui) asked the House to pass just laws with regard to his land. He also hoped the House would carry out the laws of that great lady who lives in England. He meant the Queen. He hoped some of the clauses of the Bill would not be carried, as they appeared to be framed without due consideration. Ho wanted the authority over his lands to be vested in their own committees. Another request he had to make was, that the sale of spirits to the natives should be stopped, as it was a great evil. He only desired to add that he hoped the House would pass just laws affecting him and his people. Wahanui then left the Chamber. Mr Ba-llance moved the second reading of the Natue Lands Settlement Bill. He intimated that it was not the intention of the Government to force tho whole bill through this session. In Committee they would leduce the measure to a few clauses, sufficiont to prevent piivate persons dealing in native lands. After a somewhat prolonged, but goodtempered debate, in which the action of the Government was generally approved, the bill was read a second time. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reiiding of the Property Assessment Bill, which pioposea to reduce the amount of the Property Tax to one half of the present sum. Major Atkinson, Mr Montgomery and Sir Geo. Grey opposed the bill, the latter saying that if the Government- wished to reduce the taxation they should take it off the necessaries of life. Aftei a long discussion the debate was adjourned, and on the motion of the Premier the House adjourned till Tuesday.