HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2020, 18 June 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tlio Hoime nipt <\t half pii«t two p.m. ! A number of petitions weie presented and notice* of motion given. The Premier *aid th.it «mcc tlio House met l.mt Mr Shceh.m, one »f their inerabeis, had died at Fetanc, near Napier. On receipt of the news of Mr Sheehan's death Su G. (Jrey requested the Government to place the Hmemoa at the disposal of Mr Sheehai^s lelatives for thp purpose of con- \ eying the body to Auckland, a request which was at once complied with. After paying a generous tribute to the memory of the deceased member, the Premier concluded by moving '"That the Hmw adjourn till half-past seven o'clock, as .1 tribute of respect to Mi Sheeh.in's memory." Su (J. Oiey seconded the motion. The motion was then put and earned. The H<>tise adjourned .it three p.m. till half past seven p.m. On lesuiiiing at ->cv en o'clock, Mi Stout moved, "That .1 writ bo issued fm the election of a member for T.iurangi." I The motion was atrreed to. Leave of absence vva-> gianted to Messrs Gillies, W. F. Biickl.ind, and Colter for one month, on account of nluess. The following Lills vveie introduced :— Land Act, ISS4, Amendment Bill, Tn.-vki- ' toU and Kaitaug.it i Like-, Bill, Native Land Disposition Bill, Native Land Act Consolidation Bill (Mi Ballance), Bill to Regulate Election of School Committees (Mi .Stew aid), I Jill to Amend Employment of Females Act (Mi Leve-«tam), Unclaimed Lands Bill (Mr W.ikeheld). Mr Ie ii-on roie to nine the Address-in-Heply to the Governor's Speech. He was son y ,i melancholy event had occurred recently— the death of Mr Sheehan. He. had lost in him a mikamc and \.\lucd fiieud. He thought the piesent depletion was showing -ign- ot clis.ippe.umg. Theie vveie several cuws for this depression. In the South 1 ■»! uid it vv. is mainly caused l>y the almost total eclipse of the gi.un pioduction, but it was also due to the system winch had piov ailed <>f wtniducing immigrants into the countiy in such l.irgo numbeis.. Another industry h.wl sprung up leewntly that was likely to piove of vast nnpoi UucvJ -namely, the development of the f io/.cn meat tiade. He thought the success of the Noitli Isl.md depended l.u gely on th it indiistiy. He was glad to hndthatouiloc.il industries were increasing eveiy V'.u. He was to find the late loyal in mifestatioii of the, colonies Ji.td piovcd that this colonies weto bound t > the mother country. He also thought the natives were to be congratulated for the offers they had made of assistance. The late Russian scaie found the colony in <i most defenceless state, and ho considered the Government wore to be congratulated foi having placed our defences in a better portion. It was a matter for congratulation that the North Island Trunk line was st.utcd, .is he considered that line would not only be a benefit to the North Tslaiul, but to the South also. He eulogised Mi Balance's native policy, but ho_iittiihut'vl thf pK'smt state of nitive affairs to the (it in and m nil\ |) >litv of Mr Billance s prcdec'ssoi. H" was soiiy h" could not sjieik so hop. fully of the construction of th X i-t and \V<-t Co ist Railway line, but no doubt nime vigoious steps would shoitly be taken in this ;ri itter. He congratulated the Government on the successful manner in which the 1 ite lorn h.u.l been floated, iuid he cousiileied tint notified the Colonial Treasurer's action m the management of the finances of the countiy. He also congratu1 itfd tin- MmUti'i ">f L mds mi tlio success which hid attended his administration of the Crown lands of the colony. He thought that with intelligent administration in the Mining iK'ptitnuMit the product of our itnmiMis'-* uiinei.vl rcnimi ces v mild be hugely increased. He hoped that when the local g.ivernniMit scheiti" vva-s brought down it would not interfere with the present rood boaid system, which hod been of gie.it benefit to many parts of the countiy. He thought it was a melancholy to see. tho way in th* country wa-s being denuded of itf timber, and he was glad to find the 'government intended to bring down a measure for the conservation _ of mil foiests. The opening of a trade with the South Sea Islands lequiied th" attention »f the Hmno, ,in<l he u.i-. glad tli.it tlio steps taken last session had pr tduced 4food result*. He thought that what the country wanted at piesont was > mud legtslati'iii. H'j believed the present <roveinmeiit would give effect to practicil le/islation, and bung the colony bock to pKis|)(>ious tunes. Mi Hislop, in seconding the motion, also alluded to Mi Sheehan 1!*1 !* death ;is l>eing a gieat 10~- to the Young New Zealand Party that was- •_,<■, owing up in the country. He lecollected that there was a general desire last session that there .should be abolished fiom the House the question of abstract puucipli's, but lie thought if the present depiessinn was to be removed they should constantly lefei t> abstract principle*. He refetied at nome length to the introduction of the public works sjstem, and pointed out that the policy which had been carried on in the country had been pioductive of I the best results. He said it wa<s because he saw some effort in the Governor'-. Speech tocairyciutsevei.ilrefoimsth.it he intended t<> siippoit the (iov eminent. As to the present depression, he said the jwople had not lost confidence in the country, but they had lost confidence in the policy that w .is ruining the country, and were determined to m, ike a change, as they had done. Referring to the settlement of the land, he thought that unless private as well >\n public lands were dealt with the depression would not pass tivvay. He hoped the House would give a fair consideration to the proposed change in the taxation, and he hoped it would bo permanent. He was pleased to see the Government were introducing questions of policy »uch as those indicated in the Addiess, and he hoped they would be drawn on the lines advocated from time to tuna by the Pienner. They should endeavour in this community not to have the extreme of poverty and wealth, but one of common happiness for all. They found in the old countiy that where the land was cut up into small holdings, the people wero better able to beat the burdens put upon them, and the same state of things prevailed in this country. Major Atkinson said he would like to know whether the Government were preiiaied with all their policy mcisures. If ho, he was prepared to accept the Address w ithout any further debate. If the Financial Statement wero toady on Tuesday they would bo in a much better position tlion to discuss the whole policy of the (ioveminent. Mr Stout ™id if the Address w ere can icd that night thu Government would be prepued with the Financial Statement on I'iidiy. it w.vs not proposed to bung rlow n the Public Woikn Statement until tho Financial Statement was fully discussed. Majoi Atkinson said aftei the. Premier's reply lie hhonld reservo his remarks till another occn-sion. He merely w nhed huay that in accepting the Address the Opposition did not commit themselves to anything. They reseived to themselves the full light to cuticle tho Government me.uuied as they were brought down. The Addicts was then put and agreed to, Tho House adjourned at five minutes past nine p.m.

WEDNESDAY. Tlio Hihhb met nt 2.30 p.m. Mr Ken, member for Waimea, took the oatli and huseat. The House adjourned at 2.45 p.m. for the purpose of presenting the Addreas-in-Reply to tlio (fowinoi. Koplyiug 1 to question?, it \\a-> • )^atc<i Uwt

Government could not this sps-ion bring in ,i bill tn pi event lestnetion i»f ah> nation of land ; tli.it Gov eminent would .it a, Liter sta^o of the ses-ion con-ider the rt common(l ition <>f the W.i-to Land-. Committee on the petition of .T. C. Wat-.n ; that the action of an Onler-in Council of the 7th M.i\ la-t in refcionce to the legulatum under the Sale of Prisons Act, I*7l, w- old be sii-pended ; th.it the d<*p irtinental leimit and ctati-tics on railway uprising I would be attached to the* Public Works .Statement ; that the lowering of the giain rate- would not result in los- to tno | r.-venuo ; that the agrecni. Nt entered into undei the East and West Coa-t (Middle Island) and Nelson Railway would lw Kud on the table. The following bills were read a rim tune :— Wellington Coiporation Lrn«o-holde-is Rill ; Glad-tone A-M.cntion Improvement Dill ; Employment of Females and Other, Act I.SSI, Auicmlmuit Bill; 15»nk Note- Security Hill ; Mining / Companies A(t 1572 Amendment I^illl/" Mini'is Kight-sl'V Reduction Bill ; Coioney* Junes Abolition Bill ; Timaru Harbour IJ.mrd Loan bill. Inivpl/to i qm>->tion Mr ]J.ilance -,\\d he would lay on the table the hhorthind notes of hi-> late tour through the native districts of the Noith I-l.uid. There were no note-, tiken of his interview with Te Wlnti at Panliak.i, but he would afford the Hoiimj all information in his powtr concernSir (I. Giey moved an address to the Cio,\n for the nurpo-,e of congratulating Her Majesty on the ste|ii recently taken by New South W r alei and other colonies to tender efficient aid to the Einpnc at the tune of temporary difficulty, and of amiring Her Majesty' that it is the desire of her .subjects in New Zealand to render aid to the Empire to the best of their ability at all times when their services may be deemed of value, and may be accepted by Her Majesty. In moving the motion he referred to the assiHtance rendered bv New South Wales to the mother country as one of the greatest o\ ents of modern times, and said it^ would h.vve the effect of consolidating the Empire. The (^ueen was specially entitled to the tokens (if renpeet the addre-ss proposed to convey, as Her Majesty had always taken the greatest interest in the welfare of the colonies. Mi Stout said although the movei of the address luid not consulted w ith the (Joy eminent on the matter, he had no feeling ag.vmst him for not having done «o. He though it would be agreat misfortune if theaddresswereto meetvvith any opposition. He then referred at some length to the action thii Government had token on receipt of Mr Dalley's telegram from New South Wales, and said the reason the New Zealand Government did not offer any assistance to England was because they kn'JW that assistance from other colonies had lmen refused. He hoped the Hous« would pas-, the address so as to show the whole world they were actuated bj the same desire as other colonies. Major Atkinson expressed his entire concunence m the address. He believed the feeling in its favour would be nnanimou* throughout the couutiy. After s-ome further discussion it was agreed that the addiess should bo forwarded to the Queen through the Governor. Mr Hurst moved fora, i etui n, showing how many boards have been appointed for the consideration of complaint- from the general railway employes, names of members, dates whflii appointed, and how many cases have been adjudicated upon, ami the results and under what authority buch boards weie appointed. The motion was agreed to. The Public Accounts Committee, Goldfields Committee, and Waste Linds Committee, were appointed. The Canterbury and Ota go Marriage Bill Administration Act, 187!>, Amendment Bill Mercantile Law Act, I^o, Vnieudtnent Hill Patents Act, Amendment Hill le.ul a second time. TheHoiw ro-eat ~> 10 p m.