WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 26

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3.

In the Legislative Council to - day a motion was passed to ask the Premier if he was correctly reported as to some remarks made to a deputation of Maoris which recently waited on him. An Itivercargiil local bill was read a first time.

QUESTIONS.

The Hon. Mr BONAR asked the Minister for Education whether the Government would introduce a bill this session to deal with tbe extraordinary state of things stated by the report of fcha Private Benefit Societies' Commission to exist in connection with the Bank of Now Zealand Officers' Guarantee and Provident Fund. He was quite sure that a majority of the employees of the bauk wore dissatisfied with tbe state of tbe fund.

The Hon. W. C. WALKER said that the matter was receiving consideration, and a bill would be submitted dealing with the matter this session.

THE PREMIER AND THE COUNCIL.

Tbe Hon. Mr BOWEN moved— •' That the Government should be asked whether the report of the Premier's remarks to a Maori deputation, in which be said that a member of tbe Cimncil had got one word inserted in the Native Land Bill, on the ground that ib was merely a technical amendment, with the result that 30,000 acres of Native laads wera injuriously affected, was a true report or nob, as such a statement reflected on the honour of the Council." He said that the matter should Not be brought forward in any hostile sense, but a challenge hud apparently been thrown down by the Premier tothe Council. Nobody in the Council seemed to kaow what tbe paragraph was about.

The Hon. W. C. WALKER said that the Premier had already contradicted the accuracy of the paragraph. The officer in charge of the department bad assured the Minister that the proposed amendment was perfectly s\fe, and similar advice was given by the Government's advisers in the Lf.wer Chamber. The Premier was right in saying that the addition of this word had a very important boaring on the rights of Natives owning land.

The Hon. Mr SMITH said he was the Councillor who had moved the amendment, but he " denied that it had had or would have any detrimental tffeeb. There was only one case before the court in which the matter was concerned, and it had not yet been decided upon, so that at present the result of the amendment was in suspense. He advised that the amendment simp'y mrt- . law clearer, and that was also the opini v of the advisers of the Government. He knew of no case at the time that the amendment would affect. He had acted solely in the public interest. Both Houses agreed to that amendment, as there was & conference between both Homes on the bill. It was a question whether the privileges, of the chamber had not been infringed. Tbe Premier had no right to ask why any member had moved an amendment. It was a great pity that the matter had not been brought before another place.

The Hon. Mr BONAR said that any amendments made were made in the interests of the country. The Premier was a member of the conference of the Houses, and was dircct4y cognisant of all that went on.

The Hon. Mr ORMOND wanted to know what tbe Premier did say. As the statements bad been denied they must have been invented. The statement that 30,000 acres were involved was absolutely untrue, as also was the remark

that the Council was in favour of free trade in Native lands. The Premier should have categorically denied being identified with any of the statements.

The Hon. Me JENNINGS said that the imputation of the Premier was that something had been smuggled through in the bill. The statements were an example of marvellous invention on the purb of the reporter.

The Hoa. Mr PINKERTON said that a wrong impression had been placed on the Premier's remarks. He was present at the meeting addressed by the Premier, aud w*s certain that the Premier did cob intend to reflect on the Council.

After further debate,

The Hou. Mr JONES said he oould not sfis that the Council had a right bo ask the Premier to explain. Councillors hid made worse charges against the Government.

The Hon. Mr SHRIMSKI said that the Council had a perfect right to say what it thought. The motion was then agreed to. PERSONAL.

Leave of absence for a fortnight was granted to the Hon. Mr M'Lean, who had met with an accident which will confina him to his room for that period.