PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1871, 22 July 1874, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press Agency.)

HOUSE OF KEPiiESENTATIVES. Wellington, Tuesday, 6.49 p.m.

The afternoon sitting possessed little general interest, the principle feature being the laying upon the table a large batch of papers regarding Polynesia by the Premier, who availed himself of the opportunity to make some remarks in connection with the question, which were well received by the House. He said that by doing so the question would naturally suggest itself to hou. members what course the Government intend to take upon the subject. Tlio papers were very interesting, and contained all the information obtainable upon the subject. As to whether the Government intended to take any course witli regard to the establishment of, or encouraging of any commercial company to trade between New Zealand and Polynesia, he did not know, but he did not hesitate to expfess au ; opinion that it was of very great importance to New Zealand, and one that deserved considerable attention. Ho was quite aware that proposals of the kind were open to the objection that Government should not engage in anythiug that private, persons ouglu to carry out; but he thought that maxim was one which every-day experience contradicted. The Government were quite prepared to leave the question upou its own merits, for he believed proposals shadowed forth in these papers would be hardly second in effect to the public works and immigration scheme. The hou. gentleman dilated upon the fact that Polynesia would open a great field for the enterprise of those young men of iN ew Zealand whoso inclinations wero more in the direction of trade than in tilling the soil, lie did not hesitate to say that the day was not far distant when the Governor of Now Zealand would be Gover-nor-General of the Polynesian Islands. The question was not one of parties, but entirely depended upou the opinion of members whether the Government would proceed withit. The risk was comparatively sm ill as compared with the groat results likely to follow, from it.