HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES;.

Ashburton Herald, Volume II, Issue 521, 9 December 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES;.

Monday, Dec. 8. The House met at 7.30 p.m. THE AGENT-GENERAL.

Mr. Hislop gave notice of a motion to the effect that it was incompatible with the office of Agent-General for the colony to take part in Imperial politics. THE SPECIAL WIRES. In reply to Mr. M‘Lean, Mr. Hall said that. pending definite arrangements being made with certain newspapers in the special wire business, arrangements had been made for enabling these papers to obtain telegraphic information. REWI. Replying to a question by Mr. Kelly, Mr. Bryce said, his attention had been directed to a letter which had appeared in a newspaper to the effect that Rewi had joined the King party. He did not believe there was any truth in the statement. A request had been received from him ' some time ago, that, as he was going to the King country, and had met with an accident, a carriage should be placed at Ins disposal. That request was complied with, and Government had no reason to believe he was in any way displeased with Government. The letter in question had been received by one of the Maori members, not from Rewi, but from a friend of his. The letter had been left in the member’s office and in that way it had been got hold of by the newspapers. Te Wheoro said that he was the member referred to. The letter stated that Rewi was displeased with the ment, and that he would not return' to the European side, and that those chiefs who had been instrumental in turning oft’ Grey from the Government must be left to carry on the Government of the country. These were the contents of the letters, but he did not know how they got into the newspapers.

SIR PENROSE .TULYAN , “ In reply to a question by Mr. Gisbourne.

Mr. Hall stated that Sir Penrose Julyan had retired from the Loan agencyship, on a petition, and there was no truth in the statement which appeared in the newspapers to the effect that a difference of opinion had arisen between him and the Government, such difference having occasioned the retiral. THE END APPROACHING. Replying to Mr. Macandrew, . Mr. Hall stated he would be prepared to state to-morrow what business was to be dropped, so as to bring the session to a close within the next few days. Mr. Macandrew suggested for the consideration of Government that business so dropped should be taken up next session —both public and private business, as it stood on the Order Papei\ REVISION OR STATUTES. Mr. Hall moved the second reading of the Revision of Statutes Bill. Mr. Stewart called the attention of Government to the importance of making pecuniaiy provision for the publication of the “Jurist.” He pointed out that in the absence of such a publication there could be no uniformity of procedure in the various courts. The work could not be efficiently done by private enterprise. No one whose reports were at all trustworthy would undertake the work unless well paid, and in the present state of the colony the profits arising from such a publication would not be sufficient to warrant a suitable person undertaking the task.

The Bill was read a second time. MAORI PRISONERS BILL.

The adjourned debate on the Confiscated Lands and Maori Prisoners Bill was resumed.

Mr. Turnbull opposed the Bill, and spoke strongly against the Maori prisoners being kept in prison for such a length of time without being brought to trial. Major Te Wheoro also objected to the Bill, and stated if passed, the Maori pi’isoners might be kept in custody without being tried for years. They had been already in prison six months, and after all it might turn out they were in the right. He argued that they ought to be brought to trial forthwith. Captain Norris supported the Bill.

Tainui opposed it, and argued that the prisoners should be brought to trial at once. The charge should • not be kept hanging over their heads in the way it had been done. Mr. Sutton supported the Bill.

i Sir George Grey said the measure was calculated to shake the confidence of the native race in the justice.of our courts of law. Mr. J. B. Fisher contended that the men now lying in prison had done nothing to render them amenable to the criminal law, as they had simply asserted a fancied right. The Bill as it stood was not calculated to obviate the abuses complained of. He moved as an amendment that the Bill be read that day six months. Mr. Seddon supported the second reading, and expressed a hope that when it became law it would do justice alike to all. Mr. Sheehan supported the second reading. If they refused to pass the Bill, and allowed the natives to return to Parihaki, a native disturbance was imminent. Certain mistakes in the Bill could be remedied in Committee. He considered the policy enunciated in the ' Bill was the policy of the late Government, and one which was absolutely necessary if they desired to prevent a native war. Mr. Hislop opposed the Bill.

Mr. Bryce, replying, said it was the opinion of Government that it would be a most dangerous thing to relieve the prisoners under existing circumstances. The late Government had a similar opinion. A motion for the second reading was then put, and on a division was carried, Ayes, 37 ; noes, 12. The House then went into Committee on the Bill.

(By Telegraph to-day.)

Last night the Confiscated Land and Maori Prisoners Trial Bill passed through Committee without material alteration.

The Property Assessment Bill in Committee passed •to clause 21. The only material alteration made was agricultural implements actually in use added to the exemption clause. The House adjourned at 3 a.m.