HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4637, 11 June 1880, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thttbbday, Jtob 10. The House met at 2.30 pan. KOnCBS OP MOTIOK.

Mr Mubrat gave notice that he would ask -that a sum of money be placed on the estimates to defray, the costs of conferring the -order of knightfibod on the Speaker. The Hon. J. Hali said that it was almost

tm unseemly thing to ask * gentleman on ■whom the honor of knighthood Bad been conferred to pay the ooets thereof. The Govern- - aunt proposed, therefore, to place on the •estimates the amount of fees payable for the patent of the order of knighthood conferred on the Speaker. Mr Sees gave notice that he would more that an import d«ty be levied on all imports into the colony. questions. Beplying to Major Harris, The Hon. W. Boxlbstox said the Govern--meat saw bo reason for extending the time where volunteers had not complied with the conditions of the Act, as in the petitions of "Volunteers Lynn, Adams, Preston and Maxwell, also that of Hugh Cairns. Mr Fink asked what control the Government are in the habit of exercising over the administration of waste lands in the colony, «a at present exercised by the Waste Lands Boards.

The Hon. W. Bollkstok said that their powers were in many respects concurrent, but in the absence of a specific case he had great difficulty in answering the question. Replying to Mr Finn, The Hon. W. Eoilbbtoh said the Government had no objection to postpone the issue «f agricultural leases to Mean Kinross, Keflion and others 'in the Shotover district, vntil the complaints of Messrs James Travis ted Thomas Gibson, claiming a portion of all file lands included in such leases, be iaquired into, [and reported on by the select committee of the Honsf. Beplying to Mr Seymour, The Hon. J. Hax& said that every endeavour would be made for enabling the 7 Bngliei Mail for (Marlboroegh to be deiirered there soon after its arrival in the celony. . -, r . ■ •'•" : ■ ■ f BeplyinAto Mr Barron aa to how long the «an of referred to is fail e»mTO?i»*

statement»»being due to the Bank of New Zealand for the balance of an overdraft of the late Provincial Government of Otago has remained a separate debt to the bank, and what rate of interest had been and is now being paid for auoh overdraft, The Hon. Major Athfsok said on the 14th March, 1877, the amount was £78,000. In June, 1878, it was reduced to £28,000, and on the 19th of April last the remainder was paid. No interest had been paid since March, 1877.

Replying to the Hon. E. Biohardson, The Hob. B. Oltvbb said that there ia no truth in the report circulated in the Frees that Government are considering the advisabflity of changing the route of the main line of the railway at Timaru. ih Shbimski asked why the privilege hitherto extended during the session of Parliament to the Press correspondents to despatch telegrams up te 10 pjn., has this session been denied them. The Hon. J. Hacl in reply said that it involved an outlay of £70 per annum, and in the present state of the colony they were loth to continue that cost. The matter was, however, under the consideration of the Government, and if the Press would guarantee the cost, there would be no difficulty in getting the privilege restored. In reply to Mr Stewart, The Hon. W. Bolebstoh said the Government had asked the Imperial Government to remonstrate with the French Government in reference to the deportes or political prisoners who lately came to this colony from New Caledonia. BKW BIIXS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time—Malvern Water Bace Transfer Act 1878 Amendment Act, Ashburton County Council Water-works Act, 1879, Amendment (Mr Wright) ; Invercargill Drill Shed Site Commissioners (Mr Bain); Land Act, 1877, Further Amend' ment (Mr DeLautour); to Impose Special Stamp Duties on the Alienation of Native Lands (in committee) (Hon. Major Atkinson). THE NATIVE COHMITTEB. Mr Luhdoh moved—"That the Select Committee on Native affairs do consist of nineteen members, and Mr DeLautonr, Mr Thompson, Mr McDonald, Mr White, and the mover be added to the committee." j The Hon. J. Bbycb opposed the motion, and cautioned the House that the adoption of this motion would practically be a re-opening of the whole question, and a probable return to the objectionable state of matters connected with the constitution of committees which the Government had been at great trouble to rectify. Mr Moss said that many of the Auckland members had come down determined to do their duty, independent altogether of party consideration. The first thing they were met with was a disposition on the part of the Government to carry their purpose by every possible device within their power. He cautioned the Native Minister against a proceeding of this kind in regard to this committee. He believed that the Government was strong enough, to carry their purpose, but every report that came from that committee would be looked upon with grave suspicion, and those on his side of the House would be prepared to admit nothing. He was very much pained at the course adopted by the Native Minister in this respect. He strongly condemned the course followed in electing the Chairman of the Committee, and he cautioned the Government that it would be a means of landing them in difficulties. Mr SrBiGHT spoke in support of the motion. He contended that the Native race had not confidence in this committee as constituted, and that it was very neceeeary for the interests of all concerned that this failing should be removed. He hoped that the Government would see its way to allow the motion to pass. Mr TtTENßtra also supported the motion, agreeing with the remarks of the previous speaker. Mr Skddok did not think that the circumstances of the committee were so very exceptional as to warrant a departure from the rule laid down regarding the number of members to be placed on committees. Major Tβ Wheoeo condemned the oonatitnfion of the committee, and supported the motion.

Mr Thomson suggested that the motion should be withdrawn, seeing that there were fourteen members on the committee already. Mr Gbobgk suggested that the gentlemen on the committee should withdraw their names, with a -view of getting it re-orgasiaed. Mr DbLatttottb said that the committee, ac constituted, was not likely to work .efficiently. The practical effect of this mode of procedure on the part of the Government would be that the minority would refrain from committee work altogether. It was nonsense to expeot that any man of average intelligence would consent day after day to sit on a committee and to go through a form of deliberation, when it was well known that foregone conclusions would be carried. He appealed to the Government to consider this matter apart from any hard thing that may have been said by either him or others of the party to which he belonged. The Hon. Major Ateotbok said that the arguments of the previous speaker were simply presuming on the credulity of the House. Aβ things were constituted, the Government supporters must of necessity predominate, on the committee. He denied that there was any disparity between the members of this committee ac regards political parties. Aβ a matter of fact, the committee was composed of members equally divided. He contended that no just case had been made out for altering the committee as constituted.

The Hon. W. Gisbobhb said that it was deeply to be deplored that these committees should be regulated in their constitution by party spirit. The evils arising from this state of matters could not now be foreseen, but they would be developed in lime. The result of this would be that questions would not be judged on their own merits, but with regard to the favor or otherwise of those who had sent members there. The time was when members of committees were appointed in virtue of their individual fitness, and any imputation that they would be influenced by party feelings would have been sharply resented. Those days had now passed away, and a very differ* ent style of selection was adopted. He could not vote for the motion, simply because he felt that adopting it would aggravate rather mitigate the evil complained or. Mr Tons spoke in favor of the motion. He felt the Natives might just as well at once send their petitions to the Native Minister as send them to the committee constituted as it was.

Sir W. Fox said Vhat he >as on that |com» miltee some yean ago, when the Government was in other hands, and he could remember that there was a majority of then Government supporters on it. He was afraid that all this kick-up wai simply an illustration of the old doctrine of "when the devil was sick the devil a monk would be; when the devil got well, the devil a monk was he." It looked to him to be a judicious, goad working com* mittee as constituted, and he hoped that,it would not be disturbed., A good deal bad been said about the necessity of members from particular Native districts being on the Committee. Now, he thought that that was anything rather than a recommendation. Such men not unfrequently had an individual bias, or perhaps an axe of their own to grind. The eleotion of such, men on a committee of this kind was very much to be deprecated. He also denounced the reference made to the election of the chairman as a gross abuse of Parliamentary practice. Mr Ltotdox replied, and A division resulted in—Ayes, 29; noes, 40. The motion was accordingly negatived. Sir G. GkkY then gave notice that he would move that hie name be expunged from the Native Affaire Committee. Mr TTa-mt.tk gave notice that he would move that his name be expunged from the same committee. EXiBUSO-SHBUKOHIA. Mr Hxtbsihottsb moved "That, in the opinion of rtiin House, all transportation of cattle from the North to the South leland should be suspended until the Government are satisfied that pleuro-pneumonia, now known to exist in the provincial district of Auckland is eradicated, and that all cattle arriving from Australia be quarantined for at least three months, and that the Government should at once issue an Order in Council in accordance with the provisions of the Diseased Cattle Act, 1871, to give effect to the foregoing resolution."

Mr J. T. &BHBB seconded, and spoke in support of the motion. The Hon. J. Hah could apt agree with the motion. The fact was that the disease was confined to a very small district of Auckland, a district from which cattle were never taken tooth. It vu on (he deoreaie, and

there was no danger of the disease spreading. If it should increase, the Government would exercise its powers to avert danger. At present there was no danger of its spreading. They were watching carefully over the matter and he hoped that the motion would not be pressed. Mr Pitt supported the motion, maintaining that it would be too late to attempt to check the disease after it had spread,' as suggested by the Premier. Mr Baixancb said that he had been assured on good authority that many of the cattle slaughtered had not pleuro-pneumonia at all, and that the alarm was to a large extent groundless. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.