HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1854.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XI, Issue 722, 30 May 1854, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1854.

The Speaker, on taking the Chair, at 20 minutes to 4, craved the indulgence of the House for not being able to read, for confirmation, the minutes of the previous meeting. There was a deficiency of Clerical means, which, Before Monday, he trusted would be remedied. lie would take the opportunity of stating the practice to be observed in the business of the House. Petitions should be first submitted : these to be followed by Notices of Motion, before proceeding to the Oiders of the Day.

Notices of Motion. Mr. Hart rose, and said, that, pending the absence - of Standing-Rules, he would move for "A Return of Correspo:idsiC3 on the subject of the erection of a Light House at PfcjftNicholson." He would also beg to mo; c (as the steamer was about to depart southwards) fcr "Returns showing the amount of additional duty derived from spirits since the increased rate of tariff." He Avas content to allow this notice to be placed as an order of the day. He wished, for the same reason, — the departure of the steamer, — the Notices which stood in his name (No. 2) for Wednesday next, to be, this day, disposed of. Mr. Revaxs, whilst he admitted the exigency of the occasion, and was willing to concur in the proceedings entailed by that exigency, hoped they would not bo allowed to constitute any precedent. Agreed to. The Hon. — . Wortley gavejjotice that, on Wednesday next, he would move/^ior copies of all correspondence on the part of the General Government with certain members of the Church of England, in the Otago Province, connected with the erection of a Church on a site named Moray Place, in the Town of Dunedin.j^X

Letter from. Colonial Seeretaiy. The Speaker here intimated the receipt of a letter from the Colonial Seeretaiy, announcing that the Officer Administering the Government had issued a Writ for the election of two Members to fill the vacancies that had occurred in the Representation of the Province of Nelson. Mr. Mackay then proceeded to the motion, of "which lie had given notice, for the completion and amendment of the building in which the Representatives found themselves located. Mr. Wakefield, in seconding the motion brought before the House, said, the prime consideration, that of hearing, had been entirely departed from in the construction of this building. As sound ascended, the best place to hear would be on one of the cross-beams over their heads. He begged to apologize ; but a seat up there would be no harder than the one from which he had just risen. He said this in no jocular spirit. It was a hard fact. He had~been told by a Cambridge man that after an experience of the thwarts on the river, he could sit upon any thing. He (Mr. Wakefield) was not so seasoned. Such seats were a real hardship to men of heavy weights. And he wa3 of opinion that with hard mental work for five o: six hours a day, there was no necessity why the body should be inconvenienced. They would, no doubt, be told there wera no funds to remedy the grievances of which he complained ; still he was of opinion that the subject should be brought palpably under the notice of the Executive. Mr. Lee hoped the hon. member would take care also for the inner man. Mr. Mekbimast would suggest the propriety of taking care of the intellectual man. He hoped measures would be taken for the formation of a library. Mr. Revax's considered the best way to attain that object was by the formation of a Library Committee. Major Greenwood said a few words relative to accommodation for the Nominee House, and ladies. Mr. Revans thought^any Members of the other Chamber, as well as members of the Provincial Council, should be received within the bar of the House. Mr. L. OBrien hoped the attention of the House would be directed to the proper accommodation of the Tress. Mr. Mackay had thought of the Press in asking for a Committee of Improvement. Mr. Carltov gave notice that, on Friday next, he would move 'Jnox leave to bring in a Bill for completing the settlement of Claims to Land under the the Pre-emption Proclamation.*}/ Mr. Picard rose to move for a Return of Monies received as rents &c, at Nelson, in. conformity with the notice he had given. Mr. Sewell said, the hon. member asked for a great •many Returns, and for a long period. Some of them, though local, involved the interest of the Colony at large. He himself might ask for similar ones for Canterbury at a future time. He thought it would be better for the House to ascertain if they could get them in time to be available. They were now in the dark ; and might ask for a great body of Returns, and defeat their own object by asking more than the Government could give in time to be available. There was a great scarcity cf clerical power here, and means should be taken of ascertaining if it would be useful to ask for such Returns. A Committee might be formed to consider what Returns should be asked for. He would move, as an amendment, that a Committee be formed to ask for such Returns. Mr. Wakefield would second the amendment. The "labours of the Committee should not be confined to diminish the labour of the Government, but to inquire what Returns might be given, and what not. It was quite clear, Returns asked for would be supported by the House. It would be most unfortunate to be brought into collision with the Government about Returns. The House had no one here from the Government to indicate its sentiments ; and to avoid the painful contingency of collision with Government, he would support the amendment. Mr. Revans rose under enormous astonishment. The Committee proposed was a compromise. Let us have a Minister of the Government in this House, and if he knows a Return cannot be granted, why he would say so. Tima is everything with respect to these Returns. If delayed, to use a homely phrase, we are flummuxed. We should have a Minister—and we mus€ have one. The Returns were required, and a Statistical Committee should be formed. The Government Returns should be so kept that any member could obtain information. He felt bound never to forego a principle. Rather than form such a Committee a3 that proposed, he would withdraw the motion before the House, if he were the mover. Mr. O'Neill hoped that no motion would be shelved by referring it to a Committee. The utmost support should be given to every mmber in search of inquiry. Let the motion go direct to the Executive. Everything should be open. Dr. Monro was of opinion that the amendment would involve consequences entirely at variance with the welfare of the House. The minority would be entirely silenced by the majority. Such a Committee would be fatal to the independence and liberty of the House. If the Government refused to give such information as they ought to give, he trusted the House would know how to vindicate its position. The amendment was at variance with the principles of the Constitution.

Mr. Forsaith craved the indulgence of the House. He saw men of practised ability, men familiar with the details of debate around him. He naturally felt a considerable degvee of anxiety in the duties which now devolved upon him. He regretted it was his duty to speak in terms of censure as to the manner in which the amendment had been brought forward. He could net but object to it as unworthy — Mr. Revans must object to the use of tlie term " unworthy." Mr. Forsaith used the term advisedly, — as unworthy the topic, — he sought to impute no unworthy motive to the member. Mr. Revans still objected to the use of the term under any application. Mr. Foiisaith would withdraw the word, — lie would substitute the word "unexpected" manner in which the amendment had been proposed. He appealed to the House whether it would be fair to the minority to introduce the question of Responsibility in such a manner. It would be unfair to press such a question at once, until they had time to consider it. He himself was slow of thought, and the ends at which others arrived with intuitive rapidity, he could only master step by step. He had no desire to refuse to consider the question of Responsible Government. He courted its introduction, and should support inquiry. Mr. Sewell said he had been charged with dragging the question of Responsible Government before the House. His object, on the contrary was to get over a practical difficulty. He had no doubt that that difficulty had brought the question of Responsible Government before the House, but it was not his object. As the House was without the usual Constitutional means of obtaining information, he had proposed an amendment to meet a difficulty. He begged he might not be misunderstood in the object with which he made the amendment. It had been supposed he wished to curtail the privileges of individual members, but it was not so. Any member of Committee reported again asking for returns, could bring them before the House. The Amendment was put to the House and negatived there being : — Ayes 8, Noes 23. Mr. Merkimaw was of opinion that the great object of the House should be to gain all the information possible. They were in too early a stage to refuse to ask for information. At present, he would support every motion for information. Mr. Picaud said in reply he had every reason to believe that the necessary information was in the hands of a gentleman of this Province. The constituency he represented considered the returns were of great importance. Expectation and feeling was high in the Province of Nelson respecting these returns. He was aware of the difficulty pressing upon the -House, in consequence of the Government having no responsible officer there. The difficulty would meet them at every turn. The original motion was put and carried. Mr. Cromfton rose and moved for a return of duties paid on goods, &c, imported jinto New Plymouth. He had endeavoured to obtain the information in his own Province, but had been referred to the Colonial Secretary. Duties were paid in Auckland and Wellington, and the goods were sent to New Plymouth. These did not appear in the Returns for New Plymouth. He wished to direct attention to the increased native traffic in the Province. Mr.) Revans seconded the motion. Upper Canada, he said, furnished a similar instance of the unequal way in which duties were levied. In Canada a Custom House had been established to take cognizanca of the difference. Taranaki had been robbed of her just rights in her Customs, and he hoped she would now receive justice. Mr. Fitzgerald wished to know if it were meant to ask for Returns of all duty paid goods imported into the Province. The question affected Canterbury, and all newly founded settlements. Some arrangements should be made for a drawback on goods shipped to eithe Province. Mr. Wakefield supported the motion. If this motion had been referred to a Committee, a Return for other Provinces would, no doubt, have been asked for. If there were a Minister in the House responsible to the Government a Committee might not be wanted. He had wished and he hoped the hon. member for Waimea (Dr. Monro) would bear it in mmd — to avert collision with the Government-. Mr. Sewell said it appeared to him desirable to find out from what Province goods were imported. He suggestsd the addition to the hon. member. Motion carried. 6n the request of Mr. Revans supported by the Hon. — . "Wortley leave was granted for the postponement of his motion for the election of a Clerk until Tuesday. Mr. Picard moved for a Return of lands purchased in the Province of Nelson, in conformity with the Proclamation of the 4th March 18J3. As the question of waste lands was to be brought before the House, he wished the House to be in possession of every fnformation respecting his own Province. He had learnt, indirectly, there would be no difficulty in obtaining the Returns he wished for. Mr. Revans was sorry, very sorry.the lion. Member had obtained private information — that he had used back-stairs influence. The House must come to the point respecting Responsible Government. They must have parlies and responsible officers, or the House would not get through its business for the next six months. He was u appalled by the amount of business he saw before him. He hoped gentlemen would not tell the House they had private information. He wished for no information but that which came directly and legitimately through this House. Motion put and carried. Mr. Hart brought forward the motions which he had obtained leave to transfer from, the notice paper of Wednesday. — Motions agreed to. Mr. Revans moved that the speech of the Officer Administering the Government be printed. Major Greenwood said, — if Mr. Revans would allow him to afford the information, — that the speech was in course of printing in the Government Gazette. Mr. Revans must protest against such information. Mr. Wakei-ield would accept such information from Major Greenwood as an Officer of the Government. The Speaker intimated that the Government Printer had informed the Clerk that the speech was printing and would be ready for delivery at six o'clock. Mr. Hart gave notice that on Monday he would move "for a Return of the despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, which authorised the Governor of N ew Zealand to make regulations for the sale of land in the Colony." The House adjourned at dusk until Monday at 1 p.m.

Monday, May 29, 1854. The House met pursuant to notice, at 1 o'clock. The Minutes of last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following notices of motion were filed. Mr. Weld gave notice on behalf of Mr. Fitzgerald, tkat Mr. Fitzgerald would move on Thursday next, "An Address in answer to the Speech of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government." Mr. Wakefield gave notice that he would move on Friday next the following Resolution, viz. — "That among the objects which this House desires to see accomplished without delay, both as an essential means whereby the General Government may rightly exercise a due control over the Provincial Governments, and as a no less indispensible means of obtaining for the General Government, the confidence and attachment of the people, the most important is the establishment of ministerial responsibility, in the conduct of legislative and executive proceedings by the Governor." " That this House do now adjourn until Thursday next, at eleven o'clock, and that after the motions of which notice has been given to-day, shall be disposad of, notices of motion now on the paper do take precedence of all others." "With the permission of the House Mr. Lee withdrew, for the present, his notice relative to the Provincial Councils." The motion for adjournment was then r>ut and carried.