HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2582, 27 October 1865, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10.

The Speaker took the chair at 5 o'clock. PAPIRS. Mr. SewbU/ laid upon the table — Copy of despatch from the Right Hon. Edward Curdwell to Sir George Grey. Papers relative to the affairs of New Zealand. MKSSAGK FUOM THE GOVERNOR. The Speakkr announced the receipt of a despatch from hi« Excellency the Governor, notifyiug that, in the name of her Majesty, he had given his ascent to the following bills : — British Companies Act ; Injuries by Dog* Bill ; Private Ettatea Bill ; Bail way Offences Bill ; Outlying Dist ict» Police Bill ; Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Bill.

PETITIONS. Mr. Thos. Russell presented a petition from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, relative to the Customs tariff. . The petition was read and received. Mr. G. M. O'Kohke preseuted «. petition from John Faliey, of Ponui Island, Auckland, who itated that he wat tho only child of John aud Margaret Ffthey, who had been murdered at Kaniaram*, *ud praying that the House would tako hit case into consideration. The petition was received.

MILITIA BILIi The amendments male by the committee on tin's bill were adopted, aud the third reading fir 3d for to-morrow.

VOLUNTEER FOROK Bltt. > The amendments made by the committea in this bill were agreed to, and the third reading tixed for to-morrow. '

BRPRESENTATIOS BItL. The House went into committee, on this bill. > The Chairman naid when the committee was last in consideration of the bill an Amendment wai moved in davie 2 by the liou. member for Wallace (Mr. Dillon Bell)" that the word " seventy 1 ' boitruok out, and' the number of members be limited to sixty. > Colonel Haultai.v thought proper regard had not been paid to the number/ of inhabitants in the colony. Taking the .number at 170,000 penons, if the number of ropre»entative» were fixed •at 70, thfit would give one member to every 2,400 penona. From this 1 faot he thought HC would be seen Anokland, under the proposid- bill, would nob be fairly repreiented. The Attorney-General, he; believed, h«d toarcely given the cbrrect number oE th« iuhabitant! of AuokUnd; m he (Col. Haulb&in) belUved that at the preienb time, having regard to the immigratita which wm taking plaoe< the number would amount to 48, 000. ■ The prorinoe could therefore fairlyrolaim a larger number of members . > Mr. Wayne advonated equal repreientation for the ■ whole of - the provinces— independently, of the Dumber of population, » •> ». v . .' ■ \ • 111 1 i

The word "seventy*' win then itruok out, and the word " ilxty " negatived. The clause wm then the clauiei werenlio postponed, and the committee proceeded to the conuderation of the nchedule. The following lub-sootions were carried :- Cheviot,one member ; Aihley, one member ; K«»PO>» one member; Avon, one member; Heathcote, one member; EUesmere, one member ; Akaroa, one member; Selwyn, one member ; OdenJ* «™ member; Timaru, one member; Gladstone, one "ttUhenextsub-Mctioii being moted-WestUud, one member — «• . . *_ t_ t j Mr JFnzGliuil* moved ttat two members should be granted. The population of WestUnd, including the districts of the Grey and Buller, amounted to 25 000, as near as could be estimated, and therefor* he did not think it wai too much to ask th»t two members should be given. Mr. Russell wished to know whether the Government intended to fir any definite number of representatives in the Home, beoauso, if the additional member was voted for Weitland, then thenmnbov of seventy would be exoeeded by one. Mr. Sjswill said tho Government wore not prepared to fix the number at seventy, seventy-two, aeventy-five, or fix »ny limit at present, though a time might perhaps arrive when that could be dona with advantage. Mr.} BiLt said he was desirous of knowing, in the event of the additional members being given to Canterbury, and the amendments proposed by the hon. member for Dunedin to have seventeen memben granted to Otago, whether any additional members would bo qtven to Auckland. Otherwise there would be a manifest injustice done to Auckland unless additional members were granted. The same might be said with respect to Hawke'i Bay as compared to Taranaki and Southland. Mr. FitzGirald said the Government would distinctly oppose any inequality being made between the representation of Ot»go and Auckland. Mr. RIYUOLD3 agreed to the proposition; but, for the samo reason that prompted him to make that agreement, he should oppose tho large representation of Canterbury. The subjection, VVestland, one member, was then put and agreed to. Mr. Richmond moved, " That the district comprised within Westland boundaries be altered, and that a dittrict to he called Cobdeu be formed. The motion was agreed to without a dissentient voice. The next sub-section was then moved : City of Dunedin, two members. Mr. Riyholds moved, "That Dunodinhavo four members," aud referred to the largo number of inhabitant* in Dunedin. Mr. Skwbll hoped the amendment would not be carried, because it would entirely upset the arrangements o! the representation of the colony proposed by the bill. Major Kichakdson said he had not agreed, nor would he agree, to Otago having a larger representation than Auckland. Ho did not thiak cities ihould have such a large representation, in the aggregate, as compared to the country districts. London, with a population not far of Scotland, had nothing near the number of representative* which Scotland had. Mr. Crosbib Ward said ChrUtchurch had a population of 6,400, and one member ; Dunedin, with over 15,000, had two members. He asked if the difference were sufficient to warrant an increase of two members to Dunedin. Canterbury had not aiked for an increased representation of Christchurch. Mr. Bkodib said he must declare to the House and the country that the ouly basis on which tho present bill was raised was that of suiting hon. memben now in the House with districts in which they were likely to be elected, it being tolerably certain that the old formed districts would reject them at the next general election. Mr. VoGJtti moved that progress be reported. Progress was then reported, and leave granted to lit again to-morrow.

STAMP DUTIES. Mr. Skwsll moved that the House go into Committee of Ways and Means, to comider amendments to schedule on stamp duties, and the House divided : — Ayei, 20; noes, 20. The Sfiakir gave his casting vote with tbe ayes, and the Home accordingly went into committee. Mr. Patebsoh moved that progrest be reported, »nd th» motion was supported by Mr. Riynolds, and Mr. Vooel. Mr. Hussrll laid he would alio lupport the motion {or reporting progms on the ground that the At-torney-General had promiied that, if any discussion would he likely to arise, he would consent to the pottponement. He would also object to further proceeding with the consideratiou of the clausei until the committee had had an opportunity of aicerUining wlut were the Amendments proposed. The committe divided on the motion for reporting progreii, and the votei were — Ayes, 19 ; noes, 19. The Chairman gave the casting vote in favour of the ayei, and progress was consequently reported. The House adjourned at teu minutes to 12 o'clock.