THE HOUSE IN COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3514, 20 October 1868, Page 5

THE HOUSE IN COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

A correspondent scuds us the following :—: — Wellington, Tuesday, October 13. Mr. Hall asked, in Committee «>£ _ Ways *nd Means, for permission to rai-e £50,000 ia Treasury bil<» before lit January, 1870, for defence purposes. Major HEArar said that £33 000 was placed on the Jistimatea for this purpose, and requests J to be informed if the additional £17.000 was for immediate exigencies or for 12 months' sernce. Mr. Hall said for the whole year. Major Heapht objected to the whole sum, as it wu an insidious addition of £17,000 to the debt of the colony, and if nob wanted for present exigencies should be voted at th«s next he^ssion. This was, he said, a cogent argument; in favour of dissolution and a short recess. On the question being put, ib was decided that the ■apply should be granted. On the question that the turn of £28,000 be raised by iala of ■ reanury bills for expense of administration of confiscated lands, Mr. POTTS, of Canterbury, objected, aid said that he would prefer seeing the natives employed on public works to being opposed by arms. If a gentleman, in whom t» <y all had confideaee (Mr. McLean), had the maukgement of the native affairs of the North Island, he believed there need be no more fighting. Mr. Williamson followed, saying that he was glad to see Southern Island members coming round to that view ; if it had been expressed by them earlier in the session it would have been useful and borne fruit. Major Hiapht hoped the Government would see its w»y to taking steps to settle the blooks confiscated at Tauranga, the Katikati and Tepuna, with the goldfields population, as it beoame unemployed through claims being worked oat or through miners acquiring means to enable them to settle down as agricultural settlers. The road from the Thames to Katikati lay through the Ohinemuri Valley— itself a goldfield,— and the scheme if properly carried out would secure permanently the stronger population, and be of vast consequence in settling the native difficulty in those districts. Mr. Eichmond Faid the Government was fully alive to the value of those blocks of laud, and did exprct if the goldfield extended that they would be of immense value. Mr. Bbown, of New Plymouth, thought that the confiscated lands generally should be settled on some comprehensive scheme. The vote passed. Mr. Runny, Major Hbapht, aud Major Atkinson objected to the cum of £6,000 for Native Lands Courts being charged provincially, as the effect was, in settlmg the native title, a colonial and not merely a provincial benefit. The provinces had their land revenue destroyed by the effect of the acton of the Native Lands Court. The CoMMissiofßß of Customs aaid that the natives were verj much improved by the action of the Court; it wm a great civilising engine, and ought not to be stopped by the provinces objecting to pay. Major Hbaphy said these arguments were eutirely in favour of its being a colonial charge. It was wrong to make the small province of Hawke's Bay bear the heavy charge of the investigation of the numerous native titles there. The sum had iucreased from £3,000 last year to £6,000 this. The opinion of the committee was, however, in favour of its being charged locally j and the item passtd. On the items for Resident, Magistrates being brought forward, Mr. Eyas, Captaiu Kenny, and Major Heapht objected to the expense of Kesident Majiislratf-sat places wherfjuatices of theP<jacecould do The work ; and also to the great number of clerks at towns close to each other. Some very slight ieduction was agreed to by Ministers; generally, however, they were against a further reduction of iiesident Magistrates, and th« slightly reduced it* m was carried by the Government supporters ; the NY son Financial Reform niemliera having all disappeared except Sir D. Monro, who wa3 in his place but never spoke. On the volunteer estimates, the item £300 for " Adjutant" at Auckland was reduced to £150 on the motion of Mr. O'Kobkk.