NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT, MR. R, GRAHAM HEARD AT THE BAB OF THE HOUSE. RESULT OF THE STEVENS BB. SOLUTIONS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3751, 27 July 1869, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT, MR. R, GRAHAM HEARD AT THE BAB OF THE HOUSE. RESULT OF THE STEVENS 88. SOLUTIONS.

ME. ROLLESTOJSTS BE SOLUTIONS. (FEOM OUE OWN COREEBPONDENT.) Wellington, July 22, In nay laat lobter I mentioned the Thames Goldflelds Proclamations Validation Bill aa having pasr«d | through the Lower House with considerable rapidity, 1 although uob without hesitation ou the part of som? hon, members as to whether it should be opposed or not. Mr. Vogel's explanations wtre considered sufficiently satisfactory to allow the bill to paos, but Mr. Carleton very distinctly warned the Treasurer t the House would hold him responsible if subseevents proved that the bill had a concealed ant non-apparent object, and if it really meant naora than could be gatheied from a perusal of its rathw iavolved logo l phraseology. Mr. T. B. Gillies ("ay ing his visiC here ia supposed to have laid the ! foundation of the opposition since offered to the bill, he having been able to penetrate the mystery, and from his legal and local knowledge discovered that the bill) if it became law, would do much more than it uurported to do. Its passage through the House was too rapid to allow of organised opposition Ihere^ but when it got into the Legislative Council the enemy was ready, and Mr. Gisborne's voice fulled to charm the Council as successfully as Mr. Vogel's had the House, 'lhe Hon. Mr. Mautell, in the first place, gave notice of his intention to move that the bill be referred to a select committee, but he aftprwaida changed this iuto a motion that Mr. Robert Graham, \;hose interests were alleged to be prejudicially affected b^> the bill, bo heard by counsel at the bar against the passage of the measure. This moiion the Council agreed to, and Mr. Giaborno at once lequestad that the Supeiintendent of Auckland, as the delegate of the Governor in regard to the Thames golrlfield, be also heard at the bar by counsel. This also beinp; agreed to, there wai instantly a great hunting up of musty fcoinea of Parliamentary rocordi in oc<jer to obtain precedents, and lenn the way the proceedings should be conducted, a case of counsel belc-j; heard before Pailiament never ha vm:; occurred before in this colony ; nor indeed coul.l a precodetiw be found amount the records of the Imperial Parliament during the present century — the las!)oase o? the kind having been iv 17C, although one v.'ag very near happenuig tin other iay iv the cas.3 of the cflobrats'l Mr. O'Sullivan, tJlo Mayor or Cork. linriug discovered the meana of proceuura on suoh occcnon3, the Council, or rather its members ■who h»£ charge of the matter, wero met by an unexpected dijculty— they had no bar, and where therefore wexo the counsel to stand 2 The Upper Oouso fc-ss not, <i mace like the lower one, and therefore the necosoiiy of having o, bar heel never arisen. Of course counsel could not be admitted to the eaorod precincts of the chamber itself: they tauaii be oulCdc the Council-teohnioaliy, that is, at its bar, an<l the difficulty rea 1 ? wl ero that was, or where it could be fixed s>o thai, tho counsel could be heard. -£.t lest the Speaker put aside a portion of the ohac3)O» to the light o* his seat and the oactre tablo as being for the non 09 outside the Council and its bar, and here tho counsel were accommodated with saats end tobies. Mr. Robert Hart, of Messrs. Hart and Buckley, Wellington, appeared for Mr. Robert Graham ; and JCv. Wb 5 taker, of Auckland, appeared for the Superintendent of your province. Both gentlemen of course appeared in full legal cevtume, anC both gentlemen made rery loug speeches. Singular to say they both appeared to agios to rnosi; of the facts of the case, and no the necessity for calling evidence was obviated, although Mr, Hart at the beginning of -the proceedings had announced his intention or. calliug one witness, and his desire that he had sufficient time to call Mr. Giabani himself and Mr. Mackay, tho late Civil Commiaaioner. 'lhe point in dispute seems to be, whether the bill, if it becomos \&vr, will override a decision given by the Chief Justice, I thiuk, as to the position in which tho township* of Graham'a Town and Tararu Btand in legard to tho goldfielda. Mr. Graham complains that tho bill, if pasaad, will include these places within the qoldnelds, and so allow them to be mined upop. The argumenta of Mr. Graham's counsel, in tho abaonoo of witnesses, did not, however, seem to ha <? very much effect upon the Council, for Mr. kluntell withdrew his opposition, and the bill went iuto committee, Mr. Giaborne assuring the House that if passed it would not iv any way interfere with piivate rights or agreements. Mr. James Eorne, of Grahcm's Town, is down here, and haa petitioned both Eousea against any attempt to interfere with his rights by legislation. Ido not quite know what rights or measure ho refers to, but ho aska thaft if any bill affecting him is introduced ha mcy be heard by counsel at the bar of the Housa of Representatives. With the fate of Mr. Stevens's resolutions you are no doubt already acquainted. The division lisfe on the occasion, however, is no test of the feeling in the House on the abstract question of the pnncipla of tho jesolut ions, several gentleroeu known to ba In favour of the principle having voted for th« amendment moved by Mr. Ormond to the effect that the circuuistauce« of the colony made the present an inopportune time to discuss great constituvional questions, whioh had better ba left to a new Parliament, and that the difficulties in which the colony is involved rendered it hopeless to expect any reduction of taxation at present. This amendment was carried by 33 to 22. -The debate was a very interesting and instructive one, and one which showed very clearly hor; changed the feeling of the House had become even since last session. Almost every speaker dwelt dwelt strongly on the necessity of a change in existing institutions at an early day, and ultra-provin-cialUm—the doctnno that "whatever is is right" found not a single supporter. Even Mr. Fox admitted thp necessiby of an early change, and Mr. Dillon Bell spoke strongly on the subject, although both deprecated any tampering with the Conetitutiou until the country had been consulted by means of a general election. In fact, every one psemed impressed with the fact that Constitutional changes must ere long take place, oiyl that the subject was one on which the fueling of the countiy should be tested as aoou as possible. Mr. Stevens's resolutions have done this good at least —they have placed a definite issue before th« country, and have extracted a number of valuab!j opinioua and arguments pro and cou. The ballot is likely to be an established institution of the nezb general election, the Lorde, by a large majority, having yielded to the wish of the popular branch of the legislature and passed the second reading of the bill drawn up by Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Stafford. A great privilege case is now engaging tho attention of the Lowar House, in reference to the vote of Major Brown, the member for Omata, The House was engaged for nearly the whole of yesterday in diicussing the gallant member's motion that the letters be referred to a select committee to report on as to whether they are a breach of privilege or not. This committee the Government did not oppose, but they maintained that they had aefced with perfect propriety and in accordance with constitutioual precedent. A very large number of members took part in the debate, but, although they one and all disclaimed party feeling in the matter, I acaroely ever heard a debate ia which that feeling was so very apparent. The notion of Mr. Stafford's ! Government in regard to members of the Legislative Council holding Government appointments, the appointment of Mr. C. E. Haughton as TJndor-Secre-tary of Defonce during the late recess, and all kinds of similar things, were iinportsd into the debate and diaoussed in the moat actimonious manner, but of course with no "party feeiing." It is a pity that the House cannot drop sham, and discuss party subjects as what they really are. There can be little or no doubt that in regard to Major Brown a gross breach of privilege haa been committed by the Premier, but the House is not able now to calmly or dispassionately consider a privilege question arising out of, intinutely mixed up with, and absolutely inseparable from, party considerations. Mr. Vogel has given notice of his intention to make the financial statement on Tuesday next. The House ia anxiously looking forward to the event, and on the schemes propounded by Mr, Vogel the -fats of the Ministry depends. Mr. Maoandrew has given notice of his intention to movo to-day that it ia expedient that upon all cereals and breac stuffs imported into thia colony from other countries there be levied aa import duty •quivalent to tbat imposed by such countries upon similar commodities imported from New Zealand. Tnis attempt at protection jg, I believe, dictated by i the Provincial Council of Otago, by which sapient body some such resolution was passed at its last flitting. Mr. Tamcred last night moved hia resolutions regarding defence in a very poor and not a very long rob. The debate was adjourned on the motion of McLean. « -Mr. D, Nolan, Mr. A. BucklandL and others °ii W K in § lftnd 0B tbe Thames goldfield, have memo, milled the Home, requesting that if th« Native

Lands Act is amended the amend me at may not be made retrospective, so aa to affect their certificates of title obtained under the Act. A large number of members of the Upper House, including Mr. O'Neill and Mr. Ohamberlin, have obtained leave of absence for tho remainder of the lession. Mr. Clark has brought in a bill to settle, or rather, I believe, to compel the sottlement, of Mr. Busby's land claims. Sir David Monro ia still absent, and I believe it is doubtful whether he will return during the session. Mr. Carleton acts as Speaker during his absent, and fulfils the duties roinarkably well. Mr. O'Rorke takes Mr. Carloton'a place aa Chairman of Committees, and makes an excellent one. July 23. Mr, Rolleston last night movod his peaoe resolutions in a rather long speeoh, in which he reviewed the many mistckea which had been made by successive Governments in their dealings with the natives, and the consequent injustice under which they had suffered. He btrongly urged full inquiry into native feeling by gentlemen capable of forming a fair opinion, and the policy of attempting to satisfy them by giving up the land which we could not occupy aud which native usage encouraged the original owners to attempt to reoover whenevor they felt strong enough. Mete Kingi seconded the ie3olution, and in hh speeoh complained that the land of the friendly natives as well as that of the rebels had been confiscated. Heurgedthe House to give up all the confiscated land, as a proof of the pakeha bravery aud goodne3B. He said th« whites might well do this, for they were much more numerous than the Maoris, and the latter were fast diaappearius; from the face of the earth owing to their woniea being unlike tho pakeha women and never having twenty or thirty children like the latter often have. (Nice idea Mtte Kingi must have of the prolific power of European females !) Mr. Dillon Bell admitted that former Governments had made gieat mistakes in native matters, but ha altogether denied that the natives had been intentionally or systematically treated with injustice. As for Mr. Eolleston'j scheme, Mr, Bell did not seqtn to think it would do either good or harm, as there were lots of men who knew as much now as to tho state of the native mind as any commission could learn. The proposal to give up the confiscated lands Mr. Bell did not seem to at all approve of. Mr. Richmond followed to something the same effect, denying many of Air. llollesfcon's assertions and inbtancoa of injustice, and stating thab it waa guit 3 impossible jto give up the confiscated lands. The debate I waa then adjourned, but was resumed at a Utcu period of the evening, when Mr. Bunny protected agaiust the time o£ tho House being occupied iv useless diacussions. Mr. Armstrong opposed the motion, and so did Mr. Cracrofb Wilson, who thought that severe punishment bhould ba inflicted on the rebels rather than concessions should be made to tlum Mi 1 . Travers supported the resolutions in a long windy sptech on native matteis in general, and Mr. Fox replied in a very excellent speech, exposing the utter folly of Mr, Kolleston's proposals, aud their thorough impracticability. He declared that the Government as a government would not condehcend to discuss such proposals, or to oppose them, but eyen if carried they would noi adviie their beinp; carried out. If they did, they would select Mr. Rolleston as one o% the commisbioners, and send luin at once to Tokangamntn. to investigate the state of native feeling at the fountain-head. He only feared, however, that King Tawhiao or Kooti might interfere with the investigation by appointing some one to investigate t£,o hon. member and his commissioners. The debate on the resolutions was then adjourned till to-day, dh the motion of Mr. Williamson, who, it is understood, supports the resolutions.