PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 44, 20 August 1892, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting. MISCELLANEOUS. The Waste Lands Committee recommended that the Auckland University College Land Exchange Bill be permitted to proceed. The COLONIAL SECRETARY, replying to the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, said that up to date the Government had paid £o!S0 in bonuses under the Fisheries Encouragement Act. The Fight Hours Bill was introduced anl read a fir it tiinp. The Ocean Beach (Dnnedin) Domain Bill (Mr. Oliver) was read a second time after aome debate. The Te Aroha Racecourse Bill passed its final stages. employees' liability bill. The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the second reading of this Bill. The Hon. W. D. STEWART did not see ¦why the Railway Commissioners should not bo_ made responsible in the Bame way as private employers of labour were, in cases of accidents occurring to workmen. With regard to section 5, in which the original contractor is sought to be held responsible for injuries to workmen, he thought that where sub-contractora were concerned the original contractor should have bis remedy against the sub-oontrantor, and the injured workman should have the choice aa to whether he would proceed against the contractor or the Bnb-contra«tor. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Labour Billii Committee. BANKRUPTCY BILL. The COLONIAL SECRETARY, in moving the second reading of this Bill, remarked that since last year it had been considerably altered. For instance, a humber of suggestions from the various Chambers of Commerce had been embodied in it, and again provision had been made by which Official Assignees could prosecute fraudulent bankrupts. Personally he would prefer that there should be no Bankruptcy Aot at all, because he felt convinced that debtors would . if thoy dosorved clemency, receive it at tho hands of thoir croditors. Tbo hecond reading was agroed to, it boing ¦understood that tho dobato should take place whon tho Bill comes back from the Statutes Revision Committeo, to which Committee it was roforrod. IN COMMITTEE. The Napier Harbour Board Furthor Empowering Bill, Kaipo Reserve Bill, and tho Napior Nativo Hostolry Site Salo Bill passed all stages. At 4.45 p.m. tho Council adjourned to Tuesday next. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting. the stock bill. _ The House wont into committeo to conaidor tho motion of tho Minister for Lands respecting clauso 48 of tho Stock Bill, which propoaod to imposo a. cattlo tax of 2d per head on all herds numbering moro than ]0 head, and a ghoop tax of 2s per 100. The uommittco divided on tho elauso, tho voting being 32 against, and 2C for. The diviaiotilist was as follows :— Ayeß, 26.— Ballanco, Carncross, Carroll, Dawson, Earnshaw, Ftahor, Guinness, W. Hutchison, J. Kelly, Mackintosh, J. M'Konzie, M'Lcan, C. H. Mills, J. Mills, O'Conor, Parata, Pinkorton, W P Reoves, E. M. Smith, Seddon, W. C. Smith, Tannor, Taylor, T. Thompson, Valentino, Ward. Nokb, 32.— A110n, Blake, Bruce, Buckland, Duncan, Fergus, Fish, Frasor, Hamlin, Harknoss, Hogg, Houston, Q. Hutchison, Kapa, Lake, Lawry, M. J. S. M'Kenzio, '1 . Mackonzio, Moredith, Mitcholson, Mooro, Nowman, Palmer. Rhodes, Rollcston, Russell, Saundors, Shora, Swan, R Thompson, Wilson, Wright. Evening Sitting. PINAf. STAGES. Tho following Bills wero considered in Committeo and road a third time witbont material amendment :— Arms Aot ISBO Repeal Bill (Hon. Mr. Seddon); Provincial Ordinances Bill (Hon. Mr. W. P. Reeves) ; Fisheries Encouragement Act Amondmcnt Bill (Hon. Mr. W. P. Reoves) ; Courts of Justico (Toclmical Dofocta Removal) Bill (Hon. Mr. W. P. Reeves) ; Unclaimed Lands Bill (Hon. Mr. Ballanco) ; Sottlod Land Aot Amendment Bill (Hon. Mr. Ballnnco) j Alions Bill (Hon. Mr. Seddon) ; WaikoUaiti Rohorves Bill (Hon. Mr. Cadman) ; Orakoi Succession Furthor Investigation Bill (Hon. Mr. Cndman) ; Palmerston North Ccurthouso Sito Salo Bill (Hon. Mr. Ballanco) ; Tahoraito Titles Amendment and Validation Bill (Hon. Mr. Cadman). NEW ZEALAND COMPANY'S LAND CLAISrANI'S' BILL. The MINISTER for LANDS, in moving tho second reading of this Bill, oxplainod that it proposed to revort to tho colony unclaimed lands of the Now Zealand Company after advertising for claimants in the Now Zealand Gazotte,and iv London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dublin. Tho lands at present wore paying neithor rates nor taxes, and woro a hindranco to settlement. Tho Bill had passed tho Council. The motion was agreed to. NATIVE LAND PURCHASES BILL. The NATIVE MINISTER, in moving tho second reading of this Bill, said that though it proposod to borrow .£50,000 por annum to purchase nativo lands, this would not add any furthor burden of taxation. Tho cutting up and salo of tho land, besides advancing settlement and ropayiup tho principle, would oreato now sources of rovonue. The natives would not bo panporisod by those transactions, or allowed to eqnandor tho proceeds, as a certain portion of tho purchase money would bo placed in trust for thorn with tho Public Trustee Thoro was a fooling also that native lands should bo taxed, and it wonld advance this to givo Govornmont powor to purohase unoccupied lands and go givo tho natives an opportunity of rolioving thomselvoa of any burthon with rospoot to them. Mr. ROLLESTON thought the propriety of purchasing native lands must bo admitted, but ho objected to tho indofiuito torm of tho Bill, and to tho issuo of what might bo considorod greenbacks, and to tho starting of a State Bank. Ho approved of the payment to tho natives by debentures, but thonght thoy should benr 5 por cent, interest instead of 4i. Dr. NEWMAN criticised tho borrowing proposals. He advocated tho sottlcmont of tho Awarna, Horowhonua, and Roho-potao Blocks. Mr. BUCHANAN agrcod that the purchase of nativo lands was dcsirablo, but considered that Government should sco that thoy obtained a quid pro quo. Ho instnncod tho Waimarino Block— (" Tho best purchaso of tho lot," said tho Prcmior and tho Nativo Minister)— he would not give Is por aero for it. Tho Government, in purchasing nativo lands, should buy only the good laud. Mr. WRIGHT hoped tho totara forests on tho Waimarino Block would bo preserved. Mr. REES said that before tho Act of 1573 millions of acres had been purchased for what was not more than .£50,000 altogether. Tho purchases were made from tho natives as tribes assembled in public meeting. The Act of 1873 altored this by dealing with individual natives, and sinco then had been oxpended in purchasing a comparatively insignificant quantity of land, .£400,000 of this being sot down as expenses. Tho present Bill proposed to return to tho system of publicly purchasing from tho nativos as tribes in public ineoting, and he was sure that it would load to largo portions of the tribal lands being sold, and tho money devoted to utilising tho remainder. Of tho Awarua Block of 260,000 acres, 150,000 acres could be obtained for a minimum cost by tlms acting in accordance with the spirit and traditions of the raco. The Natives did not object to their lands being taxed, provided thoy had tho moans of utilising them. The amount asked in tho Bill should havo been groater. Mr. DUTHIE had no objection to tho monoy boing raised in this way temporarily, and £100,000 ought to have been asked for as a beginning ; but he thought the Government should consent to having to come to the Houso each year for tho loans required. Mr. R. THOMPSON didn't agree with this. He approved tho Bill, bnt hoped tho Minister would see that ho employed honost land purchase agents. Mr. E. M. SMITH considered that private persons should be allowed to purchase small blocks from tho natives. Mr. PARATA disapproved of the retention of a portion of tho purchase money, and hoped special care wonld be taken to conserve the interest of minors. Great trouble arose from unsuitable agents. Mr. M'LEAN would like to see .£200,000 a year devoted to this purpose. Mr. W. C. SMITH having approved the Bill, Mr. MOORE considered Governnwnt should save on public works and expend in land purchases. Mr. RICHARDSON agreed with Mr. Parata that where shares to bo renewed did not exceed £100 tho principal should be paid over. There wore ten million acres of nath c lands, and as Government could not possibly purohaso all this, the restriction aeainst the sale of native lands to private individuals where Government could not purchase particular blocks, should be removed, provided no ono was allowed to purchase moro than v certain area. Mr. KAPA approved of a portion of the purchase money being placed in trust, and was glad to hear that it was proposed to deal with the people only in public meetings of owners. If these transactions were effected by the Native Minister himself under the light of the shining sun, the Houso would not bo troubled with any disputes or repudiations such as they heard of when purchases were conducted in an underhand manner from individuals. Mr. TAIPUA advocated absolute free trade in native land. Government retaining to themselves the sole right of swindling the natives out of their lands lod to much trouble, and the presont measure was a dishonest one. He strongly objected to natives boing singled out for this treatment, and to their receiving so low a rate of interest ? w h< k NATIV^- MHHSTER, » S' said that the provisions of the Act were "necessary, as the individual purchase of a block including so many owners as the Awarua would require twelve months in preliminaries alone. Tho Waimarino Block, tho purchase of which had been criticised,' cost 2s lid per acre, including all expenses and the totara upon it alone was valued at moro than tho cost of the whole block. He had tried the system of purchasing from the natives in public meeting at Otorobanga, and after three days the natives told him that they liked the idea, but they could not agree. The Bill provided for snch cases by allowing those who did agree to sell their portions! He approved of the natives being allowed to sell to individual Europeans blocks which were too small for Government. 1 he Bill was then read a second time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was further considered in Committeo. Clauses 26 and 29, relating *o objections to purging the rolls, -were post-

poned, as was 45, making absence from the colony for more than 12 months suffice to strike a name off the roll. Mr. RHODES pointed out that, by this clause, the Agent-General wonld be unable to vote until 12 months after he had returned to the colony ; and Mr. JAMES MILLS considered that the Premier should make provision by which colonists leaving tbe colony for a year or two might not be prevented from registering immediately on their return. The PREMIER promised to do this. Clause 55, making it necessary toattach the Corrapt Practices Act to every roll, was struck out. Oil clause (53 it was sought to introduce a general system of electoral rights, but thip was lost on division by 10 to 12. Clauses 73 and 74 were altered to read that wiits should issue within seven dr.\-=; of a dissolution, instead of 11, that oa receipt ¦¦f warrants the Clerk of the Writs should i«ue writs within three days, and that they sV'ould be returnable within 21 days instead of 40> There was considerable opposition to the holiday nroposed in clause 75. Mr. CARNCROSS objected to it as unfair to tbe workers, and Messrs. FISH and M'LEAN agreed, Messrs. TANNER, PINKERTON, and SHERA advocating it, but the clause was struck out on the voices, Clause 77 was amended to read that the Returning Officer should give ten days' notice of the day of polling, instead of 15. Clause 88, making the hour for closing the poll 7 p.m., waa postponed. Progress was reported at clause 107, as Mr. SAUNDERS was insisting on going into the Hare system at length, and leave was given to sit again on Tuesday. Tho House rose at 1.30 a.m.