PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2274, 16 July 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

(By Tbebqbaph.] [fbom thb own coeeesfondbnt of the F “ FEESB.”J y WELLINGTON, July 15. ] Two rather interesting and significant I Native petitions were presented to-day by s Major Te Wheoro. Both were against the c proposal to rate Native lands. The first is s from the Ngatitoa Natives, who, after setting ( forth the poverty of their tribe, and the t injustice which they have been subjected to £ by the action of successive Governments in t regard to their land, concludes with the fol- t lowing prayer:—“We therefore pray your ] honorable House to ward off from us this f evil which the Government are endeavoring to place on us and our land. Sufficient. ] Long may yon live under the protection of i our Lord.” The second petition is from i ninety • four Manawatu and West Coast ' Natives, who protest, on similar grounds, ] against Native lands being rated, and name i Messrs Te Wheoro and Tomoana as their i spokesmen in Parliament. The petition concludes thus : —“ Long live the Queen and i King Tawhaio. May they continue to govern well their two races, English and Maori, under the protection of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The report on the land transfer and deeds registration department for the financial year 1880-81, has been presented. The transactions of the period have increased upon those of the previous year to a much larger extent than was expected, and the revenue collected is in excess of the estimate by £6617. The fees received under the Land Transfer Acts for the twelve months ended March 31st last, exclusive of assurance fund, amounted to £20,686, whilst the receipts under the Deeds Registration Act were £17,931, making a total of £38,617. The fees received for Crown grants issued under the land transfer system amounted to £1762, whilst the receipts for the same period under the deeds registration system were £906. The latter amount is for nine months only, since the custody of grants was transferred from the Commissioners of Crown lands to the registrars of deeds. The balance to the credit of the assurance fund in the books of the public trustee on March 31st last was Eoes amounting to £5166 were received during the twelve months, and the expenditure during the same period was £17,059, showing a saving upon the estimates of £540. The returns appended show (a) the business transacted under the Land Transfer Acts ; (b) the fees received thereunder; (c) mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and amount remaining secured on mortgage under the said Acts on 31st March last; (d) arrears existing in various offices at the close of the business on the same date; (o) number of deeds received for registration and those remaining unregistered on 31st March, also the receipts from this branch of the department; and (f) comparative statement of working of the land transfer system in the Australasian colonies, from which it is seen that New Zealand occupies the second position as regards the number of ■ transactions, whilst on the basis of population > its position is second only to South Australia. In connection with this it must be borne in mind that the Now Zealand returns have I been made up to a date later than has been 1 found possible as regards other colonies. Important returns were laid on the table to-night, showing the mortgages under the - Land Transfer Act during tho last two years. 3 The following are the amounts (shillings and : ponce omitted) : —Amount remaining secured h on ir ortgage on March let, 1880 —Auckland, a £596,503; Otago, £2,359,045 ; Canterbury, f £5.095,532 ; Wellington, £1.453,702 ; Nelson, a £212117; Southland, £554.684; Hawke’s e Bay, £988,657; Westland, £57,688; Taras naki, £l2O 975; Marlborough, £83,224; ,1 totals, £11,512,132. Amount secured e by mortgage during the twelve months . ended March 31st, 1881: Auckland, e £656,438; Otago, £1,987,310; Canterbury, £1,696,770; Wellington, £453.010 ; Nelson,

£40,747; Southland, £1,778,851; Hawke’s Bay, £158,886 ; Westland, £22,819; Taranaki, £52,909 ; Marlborough, £52,154. Total, £6,727,898. Total amount of mortgages paid off during same period :—Auckland, £86,822; Otago, £559,277; Canterbury, £1,067,349 ; Wellington, £174,573 ; Nelson, £22,934; Southland, £574,792 ; Hawke’s Bay, £46,007; Westland, £6158; Taranaki, £14,932 ; Marlborough, £19,370 ; total, £2,4-02,207. Amount remaining, secured by mortgage, on March 31st, 1881 Auckland, £1,075,119; Otago, £3,897.078 ; Canterbury, £5,634 963 ; Weilington, £1,732,139 ; Nelson, 238,930; Southland, £1,808,743 ; Hawke’s Bay, £1,101,536 ; Westland, £74,349; Te-anaki, £158,953 ; Marlborough, £il6,000; total, £15,837,823. Mr Fisher’s Counties Act Amendment Bill provides for the election of the county chairman by the county electors the same way as the mayor of a borough. A councillor, if elected chairman, vacates the office of councillor ; and a chairman, if elected councillor, vacates the office of chairman. The chairman shall bo ex officio a councillor.

Sir G. Grey’s Local Government Bill has excited the utmost derision, except on the part of a few staunch adherents, who pronounce it a marvel of statesmanship and a veritable Magna Charta of modern times. It is understood that Sir George Grey intends to stump the country with his Bill as his Elatform for the coming election, and is aving his speech printed by the thousand for wide distribution, in order to excite the public on the subject. Mr Moss will not now bring down any proposal resting on the scheme he propounded last session. Mr Sheehan to-day gave notice to ask leave to bring in a Bill on Tuesday next to repeal the Abolition of the Provinces Act. The announcement was received with vociferous opposition cheers. Mr Sheehan intends to press the Bill, end divide the House on the question, in order to force a distinct demarcation of parties on this point, although of course he has not the slightest idea of carrying the Bill. Mr Finn has given notice to move that the House resolve itself into committee to consider an address to the Governor praying that he will cause £50,000 to be placed on the supplementary estimates for the purpose of encouraging gold-mining industries within New Zealand.

The announcement of the cable message from the London actuaries that there was a surplus of £77,0C0 in the Government Insurance Department, which was thoroughly sound and creditably managed, and that £60,000 might be divided as bonus, was very well received, I hear that Mr Knight’s estimate of the amount which might be thus divided was £53,090, so that he was very close, while keeping well on the safe side. The amounts of individual bonuses depend on the “ loading ” and duration of the policies, but will probably average about 25s per £IOO assured for cash, or nearly £5 reversionary bonus payable at death. The result is considered exceedingly satisfactory and reassuring as to the soundness of the scheme. A curious little scene occurred in the House in the small hours this morning. In committee on the Licensing Bill, Mr Beeves moved that the chairman leave the chair so as to shelve the Bill altogther. Mr Pyke declared that the Bill was reduced to a mangled mass of absurdities, which would not suit either publican or teetotaller. Therefore he should do his beat to prevent its becoming law. The temperance advocates had killed the Bill by trying for too much. He assured Sir W. Fox that temperance had made much more progress in Otago than he supposed. Sir W. Fox retorted rather pointedly that if the results were what he saw before him, he did not think much of it, and he added that the motion he had had on the paper relative to the suppression of Bellamy’s had lapsed, but he intended to revive it. He hoped that, in the course of a fortnight, if the disgraceful scenes which had occurred during the last two nights continued, there would bo such a section in favor of his proposal that it would be carried by a large majority. Dr. Wallis here interposed angrily that if Sir W. Fox meant to imply that there was any intoxication in that House, he was telling an untruth, Mr Reeves had announced bis intention of not letting the clause pass if he sat there till eix o’clock. He described the Bill as “ horrible hocus pocus and infernal rot.” The Premier expressed the hope that the House would set its foot on threats of that kind, and show that a small minority conld not rule tho majority. After more squabbling, the House adjourned at 2 a.m. This e zoning, on the other hand, business was pushed rapidly through. The adjournment took plaoe at 10 p.m.