Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 117, 10 September 1896, Page 3

Parliamentary Notes.

IN. HOUSE AND COUNCIL,

"Special to Standard

[By Telegraph.] "Wellington, This day. Parliament has not heard the last of the Horowhenua Block and Major Kemp's connection therewith. In the Council yesterday on the motion to refer To "Whentanui's petition and Native Affairs Committees report thereon to the Government for consideration, the Hon Sir G. Whitmore stood up for Major Kemp and eulogised his past services to the colony in the field. While lie quite understood from the nature of his hearsay evidence that it w<;uld not he accepted in a European Court, that did not warrant the Commission saying he had told falsehoods and committed perjury. This view was also taken by the Hon J. D. Ormond, who hail known .Major Kemp for many years and had had a great deal to do with him officially. The Hon. Mr "Williams took a different line, and quoted Blue Books to show that Major Kemp had been guilty of intimidating not only his opponents but the Court- by taking with him .">OO men armed with muskets to he used if judgment was given against him, and that he for this had been removed from his assessorship in the Native Land Court. The Minister of Education promised that Government would look carefully into the matter, but they recognised the danger that existed if once the titles were imperilled, for if this were granteb it opened up, as far as he could see, almost every Native title in the North Island. Last year Dr Grace characterised the Definition Bill, which is the Libel Bill under another name, as one to enable the press to " sit easy," to which when the Bill was going into Committee yesterday the Hon. W. Downie Stewart gave in his adherence, basing his opinion on the remarkable ground that it would enable second and third class papers to go further than at present b\ •- ttintr someone to stand up at a public meeting to abuse another man and then publishing a fair report of what was said under the protection of his Bill.

However, the bill went through Committee without any alteration other than the amendments made by the Statutes Revision Committee, but it is not likely to get further this year as the House cannot-, at this stage, take up a private member's Bill of such magnitude. The Hon Mr Feldwick, who had it in charge, was not successful with bis Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill, which deals with incest, and the Council refused even to agree to the short title of his Bill or give him leave to sit again. Though the Bill was one that Sir Robert Stout had drawn up it was full of crudities that the Council dissected in a very keen manner, and after laughing at them threw the Bill overboard. On the motion of the Premier it was decided that the Standing Orders be suspended for the remainder of the session so as to allow consideration of reports and third readings of Bills being taken after midnight. In submitting the proposal in that direction, Ml - Seddon said the action in the Council in postponing the Loan Bill had delayed the session a week, as until that measure was passed Government could not bring down the Public Works Estimates. He hoped that the prorogation day would be reached by the beginning of October at the latest. The final stages of the Abattiors and Slaughterhouses Act Amendment Bill and the Poverty Bay Land and Deeds Registration Bill were passed. When the Wages Protection Bill was committed last week the House by a narrow majority struck out clause 5, making gumdiggers subject to the provisions of the Truck Act. The Premier yesterday moved the recommital of the Bill with the object of having the clause reinserted, and the motion was carried by 33 to 24. The clause was then altered to provide that a worker shall receive such price for gum sold to his employer as shall be mutually agreed on at the time of sale. The Native Reserve Act Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forum, and the measure was referred to the Native Affairs Committee, while Ngatitoa passed through Committee without alteration. When the Rating Act Bill was in Committee, the Hon. J. Carroll moved a new clause providing that before judgment can be enforced, the consent of the Native Minister must be obtained in the first place, and he could then give reasonable opportunity to owners to lease their land so »s to get the revenue therefrom by which they can pay the rates. At the evening sitting, after a very lengthy debate, the Rating Act went through Committee with minor amendments, i'he Married Persons Summary Separation Bill was considered in Committee and went through without material alteration. The Wages Protection Bill, Ngatitoa Trust Bill, Married Persons Summary Separation Bill, Rating Act Amendment Bill were reported from Committee, read a third time, and teased,