Proceedings of General ASsembly.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 1, Issue 48, 21 August 1858, Page 3

Proceedings of General ASsembly.

In the lieghsiatiye Council — to the proceedings of which space permits us to advert but occasionally — on Monday, July 19, the Attorney-General intimated that Mr. la icred had become a member of the Government, and that he had, that morning, taken the oath of office as a member of the Executive Council.

. To the motion of the Attorney-General that the 'Representation Apportionment Bill" be read a second time, Mr. Menzies moved an amendment that it be read that day six months. The amendment was carried by 7 against 5 ; and we, says the Auckland 'Weekly Register"— with which we fully agree, cannot but consider that, in so throwing out a Bill, which in no way affected their own untested rights and privileges, the Legislative Council acted in a very ungracious manner. A Council not subjected to the elective ordeal, should pause before obstructing the elective machinery by inert opposition of their own.

In the House of Representatives, on Monday, July 19, in answer to Mr. Symonds, who inquired whether it werethe intention of the Government to constitute Onehunga a port of entry, and to establish a Queen's Warehouse there, Sir. Richmond said the Government would consider this subject in connection with the "Customs Regulation Act," when the ports of the Colony were proclaimed anew under that Act.

Mr. Stafford said, in answer to Mr. Weld, that the Government, in the matter of establishing postal communication between Nelson and Waitohi, Wellington and Waitohi, and thence by land to Wairau, Amuri, Christchurch, Timaru, Otago, and the Murihiku district, had not only taken the subject into consideration, but had also solicited information as to the means of establishing this service. They had partially succeeded in establishing a post to some of the places named, and were anxious to make the service complete.

Mr. Stafford rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to divide the district of Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa into two Electoral districts. He said that had the principle of the provisions for pa:liamentary representation, in the Constitution Act, been a progressive one, the Hawke's Bay District would have had its representative long before the present time. Under the Constitution Act, the province of New Plymouth, with a population not much greater than the present population of Hawke's Bay District, was apportioned out three members. The bill was to enable the Hawke's Bay District to send one member to the ensuing session of the General Assembly.

Mr. Hall asked whether the G-overninent intended to take any other steps to provide for the apportionment of representation. Mr. Staiford said that he thought that Government could scarcely be expected to answer that question, as it was only within the last few minutes that they had learned of the rejection of thi Representation Apportionment Bill. Mr. HalL Then he was to understand, that it had been the intention of the Government to pasa both the Representation Apportionment Act, and the present .Bill. Mr. Stafford. Yes.

Mr. HalL Then he had to accuse the Government of a great inconsistency, that although they had brought up a Bill, which they represented to be a panacea for all the evils of the representation system; yet at the same time, they had so little confidence in their measure, that they thought it necesaary to bring in a Bill, specially adapted to the case of the Hawke's Bay District.

Mr. Daldy could not see why any exception should be made in favour of Hawke's Bay. If this Bill were to pass, he thought it probable that it would act as a sort of precedent, on which hon. members of that house would bring forward BiLs to provide for the representation of other Districts. He thought that the Southern Division of the Province of Auckland, might have anolh jr member.

Mr. Richmond said that the Bill was originally drawn out to provide for the representation of the Hawke's Bay District, until the apportionment could be carried out. The Bill provided for this before the rejection of the Representation Apportionment Bill. Ministers had, as yet, not decided as to what should be done to supply the wants of the country in the way of Representation, after the rejection of the Bill ; but they wished that, at least, this Bill should be passed, a3 reaie lying one of the most glaring wants of those electors, who were not proportionally represented. Mr. Stafford said that the hon. member (Mr. Hall) seemed to have been unwilling to hear the explanations, which he rose two or three times to offer ; or he would have seen that the Bill was only of a temporary nature ; and was only intended to fill up a gap in the representation until the other comprehensive Bill could be carried out. It ■was like an old hat poked into the broken pane of a window ; to keep out the wind till the glazier came.

Leave having been given to bring in the bill, it ■was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and to be read a second time on Wednesday July 21. A Message from the Governor was received^ covering the draft of a bill for the disposal of the Waste Lands of the Crown. Bill read a first tune, and ordered for a second reading on Friday. Notification was given of his Excellency's assent to several bills which had passed both Houses. '• And a Message was received from the Legislative Council, transmitting several Bills which had passed through that Chamber. '.

Ox Tttesday, July 20, Mr. Merriman asked the Colonial Secretary if the Government intended to propose a pension to Chief Justice Martin, compelled from, ill health toiresign office ? ■'",:-■ Mr.; Stafford replied that he vwas: not aware of : . any reasons for debarring the late Chief Justice . firom a participation in the provisions intended to -be,made ; by^the,Civfl:SemcebilL\ : , :.• i % i^anpus:bills were;considered, Teported,. and ae:^''^&y3i^a^^p::^Z.'':^^7^ '■:> .r"';- pi''--.']. ■■C.?.; :•■•'■: ■;;'". v%?W* A ®chmond bayinginoved the, ooeani. : rJresiAr,! |^^^y^.Biifiob'.t};'S^4^i?^^y^^^

cial tendencies as altogether unequal to the acquisition of native land for colonising purposes ha the northern province. The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, July 21, on the motion of Mr. TTall, copies of any correspondence with the Scwv - tary of State, since the 15th August, 1856, ro-a--tive to the appointment of a Lieutenant-Governor during the absence of his Excellency from the Beat of Government, were agreed to be furnished. On the motion of Dr. Moaro, a copy of any correspondence between the colonial secretary and the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland on the subject of the Waste Lands Bill passed by the Legislature of that province in its last session, was ordered to be laid on the table. Dr. Monro complained that whilst an Auckland Waste Lands Bill, on the credit system, had received the Governor's assent, a Bill of similar character, passed by the Nelson Provincial Council, had been refused. Mr. Stafford ente *ed into explanations to show that the Bills were ia many important points very dissimilar, and that the Nelson Bill was so framed that it would have destroyed the Land Fund of the province. Mr. Carleton moved that the correspondence relative to the dissolution of the late Auckland Provincial Councial be considered, founding thereupon a resolution that "Measures ought to be taken for more effectually preventing Superintendents from violating the law in the use of their powers." After a few observations from Mr. Richmond, the Provincial Elections Bill was read, a second | time and committed. The Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay Electoral Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Fridf y ; some strong remarks having bjen made on the score of similar privileges being due to Murihiku and other remonfctrjnt districts. ! On Fbiday, July 23, the report of the Committee to consider the expediency of establishing a general Colonial Agency was adopted. Leave was given to Mr. Stafford to bring in a Bill to enable the Governor to amend errors in Crown Grants.

A Bill to enable Provincial Councils to dispose of lands laid out as public roads when these cave been closed up. Also a Bill to establish the office of Assistant Treasurer of New Zealand; and a Bill for the manageire it of the gold ri-lds. On the motion of Mr. Stafford, that the "Wast; Lands Bill be read a second tima, a good deal of discussion ensued. The Bill was eventually read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Tuesday, the 26th, to which day the House adjourned.