HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5447, 30 July 1879, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, July 29. The House met at 2. 30 p. m. MB, BARTON AND THE JUDGES. Mr Barton gave notice that he would move that a select committe be appointed to inquire into the conduct of the Supreme Court Judges in the case of Woodvilie, who was executed at Picton some time ago for murder. the thames-waikato railway map. The report of the select committee appointed to inquire into the alleged tampering with the Thames railway map was presented. The committee found : — (1) that no alteration was made in the map subsequently to its being laid on the table of the House ; (2) that the map was prepared in the Public Works Department in compliance with the terms of a request made in the Legislative Council by the Hon. Mr Eichmond on the 3rd September, 187S ; (3) that as the map was originally prepared, it contained no portion of the railway line between Te Aroha and Grahamstown ; (4) that the portion which appeared in a different tint from the line between Te Aroha and Hamilton was added under instructiona from the Hon. the Minister of Public Works ; (5) that the map in question was not therefore what was asked for by the Hon. Mr Richardson, and what in the foot-note upon the map it purports to be — namely, a distinctively colored . copy of the map attached to the Public Works Statement ; (G) that in the opinion of the Committee, in all cases of returns made to the order of the House, or furnished in compliance with questions put to Ministers, the permanent heads of department furnishing such returns should certify to their accuracy. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Stevens, the Premier said that Mr Larnach, in addition to £2000 paid him as one of the loan agents, had not received any other public money of the colony since he ceased to be a Minister. Replying to Mr Barff, the Native Minister said he would lay before the I House copies of all maps issued under the authority of the Government, showing the results of the survey of the Waimate Plains, and the acreage of lands proposed to be set apart for the occupation of the native .race, but that the Government would not be bound by the maps. ! Replying to a question put the other ! day by Mr Ormond relative to the damage caused by fira from the sparks of railway engines, the Minister for Public Works said the engines were all provided with spark catchers, and the damage referred to had been very much over-estimated. THE WELLINGTON RAILWAY LINES. Mr Richardson asked the Government what action (if any) had been taken under the amendment of the Public Works Act, 1870, passed last session, which added the words " with branches " after the word " Masterton " in the fourth schedule of the Public Works Act, 1876 ; also, whether the enpenditure required to carry out the proposal to construct a branch line from Woodside to Greytown had been brought before Parliament and authorised by it ? Mr Macandrew said the sum was very small, and that it might be defrayed out of the vote for the Wellington-Masterton line. If not, a further sum would be provided, THE NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE. The Premier asked that the "no-con-fidence" debate should be adjourned for half an hour. He explained that it was understood that the debate would be resumed at 4 o'clock, and relying on that understanding members might be absent. Sir W. Fox objected to the ajournment unless Ministers gave a pledge that they would proceed to a division without further discussion. The Premier undertook that they would not speak further to the amend-

ment on their side of the House, and the motion for adjournment was given effect to. • ...

On resuming, Dr Henry said that lie would, in compliance with a general wish, waive his right to speak, as he wished to show that the Opposition had no wish to delay the, business of the country. The division: Waa thfri talterij aiid resulted as follows •—

. , , iIYES, 47. Aclaiii^ . AMdusdri Bjiiffeni Bai-ff Be'ctha'ni Boweri Brandon Biyce Curfcis Qiitte'ii . .. Douglas Fitzroy P.dx (teller) <#bbS Groan 1 IJart Henry liobfts Hunter Hurstho'use Johnston. Kelly Kenny Macfa'rlarie Moorltouse .Morris liiu'ray- -, Ayrislc'y CJliye'r Cfrm'o'nd Pylie HuMrdgdii JlicUuipifa Eolleston Itowe Kiissoll Saunders Seymour Stevens Stewart Studholme Sutton Tawiti Wakefield Whitaker (teller) Williams Woolc'ock Tamofiiin, Ballancd Baridii Ihinriy Brown (Tuapeka) Camngton DcLaufour Feldwick Fisher George Grisborne Goldio Groy itodgkinSon Hamlin. Hisldp Jacksoii Joyce MrtndbrS Moss Macandrow Nahe Rees lioGvos $eatdrt thanks "Slinehan Shrim'ski Swanson . Timibull Thomson Tole- fciimri Wtflllis i . . . Aye — ' Sfo— - M'Loan Montgomery • Mr Hislop argued that although Ministers had not carried out its measures as fully as he could hare deaited, the shortcoming was not oC the nature which would warrant any of their supporters in deserting them at this time. He concluded by moving as a farther amendment, " That the House also thinks it right to add, that the foregoing opinion has been arrived at in the absence of official papers containing information^ oil the several sabjects in regard to which your advisers are alleged to have been guilty of maladministration." Mr Rdea spoke in support of the amendment. Sir George Grey made a lengthy speeoh in which ha traversed much the sartle ground as in his reply to Sir William Fox. He defended himself from remarks made by Sir William relative to the refusal to allow the Hinemoa to .be used by the Marquis of Normanby when he , left this colony for Victoria, saying that his Excellency was offered a passage in a man-of-war, or a handsome allowance if he chose to travel privately. He applied for a passage 'in the Hinemoa, but at that time the steamer was urgently wanted for colonial service in securing the safety of many families on the West Coast. The plea of a sick Marchioness had been set up as a great reproach to him for not having consented to allow the steamer to be used, but he looked upon the life of the meanest settler as of equal importance with that of the Marchioness, and her comfort could have been very well provided for in a man-of-war. It was this worship of great people that was the besetting sin of Sir William Fox. After referring to native matters, Sir George defended Mr Sheehan against the imputations passed upon him/ and said that Mr Sheehan had adverse circumstances to contend against. He had pecuniary difficulties to contend against, but still his conduct had been honorable throughout. He (Mr Sheehan) amidst all his difficulties had refused a bribe of £2000 to settle a certain matter advantageously to the party by whom it was offered. Sir George Grey next referred to the charges brought against the Ministry of having neglected to make the promised reductions in the civil service. The fact was that they had made reductions, but in the short time they had been in office it was quite impossible to make good all their promises. The House itself had obstructed their efforts towards retrenchment. He then referred to the complaints in connection with appointments made to the Upper House, saying that the Ministry had felt it was absolutely necessary to get men_ into that House who were honestly imbued with Liberal sentiments, and who would aid in carrying out their policy. After again referring to the Canterbury land question, and the incidence of taxation, he charged the Opposition with seeking to deny justice to the "poor man," in order that he might in the future as in the past pay for those public works which specially benefited the lauded classes, and for the introduction of immigrants to compete with them in the labor market. Native lands had, he said, been even more unfairly dealt with than the Crown lands. If many of these transactions were investigated it would be found that the natives had been plundered of their lands. It followed that a Government that had set its face against such transactions would raise up many enemies. He (the Premier) then enumerated the various measures his Government had brought forward, the effects of which would have been to counteract the evils to which he had referred, and said that he would yet live to see a property and income tax imposed, in order that the burden of taxation might fall equitably on rich and poor. Mr Manders also spoke to the amendment, but on which side could not be ascertained, from his remarks. Mr Hamlin read the following telegram he had received from the chief Rewi : — " To Mr Bamlin, greeting. My word to you is you may continue to make public my telegrams. They come from no one, European, or otherwise, but myself alone, in reviewing the relative position of myself and Sir George Grey. In former times we were opposed, but I have not yet seen any faultof his. This telegram is my own — from Rewi Maniapoto." On being put to the vote the amendment was lost on the voices. On the motion of Sir Win. Fox, Messrs Wakefield, Stewart, Green, and the | mover were elected a committee to draw up and present an address to his Excellency the Governor, in accordance | with the resolutions passed. I The address was drawn up, read, and adopted, and the House adjourned at 9.30 till the following day at 2.30 p.m.