HOUSE OF REPRESETATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5530, 5 November 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESETATIVES.

Tuesday, November 4. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NAPIBR SWAMP NOISANOE BILL. The Napier Swamp Nuisance Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and paßsed. NOTICJCS OP MOTION. Sir George Grey gave notice to move, "That in the opinion of this House an elective Legislative Council should be established in New Zealand." Mr Montgomery gave notice that in committee on the Electoral Bill he would move that no elector be allowed to have his name placed on more than one electoral roll. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Turnbull, Mr Hall said the Government recognised the importance of simplifying and rendering less expensive the procedure of the Divorce Courts of this colony, so that it should not be necessary in all cases for a suitor to appear before the Appeal Court. The

GbyernMriti. however, did not think it wjisa matter that could be dealt with this session, v ' Replying to Mr Hutchison, Mr HaW said.thatifppssibletheGovernnie' would bring #a-fcilt tins session to iim.end'ilid PateiitiAob; ißt6, to the extent of rediidmgthe fees now payable for patents by one half, and enacting that the cost ©f the advertisements for the same need not exceed £3.

Replying to Mr Toinoana, Mr Rolleston said, the Government were not ye* prepared to" dtate what dtepg - tfiey" {fl. tended to 1 lake respecting the Maori priBonere nW in Mount Cook gaol. Replying; to Mr Reeves"; Mr .Etaii aSid that the amount paid for tile P,iakQ §wiimfi by the., purchasers wais £13,182 j ihH capital value, of the property, £2u0,300 j and the value .net down linde* the Iffifld Tax Act, £126,185. „ „ ■'•'---■• sNI bw rirti's.. . The following, bills were introduced and read a first time :— The Gold JDuty / Abolition Bill (Seddonj ; the Rating Act/W. XB7G, Amendment Bill (.Seddon);. Bill to-w i'egulate the laying, out of towns on private lands tTnomsofrji ..^ .\ THE MAOBI PRISONERSf. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Tomoana and Tawh'ai again referred to the question as to the steps " proposed to" be taken respecting the Maori prisoners. Tomoana said thai? he : was not at all satisfied with the reply given to the tjuestion put to the Government oh the" subject! ' Mr Rolleston aaid the question was one of considerable difficulty. .The Govern? ment were as anxious as hon. members were to get the matter Bettled. At present there was no intention on the part of the - Government to interfere with the ordinary course of law. So soon as the Government decided upon any other course in the matter it would be communicated to the House.

Mr Sheehan said that he had heard that the Government intended to release the prisoners, but he believed that if that doUrse wei'e pursued it would have a mosb prejudicial effect on the native questioil. Jfthey wore tried and made a; defends that wodld secure their release that : would be quite a different matter. Mr Gisborne also Bpoke in favor of tiie" ; law being allowed to take its courSe. . Mr Bryce eipresSed a conviction/tHat ife would be improper to press the Govern* ment too hard under the circumstances. REDISTRIBUTION OF -SEATS. : Sir George Grey moved as an amend- "•"> ment to going into Committee of Supply that the bill providing for the redistribution of seats be read a second time. He - said that it had been put so low down on the paper that the evident intention was to shelve it altogether. In that case it would be for the House to. consider whether of not supplies bhould He fe* fused until the bill waa platied ao that, lfc could possibly be carried through. " Mr Sheehan contended that the House was entitled to know what the (Joveta* ment really meant td do with the sujedt. Mr Hall said the Government were anjcious to deal with the question. There Were certain bills, however, which Would have to be passed on, and until that was done it would be impossible for the Government to say whether or not it was possible to pass the bill through this session.

The Speaker ruled that Sir George Grey's amendment tiould not be put. ■ , Mr De Lautonr moved* " That thid House ia determined td do all in .its • power to pass a bill for the redistf ibii tion of representation this session." Mr Gisborne, Sir George Grey, and others spoke in favor of the amendment. Mr Shephard said that the measure was not as pressing a one as had been s.tated, and he hoped that other business of more urgent importance would not be delayed so as to press on the measure in qUestionj On a division Mr De Lautour's amend* ment waa carried by 65 against 5. SUPPLY. The House then went into Committee , of Supply. A Bum of £300,0()0 being granted, on the House resuming an Imprest Supply Bill to that amount was passed through all its stages. \-~ MA.ORI REPRESENTATION BILL. Mr Hall moved the second reading of the Maori Representation. Mr Macandrew objected to the bill, because it increased the number of Maori members in the House to double the present number. It did "not appear to him that the bill arrived at placing both races on an equal footing in electoral privileges. He thought ifc would be better to allow the matter to remain as it was. He did not wish to oppose the bill actively, but would suggest that it should be taken back for reconsideration.

Mr Sheehan objected to the bill because it would require the taking of a complete census of the entire Maori population, and that under preSent cir- , curastancea. was quite impossible. With four members as at present the Maoris were better off than they could possibly be under the proposal to increase their, representation. The bill as it stood was most cumbersome, and would be most expensive to work. It would be better to allow the representation to stand as it was. The bill precluded half-castea from standing as representatives, thereby excluding the best class of members at the disposal of the Maoris. Its effect would be to give an impression to the Maori mind that Parliament wished to curtail their electoral privileges, and that the present state of Maori affairs was a very serious responsibility for them to face. He suggested the withdrawal of the bill. The House rose at 5.30.