EVENING SITTING.

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

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. MAORI REPBBBENTATION Bill. Mr Kelly resumed the debate on the motion for the second reading of ,the» Macri Representation Bill. He thought^ that certain modifications were needed. To give members a further opportunity of considering the measure, he moved the adjournment of the debate.

Major Te Wheoro said that no officer going amongst the natives in his district, no matter whether he was a European or a Maori, would get the natives to consent to their names being placed on the roll. The Maoris were naturally a suspiciousminded people, and any change of this kind was received by them with distrust. He objected to the distinction attempted to be made between Maoris andhalf-castep,-*; The half-castes, whether they lived amongst Maoris or Europeans, should be classed as natives. He .would not vote for the withdrawal of the bill, but he would vote for its amendment in the direction indicated.

Mr Bryce pointed out that the great objection was the registration roll. That went to prove the great difficulty with which the whole question was surrounded. He admitted that there was one objection to the bill. It was that its provisions were not adapted to the merging as it were of the one race into that of the other. He would prefer to have seen a measure that would gradually taper' off and merge into the European system. The Government would be quite -willing to accept any proposal which might be made in that direction. The proposal for the adjournment of the debate was probably the shortest way to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the question. - Sir George Grey said that the bill proposed a great injustice to the natives. Nothing could be more disastrous to the population of any country than to encourage legislation tending to separate or make distinctions between races'. ' The bill had that tendency, and he hoped they would not recognise it. What he would advise was that :. the bill should be dropped altogether, and then in conference with the natives let the Government bring in a measure based on principles similar to. those he had ad* vocated.

Mr Rblleston denied that the' bill prop*oiled to do any wrong; The Government neither pandered to the Maoris nor yet Sid they seek to deprive them of their rights as had been alleged. He would be agreeable to the postponement of the iheasrire so, as to admit of amendments slic'li as had tieeil mentioned being made in it. The Government, be coiftendedj had brought down a wise and well considered measure. It might be before its time, still it was a measure which would prevent designing persons making use of the Maoris for their own purposes. Mr Ballatice thought that the better plan would have' been to give the natives a Qualification tinder the Electoi'al Bill, with a special qualification besides. In a Shb'rt tittle the special qualification could £ea£e. . It! the. rilfearitirrie, arid until that special qualification ceagedj the Maori would be taught to qualify him* seli on the electoral roll. All in9 s infstak'es that had bee,n committed \ had arisen fronl meddling too much with the natives. A simple System exercised firmness was what was required. He maintained that the best course, was for the Government to drop' -,the bill altogether, and to retain the old franchise for the present. . fefiptaiin Russell .thought the ■ present till should be withdrawn, and thai special representation should be retained uritii the close of the present Parliament. He would not agree to increased Maori representation. . Tainui advised thit the bill should be ■withdrawn and ..circulated in the interior Mmongst the' Slaorisj so that they might have an opportunity of expressing an opinion before it came, on again. Tomoana had some doubts about the provision in the bill providing for registration. He was not disposed to raise any very strong objection to the bill, but was afraid that' under the registration clause the native representation would decrease to one member. He should like to see a provision increasing the Maori members to six, making in all ten — eight for the North Island and two for the South. Fresh divisions for electoral districts should be made by the tribes. If the clause requiring registration was taken out he Would Vote for the bill. • Mr Hall daid the Government would adopt the Suggestion as to the adjourninpnt df the debate. The question for the adjournment was then put and carried. TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENTS BILL. The House then went into committee on the Triennial- Parliaments Bill. Mr Murray moved that the word " triennial" should be struck out and, the word " quadrennial " substituted. Oh being put, the motion was negatived on the voices. „ . The bill was altered to provide that the present Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, should expire on the 28th of February, 1882, a motion in favor of 1883. being lost on a division by 38 to 26. The bill was then reported as amended and the House rose.