WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 39, 25 August 1880, Page 3

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL.

(from our own correspondent.) Wellington, August 21.

In the adjourned debate on the West Coast Settlement Bill, Sir William Fox said he felt that he would not be justified in not expressing the appreciation of his colleagues and himself on the reception accorded to their work by the Government, the puMic, anci the Pzsss, and. thanked thezn ior ifc, not forgetting the hon. member for the Thames. He considered that the Commission ers had now handed over their work to the Government, and' it rested with them to complete it or carry it out as seemed best to them. He argued that in Maori law the Europeans had, no doubt, forfeited their right to the land. But as Europeans were the conquerors, European law governed the result, and consequently the confiscated land was ours ever since the date of confiscation in 1864. The Europeans, however, did occupy a large portion of the land, and consequent!}' the Europeans thereby asserted then 1 right to the whole. This fact also seems to have escaped the Maoris, who have been informed by Europeans that the land had reverted to them. He denied that the Commissioners had ever exceeded the powers conferred upon them by their commission. The Commissioners had thought it their duty to deliver a plain, unvarnished tale of the result of their investigations, and they had kept nothing, not one tittle of evidence, of any description, which had come before them.

The Hon. Mr. Bryce followed, and said the commendations bestowed upon the labor of the Commission reflected, indirectly, credit upon the Government for the excellence of the choice, and the wise discretion which they had exercised. He did not know whether the hon. member for the Thames had intended it or not, but he (Sir G. Grey) had certainly praised the Government for the action they had taken. The Government had given many practical indications of their desire to assist and co-operate with the Commissioners. The Government were perfectly convinced that the position they took up in regard to the Maori prisoners was legally souud. It was not Te Whiti's intention to test the question in any court of law. Te Whiti held himself superior to all courts of law, and even to all men. Mr. Bryce declared that his opinion had been throughout that these Maoris did not desire to provoke hostilities, but that the acts which they had committed were likely to lead up to hostilities. He was gratified to find that the Bill had been so favorably received, and he hoped and believed that it would pass through committee without much trouble or delay.

In committee, Mr. Thomson raised the question of the 25 per cent, of land revenue reserved to the Taranaki Harbor Board. He wanted to know whether, if the "West Coast Settlement Act were passed, this 25 per cent, would be paid to the board or not. The Bill spoke of the West Coast lands as Crown lands ; if this was left in this form, would it not mean that this right would lapse ?

Mr. Bryce replied that these lands were Crown lands now, and would continue to be so after the passing of this Act.

Mr. Thompson declared that he thought Taranaki could do an.ythihg, and would scruple at nothing. He thought it desirable to raise the whole question of the Taranaki harbor. The board, in his opinion, was simply throwing the money into the sea. By-and-by, the Harbor Board would com • down to the House, and ask the colony to complete the work, because the security originally granted had Ken diminished.

Mr. Bryce thought the object of the hon. g ntleman would be best served bj r repealing the endowment of 1874.

Mr. Johnston denied that the confiscated lands had ever been waste lands of the Crown, or that the proceeds from confiscated land could be regarded as partly pledged to and constitutiug ft,u ando^wmß^t of the Tavanaki Harbor Board.

Mr. Macandrew was afraid that these reserves would be regarded by the Taranaki Harbor Board as a withdrawal of a portion of the security originally granted to the board, upon which they borrowed £200,000.

Mr. Johnston read an extract showing that the security offered to the bondholders included a fourth part of the revenues to be derived from 750,000 acres, valued at over a million sterling.

Major Atkinson had not the least hesitation in saying that the House was at perfect liberty to make any reserves which they might 'd^em right, without in any way trenching upon the rights of the Harbor Board. The original confiscation provided for the making of large reserves, and the colony could not give away what it did not possess. The Harbor Board could have no claim. If it was desired to cancel the endowment to the Tavanaki Harbor Board, let the House fight it out upon a fair and direct issue. Colonel Trimble declared that many of the speakers had known nothing whatever about the question, which was, however, a very interesting and entertaining one. He pressed the House to go on with the Bill before them, and to deal with the Taranaki Harbor Board on a special occasion. Sir W. Fox pointed out that Taranaki was in this position : if these reserves were' not made, Taranaki would not receive the proceeds of the laud sales, because until the native question was settled, no land would be sold. Mr. Thomson thought it would be very necessary to review the position of tho New Plymouth Harbor Board. Mr. Bryce denied that Parliament had ever rescinded its right to make native reserves. Sir G. Grey proposed that the sections referring to tho summary arrest of any

offenders should be contained in another Bill.

The Native Minister opposed the amendment.

Mr. Tawhai proposed to strike out the words " with or," so that only imprisonment, without hard labor, should be inflicted.

The amendment was lost.

The Hon. Mr. Gisborne moved that the ■words in clause 3, "may reasonably be suspected of being present, "' should be struck out. Amendment negatived. Mr. Moss declared that Te Kooti had been imprisoned and sent to the Chatham Islands without any person, either himself or any one else, knowing what offence he had been charged with.

On the motion- of Major Te "Wheoro, the period during which the Act shall continue in force was limited to three years. Several verbal amendments were made, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.

For remainder of Beading Matter,

see Fourth Page.