PARLIAMENTARY.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 17 July 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association

Fiudat. July 13th

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Council met at 2.30

The Select Committee appointed to report on the working of the totalisator recommended that licenses Bhould only be issued to such clubs as complied with the rules of metropolitan clubs. The Invercargill Corporation Empowering Bill was further considered in committee.

Mr Stevens moved tho second reading of the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill.—Mr Reynolds moved as an amendment that tho bill be read that day six months.—After discussion the second reading was agreed to on the voices, and tho bill referred to the Waste Lauds Committee. Tho Council rose at 4.50. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. TIIE CUSTOMS BILL. A messago was received from the Legislative! Council that, the Customs Duties Bill had passed through that Chamber. Mr Bsotham drew the attention of the Government to an omission in the Bill, tho item “electric appliances and machinery ” having been omitted from the free list as ordered by the House. Hon Mr Mitchelson said he should call the attention of the Premier to the fact, but the House could not now amend the Bill. If necessary, a message from the Governor would be brought down to rectify the error. There was also another error. The item “ bacon and hams,” the duty on which was stated to be two-pence ad valorem, instead of per pound. Mr Hamlin said the latter was a printer’s error. QUESTIONS. Replying to question* it was stated that it was not advisable to alter the law in the direction of increasing the limit of time from three month* to one year within which actions may bo brought against hsrbor boards ; that custom-house officers had outered the premises of R. Shannon, of Wellington, bookseller, and removed a large number of books in consequence of tho books being reprints of English works imported from San Francisco ; that the French convicts had been brought south from Auckland on the claim of the French Consul made under tho Treaty rights, aud that his evidence might bo taken. NATIVE BILLS. Hon Mr Mitchelson moved without notice, that a committee to consider the Native Bills bs appointed, consisting of the following members : —Sir 11. Atkinson, Mr Ballanee, Mr Carroll, Sir George Grey, Mr Graham, Mr Hislop, Mr Hutchison, Mr Kelly, Mr Moss, Mr Ormond, Mr Samuels, Mr Whyte, Mr Parata, Mr Tawhauga, Mr Taipua, and the mover. Sir George Grey hoped that no members interested in Native Lands would serve on the committee. Hon Mr Mitchelson sail his attention had just been drawn to the fact tliai. two members of the proposed coimnitteo woro interested in native lands, but both those gentlemen wero members of the Nutivo Affairs Committee, and he felt sure from what he kue/v of them that they would not allow private consideration* to influence their action on a question of this kind.

Mr Fraser suggested that the names of those two gentlemen should be erased from the committee and those of other members substituted. Mr Thompson, member for Marsden, said that in that case native members should not be on the committee. Mr Lance hoped the House would not lower itself by making such a dictatorial inspection of the committee by striking out the names of Messrs Ormond and Graham. After some further discussion Mr Taiwhanga moved that the names of Messrs Anderson and Taylor be added to the committoe, but leave was refused by the House. The Hon Mr Mitchelson’s motion was then put, and carried. tramways’ act. The Tramways’ Act Amendment Bill was reported from committoe, read a third time and passed. MINING ACT AMENDMENT. The Mining Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee, on a division, by 47 to 10. In clause 3, Mr Guinness moved to substitute Land Board for Commissioner of Crown Lands, but this was lost after a lengthy discussion by 33 to 18. In clause 11, referring fo the Court before whieh claims for compensation are to be heard, Mr Guinness moved to strike out that portion of the clause which provided that judges and resident magistrates should sit alone, without assessors.

Mr Richardson said if this were struck out he would abandon the bill.

Considerable discussion ensued, which was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

EVENING SITTING

The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Guinne-ss resumed the discussion on clause 11, and was supported by seve-al other members in objecting to the abolition of assessors in the Compensation Court. Sir George Grey at some length urgid that Resident Magistrates should not sit unaided, and native assessors should be chosen where native interests were at stake.

Mr O’Connor contended that assessors were generally partisans, and so the decision really lay with the Magistrate. Mr Guineas’ amendment was lost by 1 to 30. Mr Pratt moved a proviso allowing r,n appeal from the decision of the Magistrate.—Ayes, 22; noes, 40. Clause passed as printed, and the remainder of the hill was agreed to without ameudent. Some debate was excited on the motion to read the bill a third time, but this was eventually agreed to without division. Air Mitchelson moved the second reading of the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act Amendment Bill, the provisions of which he briefly explained.—Agreed to without debate. Mr Mitchelsou moved the second read- j

ing of the Maori Real Estate Management Bill. This was simply the re-enactment of an old act repealed in 18S6.—Agreed to.

Mr Mitchelson moved tho second reading of the Native Land Court Amendmendinent Bill. One clause enabled Government to secure land by way of compensation for advances made on purchases which could not bo completed. Mr Carroll thought this rather unfair. Tho Government officers had made mistakes, aud Government ought to suffer. Sir G. Grey took exception to clauses 2 and 3, which asked them to make good an unknown number of claims. A number of criminal offences might be condoned under this bill, and he condemned it“as a most extraordinary proceeding. Mr Taipua thought it a great reproach that the law regarding native land had to be amended every year. Tho statute of limitations should apply to advances by Government as woll as to other transactions. It was not natives who had asked for this money, but land agents who had followed them about and forced tho money on them.

Mr Hislop said Sir G. Grey did not understand the bill. There was do such intention as he had ascribed to validato illegal conveyances, and he entered minutely into tho legal bearings of the clauses to show that this was so. No relief whatever would bo given to persons who had not complied with the law in their dealings with Maori lands. Mr Hutcheson considered that Mr Hislop had not quite fathomed th* depth of law on the subject. Ho agreed with Sir George Grey as to tho effect of clauses 2 and 3, read in conjunction with previous legislation.

Mr Taiwhanga said ho would oppose all Government bills unless they allowed his own two bills to pass also. Ho would not be content till all the native land courts were abolished.

The Hon Mr Mitcholson, in reply, said that Government wero quito prepared to havo clauses 2 and 3 ruado perfectly clear.

The motion was then agreed to. The Middle Island Half-caste Grants Bill was read a second time. FENCING ACT. Mr Hislop moved tho second reading of the Fencing Act Amendment Bill, stating that if an agreement oould not be come to regarding the schedule he would not press it.—Agreed to.

SECOND READINGS. The following bills were read a second time : —Regulation of Local Elections Act Amendment, Volunteer Drillshed and Lands, State Forest Act Amendment, Ellismere Lake Lauds and Pukoi Settlors. The House rose at 12,30 a.m.