HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 866, 2 August 1854, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, July 25. Th« SPEAKER took the Chair at 12 o'clock. The SPEAKER laid on the table several returns which had teen called for. Mr. FITZGERALD laid on the table a return of the expenditure which had been incurred by the General Government up to the present time; and gave notice that, on Thursday next, t,f would move for a Select Committee to consider those reNotices of Motion. Mr. E.G. WAKEFIELD to move, on Wednesday, a resolution declaratory of the opinion of this house, that, in justice, the Province of Auckland ought to be, at once, relieved from bearing any port'.on of the New Zealand Company's Debt. Mr. CARLETON to ask the honourable member for Lytteltoo, to-morrow, whether it be tVe intention of the Government to take any steps during the present Session for ameliorating the administration of the postal service between this and the neighbouring Colonies by effecting an interchange of credit. Major GREENWOOD to ask, on Wednesday, whether it is the intention of the Government to propose any arrangement with the owners of the steam-ship William Denny, now lyiug in Auckland harbour, with a view to expediting the transmission of the Mails between Australia and this Colony. Mr. TRAVERS to ask the head of the Executive, to-morrow, whether it is the intention of the Government to put a stop to the sale of waste lands under the regulations now in force at less than 10s. an acre. Mr. HART wished a Committee Room to be placed at the disposal of the Committee on the New Zealand Company's Debt. The SPEAKEFI would endeavour to accommodate that Committee. Mr. MERRIMAN to move, on Wednesday, for a Committee to superintend the printing, <ltc, of the votes and proceedings of the house. The Committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr. Sewell, Mr. Cutten, Mr, Carleton, and the mover. Mr. MACKAY to move, on Friday, that in the opinion of this house it is desirable that a Bill should be passed, during the present session, to simplify the Duties of Customs at presalt levied in the Colony. Ifj wfli** Supreme Court. Il Mr, CARLETON asked the Solicitor-General whether it be »he intention t the Government to amend the Supreme Court 1 I "iliuance, so far as conferring upon the Supreme Court of \ ;w Zealand the common law jurisdiction of the High Court \ Mr. SEWELL would endeavour to obtain the opinion of the Attorney-General and of the Chief Justice before answering the question. It might be necessary to bring in a Bill on the subject. Resident Magistrate's Court. Mr. MERRIMAN withdrew his notice of motion for leave to bring ia a Bill to amend the Resident Magistrates Courts Ordinance, stating that he did so in consequence of a communication which he had had with the honorable and learned member for Christchurch (Mr. Seidell) who had assured hi in that the whale matter of the Courts of Law was under the consideration of the Government, and that it was their intention to entirely remodel the Courts in question. In withdrawing his motion, it must be understood that he (Mr. Merriman) had not changed his opinion as to the character of the Ordinance or the illegal ty of the manner in which it had been brought into operatun. Natite Reserves. Mr. PICARD presented a petition from certain inhabitants of Motueka relative to Native ReservesPetition received. Mr. PICARD would move, on Wednesday, the adoption of certain resolutions relative to native reserves. Bribrry at Elections. Mr. PORTER brought up the report of the the Committee on Bribery at Elections, He said that as a Bill was to be immediately brought in it would be unnecessary for him now to go into details on the subject. The report was ordered to be printed. Waste Lands. Tke SPEAKER left the Chair, and the House went into Committee on this Bill. While the house was in Committee on the Waste Lands Bill, '' ideputation was announced from the Legislative Council. The SPEAKER having taken the Chair, The deputation was introduced, and presented two Bills (the Interpretation Bill and the Dower Bill) which had passed that Council. On the motion of Mr. FITZGERALD, both Bills were read a first time,and ordered to be read a second time. The SPEAKER resumed the ('hair, and informed the house that he had received authority from the Officer administering the Government to administer the oath of allegiance to William Septon Moorhouse. That gentleman then took the oath and his seat as a member of the House of Representatives. Tlte house adjourned till six o'clock. I The house met at six o'clock. Law Practitioners' Bill. 08 cae motion of Mr. CARLETON, this Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday Wit. Revenues Bill. The Speaker left the Chair, and the house went into Committee on this Bill. Clause li amended. The SPEAKER resumed .he Chair. On the motion of Mr. FITZGERALD, the Revenues Bill wis 'Ud a third time and passed. Customs Duties. I Mr. MACK A V brought up the report of the Customs Committee, which was ordered to be printed. House adjourned until Wednesday, at 5 o'clock. Wednesday, July 2G. The house met pursuant to adjournment. Notices ov Motion. '■h.FrjRSAITH gave notice that, 0:1 Wednesday next, 2nd *"B'j»t, he would move the second leading of the Marriage Biil. "t. MERRIMAN gave notice that, on Friday, he would ! "■"« the second reading of the Land Registration Amendment Bill t WAKEFIELD, with leave of the house, postponed his respecting the Auckland share of the New Zealand Debt, of which notice was given for to-morrow, f Wednesday, 2nd August. Votes and Proceedings. MERRIMAN, according to notice, moved that a Comttltl «e be appointed to superintend the printing, iec, of the v °"» and proceedings of the house. The Committee to consist * fl l>e Speaker, Messrs. Sewell, Cutten, Carleton, and Mover K S"ti to. ! iI: - MACKAY moved theadoption of the Steam Committee's 'Wi when a debate ensued, and the report was adopted. Waste Lands Bill. The House resumed in Committee on Mr. WAKEFIELD'S **>>linents to this Bill. We are desirous to give a full report j, . * e, peeches on this important debate, and shall endeavour *> so in a suplement to our paper to be issued as early as i f°Bible. ' 'ter a debate, which occupied the house some t;me, on the ' * the amendments, the Committee divided oa Wednes*'tight as follows: Ayes—ld. Noes—2l. Messrs. E. G, Wakefield Messrs. Mackay Bacot Revans Picard Ludlam Cargill Cxompton O'Neill Carleton Greenwood Fitzgerald Macandrew Travers Forsaith King Lee Wortley J- Wakefield, teller. Kelham Sewell Monro Moorhouse Rhodes Taylor .: Cutten Gledhill Hart Gray Porter Weld, teller. J»tnameat lost. !!*«« WAKSFIELD, with leave of the house, withdrew his s*"«d»iant». >,. ft *house resumed, whei the Chairman received the Bill * *»«idm»nts.

Mr, FITZGERALD gave notice that, on Friday, he would move the third reading of the Public Reserves Bill. 1 lie house then adjourned until Thursday 'to-morrow) at Id o’clock. Thuusdav, July 27. The house met »t boob. FI I ItGKKALI) laid on the table cerrtain returns of Lands in Canterbury block, and correspondence between the Commissioners of Crown Lands, the Superintendent of Canterbury, and the Government on the subject. Mr. I-1 1 ZGLUALD laid on the table letters and translations of letters fioni Natives, relative to Native Reserves at Motucka. Examination of Accounts. Mr HTZGERALD moved the suspension of Standing Cider No. Id, in order to enable him to move the appointment of a.Select Committee consisting of more than ten members. Agreed to. Mr. FITZGERALD, pursuant to notice, moved that a Select Committee be appointed, to examine and report upon thestateniL'nt of accounts laid before the House by the Government, and that it be an instruction to the above Committee to consider and report whether it be not desirable that a Bill should be passed appropriating to the public service such funds as may be necessary to liquidate the liabilities incurred by the General Government during the year ending 30th September next, and that such Bill should constitute an indemnity for such expenditure as shall have been incurred without sanction of law. The Committee to consist of Messrs, Porter, Forsailh, Greenwood, Revans, Kelham, Macandrew. Sewell, J. Wakefield, Weld, Monro, King, and the Mover, Report to be brought up on Thursday, 3rd August Agreed to. Land Claimants Estates Bill. On the motion of Mr. TRAVERS, this Bill was read a second time. Mr, TRAVERS moved that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee, to consist of Messrs, Sewell, Picard, O'Brien, Moot house, Dart, Merriman, and the Mover, and that the Report be btonght up on Tuesday next, the Ist August, with power to call for persons and papers. Agreed to. Empowering Bill. Mr, FITZGERALD moved the third reading of this Bill, after a very brief speech, by which he excused himself from again going over any of the topics which had been so fully discussed before. Mr. WAKEFIELD said that, having been precluded by illness from taking any part at all in the previous stages of this Bill, ho was desirous of seizing this, the last, opportunity of expressing his opinion of the measure. He should not attempt to do so at any length, because he thought that such a course would not be fair towards the Government or the house, upon whom it might call, at the last stage of a Bill which had not been opposed at any stage, to defend the measure under great disadvantages. He should coniine himself to stating, and in the briefest form of protest, his principal objections to the Bill. They were objections of principle and policy, such as would have induced him to oppose the second reading if he had been in the house. Without attempting to enforce or even explain itis objections, he would simply state them. They were three in number. First, said the hon. member, 1 object to the Bill, because it does for the Provincial Legislatures much which they are perfectly competent to do for themselves, and thereby, unnecessarily, tends to degrade their originating power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Provinces. Secondly, I object, because the Bill, by unnecessarily interfering with Ihe law-making authority of the Provincial Governments, tends to confound two legislative authorities which ought, as far as possible, to be kept entirely distinct—in order that, so far as the Constitution permits, the local independence of the Provincial Legislatures and Executives may be maintained. Lastly, I < bje.t, because the Bill, though with an appearance of increasing the power of the Provincial Governments by investing them with General Executive functions, yet thereby in reality converts the Provincial Executives into subordinate functionaries of the General Government, and, by so confounding two Executive authorities which ought to be kept entirely separate, and connecting the Provincial with the General by a lie of inferiority and obedience, degrades the Provincial Governments from their constitutional position of Provincial independence. then left the house, which was very thin at The time, and apparently exhausted by the long and very exciting debate on the Waste Lands Bill, which, with two interruptions by adjournment, lasted 14 hours. Mr. FITZGERALD obtained leave to postpone the third reading of the Waste Lands Bill, until Tuesday next. On the motion of Mr. FI TZGERALD, the Executive Government Bill was ordered to be committed to-morrow uay)Mr. MERRIMAN moved that the Law Practitioners’ Bill be referred to the same Committee as that to which the Land Claimants Estate Bill is referred. Report to be brought up on Thursday, 3rd August.—Agreed to. The house then adjourned.