HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 6, 25 November 1863, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

• Tuesday, 24th Xov. Yesterday iii the House of Representatives Mr. Robert Graham, in moving the second reading of "Hie. Auckland and Drury Railway Bill, said that the bill had been carefully considered and approved by the Provincial Council, and that the Provincial Government proposed taking £100,000 out of a loan obtained hy the Province of Aucldand, which was to have been appropriated to the purchase of Native land and purposes of immigration, and applying it towards the construction of the railway, and of raising another £50,000 on the works themselves. Mr. J. O'Neill protested against the scheme, inasmuch as it was intended to divert a largo sum of money from its legitimate purposes, and because lie did not believe ono-third even of the line would be completed for £150,000. Had the Government first tried a line of railroad between Auckland and Oneliunga, and so ascertained the cost of such a work, );liey would, he thought, have acted wisely. Tnere was another objection to tlio scheme, and this was that the railroad would only benefit a corner of the Province. The bill was then read a second time, on the understanding that it would be referred to a select committee. A report of the committee on the Auckland Harbour Debenture Bill was ordered to be laid ou the table.

Mr. Fox gave notice that he should move the adjournment of the house at a quarter to three instead of half-past five, on account of the funeral of the gallant oflicers who had fallen at Rangariri, which was to hike place at four p.m. The Hon. Mr. Russell rend for the information of the House the latest telegram from the front, giving (lie names of the Maori chiefs killed and captured, amongst the latter the murderer of Mr. Meredith. Mr. Uoll then observed, for the information of the House, that the two largest landed proprietors in the island were among the captive rebels, and that some five or six among them -were men of the chief importance in the Waikato. Mr. Fitzgerald gave notice of motion for the next sitting day of a resolution calling upon the Governor at once to settle the question of the removal of the seat of Government by obtaining the services of the Governors of the Australian colonies to decide to what portion of Cook's Straits it shall be removed. In answer to Mr. Carter, the lion, the Minister for Colonial Defence replied that it was correct that j militia ollicers received payment for every day they are called out, while privates were paid only for the day on which they were on drill, but that this had arisen at Wellington from a mistake iu a letter of directions forwarded to that place ; but that the issue of this pay had since been stopped; nor was it the custom of militia oillcers in the Province of Auckland to receive pay except for those davß on which they were 011 drill. The motion of Mr. Weld for a copy of a map of "VVaitara drawn by the Chief Ropohama Xe One, and forwarded to the Government bv Mr. Mack ay, Assistant Native Secretary, together with any correspondence regarding it which may not yet have been laid on the table of the House, was agreed to, as was also that of Mr. Atkinson to ask leave to lay on the table of the House copy of a minute by the Superintendent of Taranaki upon the Native ditßculties, also copy of correspondence between Bis Excellency Sir George Grey, His Excellency Governor T. G. Browne, and Mr. C. Brown, upon the subject of raising Maori troops. Mr. Fitzgerald moved for a return, so far as the same could be obtained, of all settlors' houses wliieli have beeu sacked or the property from which has been stolen or destroyed in the Province of Auckland during the bust six months, distinguishing the outrages which have been committed by persons of tbc Native and by persons of the European race, stating that it was a disgrace to the colony that such occurrences should be daily published by, the. Press and spioken of in the atreeta, without the House taking :notice of sucli a state of things' and causing stops to ;bo takon to render the property of the settlers safe from the troops. It was intolerable that outrages should be allowed to bo perpetrated by the soldiery, almost daily, on the property 6f the settle™. Tue motion was seconded by Captain Butler. The Hon.

Sir. Fox did not see vliat machinery the general Government liad at its present disposal to set about such a task as that of " the return of scttlera' property stolen;" it would not even be possible to give a "return of the amount of the property stolen," as no one could say in what state the houses were left, or what property they contained at the time of their being sacked. It was impossible for the Government to say what persons had sacked such and. such a whare on the froutier line three or four months since. The Hon. Mr. Russell stated that though many complaiuts had been made through the Press, one only had been officially made to the Government, which on investigation had turned out a frivolous one. Mr. Fitzgerald said that if Government had no means of obtaining these returns, then the Auckland settlers iuust understand that there would be no compensation for them; he had brought the motion forward to show the people of Auckland that ho regarded their welfare with interest.

Mr. Brodie obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the " Miners' Representation Act, 1862." Major Richardson moved that there be laid on the table of the House copics of all documents in the possession of Government connected with, the claim of Mr. Peter Williams, on certain portions of the land included within the Province of Otago situated near Preservation Harbour and Moeraki Bay. This motion was agroed to. / I:i the absence of Mr. Harrison, wlio was to haro moved for a copy of the correspondence between the Minister for Die War Department and the Major commanding the civilian forces in the district of Wanganui, so far as may relate to the number of men declared to be necessary to constitute a volunteer company. The lion. Sir. Russell said that tho papers would be placed on the table.

-Mr. Stafford asked if it would be in order now for him to make some remarks on the minutes of the last sitting recorded, as ho has heard that a certain action had been taken at the close of that sitting 1-elatiYO to himself. The portion of the minutes referred to were then read. Mr. Stafford did not deny having used the words " Sir. Speaker, I declare this to be most unfair, most unfair, sir, and I shall leave thj House but wished to know whether the motion for taking the words down was put before the division was made upon Mr. Fit/.herbcTt's question, and why the doors were kept locked vyhilo the motion was being put. The Speaker thought that the questions should be put in the form of a motion, and not that an lion, member should cross-examine the Speaker. Mr. Stafford said such questioning was consonant with the custom of the House of Commons, and ho had taken such a course as he felt that he had beea treated in a most unusual manner, since he had no opportunity-of being present to explain the words, having been locked out during the division, and during which same time this motion respecting the taking down of the words had been also passed. IJo had twice attempted to enter the House but had found the doors locked, nor had he any intimation that h« words had been recorded. He now stated his surprise at the course taken, and thought it -would luivo been more liiunly if the member who had moved the taking down of his words during his absence, had rather called upon him in his place to explain o;> apologise for those remarks. He did not thiuk the words used were such as to havo called for objection ; he had heard far stronger words used—even the word "dishonest" had been used by Mr. C.irgiU in reference to ministers. The words were rather applied to the Speaker nor to House, which had not as yet conic to a decision, but to the proceeding of iv few lion, members and those who supported them. It was for this reason he desired that the motion should take its proper placc on the minutes, lie was neither willing to retract the words used, nor that they should' be expunged from the records of the House. Mr. Stafford then left the House. Major Richardson said he was extremely pained to hear the expression which had fallen from Mr. Stafford, who had not understood the motives of those who called for the taking down of his words, and had spoken of those motives as unmanly. He had expected that- ho (Mr. S.) would have been in his place at. the reading of the minutes, and apologised to the House. Mr, Yogel supported the conduct of Mr. Stafford, and characterised the conduct of Mr. Fitzherbert and hia partizans in forcing on the question of the removal of the seat of Government unexpectedly and contrary to arrangement, as in his opinion a pieco of chicanery—and was evidently supported by a majority of those present. Mr. Fitzherbert endeavoured to explain away the dishonourable nature of the transaction as far as he himself was concerned. [An explanation which drew derisive cheers from many members.] Mr. Fitzherbert maintained that his conduct was quite fair and approved by many respected members of the House, and that it was but meeting trick with trick. He was authorised by Sir. Mantell to state that in the morning discussion of Friday he (Mr. Mantell) had gone orer to Mr. John Williamson and stilted that- southorn men would pair oil' with absent, Auckland members, so that the discussion might bo in every way a fail - one. Mr. John Williamson acknowledged that Sir. Mantell had made the proposition in respect to tl;e pairing oIF of himself with Mr. Henderson, whose heal.th would not allow him to attend, except merely to take part in that division ; butlie (Mr. Williamson) entirely denied that the oiler of Mr. Mantell was of so comprehensive a nature as that sought to bo conveyed to the mind of the House by Mr. Fitzherbert. He thought that the House should come to the decision, which he moved, " that the words of the member for Nelson were not such as ought to be recorded on tlio minutes of the House." . The motion was seconded by Mr. O'Neill. The debate was then adjourned. Mr. Russell rose to make an expauation relative to the remarks of Sir, Fitzhcrhert, "that southern members were anxious to pair oil' with northern members on the sent of Government question" ; and slated that the Government had olfercd to obtain pairs for them, or to detain the steamer and enable them to remain and discuss the matter this day, but the offer to pair had been refused by a member who took a prominent part with Mr. Fitzlierbert. Mr. Fox then moved the adjournment of tlio House until 7 o'clock, ta enable them to attend the funeral of the officers killed at Raugiriri. On the House resuming, Sir. Fox suggested that, instead of putting the motion to the House, the question should be dropped, with which intention ho would move the " previous question." This motion was seconded by Major Richardson. Mr. Colenso remarked that he himself had made use of the eamo words as Sir. Stafford, and he had felt disappointed on hearing the minutes read to find that he wa3 not included in such honorable company as the member for Nelson. Sir. Brandon thought the objectionable standing order should be expunged. Sir. O'Neill would have voted agaiii3t Sir. Williamson's motion. The previous question was then put and carried, and the discussion on this little " transaction" allowed to drop. The House then proceeded to the orders of the day. The Loan Appropriation Bill was read a third time and passed. The amendments made in the Provincial Council Powers Extension Bill by the Legislative Council were agreed to. The Provincial Compulsory Land-taking Bill was ordered to be committed presently, aud the Land Clauses Consolidation Bill and Naval aud Military Settlers' Bill (Marlborough) were read a second time, aud ordered to be considered presently. The Native Purposes Act Amendment Bill—the Secondary Punishment Act Amendment Bill—the Naval aud Slilitary Settlers' (.Marlborough) Amendment Bill, aud tha Otaso Waste Lauds Regulation Amendment Bill, were considered in committee and passed.