General Assembly of New Zealand.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 553, 21 August 1865, Page 6

General Assembly of New Zealand.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

[•from ovr PrrriAi. iinroKTEK.]

MONDAY, AU>H\ST 1-iTir, 1565. The Speaker took (he chair at 2 o'clock. After prayers had been road, the minutes ot the last meeting woro read and confirmed. IiEPOIIT 01' DEBATES. Mr. J. C. Richmond moved, " That a select committee bo appointed to consider she _ best means ot securing correct reports of the debates in the General Assembly, with power to confer with any committee of the House of Representatives for the like purpose ; to consist of the lion. Dr. Menzies, the lion. Major Coote, the lion. Mr. Tanered. and the lion. Mr. Johnston." It was obvious that- it was hijhty desirable that there should be proper reports of the parliamentary proceedings. It was to be hoped thai the newspaper proprietors would combine, and the Government should offer some bonus and take part in defraying the expenses of these report.-, which were very lieavv. The motion was put, seconded, and car.-icd. ACTS OT TITE GENEKAL AS3EMUI.Y. Mr. J. PRENDF.K9AST moved "For leave to bring in a bill to define tlio time when Acts of th- General Assembly assented to by the Governor shall come into operation." At present there was no positive law on the subject, so the object of the bill was obviov.s. The motion was carried. Mr. Pe-xdeuoast moved, "That the bill be then read a first time, and ordered to bo read a second time to-morrow." Carried. SrPEItIXrEN'DENT OF OTAOO. Mr. J. PIIEXDEitG >ST moved, " For leave to brinj in a bill to authorise the Superintendent of the Province of Otago to surrender or re-convey, discharged from all trusts affecting the same, to Her Majesty the Queen, her heirs and successors, certain by the said Superintendent upon certain trusts." Carried. The bill was then read a first time, and the second reading made an order ot t lie day tor to-morrow. AMENDMENT Of STANDING OKPER3. The hon. Major Richmond begg-d leave to postpone his motion, concerning amendments in the standing orders, until Thur-dav next. Colonel Russell said that he was anxious to ask a question before this motion of adjournment wa put, and that concerning the number necessary to form a quorum iu the Legisla'ive Council Acco - ing to the present regulations of the Constitution Act, the number mentione t was five ; but lion, members must bear in mind that at the time thi- regul ition was made, t'e Council co nsist d of only ten members. Now thta the number ot members had so much increa-ed, he thought that a greater number — half the members for instance—should form the quorum. He had heard the hon. gentleman acting as Solicitor General sneaking on this sub;ect, and he would wish to hear him now express an opinion ■upon it. Major Richmond said that every attention should be paid to the observation of the h m. gentleman, and action taken in the matter if possible. Mr. PuEN'DEia; *st sai i that eome of the regulations in the Constitution Act could not be amended while others cou'.d. In this instance, he thought, the regulations might be altered. The motion of postponement was then put and carried. COMMUTATION OF SENTENCE. Mr. J. C. Richmond moved the further adjournment of the debate upon the question—"That there be laid upon the table the correspondence of tlie Government with Mr. Justice Richmond on the subject of the commutation of the sentence of death on Thomas Whitehead, convicted of wilful murder at the session of the Supreme Court held at Punedin, in June, *865." Dr. Menzies said that this was a simple question of having the papers laid before them. When thero was a commutation of sentence of death, some reason should be given. There was 110 public expression of feeling on this subject, except what was contained in a petition from sonic people of Punedin (which petition was not before them) ; now ho had seen that petition, and he knew that some of the statements in it were incorrect. lie thought the Council should express a decided opinion on such reprehensible ami maudlin sympathy in a case where the law had been violated, and justice had not been satisfied. Colonel Kenny said tint he would move that the debate on the subject be deferred until the papers on the subject should be placed before th 'in. Mr. J. C. Richmond said that the Government had no objection to producc these papers, and would do so as soon as the Council bad carried the motion for their production. Mr. Prendekgast said that he had no doub if the motion for the production of the papers were put, it would be at once carried. The hon. member opposite (Colonel Kenny) might then give notice of his motion for the discussion on the papers on a future day. (Colonel Kenny: hear, hear.) He would move #3 an amendment, how. ver, that the words, " and all other papers connected with that case," be added at the end of the motion. Major Coote thought that it would be as well to remind the Council to be very delic ite and tenacious of meddling with the prerogative of mercy which ha 3 been extended in this case. After some further short remarks, the question as amended was put and carried. DISTRICT COURT AMENDMENT BILL. The District Court Amendment Bill was read a third time and p:issed. SALE or I'OISOXS REGULATION' BILL. Mr. J. C. R-ichmoxh moved the re-committal of the Salo of Poisons Regulation Bill, and that the third reading be postponed until after it had again passed through committee. The motion was put and carried, a'd the House resolved itself into committee On the bill. Some slight verbal alterations were proposed and agreed to. On the Speaker resuming the chair, (he bill aa amended was report-d, and the third reading made au order of the day for to-morrow. MARINE JiOARI) ACT AMENDMENT JiILL. On tlie_ motion of Mr. J. C. Richmond, the further consideration of this bill in committee was postponed. The House adjourned at half-past 3 o'clock.