GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5636, 9 December 1879, Page 5

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

♦ . (PER "HERALD" SPECIAL WIRE.) i ([press association.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Monday, the agent-general. In the Council, to-day, after routine business. Colonel Wiiitmore gave notice, "That the Agent-General ought to be appointed for a limited term fixable by Parliament." progress of bills. Mr. Whitak'er's General Harbours Act Amendment Bill was read a first time. The Awatere Shearing Reserve Bill was read a second time. The Hawke's Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act Bill an I Kumara Education Reserve Bill were read a third time. The Council went into committee on various bills. THE KINROSS CASE. The Native Affair 3 Committee reported on petition re the Kinross, case that the Council ought to allow it* officers to appear at witnesses in any future trial, or itself institute proceedings against Mr. KiDrofs. This report was objectfd to by some hon, members whoasserted thatit condemned Mr. Kinross unheard. There wjs upon this a discnssion lasting over an hour, in which twelve members took part, after which the debate was a-ljourned on a division by 22 to 10. The Council rose at a quirter to 5. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday - . The House met at 7.30. THE AGKNT-GEXERAL. Mr. Hislop gave notice of motion to the effect that it was incompatible with the office of Agent-General for the colony to take any part in Imperial politics. PRESS TELEGRAMS. In reply to Mr. McLean-, Mr. Hall i-tited that, pending definite arrangemeDts with certain newspapers re special wire, business arrangement;) had been made for enabling the papers to obtain telegraphic information. REWI AND THE KING I'ARTY. Replying to a queatiou put by .Mr. Kelly, Mr. Bryce said his attention bad been directed to a letter which appeared in the newspapers, to the eff. ct that Rewi had joined the King party. He did not believe tliere was any truth in the statement. A request b*d been received from him some lime ago tint, as he was going to the King ouuutry and had met with au accident, a carriage should be placed at hi* disposal. That request had been complied with, au.l Government ha 1 no reisoii tj b lieve he was in any waj displeased with the Government. The letter in question had been received by one of the Maori members, not from Rewi but from a friend of his. Too lett.-rs bad been left iu the Maori members otlice, and in that way had been got hold of by the newspapers. The member himself had not given the letter to the newspapers. Mr. Te Wheoro said he was the member referred to. The letter stated that Rewi was displeased with the Govurmne it, and that he would not return to the European side; and that the ehitfs who had beau instrumental in turning Sir George Grey from government, must be left to carry on the government of the country. These were the contents of letters, but he did not kuow how they get into the- newspapers. SIR P. JUI.YAK. In reply to Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Hall stated that Sir P. July an retired from the Loan Ageucyshtp on a pension, and there was no truth in the statement which appeared in the newspapers, to the effect that differences of opinion had arisen Ik tsvecn him and the Government, the said difference having occasioned his retirement. CLOSE OF THE SESSION. Replying to Mr. Macandrkw, Mr. Hall said he would be prepared to state to-morrow what business would be dripped, so as to bring the session to a close within a few days. Mr. Macandrkw suggested, for the consideration of the Government, that buaiuess to dropped be taken up next session, both public and private, as it stood on the order papers. revision of statutes. r. Hall moved the secoud reading of the Revision of Statutes Bill. Mr Stewart called the attention of the Government to the importance of making pecuniary pro vision for the publication of the Jurist. He pointed out, in the absence of such publication, there could be no uniformity of rjrocedure in the various courts. The work could not be effectually done by private enterprise. No one whose reports were at all trustworthy would undertake the work unless well paid, aud in the present state of the colony the profits arising from such publication would not lie sufficient to warrant a suitable person undertaking the task. THE WEST COAST MAORI TROUBLE. The bill was read a sic nd time. Tho adjourned debate on Confiscated Lands Inquiry au I Maori Prisoners Bill was resumed. Discussion on tho hill was resumed. Mr. Turn-bull opposed the bill, and' spoke in strong terms against the Maori prisoners kept in prison for such a length of time without being brought to trial. Major Te Wheoro also objected to the bill, aud stated that if passed the Maori prisoners might bo kept in custody without being brought to trial for year*. They had already been in pmnu for a peri id of six months, and after all it might turn out that they were in the right. Ho argued they ought to be brought to trial forthwith. Captain Morris supported the bill. Mr. Tainui opposed the bill, and argued that the prisoners should be brought to trial at once, and the charge not to be kept hanging over their heads in tho way it had been done. Mr. Sutton spoke in support of the bill. Sir G. Grey said the measure was one calculated to shako the confidence of the native race in the justice of our courts of law. Mr. J. B. Fisher contended that the men now lying in prison had done nothing to render them amenable to criminal law, as they had simply asserted fanciod right. Tho bill as it now stood was not calculated to obviots the abuses complained of. He moved, as an amendment, "That the bill be read that day six months." Mr. Seddon supported the second reading, and expressed a hope that when it became law it would be justice aliko to all. Mr. Sjieehan supported the second reading. If they refused to pass the bill, and allowed the natives to return to Parihaka, native disturbance would be imminent. There were certain mistakes in the bill which could be remedied in committee. He considered the policy enunciated in tho bill was the policy of the late Government, and one which was absolutely necessary if they desired to prevent a native war. Mr. Hisi.op opposed the bill. Mr. Bryce replying, said that it was the opinion of the Government that it would be a most dangerous thing to release the prisoners under existing circumstances. The late Government had a similar opinion. The motion for the second reading was then put, and, on division, wa3 carried. Ayes, 57 ; noes, 12. The House then went into committee on the bilL