PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9134, 16 August 1888, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday.

The Council met at half-past two p.m. In answer to Mr. Walker, Mr. Stevens said it was the intention ot the Government to place a sufficient sum of money on the Estimates for the purpose of sending exhibits of minerals from New Zealand to the Paris Exhibition.

AN AUCKLAND BILL. The Aucklaud Hospital Reserves Act Amendment Bill, 18St>, was read a first time.

BILLS ADVANCED.

The following Bills passed :—Mackenzie Land, Ross Compensation, Post Office Foreign Parcels, Rating Acts Amendment, District Courts Acts Amendment, Clyde Domain and Recreation Ground Grants, and Waikato Agricultural College Model Farm Bills. The Native Land Court Act Amendment Bill, ISS6, was read a first time. The Council rose at half-past five.

house of representatives Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LABOUR SETTLEMENTS.

Replying to Major Stkward, Sir H. Atkinson said the Government Eroposed to expend £10,000 in the estalishment of labour settlements, as recommended by the deputation of Canterbury members.

THE MIXING ACT. Mr. Seddon resumed the debate on the motion that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Mining Act Amendment Bill be disagreed with. Hβ moved as an amendment that they be agreed to, and spoke at great length on the question.

Messrs. Turnbull and Grimmond opposed the amendment, and Mr. Guinness supported it. Mr. Richardson hoped the House would agree to the motion for disagreeing with the amendments. Mr. Allen took a similar view. The motion was agreed to by 34 to 25, and the amendment lost.

Mr. Richardson moved, " That the committee to confer with the Council consist of Messrs. Allen, Grimmond, R. Reeves, and the mover."

Agreed to after some discussion. NATIVE BILLS.

The Native Contracts and Promises Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. M.ITCHELSON moved that the amendment made by committee in the Native Land Bill be agreed to. Mr. Taipua spoke on the Bill at some length, and said he was still opposed to certain clauses of it, but the native members were overmatched, and could not get what the Maori people required. He (lid not approve of the tactics adopted by Taiwhanga. Mr. Reeves (Inangaliua) thought the native members to be deserving of great praise for the stand they had taken over these Native Bills. He censured the Premier for not allowing the native members to obtain the ordinary necessaries of life during their opposition to the Bills. Sir H. Atkinson denied having done so. He had only objected to any adjournment. Mr. Fergus also stated that Mr. Turnbull had offered to keep the debate going while the native members obtained some refreshment.

Sir G. Grey said the Bills had been most carelessly drawn, and great confusion had resulted in consequence. He was speaking at the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. Sir G. Grey continued speaking on the Native Land Bill at great length, urging that it would prove very disastrous to the native race.

Mr. Verrall said he was opposed to all the Native Bills of the Government.

Mr. Carroll replied to the charges made against him by the member for Inangahua, and said that the hon. gentleman only championed the cause of natives when it suited him to do so. He instanced the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act Repeal Bill, which was now on the Order Paper, as being the real cause of all the professed anxiety for the welfare of the native people on the part of that honourable gentleman. When they got to the Crown and Native Lands Bill, Be (Mr. Carroll) should take an opportunity of testing Mr. Reeves' sincerity for the welfare of the Maoris. As to Sir G. Grey's speech, it was a very eloquent one, but he (Mr. Carroll) failed to gather from his remarks any way out of their present difficulty. He urged the Government in dealing with the native land question to see that ample reserves were set apart for every hapu and tribe in the colony. He approved of the Native Land Bill in so far as it repealed the Native Land Administration Act, as it was the unanimous desire of his constituents in the East Coast district that this Act should be repealed. They also wished to be put in the same position as Europeans, and wished to have the disposal of their own lands. He objected, however, to certain clauses which had been introduced by the Government, and he should always oppose those clauses being put into effect. Mr. Taiwhanga felt certain those Bills would be very injurious to the Maori people, and he entreated the Government not to allow them to pass. If they passed the House, he should endeavour to prevent them going through the Legislative Council.

Mr. Pratt said he had supported the third clause of this Bill, because it repealed the Native Land Administration Act, of which his constituents disapproved. He considered that no good had resulted from stonewalling those Bills, and they were indebted to Mr. Carroll for any improvement that had been made in those measures. #, Mr. Ballance said the Bill suggested and drawn up by the Maoris was not such as any Government could take up, nor could it be put into operation. It would not for a moment be entertained by the House, though there were no doubt useful suggestions in it. With respect to the sale of native land, of which they had heard so much, he held that the true principle would be to amend the Native Land Administation Act, and then to individualise their titles before disposing of their land. As to Mr. Carroll's contention that the Maoris should have the same privileges as Europeans he asked how it was that Mr. Carroll was prepared to stonewall the Bill unless the taxation clause was removed ? and if they were to be put on the same footing as the Europeans surely it was only fair they should pay the same taxes. He thought the proposal that had been inserted in the Bill that no person could purchase more thun 5000 acres of native land, would be a great check on the wholesale purchase of those lands, and he looked on it as the most saving clause of the Bill. He did not agree with the Bill, but he had not obstructed it, and had done his best; to make it as acceptable as possible. The motion that the amendments be agreed to was then put and carried. The House divided on tho motion that the Bill be read a third time. Ayes, 65 ; noes, 13. The Bill then passed.

THE MINING ACT. Mr. Richardson brought up the reasons for disagreeing with the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Mining Adi Amendment Bill, which were agreed to. THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICES.

Sir H. Atkinson said as the hour was late he should propose that the Ocean Mail Service resolutions be postponed till next day, afc half-past two. He should then arrange that the resolutions would be taken before any other business was disposed ef. Mr. Seddon objected to these continual delays, especially as the resolutions would further delay the Public Works Statement being brought down. He thought it preferable for the Premier to make nis speech on the resolutions, and then the House might be better able to discuss them. If he had his way, and if those who acted with him were true to the people they represented, they, would have stopped all business till the Public Works Statement jvae brought down. Mr. Lance supported the postponement, explaining that the Premier had courteously consulted that side of the House before asking for an adjournment of the resolutions. Mr. Reeves (St. Albans) protested againet the postponement of the mail service discussion. He assured the Premier that fche Government was perfectly safe, and that if he brought down the Public Works Statement at once, it would be received with relief, and adopted with very little discussion.

The Pbbmueb said he felb re-assured.

The resolutions were then postponed. DISTRICT BAIDWAY3. Mr. Hislop moved that the District KailWays Purchasing Act Amendment Bill be committed. ~ , , Mr. Walker expressed disapproval of the Bill, as being calculated to inflict great hardship on the settlers concerntd. Mr. Cowan said he had taken certain objection to the Bill on its aecond reading, bub the Colonial Secretary had done his utmost since then to meet those objections. He pointed out, however, that the Waimea Plains Railway was in a different position from the other district railways, being a continuation of the main line, and also yielding a profit of three per cent, on the cost. He thought these facts should be taken into consideration bv the Government when thie Bill was in committee. Mr. Duncan protested against the injustice that would be inflicted by this Bil at the present time upon a largo number of settlers. He considered it was a most unfair transaction for the Government to do to levy rates on the Duntroon line. Under the present circumstances the Billetiould be thrown out altogether ; if not, it would have to be amended in some way so as to necessitate its being dropped. Mr. Valentine agreed that Mr. Hislop had gone some distance to meet their wants, but he had not gone far onough. No doubt £2 10s would relieve a good many settlers, but it would also leave many who were altogether unable to pay rates, He thought if there was any line that deserved special treatment it was the Waimea line. Mr. Whytk thought the House was determined to pass this Bill, but he should like to point out that the Rotorua Railway was entitled to special consideration owing to the damage inflicted on the district by the Tarawera eruption. The Bill in question, as far as that district was concerned, meant nothing short of the issue of distress warrants in order to pay rates. Mr. Moss objected to the constituents of particular members beingrelievedof burdens which they were entitled to pay, and he also objected to an arrangement of this kind being entered into to meet the wishes of Government supporters. An important measure of this nature should not be considered at such a late hour, and he moved that the debate be adjourned. The Speaker ruled that he could not move the adjournment as he had spoken to the question. Mr. Dowme Stewart agreed with the view taken by Mr. Moss, and contended that those settlers should not be relieved at the expense of other parts of the colony. He should oppose all future attempts of this kind to relieve persons of burdens which they should legally pay. The motion was agreed to, and the House wont into Committee on the Bill.

On clause 2, Mr. Walker took exception to the proposal to submit accounts of receipts and payments of railways to the Auditor-General.

Mr. Hislop saw no objection to this, and he thought the Auditor-General, as an independent officer, was the most qualified for the position. Mr. Valentine moved that the accounts shall be open for inspeotion for forty days, instead of twenty. Agreed to. Mr. Hislop moved an addition to clause 4 that the Auditor-General may allow reasonable costs to objectors to accounts for expenses of themselves and their witnesses.

Dr. Newman strongly objected to a provision of this kind, as being open to grave abuse.

Mr. Hislop said a similar provision was made in every Act that was passed where expenses were allowed to objectors by the Resident Magistrates, and he contended the Auditor-General would not be likely to abuse the power more than Magistrates. Mr. Monk moved that the words "if objection sustained " should be inserted. Lost on the voices, and Mr. Hialop's amendment was carried.

[Left sitting.]