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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4151, 10 July 1874, Page 2

The “Hand-book of New Zealand” was somewhat severely criticised last night by Mr. Wakefield, in proposing a motion for a return of the cost of the work. On a cursory glance he had found that the Hon. Mr. Pox had made no allusion in his history of the Colony to the Natives whom the Maoris had driven away to the Chatham Islands when they lauded from Hawaii; that the height of Mount Egmont was overstated ; that the figures as to Mount Cook were incorrect ; that no reference had been made to the New Zealand Company, or the efforts of the late Mr. Wakefield ; and that no effort had been made to de-rcribe adequately the great features of the Colony, while a provincial view was observed throughout. Mr. Vogel reminded the hon. member for Christchurch that there had been another handbook written, which, when produced, was not thought worthy of publication. He thought the hon. member might have ventilated his view in the columns of the press, without having fallen back upon having them recorded in Hansard. Mr. Pox defended his view of the early settlement of New Zealand, and gave Mr. Wakefield a neat Roland for his Oliver. When the motion was put the “noes” had it. Mr. Wakefield called for a division, and found himself in a minority of 9 to 29. Mr. Vogel afterwards said the House would be furnished with a statement of the cost of the Hand-book as soon as it was prepared—a promise which, if made earlier, said the member for Christchurch, would have saved a division.

Mr. Fox alluded yesterday in the House of Representatives to the admitted failure of the Bill which was passed with the object of restricting the sale of spirituous liquors. He was desirous, however, that the regulations formed under it by the Government for the regulation of the Licensing Benches should be laid before Parliament, so that the supporters of the measure might be able to form an opinion as to whether the failure of the measure arose from the Act itself or from the regulations. He was satisfied that some portion of that failure was due to the late period at which the regulations were issued, and some to the extremely injudicious manner in which the districts had been arranged. Through these causes the body who favored temperance had not been able to organise their forces, Mr. Vogel remarked that no one was more fully entitled than the honorable member for Rangitikei to information on the subject ; the regulations issued would be placed before the House. He added that the Government proposed to bring in a measure at an early date to cure the defects of the Act.

The “ Court-house ” of Holdanga must be something of a strange kind, according to the representations of Mr. Williams, the member for the district. He stated yesterday in the House that the old Court-house had fallen into such [a state of decay that it could no longer be used ; and that the Magistrate held his sittings in a room of the local inn, for which a rental of £2O per annum was paid. But the proceedings, it may readily be imagined, could not be conducted with the gravity and freedom from interruption necessary, since the bar was close at hand, and the adjournments to it of plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses and spectators were frequent and sometimes invigorating. The hon. member not unreasonably thought that a new Court-house was called for; and he put forward as an argument that it might also be used for the public meetings of the inhabitants, white and Maori, who numbered about tliree thousand, who were now compelled to hold them either in the hotel or in the open air. This is hardly fair to so old a settlement as Hokianga ; and Mr. Williams was comforted by an assurance from Mr. Bichardson that the subject Was one amongst others under consideration of the Government, and that Holdanga would most likely soon have its Court-house.