GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3259, 16 October 1897, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, October IS, Tho House met at 2 30 p m. COMKHTSKB. Tho first matter to occupy tho attention of the House was tho appointment of Waleot Committeesj .To the personnel of the four fir.it prdpofchcl, ‘‘ Pastoral industries and Stoolt,*’ “Bills,” no exception was taken, the Opposition having received what it considered to be proportionat'd rdpi'esehtation thb'don; but when the Premier's proposal for the suspension of the Standing Order to enable the appointment of a 2d alive Affairs Committee of 17 members a prolonged debate in tho nature of a btonewa’i sprang lip, and continued for some hours.

Crptain RUSSELL pointed out that while there was II Government supporters on tho Native Affairs Committee there were only six representatives of tho Opposition. Ho sugftoctod that, two ’ Government supporters should bo taken oft arid MdsArs iVicLrian (Napier) and Ltorrics (Bay of Plenty) substituted.

Mr SIA9SKY (at p.ui.) moved an amendment Lhafc *’ and “ flftoocu” aub.-jlituted to give an dpporliinity of a more equitable adjustment of members on the committee. v - • • .. ..

The PREMIER-(after serornl -other members had spokeh) saiil thb Opposition was stonewalling and blocking tho business of the couutry. Ho accused tho Opposition of wanting, together with tho native members, to get a majority on the committee aud change tile native policy cf the country. He had never before known any objection to a preimndereuco of Government members on Native AF.urs and.Goldfields Committees. .

. air XIOBEar :<Hjr'suggested :loufnmcift,till Tuesday to see if some sort of ari’angomedt with, rrgaru to tKo C'in'mittcos could b(kcomo to; Captain R(J>SELL expressed hia willingness to fall in with the suggestion of the previous speaker. Ho urged the Premier to adjourn tho debate and conridsr tho advisability of giving the Opposition a proper representation on each co.nmittco. The PREMIER said to fall in with che bon ghntleman’a suggestion would bo that they v/ortlu disagree as to. terms whenever they .meet again. lie. Was < willing td go oH find gottle the tiftopftospd Committees, leaving the opposed committees future consideration. (Chorus of l ’No’s” from the Opposition benches.) The MINISTER of LANDS denied that ho intended to go on the Native Affairs Committee to fight Sir Walter Bailer, as had been stated. Ho was prepared to fight tho Horowhonua question out in a greater court than that House or tho Bitpromo Court—the public platforms .of the. Colony. Ho would not bo wdvtby cf His pdAtidn as a Minister of tHd Cr.owii i! ; ltd Jiad nlldwcd tho abliscc in Gonncctiori . wilh HorbwfteUjUa to , parts By without protest. He, diau’t care : >vhat tho lawyers of Wellington or the Judges of Wellington thought about it, be would take it to the country if ho did not got justice in that House. When bo was acting as Minister of Native Affars in the Premier’s absence ho came across some queer things, aud discovered who It was was responsible for taking tho land from tho natives, and also fhoso Who had got mort* ga#e£ Qh thsir lands. Ho would make Use of this information when tho prdper timd came; and he would alsd enlighten them as to the conduct of tho ilprowheiiua Comniiasioil. Ai 12 p’clbik llio House went to d divisic n, when tho voting was as follows :

Ayes, 27—Fisher, Lavry, Hogg, Duncan, Parata, Meredith, Seddon, J. Hutcheson, Millar, J-MoKonzie, Graham, McGowan, T. Thompson, Wi Pere, Field, Guinness, Tanner, Fliitman, Morrison, Stovons, Oadman, Houston, Kaihau, Piraui, Mills, Gilfeddcr, U’Menra. Nov.r, 20-Meko, Kolleston, Bolland, Buchanan, G. Hutchison, Belly, Moore, Monk; Wright, Laing* J. Allen, Scobie Mackenzie, J VVi Thompson, MoLean,Carson, Lethbridge* Fraser, Crowthor, Massey and Taylor. . . .PAias. —For—.WUsdn, Joydo, Steward; C-irncnhs, Carroll, W. H. Alloa, s Larnacli; Hon Hall-Jones, it. McKenzie*, O’Regan*;. Against—Hunter, Herrios; McGuire, Wasppi Stout, Brown, Richardson, W. Russell, Fraser*, Lethbridge*. * These pairs wore broken by Messrs, Fraser and Lethbridge voting with the Noes. Tho House rose at 12.5 a.ra.