PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 423, 5 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

(l!Y TEI.KUUAI'II.) WIiUINUTON, Sept. U. In the House of Representatives yester.lay afternoon, Mr. But ton wanted to know whether the Government intended taking any steps to put a slop to the numerous lottcres, rallies, and other gambling transactions which arc so prevalent in the Colony. In putting the question, the lion, member referred to the lotteries occasionally got up by religious bodies and charitable institutions, and said those should ho put down. He referred to the demoralising influence of lotteries and rallies, which had t'u> ell'ocf of inducing persons to trust to chance rather than to industrious cllbrls.

Mr. llowen, in replying <<> the question, said the Government did not intend this year to bring in any Kill dealing with rallies and lotteries which were illegal under the English law, but the police, as in England, were instructed to warn publicans that racing and other lotteries were illegal. It was not customary to interfere with charitable lolt-ries, as they were looked upon in a dilleivnt. light. Mr. Murray took the opportunity of calling attention to the gambling carried on in Otago by the Chinese. Mr. Murray asked the Attorney-Gene-ral why Mi 1 . George .1 Mies, contrary to tin-usual practice, hud been summoned to appear before the Court of Wellington instead of Otago, where the alleged ollenci* was committed. lie expressed a hope that the Attorney-General would give a more satisfactory answer than merely to say he had acted strictly in accordance wi'th the letler of the law'.

Mr. Whilaker replied that the prosecutii.ll was in l!i<! hands of fhe Crown Prosecutor, .Mr. Izard, who was exercising his own discretion in tlm mailer. The parties being both on lln> spot, evidence would lie heard, and if it were sutliei"Ut for a committal for trial, Mr. .lonos would lilt required to enter into recognisance to appear for his trial i" tin' Supreme Court, at 1 >nlll ■ lill. If tlio evidence wan not SUllicielll, tlll'll till! CISC Wlllllll 1)1! I'o- - to Oainai'u, where a further investigation would laki' pl.uv.

In reply to Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Bcid said if it. was not soon shown thai, flic lessee nf tin- Auckland Islands had fulfilled !hi' terms.if his lease, it would hj(! terminated, and tenders ealh'd for a fresh lease.

; Replying fo.Mr. Reynolds, Mr. < hmond I sai.l iie w.-iild lll,ike enquiries as to wiiether it wa> desirable tn grant free passes o:i t!ic i''i]'i C.ialini'i'.s Railway to the shipping ollie. rs. 'l'lie following Hills were introduced an.l r. ad a first. I ime :--1 »eeeased Wife's M.-ter Marriage Hill (Mr. I lodgkinson), Peninsula ('.unity Liorary lidl (\lr, S":iti.u). Akai'.ia Library l-Jxc'.augo Hill (Mr. Muiii-'.iiiierv). Auckland Harbour Hoard R .claimed Land Hill (Mr. Tele). Mr. Re id. in moving I lie second reading of tin; Hind Hdl. made a lengthy speech, explaining the objects of the measure, lie said il had Income necessary to consolidate I ic land laws of the Colony, and render them more easily eoinprehen.mlilo. lie had had freipii ni applications from li. youd tlie Colony for information as to its land laws, lull there was no hook which could he sent to inquirers, and prolialdy no nieiidier of the IJouse knew exactly w.;at. all the laws were. Tim Government had now consolidated all this laws into one Aei.al, the same endeavouring to retain a feature p. euliar to each, and with which the people were familiar. One part dealt with the appointing of Land Hoards, which it. was proposed to relain in the hands <<\ the Government, as the I louse held tin; < iovernuieiit largely responsible for land admiuislration. Part I dealt; with tin; ehr'silication of lands. This would comnicm l itself to the. youd sense of members. As to the desirability of laying out suburban lands in the neighbourhood of new towns and villages, holders of land orders were especially anxious to obtain such land on their arrival. All such lands were to bo Hold by ii.ur.linn. Regard in 4 rural lands, tlio disiinctivi! featur.s ol each set of provincial, land regulations would bo preserved. Tim Hill would extei:il l.lin nyntem of di furred payment to all ]iiirls of tiej Colony, ile thought this should havo been ])arl. of the original Public Works policy, in order to settle people on tlio land." The system would be of enormous advantage in relieving the labour mark_t of those who would thus bo eiiiililed to retire from competition for employment, and take up land for thuns, Ives. It would also be a groat inducement, to people, ill, Home to emigrate. Regarding the provisions for taking up luistoi'iil land on deferred payments, due care would be ( vrcised in advising tlio Governor what laud to open. Land which would otherwise n main unoccupied, us containing only a small proportion of agricultural hind, would thus be settled, and a class of ycum mry be established. He believed this would act most beneficially in encouraging the profitable occupation of broken country, lie did not think the Bill conferred any undue advantage on Canterbury runholdcrs. Kightly. or wrongly, the Colony was committed to certain obligations in C is matter which could not be evaded without, a huHoun breach of faith. The Government, how-* ever, had provided that full value for the hinds in the way of fair rental should bo obtained, .and even went so far as to determine ail existing claims at the end of 10 years. They proponed also to take such blocks ;is were inquired for deferred payments. Regarding the Otngo runs, it was proposed to alter the law by enabling

the Board to grant renewals for either more or less than 10 years, as it thought proper. After one renewal, either in Canterbury or Otago, the runs would be dealt with on a uniform plan as far as the grazing privilege was concerned, but notinterfering with free selection where it was at present legal. The Bill was read a second time without discussion, in order that it might be referred to the Waste Lands Committee. The House went into Committ-je on the Education Bill, and after the first six clauses had been passed with slight amendments, the usual dinner adjournment took place. The evening sitting was chiefly taken up with the consideration of the Education Bill in Committee.