PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 424, 6 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

(BY TEOSGKAPS.) —L— Sept. 0. lii the House of Repifctentatives yea ter"iay afternoon, The Premier, in replying to the quos tion put. by Mr. Reynolds, said the Go vernment intended to have tho printin required for provincial districta cxocntei locally, if it could he done aa cheaply a in tho Government Printing Oflico. The Premier stated, in reply to Mr Wakefield, that the Government did no intend introducing a Dog Regißtratioi Bill this session. Mr. BariV obtained tho appointment o a Select Committee to consider tin advisability of eonstrnctintr a railway t connect Hokitika and Greyttionth, in. proposed harbour works at Hokitika. Mr. Roes, as a question of privilege drew attention to the evidence taken ii tho Public Petitions Committoo in Mr. M'Mann's case, in which certain charge of professional misconduct were math against himself. As this evidence lwu been republished in tho JVrw Zv.idun, Times, he asked tho Public Petition Comnrttoe to express some opinion 01 matter, as his evidence had also boot taken. Mr. Kelly, Chairman of the Committor said that the Committee had been quit satisfied with the explanations given \r Mr. Itees, although no formal resolutioi on the subject had been passed. Mr. Dignan, as a member of the Com mitteo, confirmed the statement of MiKelly. Mr. Rees then expressed himself satii fieri.

Mr. Wnolcock moved, "Tint in tli » opinion <>f this House, tlio present Ht.at■ ( of the franchise ami electoral laws of th Colony an; exceedingly unsatisfactory < .•viiil that tlio Attorney-General be IT quested to redeem lii.s iiromiHo to th " House, by bringing in a Bill dealing w»f tin; whole question with as little delay n practicable, so as to secure its piiHHii) , both Houses of Parliament during th> ' present session." Mr. YVhitakcr quite agreed that nothing could he worse than the present Hlato nl : the electoral laws, and said there were ito 1 Acts relating to tho subject on tho Sta-» tutu Boole. He had, in redeeming hii promise, -'rafted a Bill to deal with tin whole question reducing the 35 Aclh ti: •' about 170 c'ause-s but the matter was of hi large a nature that it could not be con , sidrivd this session. The new Bill would ' <leal firstly with the. redistribution of re. presentation ; secondly, with tho regis traiion of electors, making a coinpleb. change of the system, and a much simplei a method of electing members. An entire!} new system would be proposed a system that had never been tried. Native reprc sentation would be fully dealt with, ro ' presentation in proportion to that o" Europeans being given tliem. The. triii ■ of elec'iou petitions, would be iiHsi.' 1 milated to the English, system. No tint would really be lost by postponing th' matter till next session, when the BiL would be laid on the table on tho firm) day, and the whole subject could bo full; and fairly considered.

Sir George Grey said the measure in t-rocluceil by him last session to deal will;, the subject had been wot rid of by Government giving a promise to ileal wills the subject this year. Now the matted was to be put oil' (n next year. He woiikv therefore press his measure tin's year. 11 objected to the proposal to separate tip native representation, and give them re presentation in proportion to Europeam instead of being kept distinct; and thtiflooding the House with native member* 'Hie two races should be combined r : much as possible. lie denounced th proposal as a party measure. Mr. Reynolds expressed his natisfuctio:, with Mr. YVhitaker's statement, unhoped the P»ill would be circulated, durhi i the recess.

Mr. Hodgkinson thought an early dii solution was desirable, and urged that tliijuestion should be. dealt with at once. Mr. Woolcock asked leave to wilhtlriu his motion.

Mr. Ilodiikinson objected, and th< motion was then put and negatived oh

the voices. Mr. Taiaroa's motion for LfiOO to com plote the road from the Maori Kialc t Heads lighthouse was agreed to. On tho motion of Mr. Sheohan, the a)) pointmcnt of a committee <o inquire inti the Poverty Bay land purchases, and th circumstances attending the dismissal o' J. A. Wils >n, tho Lund Purchaso Coin missioner, was agreed to. Sir Hubert Douglas' motion that tin debate on the Native Land Bill ho prink< in Maori, and circulated, was agreed to Mr. Thomson's motion for remitting th fines on Crown grants was opposed hy til Government and negatived.

Mr. Fox moved for copies of tho in struetions issued to tho police for sup pressing gambling, sweeps, and mflles also, a return of the conviction* am prosecutions for illegal games in puhli places or houses; also, the instruction to the police to suppress the sale o spirituous liquors to natives, and the pro seditions and convictions for broachotJ o the law. Messrs. Carrington and Howe snpportci this. Mr. Bowen said the Government lmi issued instructions, and would tain over; possible step to enforce the law. At the evening sitting, the considera tion of the Local Option Bill in Commit too constituted tho principal busmen*.