PARLIAMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume XII, Issue 15, 21 May 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

.LEGISLATIVE’ COUNCIL. . (per press "assoc i.vrioK ) , Wellington, May 18. In the Council the' Hon Mr Buckley said the Government were unable to take the Is duty off sulphur. The book containing the Hon Mr Stout’s speech at the close of the Exhi.bitio,nuwill shortly be-in the • hands -of the members. The Hon Mr Barnicoat moved the Address in Reply, and said he believed the speech would meet with the approval > pfi*i*H.classes;. of -the f community. Referring to the South Sea Islands, he hoped Government would not annex them merely, fpr'trading purposes. The motion was carried,. | The usual,sessional’committees were and‘alter the Felice; Forces Bill arid Defence Bill" were introduced, the Council adjourned until next day. i ':- :;'Ma^i9.

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. ’ The Hon., Mr Buckley presented papers relating to special settlements. The Hon. ,-Mr, Buckley, gave notice, on the next * day'of’ Bitting, to move, That a, coinmitteei—consisting : .of the Speaker, the Hons. Baillie, Fraser, jPollen, Reynolds, " and the mover—be appointed to draw up a congratulatory address to B er* Majesty the Queen, on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Jubilee. The Hon. Mr Buckley introduced the following bills, which were read a first time (the second readings being made an order for Tuesday next): —Defence Act, 188.6, and Police Force Act, 1886. . The formal presentation of the Addrees-in-Reply to the Governor took place. ;;. i On resuming, the Council' adjoiirnec. till Friday. ,

HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES WELLINGTO N May 18. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr, Taylor, the newmember .for Sydenham,, took the oath and his seat. ANSWERS TO, QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was > stated it would Re unnecessary expenditure to have railway carriages and tracks manufactured at Petone—That the route of the Helensville extension railway, Had not been altered since the Works Statement was made last session. ; r , '■ ) 1 NOTICE OF MOTION. Sir George Grey gave notice of resolutions for next sitting day protesting against handing over the New Hebrides to France. He spoke at some length and moved the adjournment of the House. The motion for the adjournment was lost. NEW BILLS. The Hon. Mr Stout introduced the Municipal Corporations Bill and the Counties Bill. , The usual sessional committees; hpve beep, appointed.. -i ; The House rose at 3.24 p.m, ;j The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. ' < , DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS IN REPLY. Mr Bevau moved the Address in Reply. He expressed the ; loyalty felt in the colonies to the Queen, and the satisfaction they showed at her approaching jubilee. The relations between the colonists and Maoris were most encouraging, and in this connection he referred to the action of the late Native Minister in vindicating at Home his honour and; the colony’s which otherwise- have suffered; at the hands of [malignant writers. He concluded by expressing bis admiration at the zeal and earnestness with which the present Ad- ; ministration had sought to benefit the colony in every way they could. Mr Taylor said he seconded the address because the present Ministry were' a Liberal Government, and their views coincided with his. He should like to see some of the large estates resumed at a valuation, and the village settlement scheme applied to them, s' /.%* ■- Major AtkinsoniSaid he thought* the time had arrived when the Address in' Reply should cease to be made the battlefield o I party politics. He had heard a great deal about the progressive scheme which was to have been submitted to the House, but (the fact ' was Ministers could not agree upon a scheme and so there ?was none to *be found in the speech. He would tell them it was useless to attempt to buildia network of railways, and neglect roads, which were badly wanted to feed the railroads. He wished it to be understood that on this occasion he did not surrender the right to criticise the policy of the Government, which it was alleged he had done last session. The Hon Mr Stout did not think it would be wise to abolish the Address in Reply : they might as well abolish the Governor’s Speech. As to representation, how could* it be mentioned in the speech before they knewwhat the population was and how it-had been changed? When the returns were in, the Govern-, melit would not shirk the task'of re- j adjustment,. if found.. necessary. 1 he: policy, of the Government! was ready. Ministers were agreed upon it,-, and he thought members would find their measures and statements would come down much earlier than usual, i Mr Wakefield commented on the good humour which had been displayed by the Premier and leader of the Opposition. He thought there was a slight misunderstanding about the Address in Reply.., He considered the speech faithfully reflected the politics of ’the co'ony during the recess, because there had been none. It was the tamest rec ss and the tamest speech he could ■ remember. At the last readjustment of the representation a compact was made that if the census returns showed it was necessary, re-ndjustment should be made, m ,4887. If the Governniept put their foot dofm and refused, to allpw, the Squse.todeal more;legislation thamcould be got through i in a • reasonable time, they would be taking a very

good line, and would meet with co*operation in quarters whence they had never received it before. ' Mr J. W. Thomon thought therehad been a good deal of political agitation during the recess, and it had done much good by showing that the colony was averse to a big borrowing schemes Mr Turnbull said the real secret ’OT depression was that they were not producing enough. The Government had not over-borrowed, but private Individ"thus drained out of the He had hoped that the Government would' have come down with a bold borrowingjpolicy for he tbis woHddo much to remove thentaghation.X Mr Moss wanted to know, if they did not seize, thy chancfe get of‘debating happened during the recess. The present debate : wfMi.a shamt fight, and all the good humour displayed was per arrangement — n

The 1 Premier > and Majbr ‘ Atkinson: No! . Well, it looked 'it" ;He criticised the action of the' Native' Sijnfeter regarding native lands, which'.was Trowed with* the .keenest d^tisfashfen ; in tNorths , He, argued,..with ithfe- I nfembef for Hokitika, that over-proddctidn was the great cause of-the depression.. New Zealand’AA%rip^odUctioh ! ;A waP debentures. . Mr Joyce made a’ feW remnrkslfi, correction of Ihe by Jar Thofesoh to the Premier’s speech at Invercargill. Mr Becthfeh said 5 fee" address had omitted the twp great . ind uqtues,, <<>3f agricultural and Conw»l<??cej“ (hoped the mover would allude to! fchfem inhis reply. • MrJ. C. Buokland? bOmplained of the wanderings of Ministers during the recess, and of the pro mis<b ‘ broadcast. . ri > r The Hon Mf Eallahce said that members had tine opportunity reductions they liked, when the estimate* Wore l)roughtsown, r *ind <pntendfcd ; tbi»« was no extravagance in the expenditure of the colony., * He dfeniedythat ®*' had given the Maoris a wrong 1 idea of the value of their lands. He had dealt with thetfra&life w6utd-w!lff c Edropeaiui It was insisted that Government should purchase land along line, and now they were carrying out the.-.wish of the House. The battery site afeTakapuna was purchased at the property tax valuation, and on the' advicto of a committee,;arid he was prepared to defend Ifc ‘ ! n Mr Moss explained had said had reference, to ’ of land along the Trunk line. ■’ ? t ! ever entered into tfae Representin' ! tion Act. Mv,, <1 ; x !/iU> n'AuJJ. Mr W.T. Buckland took exception to the nidvbrof- tKOAtddfhSs tha monely interest before life nativa title ought to, .be extinguished oyer all the land imthe'colpny, but.that did not ipean^taking"it away fyora the Maoris. 1 ' In thepast t theiGfeyerpment had bought all the bad land, and private men xhe . good; v 1 *He i 1 was not •. iaatisfifid with the explanation of the purchase of the battery site.' 1! I He 1 did» not 1; approve of the action of the and accused them of backbiting lAudltlahd members, to their a||etjfcheir attempt to. seize .tli'p ifuleot. The motion waa.then put and carried, and the address adopted-; £ The Hon.Mr Stout . That the House on Friday resolve itself .intoiia Committee on Supply, and also of Ways and Means. ->-■ - o »b.l >n& The House adjourned'at' 10.46 p.m. ' ' l&ay IS),

The House rpet ai.2.30 ji.in. The Speaker said tie wished to express to the House his deep regret at the death of Sir Thomas Erskine' May, news I of |vhich had'^ e S n i jregejyedJjy that day’s cable. answers to questions* . •• /

Replying to questions* it* was -stated that it was j hoped thqt Representation Act altogether would not be irequired, jbut( bulytqdealwitK IhpSe; districts { jpqpulatior irequired it,--4Thifci no ;ini'oriaatidn r yet been received iof I ientehheil of four months’riippri^^dt ? djfi J. Gilchrist,’ at Ashburton, I fpr cruelty lf 0 ? a dog.—That a bill would be introduced empowering the Natim cLand Court to T bf the , had yet been* ! x€ceixfidJSff the leasing of seal fisheries. „ ' I V .jNKWf,BILLS*;J | Several bills were introduced and read a firstjtime., , s -iu-n.*"! ; THE NEW HEBRIDES QUESTION.

■ Sir Geprge Grey,moye*i a ’ aeries of resolutions on the r , jHebrides question, and in doing so i referredf at great length to the whole matter, and entreated the House to take suph steps as would prevent Franc* from obtain>r ing possession of, the Islands. The Hon. Mr Stout defended the Government, action in tfye matter,, arid said they had repeatedly. rnprea)Eintn4: tpr? the Home Government the necessity of taking some actiqnm jkhefljrqTjV question. He moved, as ah amendmerit, Thit a committee be apppiutedrtq ' consider what ; action / New-, ■ Zealand should; pursue on the New Hebrides ' question.- ’ • !i ; • ' 'i“’ 71 ‘ ; Major Atkinson said hei hoped ! Sir George Grey would ||i» 1 resolutions tj|l , obtained, lie would never be: a party to bartering the New Hebrides for any other islands. ! ' ’ ( ! The debate 1; was 1 interrupted *by ; lhii 5.30 adjournment, . • i The Hhnse resumed at s Mr Hobbs iegreitted that any party feeling had been, inrpprted into the matter. • Mr Fisher thought that Sir G eor Se. Grey was entitled to great credit for , bringing the matter forward. If he went to vote on the question he would SUppOrt it, -