Evening Sitting.

Southland Times, Issue 8079, 6 August 1885, Page 3

Evening Sitting.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Wi Pere resumed his remarks on the Native Lands Disposition Bill. He Bpoke in favour of the bill, and suggested that it should be referred to the Native Affairs Committee. He would object to its withdrawal or postponement until next session, as that meant postponing it for an indefinite period. Mr Hakuene supported the principle of tna bill, because it provided for placing some authority in the hands of the Native Committees. Mr Locke said that the opposition to the present bill was because it would leave matters much more confused than at present, He said that every Native Minister since the Constitution Act was passed bad brought in some fad in the shape of a Native Land Act. He deprecated hasty legislation, and contended that half the trouble with respect to the native lands 11999 from kaety |egj»|atio!J, Tbert wm

no necessity for the present bill, and it should be postponed for another year. He favoured the suggestion that the natives should be encouraged to s«ll their land through Waste Land Boards, as it would tend to popularise those boards. He combate-1 the statement publicly made by the Native Minister that an old chief had died in absolute want in Ha«vkes Bay after parting with all his land. He (Mr T»ock«) could tell the Hous) that the old chief in question had died worth LIOO,OOO. He held that the Maoris were by no means unanimous in favour of the passing of (lie present bill.

Mr Peacock objected to the principle of the bill, and thought the pre-emp-tive right should have been restored. The advice giren by the Native Minister to the tatives re leasing their land ho viewed with apprehension, and thought that such advice would be detrimental to the progebs of the colony. He intended to vole against the bill.

Mr W. F. Bu.kland hoped the bill would not bo nllowed to go to the Native Affairs Committee, as that practically affirmed the principle. He was not in favour of the bill.

Mr Beetham said if the bill became law it would have the effect of stopping nil sales of land between natives and Europeans. He preferred the absolute resumption of the pra-emptive right to a measure of this kind, and did not for a moment believe the House would adopt the bill. In his opinion Mr Ballance had allowed himself to be influenced by the natives to an extraordinary degree.

Mr Roes said that if the Native Minister would agree to refer the bill to the Native Affairs Committee he would vote for the second reading.

Mr Hirst strongly opposed the bill, and said that so long as the Crown retained the pre emptive right so long would the Maoris have a grievance. He said the true solution of the whole problem was individualisationof title.

Mr Ballanc°, in replying, said that he agreed with individnalisation of individual titles. He denied that on any occasion he had told tbe natives ihat they would Dot have to pay taxes. The report that the Government had stopped the surveys was untrue ; they had through some mistake and without the knowledge of the Government, been stopped at Morac He admitted that tbe bill was far from perfect, and agreed to refer it to the Native Affairs Coannitteo in the anme manner as questions affecting waste lands aad goldfields were referred to their respective committees.

Mr Moss withdrew his amendment re a Royal CoinraiesioD, and the second reiding was carried by 35 to 14. Following is the division list ;—

Ayes; 35— Ballance, Bevan, Buckland, J, C, (Ja-im^n, Duncan, Grace, Guioness, Hara« lin, IJarper, Hatch, Hislop, Holme?, Ive«s, Joyce, Kerr, larnacb, Macketzi* 3 , W. J. 8., Mackeizie, J., McMillan, Mentesth, Mo ; s, O'Callagban, PearsoD, Pere, Pratt, Bees, F, Richardson, Bosp, Beddon, Pmith, Stout, T, Tbmson, J. G Thompson, Tole, White.

Noes : 14— A'kinson, Beetham. W. F. Buckland, CoaLolly, Dodson, Hobbs, Hursthouse, Lsk-, Moat, Newman, Peacock, Samuel, Trimble, VVilsoD.

The bill was referred to the Native Affairs Committee, and the House rose at 1.10 a.m.