HOUSE.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8326, 14 August 1895, Page 2

HOUSE.

The House met at 2*30.

Mr W. Hutchison asked whether the attention of the Government had been called to the recent verdict of the jury inthe oharge of murder againßt Somerville in the Wellington Supreme Oourt. He said it appeared to him that a serious miscarriage oi justioe had occurred in tbat case, and he would suggest to the Government that some means should be taken whereby a mistake of that kind wonld not occur in future, and that insanity should be more clearly defined.

Mr Seddon said it was a mo3t serious matter, but the attention of the Government beyoud seeing the reports ot the trial in the newspapers bad not been directed to it. He asked Mr Hutchison to give notioe of his qaestion, so ihat the Minister for Justice could make enquiries into the whole circumstances.

The Speaker read a letter from Sir John Hall, asking that Parliament would be pleased to acoept from him a portrait of her Majesty the Queen. Mr Seddon moved that the thanks of the House be given to Sir John Hall for his presentation, and tbat the portrait be hung in the corridor between the two Houses. He mentioned that through the kind offioes of Lord Onslow, the Queen had given special pr rmission for this pioture being oopied from Angelo's jubilee portrait of her Majesty, which it was understood wa. the one most favored by the Queen herself. Captain Bussell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr Seddon gave notiae to move on Thursday—" That a Select Committee of six members be appointed to confer with a similar Committee of the Legislative Counoil, and to t-xamice and report on the Bank of New Zealand Estates Company and its relation to the Bank of Pew Zealand ; aleo to enquire how, in the Colony's interest, tha two institutions c*n bo best separated, and bow the earning power of tbe Bank < t New Zea'aod may be increased, its stability ensured, and its usefulness extended ; the Committee to consist of Captain Bussell, Sir Bobert Stout, Messrs Ward, John McKenzie, Boohanan, and t**e mover, and to report in one week.''

Mr Seddon moved that the Local Government Bill be discharged from the Order Paper, as he found tbe Bill wonld have to be introduced By the Governor's me&S6ge.

Agreed to. Mr Millar renewed the debate on the Finanoial Statement. He thought something more should have been done to solve the unemployed question. The treaty proposals did not meet witb hiß approval, e.peoiallv the Canadian treaty. Tbe proposed increase in the Customs tariff would be felt most severely by workerß, and he was opposed to that. Mr Crowther did not oonsider the present time opportune for raising Castoms duties, beoause people were getting less wages now than formerly. He was assured tbat the proposed increases meant £50,000, instead of £10,000. Mr Wilson complained of misrepresentation in the Budget, and protested strongly againtt tb. Treasurer's speeca in London as to trust funds bein-* payable. There wbb no doubt the new tariff was going to raise taxation.

Mr W. Hutchison protested against the way in wbich the aooounts of the Colony were kppt and presented to the House. He did not know what led the Colonial Treasurer to tinker with the tariff of the Tariff Cjmmission, which was an hone9t attempt at compromise between freetrade and promotion.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. Mr Saunders advocated more retrenchment in the Civil Service. He regarded the proposed tariff a 9 a cruel one, and suggested the raising of revenue duties instead of protective duties. New Zealand would never be prosperous till it was a freetrade country. He suggested tbe estiblishment of a labor oolony to relieve the aged destitute and unemployed. Mr Mas.ey condemned the proposed South Aus ralian and Canadian treaties, and deprecated the way in which country settlers were being overtaxed by the new tariff. He urged that Natives Bhould be allowed to deal in their lands themselves on the prinoiple that there should be as nearly as possible one law for both raoes. Mr O'Began defended the Advances to Settlers Aot, bat disapproved of the Bums spent in acquiring land for settlement, wbich he thought was opposed to the progress of the oountry. He pointed out all artioles proposed to be taxed in the tariff which affected the mining industry.