PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 202, 29 September 1900, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

(PEE JRBBS ASSOCIATION.} LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Friday, September 29. The Council met at 2.30. The Council resolved to sit on Monday. The Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee with the addition'of a clause providing that in the case of a district being divided into ridings or subdivisions nothing shall prevent the payment, out of any separate rata levied in any such riding, of the charges on any land raised within such riding. The Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Act Amendment Bill was considered in Committee, and clauses were added providing that at the close of a preliminary hearing of the charge for an offence, not punishable by death, the accused may plead guilty and be committed to tho Supremo Oourt for sentence and shall be brought before a judge for sentence in open Court as soon as possible and bail may bo granted as in the case of commitment for trial. Power under these clauses is only given to a Court of which a Stipendiary Magistrate is a member and no accused may withdraw a plea of guilty so given. The Inspection of Machinery Act Amendment Bill was passed through Committee, machinery worked by gas being deleted from, the definition of machinery. The Post Office Bill, after some debate, passed the second reading.. The Old Age Pensions Act Amendment Bill was read a first time, and the Council adjourned at 5 p.m. till 7.30 p m.

EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30. The debate on the second reading of the ■iovernment "Railways Bill was concluded, and the readiDg agreed to. The Hon. W. 0. Walker, in moving the proposal for Island Federation, said that on account o£ the rise of the Australian Commonwealth the moment was particula'ly opportune for bringing to a head the policy which was originated in 1883, and he thought Imperial sanction could be obtained for the extension of the colonial boundaries.

The motion was agreed to. The Council rose at 10.10 p m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Fbiday, September 28. The House met at 2.30 p m. A number of petitions were presented in favour of vesting Mount Cook site in tho Victoria College Council as the site for the university. The Pacific Cable Authorisation Act Amendment Bill was introduced and read a first time. Mr Ward explained that tho Bill meroly authorised the payment of one-ninth of the cost of the cable on contract amount instead of on the amount named in the Act, one million eight hundred thousand pounds. Replying to questions, Ministers siid the Government fully reecognised the importance of the colony being represented at tho foundation of tho Australian Commonwealth as marking one of the greatest epochs in the history of the Empire and of tho Australian Commonwealth, and as soon as a decision was come to on the subject an announcement would be made to the House. As to amending the law to enable Crown tenants to obtain reasonable advances on their improvements without the delays to which they are now subjected, Mr. Ward said if there was a defect in the law on the subject he would endavour, by legislation next session, to effect an alteration. In answer to a question by Mr. Graham, who asked if, in view of tho inability of the Victoria College Council to obtain a site for the university buildings in Wellington, the Government would take steps to procure a site in Nelson, Mr. Seddon said an attempt had been made to treat the proposal as not seriously made, but the I Government had gone as far as it could to find a site that would meet the approval of the Council. The Government required Mount Cook for defence purposes, and would not give that site. If the Council would not accept one of the sites offered, he would set up a commission to enquire into a site elsewhere than in Wellington. That a Land Bill would be introduced in a few days, and that provision would b3 made exempting Crown tenants from paying rent half-yearly in advance who have effected improvements to the value of 20 per cent. Mr. Collins moved the adjournment of the House for the purposo of expressing his dissatisfaction with the answer of the Premier to a question by whose authority certain extracts from tho Premier's speech in llansard, reflecting upon him, had been distributed in Christchurch.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The Houfe resumed at 7.30 The Maori Councils Bill was introduced j by Governor's Message and read a iir*t time. The Premier road a letter from Lord Roberts, in reply to tho invilalion sent tn him by Parliament ta visit New Zealand, returning thanki for tho invitation, and stating that, if opportunity offered, Lady Roberts and himself would bo happy to take advantage of tho invitation. Mr. Ward moved that the amendments in i the Public Health Bill made by the Council be disagreed with, and that managers be appointed to confer wilh delegates or the Council on the subject, The principal amendment was tho inserlion of a now clause giving the local b.xly power to impose a system of differential rating,—Tho JWlttya WM Wind.,

ISLAND FEDERATION SCHEME. I Mr. Seddon moved—" That whereas it is desirable, in the best interests of the colony and the inhabitants of certain islands in the Paoifio hereinafter mentioned, that those islands be annexed to this colony, this House therefore approves of an alteration of the boundaries of this colony, and consents to an extension of the said boundaries so as to include the Cook Group, including the Islands of Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mitiaro, Mauke, Horvcy (Manuai); also tlio following islands: Palmcrston (Avarauj,Savage (Nino), l'ukapuka (Danger), llakaanga, Manabiki, and Penrhyn (Tougareva)." Mr. Seddon said he had never made

a speech of greater importance tban the one he was about to deliver, 11 was appropriate, too, in that it was the anniversary of the day on which the British Government issued its ultimatum to the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The motion practically meant a new departure for New Zealand and the inauguration of a foreign policy and the bringing together of the people of the Pacific Islands into closer touch with this colony. He cared not which colony these colonies were attached to so long as they were under the British Flag. There was no jealousy of the other colonies in the steps proposed to be taken He referred to the steps taken by past New Zealand statesmen in the direction of annexing these Islands, and considered that the Imperial authorities had shown a short-sighted policy in dealing with that subject that amounted to serious neglect of tho interests of the Empire. Had the intention of the New Zealand Government years ago to annex Samoa to the colony not been frustrated by tho Imperial Government the Empire would not have lost that Island, and much useless bloodshed would have been averted. Tho action of tho Government of the day in forming a protectorate over the Cook Islands had had the effect of keeping out foreign powers. The Imperial authorities were now much more alive to the interests of the Empire than on any previous occasion, and he had reason to believe that the British Government would not turn a deaf ear to the proposals contained in the motion. In the Cook Group tnere was a population of 15,000, besides a considerable number of Europeans. Tonga and Raratonga, for instance, were only four days' steam from New Zealand, so that geographically speaking they were in touch with tins colony, which, he contended, should command the whole trade of the islands. Again, as to tho Fiji Islands, if annexation was agreed to it would add 10,000 people of this colony and increase its trade by £IOO,OOO annually. Ho outlined the terms under which the proposed islands should be annexed. These would be local self-government, and the disposal of land would be through the Crown only. Ho proposed that one Native ] minister from each group should be appointed to Parliament, and one European to the Legislative Council. The natives of these islands were practically the same race as the Maoris. The islands would be made self-supporting, and this Parliament had a duty to perform in preserving the race of these beautiful and fertile islands, and he reminded the House that their commerce would go whoro the British flag floated. 1 On the metion of the Premier tho petition from the Arikis of Raratonga praying tbat 1 the Islands be annexed to New Zealand was ' also read.

Captain Russell suggosled that the debate should be postponed until members had bad an opportunity of considering the question. It was a serious matter for the colony to consider the question of an extension of the boundaries of the colony. Until he read the Premier's speech ho could not give an intelligent vote. If it could be shown that any good would come to the colony by this policy of annexation he would support it. While his sympathies were in favor of the motion he thought the first duty of the House was to take care of this colony. If a number of scattered islands wero to be an--1 nexcd it would involve this colony , in providing some means of control, administration, and defence, which would mean expanse, and tbe question aro<o as to whether the Islands could bear the cost. Otherwise what benefit would this colony obtain from their annexation. With overy desire to view the master impartially, be failed to see that tbe result would be to the moral or commercial advantage of this colony. Mr. T. Mackenzie moved the adjournment

of the debato, on the ground that the House had not had an opportuaity of considering the subject, which wus not seconded. The Hon. Hall-Jones laid on the tabic the ! Public Works Statement. , (Left silting.)