GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1535, 22 July 1886, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council on Tuesday, The Wellington-Maoawatu Railway Debentures Validation Bill ana read a second time. Mr Mantell moved that Government print a vocabulary of English and Maori terms in official translations.—Agreed to. The New Zealand Bible and Tract Society Bill was read a third time and passed. The Municipal Corporations Bill was read a third time and passed. A message was received from the House stating that it agreed with the Council’s amendment of the Wellington Harbor Board Leasing B»ll. The Destitute Persons Amendment Bill was farther considered in Committee and amendments agreed to. Progress was reported and leave given to sit again. The Native Lands Administration Bill was committed. A number of amendments were agreed to and progress reported. The Native Lands Court Bill was farther considered, and progress reported. The Council adjourned at 5.30 p.ra. The Council resumed at 7.80. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill passed its second reading. The Counties Bill was committed and several amendments made. A number of clauses were postponed. Progress was reported, and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 7.30 p.m. oa Monday. The Premier in laying on the table a volume of the early edition of Hansard, referred to the untimely death of the compiler, Mr Maurice Fitzgerald. In answer to Major Atkinson, who wanted to know the exact position of affairs on the West Coast, Mr Ballance read a telegram from Inspector Pardy detailing the various acts of the Maoris. He said the settlers had behaved with great determination, courage and forbearance. Nine ringleaders had been arrested and sent to Opunake, and Government had an ample force at its disposal to deal with any difficulty that might arise on the coast. The Government had received positive information that it was on Te Whiti’s advice that the natives had acted, and he had been warned that he would be held responsible. Tventy permanent militiamen had been sent to Opunake to take the place of those guarding the prisoners. The Premier made a statement regarding Slee’s letter. He had looked carefully into the matter, and did not think the writer cosld be charged with a breach of privilege. He explained that when he moved his resolution on Wednesday, he thought his colleague, the Treasurer, was going to speak. In answer to Sir George Grey, who asked if any further enquiry into the matter would be undertaken, the Premier, said that notice must be given of the question. Sir George Gray said that as they were to separate so soon some further action ought to be taken. The House ought to affirm the principle that an end should he put to disgraceful transactions of this kind. An Imprest Supply Bill for £220,000, was passed. A Committee was appointed to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendments of the Council in the Local Bodies Loans Bill. Several new clauses were added to the First Offenders Probation Bill which was finally passed. The Gold Duty Reduction Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Goldfields Committee. The Beer Duty Act Amendment, Mortgage Debentures, Deceased Person* Estates Duties Act Amendment, Public Bodies Leasehold and Administration Act Extension Bill, were road a second time. The Codlin Moth Act Amendment Bill was committed. After several other divisions the Hon. Mr Tole moved to report progress, and the House rose at 1 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m, on Tuesday. The Hutt and Petone Ga« Oornpinye’ Bill was read a third time and pa-s-d. Mr Hamlin moved that the report of the Joint Committee on the Standing Orders, on 16th July, relative to the

Wairau Gas Bill be agreed to.—Agreed to. Replying to questions, it was stated that the compilation of the Maori History was still far from being completed, and Mr White was expected to finish by 1890; the amount already paid for the work was £775 ; that the question of modifying the conditions of Government contracts where there were causes of discontent was under consideration ; that no reduction could be made in the proportion of passage money now required to be paid by the friends of nominated emigrants; that about twothirds of the Waimariri block had bean already acquired for the Isarth Island Railway, but a positive answer could not be given when the whole block would be acquired ; there ware over 1.000 owners in the block. Mr Larnach moved the second reading of the Harbors Act Amendment Bill, the object of which was to dissolve the Htrborj Boards of Oastlepoint, Foxton, Kakanni, Moeraki, and Whangarai.— Agreed to. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Loan Bill, authorising the loan of £1,500,000 for stated railway purposes. The Cabinet had come to the conclusion that £BOO,OOO would not, as at first calculated, be sufficient for miscellaneous purposes for two years. £IOO,OOO would have to ba devoted to the purchase of land along the North Island Trunk Line, which had not yet been calculated upon. The sum of between £200,000 and £300,000, already paid for rails and rolling stock, would also be transferred to the new loan, which, with repayment oft hefirst mentioned sum would, it was hoped, give margin enongh, Ha wished to say that he had never preposed au excessive loan as had been alleged, but only sketched out a series of proposals extending over a number of years, and he read several telegrams and other documents which had passed between himself and the Agent General in support of his statement. He deprecated remarks which had been made as to the unsoundness of the colony’s finances, and said that the losses sustained in New Zealand were small compared with those sustained in other colonies, and any loss by drain of population to Kimberley would only be temporary, and an outbreak of a goldfield there must benefit all the colonies. It was not certain in his opinion, however that the field would be so profitable as anticipated. Ht mentioned that' the triennial property tax valuation just mads, showed au increase in value of borough property of £4,769,000, and of country properly of £1,880,090. On the n otion of Mr Bryce the debate was adjourned till 7.30 p.m. The Beer Duty Act Amendment Bill was partly considered in Committee, and the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. When the House resumed at 7.30, Mr Bryce continued the debate on the Loan Bill, condemning the proposals of the Government. Mr Ormond contended Government bad not fulfilled any of the pledges which they gays when entering office. The House was demoralised, and party government was a failure, ond for this the Government was responsible, vc Captain Sutter quoted a large number of statistics to show what we have to borrow upon, and finally found that we have borrowed too much, drawing a gloomy picture of our finances generally. Mr Duncan and Mr Buckland having spoken, Mr Mitchelsou moved the adjournment of the debate, and this was carried. The Hospitala and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee. In answer to Mr Buckland the Premier said that be considered Mr Pearson’s resolution for throwing the cost of charitable aid on property tax, passed last * eek, ras impracticable, and he did not intend to take any notice of it. Clauses 8 to 10 and 14 were struck out with the view of inserting new clauses. The consideration of the latter was postponed, and the rest of the Bill passed. Progress waa reported and the House rose at 1.45 a.m.