PARLIAMENTARY

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2141, 7 September 1875, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

We extract the following items from 'Hansard':- •

(JUKEN OF BEAUTY CtAIH.

Mr Sheehan asked the Native Minister, Whether tho Government had made any inquiry during the recess into the cireum-

stances ; set forth in the petition of Macdonald'and others, shareholders in tho Queen of Beauty Claim, Thames? Ihe petition referred to was presented last session, and it was understood a$ the time that the Qbverment would cause an inquiry, to bo made during the recess into the circumstances set forth in tho petition. He merely desired to ascertain whether the inquiry had taken place; and, if so, whether the papers would be laid on the tabic.

Sir D. MoLean said tho inquiry had been held, but the papers had only been despatched from Auckland on the 9th instant, and would probably arrivo by tho first steamor.

: CASE OF HENBV AILE?. • . . Mr Sbeehan asked the Native Ministor, Whether any inquiry has been held into tho statements contained in tho petition of Honry Alley, in accordance with the report of the Public Petitions Committeo of last sosßion ? Last session, a petition was. presented from Mr Alley, making various statements in regard to the action of certain officers of tho Native Department, and it was ultimately agreed that an inquiry should be made by the Government in the matter. He would be glad to learn whether an inquiry had been held, and would ask tho Native Minister to lay any report, if there was one, on the table of the House.

Sir D. McLean was- understood to say that action had not been taken by the Government in this matter. The petition had only been received from the Committee The matter referred to a dispute which Mr Mackay had been instructed to settlo by paying certain natives £200. Tho natives, however, differed as to" the division of tho money, and no settlement had been arrived at.

CASE. OF CAPTAINS BOWS AND SCHOFIELD,

Sir D. MoLean, in laying on tho tablo s tho report of the inquiry into the trial of' Captains Eowe and Schoficld, took the opportunity to inform the House of tho action the Government had taken in tho Keports having been made that certain irregularities had been committed in the Waikato Engineers, Major Gordon was appointed to inquire into them. He proceeded to the Waikato, made the inquiry, and forwarded the report, which I

was received. by tho Hon, the Colonial Treasurer during a time be was acting as Defence Minister in his (Sir D, McLean's) absence, and who did not- agree with Major Gordon's finding, behoving it waj not in accordance with the evidence, in officer who was charged with.appropriating some publio money was dismissed from tho publio service, and shortly afterwards the Ist arid 2n'd companies of the Engineer Militia Volunteers' were disbanded. He would ask the House to rome'mber these .wore merely temporary .forces, formed for'.'a "special purpose, and in no way. connected with the. ordinary forces of the colony. They wore organised' for the purpose, of insuring the extension of a particular, railway with the least possible delay. Thero was now but one company, containing sixty-five men, arid that,would be disbanded on the 30th of tho present month. Captain Sohofield's conduct had also been under review. •

Mr Swanson aakod what had become of Major Gordon, and whether any aotion had been taken with, respect to his conduct? 9 ' . . ' Sir D. Mclean said Major Gordon's conduct was being considered by tho Governuiont, but he was not prepared at present to.stato what action had been taken in the master. .