HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 1628, 9 December 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. HOTIOB OS MOTION. Mr Hislop gave notice of a motion to the effect that it is incompatible with tho ofßcoof Agent-General for the Colony to tako part m Imperial politics. QUESTIONS. In reply to Mr McLean, Mr Hall stated that ponding definito arrangements being made with certain nowspapurs re the ppcciil wire, business arrangements had beon mado for enabling these papers to obtain telegraphic information. Replying to a question by Mr Kelly, Mr Brjco said his attention had been direotcd to a letter which bad appeared m tho nowspnpers to tho effect that Rowi hud joined tho King party. Ho did not beliovo tboro wai any truth m tho statement. A request hnd been received from him some time ago, tn the effect that as he was going to the King Country, and had mot with »n accident, a carriage might bo placed at his disposal. That request was complied with, and there was no reason to boliovo he wa« m any. way displeased with tho Government. Tho letter m question had been roceivtd by one of tho Maori members, not from Rowi, but from a friend of his. Tbo lettor had been left m the member's office., and m that wny it had boon got hold of by tho newspapers. The member himself had not givou tho letter to Iho nowepapors.

Major To Wheoro said tlmt ho was tinmember roferrcd to. The hVer atatod tint Rcwi was displeased with tbo Govornmont; i that ho would not return to tho Eur> pern aide, and . that tbo?e cb-efs 1 who had boon instrumental m timing out ipir Q-rorgo Grey from' Iho Governmont, miiiC be left to enrry O'i tlio governmortt of tho .country. Theso were the content* of Ihe | lcttor, but ho did not know how they got into tho nowspupcrs. In rrply to Mr Oisborna, Mr Hall slated Ihnt Mr Ponroso Julyan hid retired from tlio Lonn Agencythip, on a pension^ and l.lioro was no truth m Iho statement which ai>p?a r ed m tlio nowspupors, to tho effect that a difforonco of opinion had arisen between him and tho Government, su/.-h differ meo having occasioned his retirement. .. Replying to Mr Maeundrow, .Mr Hall said ho would bo prepared to stato to-morrow whal'busincss wns to bo dropped 80 as to bring iho session to a cloio within tho next- few days. Mr Mncandrow BUggostod, for Iho con s-doralion of tho Government, that business so dropped should be tuken up next so-'i'in, public and private, as it stood on tho OrJor Paper. , ' ' . " ■ ! ■ ■ i BRVIBION OF STATUTES HIM.. Mr Hull moved tho second reading of the Revision of Statutes Bill. Mr Htcwurt called tho attention of tho Government to the impnrtanro of making v pecuniary provision for tho pubic -.tipn of Iho Jurist, lie; pointed out that m tho absence of such a publication there could be no uniformity of procedure m Ihe various Court*. T)>o work could not be efficiently done by private enterprise and no ono whoso reports wcro at nil trustworthy would Undertako tho work unless well paid. In tho prcsont J state of the colony profit* arising from siK-h a publication would not bo sufliciout lo warrant a suilnbln person undertaking it. ' Tl:e Bill was read a second time. '.."■ . HKOKI VBIBOMISIIS DILI. Tlio adjourned di-batcd on Ilia Confisratod Lands nnd Maori Pris-jners Bills wns roeumed. Mr TurnbuU' opposod iho Bill, and ppokn rtrongly against tho Maori prisoners being kopt m pmon for fuch a length of time without bcin>; brought to trial. Mojor Tcwhcoro also objected to tho Bi'l, and stated Mint if it passed tho Maori prisoners might bo kept m oustody without being brought; to trial for years. They hnd boon, already m prison for a poriod of cix months, and after nil it might turn, oul they were m tho right. Ho argued that thoy ought to bo brought 1 o trial forthwith. Captain Morris supported tho Bill. Mr Tuinui opposed Iho Bill, and niyucJ that tho prisoners should bo brought to trW at once, 'i'ho chargo should not bo kopt hanging over tlwir heads m the way it had been. done. Mr Sutton supported tho Bill. Sir Gcorgo G-rey said tho measure was calculated to shako iho confidence) of the native race m tho justice of our Courts of law. . . Mr J, B. Fisher contended that tho men now lying m prison had done nothing to render tlu-irt nmonable to criminal Uw, as thoirh-d simply nssertcd n fancied right. ; The Bill,' as it fto->d, wns not caloulnted to obviato the abuso cotnplnincd of. Ho moved, as an amendment, that tho Bill be read that day six months. Mr Seddon supported the second reading, and expressed a hope that when it beenmo law it would do justice alike to all. Mr Sheohac supported the second reading. If thoy refused lo pass the Bill, and allowed the natives to return to Parilmkn, a n«li?o disturbance was imminent. . Cortain mistakes m the Bill could be remedied m Coraniittod. ll<> considered tho policy enunciated m tlio Bill was tho polioy of the late Govoriimont, and one which' was absolutely necessary if they desired to prevent a war. ' ' IMr Eialop opposed the Bill. - ; . , Mr Bryce, ,m replying said it was tho opinion of the' Government that' it would be a most dnngerous thing to.relcaso tho prison ors under tho pr> sent circumstances. The Into Government bad a similar opinion. The mutim for the eccond reading wns tbch put, and on a division was carried— Ajes,s7; Noes, 12. f; \ ;' • Tho llouso. then went into CoraAittco on tho Bill. V