PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13434, 5 November 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Not. 4. TlPne House met at 7.30 p.m. ■NATIVE BILLS. Th 3 Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Bill was read a first time. ' The Ngatimaru Landless Natives Bill was read a first time. PREMIER'S STATEMENT. The Premier stated- that to-morrow he would intimate to members the date when he would bring down the Public Works Estimates, and he also hoped to intimate when Parliament would prorogue. MEIKLE ACQUITTAL. The House went into Com mitts© on the Meikle Acquittal Bill. ill* Poland said he did not agree with the title of the Bill. He moved ; an amendment that the title be altered to " Wrongly Convicted Persons' Acquittal Bill." This would he said allow of others situated similarly to Meilde or similarly "to the position he was alleged, to beiny being considered under the Bill. He understood that Premier when he moved to report progress intimated that ... lie would bring an amendment down when ■the Bill was again before the House. flihe Premier said that he had made no s.uch intimation. What he had said was that if any member suggested any Mnendment which would enable the passage of the Bill to proceed lie would consider it. No member, however, had made any such suggestion. He could not accept the amendment a.4 the Bill was introduced! to give effect to the Commission's recommendation. ' Mr Homsby in speaking to the amende ment quoted a long extract from Adolp Beck and other English cases.' Mr Herries asked the Premier if he intended to go on with the measure or would liergive way as on a, former occasion. He thought the Bill a just one and that it ought to go through. ilr Bauma urged that the Bill should be allowed to go .through and perhaps provision could be made 'in another place by which advantage could be taken of making it a general measure. The Bill carried out the Commissioners' recommendation. Mr Remlington f-'laj'd (the) Government was not giving effect to the Commissioners' recommendations to make it a general measure He could not understand how the Premier could say that the Bill was carrying out the Commissioners' recommendations in . regard to the ninth question. He was amazed that the Premier had not adopted the recommendation. He urged the Premier to withdraw the Bill and bring down a general measure next session. Thi-s would allow the House to get on with business. Mr Heke in supporting the amendment, urged that the Bill should be made general in its application. Mr Lawry contended that the Bill was wholly against the recommendation of the Commission which was in favour of a general measure. ~ . . Mr Flatman said the Commissioners' should have finally settled the matter so ihat there would have been no necessity to bring tilie Bill before Parliament. Itappeared as if no finality would be reached and he would support, the amendment. The Premier said he was not surprised at :Mr Herries' speech and he would reply to dt at the proper time. The Bill had been introduced by the Government with a 'desire that it should! go through. He combated the statements that the measure would be improved if made general in character. Meikle's name could not be actually eliminated from the records. A committee to be set -up could inquire as to the ■ question of compensation, but if such were not done at would be charged against the Government that it had made no investigation ,into one aspect of the case.- The Royal Commission-had not investigated this matter ; in due course the Committee's recommendation could be acted on. ~ Mr Remington: "The man says that he will not be satisfied even if you gave him' £15,000." The Premier continuing said that- he did not care what lie (Meikle) said. He was only carrying out. his duty. The Government had brought the mf-i.sure down hoping to get it through,. Mr Parata asked what the Government were doing in bringing down this Bill after Meilde had accepted compensation. He could nob think the Government was' perious in proposing to grant money to Meilde. The debate was carried on by Mr Ngata, Mr Hornsby, and Mr Lawry. At 12.35 Mr Ngata moved to report progress. Negatived by 19 votes to 18 votes. At 1.15 a.m. 'Mr Remington moved that ilie chairman leave the chair.—Negatived by 21 to 8. Mr Hanan moved to report progress. — Carried by 19 to 14. Progress was reported accordingly and the House adjourn'ed at 1.55 a.m.