Parliamentary.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1722, 10 July 1874, Page 2

Parliamentary.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Land Purchase Transactions.

In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse moved—" That in the opinion of this Council the mode of selling and disposing of lands under the New Zealand Settlements Act should be regulated by an Act of the General Assembly, and not as at present by regulations made at the will of the Government of the day/ Thehon. member said too much discretionary power was left in the hands of the Government. Motion agreed to. Judge Chapman and the Telegrams. The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse moved, without remark, that copies of all correspondence and telegrams which passed between the Government and Judge Ward in reference to Judge Chapman should be laid on the table. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary said the Government had no objection. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Privilege.

In the House of Representatives on its. opening to-day, Mr. T. L. Shepherd called the attention of the Speaker to the fact that a certain telegraphic correspondent of a paper (the Auckland Evening Star) had sent to that paper a very personal and offensive telegram regarding a member of that House. If that kind of thing were allowed to go on, members would have to provide themselves with heavy horse-whips. The Speaker said the reporters' gallery was under the control of the Hansard Committee. Had the power been in his hands, he should certainly have excluded from the gallery the author of such an offensive production.. Members ought to be protected from such insultg. . The matter then dropped. Representation Act Amendment. Mr. Charles O'Neill a«ked the Premier whether the Government intended this ■esiion to introduce any Bill to amend the Representation Act, 1871;.';.. The Premier said the Government did not intend to do so. The question was one whiGh should not be interfered with unless upon very good grounds, or something more than a few trifling inequalities. Bills. - ;■ The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—Bill to Amend the Conveyancing Ordinance; Bill to Amend the Canterbury Domains Act, 1872; Bill to Extend the Time for Registration of Births in Certain Cases; Bill to Amend the Marlborough Waste Lands Act, 1867. : Trade with Tasmania. On the notion of Mr. C. Parker, returns of exports and imports between New Zealand and Tasmania between 1870 and 1873 inclusive w«re ordered to be laid upon the table, i ■'■'■ Napier District Court. On the motion of Mr. Sheehan, a return was >ordered vof all business transacted by the District Court in Napier since the appointment of .the present Judge, i-' ; Magisterial Instruction. Mr. Fox moved for copies of all instructions issued to Resident Magistrates or Licensing Boards, and air correspondence relating to Licensing Act, 1873. Agreed to. ■ New Zealand Handbook. : Some discussion ensued on a motion by Mr. Wakefield for a return of the cost of producing the Handbook of. New Zealand, distinguishing the literary labor and cost of setting up. the type, also to state whether the type had been distributed. The return being opposed, ji division was called for. Result: 11 rotes for and / 29 against,

Mr. Vogel then said he would furnish 1 a return of / all the different payments made on account of the handbook before' the end of the session, only a few having as yet been made. > Judges Chapman and'iWard and Telegrams. Mr. J. L. Gilhes moved for the produc tion,of correspondence relating to Judfees Chapman and' Ward. , The Premier said the papers would bo laid on the table, but he did/hot think it necessary they should be printed and appear in the minutes of the House. He hoped the whole matttr, would be allowed to sink into oblivion as soon as possible after the information had been supplied to hon. members. Mr. Fox, after referring to the quarrel between the^ judges, thought the House should search to discover by what means t the Otago Daily Times became possessed ot the contents of the telegrams referred to, which were admitted by the Premier to closely resemble the originals. He had no reason"to doubt the honesty and trustworthiness of the telegraph operators, but it was perfeclly certain that there had been gross negligence or a gross breach of faith by somebody. He thought the House should have an inquiry with a view to discover whether the affair was the result of a breach of confidence or want of precautions on the part of the recipients. X 2** l TJ GiUiM spoke to the question, and the documents were ordered to be produced. : y Several Bills were received, and the House adjourned. "