HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4788, 4 September 1883, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MondAT, Sbpt. 3. AFTERNOON BITTING. The Houee met at 3 30 p.m. bbpobtb. „ Tho Hon B. T. Conoi.lt brought up the report of the Joint Oinference on the Bankruptcy Bill, whioh was adopted. It agreed to clause 232, with the addition of a proviso saving existing righls. Mr Moss brought up the report of the Publio Accounts Committee. It recommended thut the Publio Bevonues Acts should bo amended so as to prevent any imprestee of publio money paying it after Maroh 31 in any year j that travelling expenses of members of Waste Lands Boards should be augmented to 10s a day, and travelling allowances to members of Royal Commissions to 20s per day. Mr Buchanan moved that all proceedings and evidence taken before the Committee be printed. Major Atkinson demurred, contending that it was not a Committee for the session, but for the whole Parliament. The Committee one seasion took up the enquiry from the point where it was left off at the preceding session, it would therefore be manifestly impolitic to publish evidence in relation to oaaes whioh had not been completed. Sir G. QBBTsaid that ths House should not adjourn until after certain enquiries now in progress by the Aooountrs Committee were completed. There was no doubt but that irregularities had been going on in the Assurance Department:, and is was very necessary that these should be made known. Mr Bhbbhan said it would be quite impolitic to make all tke transactions of this Committee publio. There were caies in whioh Buoh publioity would ba financial suioide to the Colony. Mr Tpbhbulli supported the oonttntien that it was highly impolitio to separate until the Committee roport«d on this Assuranoe Department. It was abturd to talk about the impolicy of publishing this Committee's proceedings. If they had a sore let them heal it, and not attempt merely to conceal it from the world. Mr Babbon said he hoped that it would not be inferred from anything that had been said, that the Assurance Department was in an unsound oondition. As a member of that Committee he could tell them that so far as it hud gone the enquiry showed nothing of the kind had been, nor was even indicated. He thought it was a mistake to relegate that particular enquiry to the Publio Aooounts Committee at all. Considering the other work requiring to be done by the Committee, and the lime at iti disposal, a speoial Committee ought to have undertaken the duty. After further discussion, the motion for printing the report and evidenoe relating to matters dealt with in the report, was put and carried. In connection with a report from the Public Petitions Committee, on the petition from unemployed at Timaru, Mr Ttjenbulil. urged on Government the importance ol getting these men transported to other parti of the Colony where labour was reportod to be more plentiful. Mr FriTON brought up the report of tho Waste Lands Committee on the Subsoll Land Exchange Bill. The report was read, recommending that the agreement with Mr Buiaell be carried oat, deipite the fact that tho agreement was somewhat irregular. He moved — "That the report do lie on the table." In replying to Sir G. Grey, Major Atkinson said it was the intention of Government to go on with the Bill this session. Sir G. Gbbt moved— "That the Bill be not prooeeded with until the full evidence taken by the Committee had been printed, and placed in the hands of members." Tho Hon W. Boiihston laid the proper way would ba to put down the Bill for the second reading to-morrow, and in the meantime he would take care the evidenoe was printed. Mr Shbimbki opposed the Bill, and blamed Government for not bringing in the Bill earlier. Sir G, Gbbt conourred in the opinion that the Bill should have been brought forward at an earlier period. It would establish a pre* cedent he did not at all wish to see established, to proceed with the Bill until the evidence was printed. Mr Montgombbt conourred in that opinion, but suggested they might aocept a guarantee that the Bill would not be gone on with until the evidenoe had been published. The question was put that Sir G. Grey's amendment bo adopted :— Axbs, 80 j Nobs, 37. The original motion was then put and carried. The Hon W. Homhston movtd— "That the seoond reading of the Bill be set down for to-morrow." He had no intention of prassieg on the Bill until the evidenoe was published. Sir G. GbBT said a roll of evidenoe given on this Committee had just' been put into his hand, and he could not possibly oorreot it until to-E3orro7f. The transaction was delayed until the last moment, and now they were told that all other business* must stand aside in order that the claim of this gentleman ("kfr Buieell) may be attended to. It was monstrous that the business of the oountrj should be made subservient to a single individual, simply became it affeoted the interests of a gentleman of wealth and influence. There were several persons in the House whose olaims .would ba decided by this o»se, and it was unfair that they should vote on the question. Mr Shbijiski said that he would obstruct the Bill in every possible way. Unfair legislation of this kind should be put an end to. Mr Moss charged Government with aoting with gross partiality in this matter. Other similar olaimi were not dealt with in tail way ■imply because the claimants were not men of wealth and influence like Mr Bussell. Mr Bhbbhan agreed in the opinion that the proceeding was a most unfair one. The contraot between Mr Bussell and the Government was void in law. To his knowledge there were hundreds of men with better claims than this, who had come year after year, but they could not get the consideration given to Mr Bussell. The whole thing resolved itself into this, that because Mr Bussell was a power in the land his oaße was to be considered against all others. What they were asked to do was to oomplete an agreement made by a previous Government. The Hon W. Boiibston disavowed any intention of imputing sinister motives to any member in connection with the evidence. The tenor of the evidenoe given before the Committee was that all these olaims up to the year 1879, were recognised by Government. Circumstances over whioh Government had no control earned the Bill to be delayed to this late period of the session. The House divided on the motion for the second reading to-morrow : — Atbs, 34: 2ST obb, 31. The motion was oarried. Colonel Tkimblb brought up the report from the Native Affairs Committee on the petition of Waiuheke Tohere, and asked that the report and evidenoe be printed. The Hon J. Bbtoh said it would be most unfair to print the evidenoe, in the face of most libellous statements having been made, whioh the parties implicated had no ohance of refuting. It would be most unfair that suoh evidence should be published, and no opportunity afforded for rebutting the same. Mr J. W. Thomson said that in these oiroumstanoes, it would be most unfair to lay the evidence on the table. If it was left there, even although not printed it would soon be bruited abroad. Mr Smith said it was evident that certain evidence had been given, and the parties impugned had had no opportunity for rebutting the same. He hoped evidence taken would not be allowed to lie on the table at all ; the whole thing might remain over till next session. Mr Hubsthoubb eaid that the objectionable part of the evidence had no referenoe to the subject matter before the Committee at all, and it would do no good to publish that evidence. Mr Fish said, in that case, the Chairman of the Committee was to blame for allowing the extraordinary evidence to be taken, whioh the Committee refuged to receive. Mr Shbbhan stated that the Chairman had attempted to stop the evidenoe, but as it was direoted against himself (Mr Sheehan) he had asked the Chairman to allow it to be taken. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.