HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume I, Issue 39, 17 July 1867, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THURSDAY, JULY 11,

STAMP DUTIES. ,

Mr. BORLASE asked the Colonial Treasurer whether it is the intention of the Government to continue the Stamp Duties ?

The COLONIAL TRASURER said the Government had no intention of discontinuing the Stamp Duties. With regard to any surplus over and above the estimates made by the Government, he believed it would be nil, but supposing he was in error on that point, the Stamp Duties Act stated that the duties were to form part of the ordinary revenue of the Colony. * ■ ' BEPLY TO THE GOVERNOR^ SPEECH. The adjourned debate on the address in reply to the Governor's speech was resumed. Mr. JY O'NEIL said he did not know how far he should be compromising his long cherished opinions on provincial affairs if he were to absent to the opinions enunciated in His Excellency's speech by voting for the passing of the address. No doubt many were of opinion that if the provinces were blotted from the map of New Zealand it would conduce to the prosperity of the country ; but he was not j of that opinion, as he believed the country had been raised to its present position by the provincial system. If the Government really cared for the out-districts they would not be harrassing the natives in the province, which he represented as they were now doing. He did not think it would be reasonable for a colonial guarantee to be given fur the interest of money spent in the construction of water works on the Gofd Fields. The idea of consolidating the provincial loans was a very taking one in tbeorv, but in reality it was un-' necessary, and would be merely strengthening the hands of the General Government at the expense of the provinces.

Mr. VOGEL was sorry to find that among: so many new members not one had been found to undertake the moving of the address. The first paragraph of the address was couched in very badtasfe.— It waa a very objectionable, proceeding for a Government to make political capital out of a visit of the Governor to any part of the colony. The proposal to subsidise water rates, as be might call it. was an absurdity, and he was quite certain Government never intended doing anything of the «ort. If it were intended to charge the interest on the provinces in which the works were constructed, then it wns a clear invasion of provincial rights by interfering with the internal affairs of the provinces. With reference to the Bill to Establish Local Self Government in Outlying Districts, the hoD. member who had moved the address had appareutly endeavoured to mix him up in some way with the bill; but he need not remind the House that a very slight difference in the construction of a bill would entirely alter its principle. The bill bad been printed for some weeks, but the Government had not had boldness enough to produce it.

I Major HEAPHY as a member of the i province of Auckland he could but conaider that the proposed Municipalities Bill was a measure calculated to weaken the action of the Government of that province. Immigration one of the most important duties of a government could only be carried on by a Provincial Government. lie could, not concur in the necessity for an increased representation of the Weat Coast population, ac that population was a migratory one. Mr. G. GRAHAM, looking at the state of native affairs in the interior of the Island, and Tauranga, the House certainly could not join in congratulation on the painful condition of affairs.

Mr. CARLETON fully concqrred with the last speaker, that there was no peace in the Northern Island. He womld never believe that there will be peace in Waikato until

every native who had been dispossessed of his land assented to it* being «o. From information be had received, he did not consider the conduct of the colonial forces in theaction with the Hau haus near Napier was worthy of the indiscriminate praise which had been bestowed upon it. He had not seen the Municipalities Bill, but if it was what he supposed it to be, it would receive his hearty support, and he was certain that did he but support it he would stand no chance of being aguin returned for the district he represented, and he believed that in many other districts of the province of Auckland the feeling in favor of such a bill was eren stronger rhan in that which be represented. Several years ago the public opinion was strongly in favor of the Provincial system, yet it had undergone an entire revulsion, and the people were entirely sick of the system. The Provincial Council of Auckland had, to use the expression of one it* members, become a Town Board, and. the out districts were entirely neglected. The Hon. Colonel HAULtAlN—Could state veay confidently that at the present time there was a greater prospect of continued peace with the na'ives than there had been for a very long time—certainly since he had been in office. With the exception of the district of Opotiki the reports from ' all the districts were of the mogt satisfactory nature. He believed that there was not a single hostile native in district of Tauranga. It might be as had been stated by the member for the Buy of Islands that a general rising ~ would have taken place had the raid upon Napier proved successful, but the rising had ■ been checked by the repulse sustained. : l>y the Hau haua near Napier, and also by , the subsequent operations at Tauranga. As ito a part of the colonial troops not deserving the praise that hud been bestowed upon them for their conduct in the action near Napier, he could only say from all he had heard, the colonial troops behaved admirably on that occasion. Mr. BUNNY could not understand how they could reciporate congratulations upon the loyalty of the settlers of the colony when they found, in reading the papers that had been laid before them that the Superintendent of a province containing 50,000 inhabitants had thought it necessary to write to the officer commanding the forces, asking him to take immediate action to prevent a revolution in that Province, and also to telegraph to His Excellency the Governor informing him that there was a danger of the Province being severed from the rest of the Colony. The hon. gentlemen then alluded to the disallowance of the Acts passed by the Wellington Provincial Council, Hnd said this was a question which would have to be dealt with by the Assembly. He should support the address. The Hon. J. HALL: A 9 to the Government having no intention to proceed with the measure relating to guaranteeing the interest on money investßd in the construction of water rates, time would show whether- such were the case or not. An hon. and gallant member had expressed regret that the Government had expressed no intention of enfranchising' the native population, but that gentleman must have forgotten that the Constitution Act made no limitation as to race. Major ATKINSON made some remarks in defence of the conduct of the Colonial Forces in the action alluded to by Mr. Carleton, and said that although be thought the Government had gone too far in saying that peace was generally established, yet at the same time he helieved native affairs were in such a condition that with proper management peace could be established. Mr. COX replied. The question was then put and carried nem con.