HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1745, 26 July 1862, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, July 23, 1862. The SPEAKER took the Chair at 5 o'clock. Petition. Mr. CARTER presented a petition from 52 residents of the eastern side of the valley of Wairarapa complaining that they ar© without any means of postal communication. j Papers. The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the following papers: — 1. Return of the Number and contents of cases of Government Records lost in the steamer • White Swan ' Return to Order of the 17th July. (Mr. Russell.) 2. Further Papers respecting the " Maori King Movement " (Reports from Mr. Buller, R.M.) 3. Further Papers relative to Military Defence (in continuation of Papers presented 4th June, 1861.) 4. Return of the Number of Electors on the Several Electoral Rolls for 1861-62 of the districts returning Members of the House of Representatives (Return to Order of the 22nd July. Mr. O'Rorke.) Native Policy Resolutions; Mr. FITZGERALD gave notice that on Wed-

nesday next he would move the following Eesolutions : — 1. That, in the adoption of any policy or the passing of any laws affecting the Native race, this House will keep before it as its highest object, the entire almalgaraation of all Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand into' one united people. 2. That this House will assent to no laws which do not recognise the right of all Her Majesty's subjects of whatever race within this colony, to a full and equal enjoyment of civil and political privileges. 3. That a recognition of the foregoing principle will necessitate the personal aid of one of one or more Native Chiefs in the administration of the Government of the colony ; the presence of members of the Maori Nobility in the Legislative Council, and a fair representation in this House, of a race which constitutes one third of the population of the colony. 4. That the same principle ought to be respected in the constitution and jurisdiction of all Legislative bodies subordinate to the General Assembly, and of all Court 9of law within this colony. 5. That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency the Governor, praying that Hia Excellency will be pleased to cause such steps to be taken, as lie may be advised will bring ! the policy above indicated into operation with | the least possible delay. Operations at Taranaki. Major RICtfARDSON moved seriatim the following Resolutions :— 1. That this House should be informed, so far as it may be consistent with any present or prospective Military arrangements, what "measures are proposed to be adopted towards the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui tribes, with reference to the murder of unarmed British European subjects, and also with reference to the destruction of the homesteads and plunder of the property of the inhabitants of the Province of Taranaki. 2: That this House should be informed, as far as may be consistent with any present or prospective Military arrangements, what measures are proposed to be adopted towards enabling owners of property in the Tataraimaka block in the Province of Taranaki , to return to their I homes from which they are still debarred by the unsatisfactory nature of the relations arising between the Government and her Majesty's Native subjects residing to the southward in that Province, which were carried without opposition after a lengthened discussion published at sufficient' length in our last issue. At its close the hour of Eight being past the House went to the ORDERS OF THE DAY, Supply. On motion of the hon. COLONIAL TREASURER, the Houao went into Committee of Supply. The COLONIAL TREASURER then moved— " That this Committee v- ill recommend the issue of monies from the Public Chest by the Colonial Treasurer in accordance with the provisions of the Appropriation Act of 186L-62, for a period of three months from the Ist July, 1862. Motion agreed to. Steam Navigation Bill. The POSTMASTER-GENERAL moved the second reading of "A Bill to regulate Steam Vessels, and the Boats and Lights to be carried by Sea -going Vessels," remarking ihat the Bill was a highly necessary one for the protection of life and property as a recent instance had shown. Jt was simply a practical measure, moulded on the Acts of the neighbouring colo. nies, which were modelled on the English ones. Bill read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday. The House then returned to the Notices of Motion. Claims of Imperial Government. Mr. STAFFORD moved " for a Return of the amount claimed from the Colony by the Imperial Government on account of any Military or Militia expenditure in connection with the Native Insurrection, shewing the particulars of the claim. Motion agreed to. Election Petitions Act. The COLONIAL SECRETARY obtained leave to introduce "A Bill to amend the Election Petitions Act, 1858." Bill read a first time, ordered to be printed ; read a second time on Thursday. Printing for the Session. Mr. DILLON BELL moved that the following resolution of the Library and Printing Committee be adopted : — " That in consequence of the great difficulty experienced 'in getting printed the papers required for the House, the form of motion for printing ought to be varied according to the urgency of the requirements : the usual form being retained for papers merely needed as ordinary records for the Appendix to the Votes and Proceedings, the printing of which may be postponed by the Clerk at his discretion, until after the close of the Session ; while for papers required for immediate use, the form of motion should be, that the paper be ' printed forthwith.' " Motion agreed to, Gold Fields Committee. On the motion of the POSTMASTERGENERAL, the names of Mr. Dick and Mr. Domett were added to the Gold Fields Committee. The House then adjourned at about nine o'clock.

Thursday, July 24, 1862. The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock. Mr. DOMETT presented two petitions from George Robertson asking for compensation as a New Zealand Company's Claimant, and also for land promised by Major Last to the officers of the Hutt Militia. Mr. FOX laid on the Table the following papers :— 1. Copies of correspondence between His Excel, lency's Government and the Provincial Governments of Southland aud Otago on the subject of Lights in Foveaux Straits. (Partial Return to an Order of the 18th July, inst.) 2. Copy of His Excellency's despatch to Hia Grace the Duke of Newcastle, No. 27, of the 26th November 1861, relative to the appoint* ment of Mr. Gresson as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. (Partial Return to an address of the 22nd July inst.) Unauthorized Expenditure of General Government, 1862, Mr. STAFFORD moved—" For a return of all unauthorised expenditure of the General Government during the year ended the 30th June, 1862, distinguishing the datea of euch expenditure." Agreed to. Expenditure of War Loan. Mr. STAFFORD then moved,—" For a return of the amounts expended out of the war loan of £150,000, in continuation of papers presented to the House lost session. Sessional Papers B No. 5." r Agreed to. Report of Officers —fund Purchase Department. Mr. STAFFORD further moved,— " For copies of all reports of offioers of the Land Purchase Department, relative to the extinguishment of Native title,— in continuation of papers presented to the House last session, yessional papers 0, No. 1." Agreed to. Number of Acres over which Native Title has been extinguished. No discussion ensuing upon the foregoing motions, Mr. STAFFORD moved the following,— ••* For a return of the number of acres over which the native title has been extinguished during the |

year ended 30th June, 1862 — the amount paid, or agreed to be paid for the same — and the quantity surveyed during the same period — in continuation of papersi presented to the House last Session. Sessional papers G., No. 3." " For a return of tne names of all persons employed in or by the Land Purchase Departmnt during the year ended the 30th June, 1862, in continuation of papers presented to the House last Session. Sessional papers, C, No. 4:" " For a return of all persons employed in the administration of native affairs, capacity in which employed — and the salary of each." •' For a return of all sums paid to natives during the year ended the 30th June, 1862, stating the dates of payment and the names of the persona to whom the payment were made." Agreed to. Term of Office of Superintendent, tyc. Mr. WATT, in |reference to the wishes of several hon. members, postponed the following motion : — " Thaj in the opinion of this House some alteration ojt the elective character of the Office of Superintendent, and the term of office, is necessary." » Minutes of Secret Committee. Mr. DILLON BELL moved—" That the Report of the Joint Committee of both Houses on the Minutes of the Secret Committee of last Session be adopted." Agreed to. Mr FITZGER ILD moved, as an amendment, the addition of the words — ''But that none of the records of the said Secret Committee be at any time printed or made public except by the leave of this House and of the Legislative Council. 1 ' Motion and amendment agreed to, and ordered to be transraitled to the Legislative Council. Report of Library and Printing Commitee. Mr. DILLON BELL moved that the following resolutions of the Library and Printing Committee be ordered to bo considered in Committee of Supply: — "1. That in the opinion of this Committee the Books lost in the White Swan should be replaced. " 2. That in the opinion of this Committee the ordinary Vote for the Library should be largely increased this Session. " 3. That in the opinion of this Committee, the fees received by the Clerk for Private Bills (including those already paid) should be made applicable to the increase of the Library." Motion agreed to. Supply. The Resolution agreed to on Wednesday in Committee of Supply was read a second time and adopted. Audit Committee. Messrs. J. C. Richmond, Fitzherbert, and O'fiourke were elected members of the Audit Committee, the former having the greatest number of votes was appointed Chairman. Crown Grants Bill. The Crown Grants Bill was further considered in Committee, reported to the House with amendments, and ordered to be considered on Friday. The Crown Lands Bill. Was also further considered in committee and progress reported. The Steam Navigation Bill. This Bill was partially considered in committee and ordered,to be further so considered on Friday. The Elections Petition Bill Was read a second time, committed without amendment, read a third time, and passed, and transmitted to the Legislative Council. Message. A Message was received from the Legislative Council enclosing minutes of Secret Committee on Military Defence. The House went into Committee of Supply, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again to-morrow. The House then adjourned at Quarter to Six.