GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1767, 16 September 1862, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1862. The Speaker took the Chair at 5 o'clock. Paper. Copy of the Grant conveying certain portions of tho Town Belt of the City of Wellington to the Wesley an Body. Messages from the Legislative Council, Were received informing the House that they had passed the Native Landa Bill with amendments, to which they requested the concurrence of the^House. Amendments ordered to be considered to-morrow, Also, the Panama Route Postal Bill, without amendments. Also, The Naturalization Bill with amendments, were ordered to be considered presently, and that they had adopted the amendments made by the House in the Public Reserves Act. Also that they had passed a Bill to Amend the Militia Act, to which they desired the concurrence of the House. Bill read a first time, ordered to be printed and to be read a second time presently. On the motion of the COLONIAL TREASURER the House went into Committee of Supply: Resolutions of Select Committee on Taranaki .Petition, Mr. FOX moved in Committee of Supply " That ; whereas it is expedient to restore the Province of Taranaki, and to reinstate the inhabitants; and whereas the loss suffered by the ssttlers of Taranaki, amounts to the sum of £191,000, estimated on the bases of the award made by the Commissioner, Mr. Sewell: It is resolved by thui Committee :— " That a sum not exceeding £200,000 ought to be raised by Loan repayable with interest, and by a sinking fund, to enable the Governor acting with the advice of his Sespomi* ble Winisters to reinstate the said Province of Taranaki and thejinhabitants thereof in such manner as may ensure a final and complete reinstate* ment of the same. The above Loan to be raised on the security of the General Government of the Colony, but to he a special charge as between the Colony and Taranaki on the revenues (land and ordinary) of the said Province of Taranaki as at present bounded. He observed that the Committee in their investigation, had fiVat called Mr. Sewell who fixed the award fifteen months ago a £ 150,000. Mr. Atkinson had however, stated some other losses, which brought the amount up to £1 9.1,000. A sum of £25,000 had already been paid, which would fall to be deducted from the £ii00,0i)0, now proposed to be lent, which sura the Committee thought would suffice for a final reinstatement, and not for a temporary relief. The. Hon Mr. DOMETT, said the resolution, met tho view of the Government, aad he would take this opportunity of stating that it was not the intention of Ministers, to raise a loan of a mil. lion, as was first intimated. Members from both the North and Middle Island had raised objections to it, and it it was proposed now to raise half ft I million for the present, £200,000, of which would

be applied to the reinstatement of Taranaki; the Duke of Newcastle's demand would absoib about .£150,01)0 and the remainder, under the supervision of the Prbvnicial Councils, would ba expended in making roads and opening up the country. If the present resolution were passed then a Bill to raise the loan would be brought down at onco. vir. STAFFOUDwas' not aware that any objections had been raised by hon. members against the proposals to borrow a million and thought the hon member had been misled as to the opinion of the House. It would have been better to take the larger sum and more good would have resulted from doing so than from m>s dibbling course proposed. Such a vacillating mode of dealing made it appear as if there were a division in the Cabinet. The Hon. .Vir. D. BELL asserted his conviction that the majority of the members of the Northern Island had objected to the million loan, and he bad distinctly alleged in his financial statement that it would not affect the territorial revenue of the Middle Island. Mr. WELLS while paying a tribute of gratitude for the manner in which they had investigated the claims of Taranaki, said that one item, viz., the loss by want of occupation, had not been allowed for. Liberal therefore as the present proposal was, it'should not be supposed that i\ covered the real loss of the settlers there. After a few further remarks from Mr. FOX, the resolution was agreed to. Electric Telegraph. Mr. CARGILL moved in Committee of Supply, «< That in order to meet the requirements of the public service and of the various private interests within the Colony, it is essential that Electric Telegraphic communication be established at the earliest possible date, between the several Provinces and the seat of Government. " That the Government be recommended when, ever the state of the public revenues will permit, to take the necessary steps for obtainiug the construction of such lines of Telegraph as will accomplish the above purpose, either by constructing the same at the public expense, or by granting a guarantee of reasonable minimum dividend to private parties willing to undertake the work. «' That this House will sanction the expenditure of such sums of money as the Government in its discretion may incur in giving effect to the foregoing resolutions." Is moving theEe resolutions he waß actuated by a desire that the Government should take action in the matter. The scheme could not be carried out in less than eighteen months or two years, but meantime the Government might enter into the necessary preliminary arrangements. Looking to the piobable increase of the population in the •whole colony, and to the isolated position of the various settlements, he considered it of the last importance that telegraphic communication should be established Mr. WARD concurred in the views of the hon. member, and expressed his regret that a sum for the purpose could not be placed on the Estimates for the present year. { MOORHOUBE wished to know, if when the revenue would permit, the Government would do anything. [Mr. Domett : Most decidedly.] If that were the ease, Provincial Governments might begin at once, and afterwards get the General Government to refund. The Hon Mr. BELL said if the Provinces were prepared with a proposal, the General Government would be glad to entertain it. The motion was then agreed to. Manual of New Zealand Botany. Dr. MONRO moved ia Committee of Supply, — fl That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency, requesting him to rjco nmend to this House to make provision to the extent of .£SOO for the expenses attending the publication of a Manual of New Zealand Botany.'' An interesting discussion ensued, in the course of which it was stated that if the sum in question were granted, Dr. Hooker would be prepared to give his valuable services to edit the work- On the understanding that the copyright when published, should become the property of the Editor, the motion was agreed to. Progress was then reported, and leave granted to consider the foregoing resolutions next sitting day. Suspension of Standing OrdersThe hon. Mr. DOMETT moved— •• That the standing orders relating to the various stages of bills, be suspended for the re nainder of the session. Mr. FOX moved as an amendment, that the words " till Saturday next included " stand part of the question; which was agreed to without a division. Message from Legislative Council. The Speaker announced that he had received a Message from the Legislative Council, informing the House that they had passed the Panama Route Postal Communication bill without amendments, and also, that they had passed a bill entituled, the Militia Act Amendment Bill, which on the motion of the hon. Mr. Ward, was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time presently. Native Land Purchase Ordinance Amendment Bill Mr. FOX in moving the second reading of this Bill, said, that in the event of the Native Lands Bill not becoming law, it was of importance, until it was ascertained whether it had received her Majesty's assent, to guard against negociations, (which might ultimately be frustrated) being carried on in the interim. If the Act did not become law, what would be the effect on the Native mind if they were told all negociations were void, aud that Europeans would not be allowed to purchase ; on the other hand, if it did become law, the first bargainers would be followed by Others with heavier money bags, and fifty ways would be found to induce the Natives to break their bargains. The Native Lands Purchase Ordinance, had been shown to be quite inoperative, and would not remedy this state of affaire. One part of the present Bill proposed to make the penalties higher, or illegal transactions in land, aud he thought if a heavy fine and imprisonment were imposed, it would deter people from going in for a slice, and that making such an indictable misdemeanor, would impose a powerful cheek on the commission of such offences. He was surprised the Government had not adopted such a precautionary measure, as without it, the system of land sharking would assume immense proportions. The NATIVE MINISTER thought the Bill would have an unjust effect, as old transgressors would he left unscathed, while new offenders would be punished with rigor. It was his intention to take advantage of the present kindly feeling of the Natives, by advising them to commen ;a a survey, and he would make it his study to prevent the Natives selling, until the Bill was returned. There were cases of Europeans living on the ground, who would be doing the Natives a great service if they advanced money for fcae surrey. He trusted the hon. member would not go on with the Bill ; so far as the Government were concerned, they were not at all afraid, but that they could impose proper checks. Air. COLE N SO observed that the Bill, would be totally inoperative in Hawke'a Bay, where the Natives being already in receipt cf £4000 a year for rent, it was not likely much land sharking would take place, as they would not sell. He would not support the Bill, mainly because it would unsettle the Native mind. Mr. CARLETON thought some one should ba appointed to find out breaches of the Law, and that the hon. member for Rangitiki would make this a provision in the Bill. He thought the present measure was an improvement on the Land Purchase Ordinance Act, which had become repugnant to the whole community, Native and European, and theonly cure for which was to sweep it away entirely. He would not oppose the second reading,

Mr. JOHN WILLIAMSON protested against the advanco of money to the Natives, on the part of settlers, as being a highly dangerous step to take, and thought the Government should not entourage those advances, as in the event of the Native Lands Bill, being rejected by Her Majesty's advisers, the people who had expended their j money in this way, would have a claim against the Government for compensation. Taking such a view of the matter, he hoped the House would pau?o before rejecting this measure. j Mr. MOORHOUSE would recommend that the Bill should be withdrawn, as it could not bo recognised until the amendments in the Native Lands Bill had been made. Mr. J. C. RICHMOND spoke briefly against the Bill. Mr. BRANDON was in favor of the Bill and would vote for its second reading. Mr. FOX in reply to the several arguments advanced against the Bill, contended that matters had gone so far that they could not punish the old offenders, but seeing that a new system of ciime was likely to spring up they should be ready to meet it. As to encouraging people to advance money he knew perfectly well that that would not be done merely for the sake of survey, there would bo something more sought for than that. If the Government chose to recognise j such a system and the Native Lands Bill fell through, then the Government would be compelled to recognise claims for compensation. It did not take much to get compensation in New Zealand. If the House quietly acquiesed in this system, there was another Act, which made it criminal, and the Government would find themselves in a very queer fix in leed, should their Native Lands Bill become not law. On the question being put that this Bill be now read a second time. The House divided with the following result. Ayes 10. — Fox, (teller,) Brandon. Featherston, Monro, John Williamson, O'Rorke, W. W. Taylor, Jollie, Carter, Fitzherbert. , Noes 21 — Bell, (teller), Domett, Carleton, Mason, Moorhouse, Saundera, G. Graham, Cargill, Nixon, James Williamson, Curtis; Russell, A. j. Richmond, Wood, Colenso, Watt, Cookson, Atkinson, Ward, Wilson, J. C, Richmond. Committee of Supply. The resolutions made in Committee were reported and agreed to. Appropriation Bill. This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed presently. Bills passed by the Legislative Council. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Crown Grants Bill, the Steam Navigation Bill, the Marine Boards Bill, the Crown Lands Bill, and the Gold Fields Bill, were agreed to. Juries Bill, frc. This Bill was reported »nd the amendments agreed to. The Resident Magistrates Juriadiction Extension Bill, the Auckland Waste Lands Act Amend ment Bill, the Land Revenue Appropriation Act Amendment Bill, and the Sale of Land for nonpayment of Rates Bill, were also reported and the Amendments agreed to. Naive Purposes Appropriation BUI. This Bill was read a second time, considered in Committee, and reported with amendments which were agreed to. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. Appropriation Bill. This Bill was considered in Committee, and leave granted, to sit again to-morrow. Militia Bdl Amendment Act. The hon. Mr. WARD in moving the second reading of this Bill, said, this was a measure that had come down from the Legislative Council, and that it consisted of only four clauses which wert) passed to meet the exigencies of the case, as the Bill formed by the present .Ministry had been withdrawn. | The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed presently Delegations continuance Bill. This Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed presently. The commencement of Acts Bill and the Land Revenue Appropriation Act Amendment Bill, (No. 2) were also read a second time and ordered to be committed presently. The House then went into Committee, and after a brief consideration of the several clauses. The Militia Act Amendment Bill and the Delegations Continuance Bill were reported without amendments, were read a third time and passed, and the Land Revenue Appropriation / ct Amendment Bill was reported with amendments, which were agreed to and, the Bill was read a third time and passed. Petty Sessions Courts Bill. The House then went into committee on this Bill, which being reporled without amendments, was read a third time and passed.

The House then adjourned at 1 o'clock.