PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2729, 8 September 1868, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.

The debate on Mr Fox's declaration of policy motion was concliulod on the 10th of August, the Government retaining their seats by a majority. But the events that havo caused tho greatest amount of interest were tho announcements respecting tho operations of tho volunteers against the natives. The escape of the Chatham Islands prisoners and tho over-running of those islands by the groat tidal wave which has been felt throughout the whole borders of the South Pacific are occurrences which taken together will in the minds of the native population justify a closer adherence to their fanaticism, for they say — " Our god saved tho islands while wo" wero there, but when we left overwhelmed them with the sea." The engagements at Turu Tuvu Mokai and that at Ngatu to Maim caused considerable excitement ; the first in which Captain Ross was killed, being a disaster ; and tho second, in which the Maoris wore defeated with twelve reported killed, may bo regarded as a successful operation. But the operations on the East Coast under Colonel Whitmore and Captain Westrup were not considered satisfactory, and havo resulted in the loss of two excellent oilicers, Messrs Carr and Canning. The announcements made in Parliament by tlie Defence Minister add nothing to the knowledgo I of these events which have been disseminated by the public press. Speaking of the pi'ess, one of the most violently discussed measures of the present session is a libel bill introduced by Mr Vogel. The object of the bill is to give privilege to the " fair and impartial" reporting of the proceedings of all meeting " required to be held by law." This bill points more particularly to tho proceedings of public boards administering trusts — such as road boards, education boards, &c. The bill has met with a strenuous opposition at every stage. It has however been committed and its fate is by no means certain. The principal element of hostility of course has been the " board and commissioner" element. But two most interesting subjects havo been brought before Parliament — the one by Mr Dillon Bell, the other by Mr Vogel. The former relates to the education of the country, and proposes tho foundation of six scholarships in the English Universities or Schools of Law, Medicine and Mining. This subject has been referred to a committee. The latter subject was immediately connected with tho colonisation of the country. The proposition was to set apart a portion of the territorial revenue of tho colony for tho purposes of immigration. Tho Government were inclined to oppose tiie proposal but withdrew their opposition, and the interests of provinces in this important matter were secured. But tho leading parliamentary event of the session was the delivery of tho financial statement, which will be found in another column. The Government, it would seem, aro likely to encounter a very strong opposition, Mr Fox having tabled a scries of want of confidence resolutions which will be found at length in another part of this issue. These resolutions denounce tho ministerial arrangement with respect to provinces as manifestly unfair. On Friday last a large amount of committee work was clone. The Provincial Law Suits Act Amendment Bill ; the Printers and Newspapers Registration Bill ; the Lunatics Bill ; the Law Amendment Bill ; tho Distillation Bill ; the Trigonometrical Survey Bill ; tho Canterbury Rivers Bill ; tho Nelson and Cobdcn Railway BillJ; Westland Representation Act Amendment Bill ; Representation of Otago Goldfields Bill were advanced a stage. A great proportion of these measures have passed through committee.