POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 346, 3 September 1889, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE LATEST FROM THE HOUSE. •ISBORNE HARBOR BILL PASSED IN THE HOUSE. [FBOM OUS OWN OOBBISPONDBNT. ] Wellington, last night. A proposal has been made by Mr Hutchison, in the Native Affaire Committee, that the whole ol the Native land cases requiring adjustment be referred to a Royal Commission for investigation. Should such a Coramission be appointed, Government propose that the Commission shall have power in Cases where satisfactory inquiry has been already made by Native Land Court and Trust CoraCommissioners to order the issue of titles without further reference to Parliament. It is stated that Sir George Grey intends proposing that the Native Lands Court Bill be postponed until the Native Affairs Committee has supplied full information respecting transactions proposed to be validated by the BiU. In the House this afternoon a number of local bills were read a second time, including the Gisborne Harbor Act Amendment Bill, and the Napier Harbor Board Act Further Empowering Bill, which were afterwards passed through Committee and read a third time and passed.

The Public Petitions Committee have reported on the petition of Mr Christie, of Oamaru, which has caused such a sensation this session. The petitioner accused District Judge Ward of perversion of judgment in sentencing him to imprisonment for fradulent bankruptcy, and prayed that steps might be taken to ensure the proper administration of justice in the District Court of Timaru and Oamaru. The committee reported that after careful consideration of the evidence laid before them, consisting of the Judge's notes and the letters put in as exhibits, ths Colonia! Investment and Agency Company's statement of accounts and the petitioner's statement of assets and liabilities, the committee were of •pinion that justice had been properly administered in the petitioner’s csss by Judge Ward. The report of the committee, which . was ordered to be read, on Mr Seddon'a motion, F wps received with cheers from the Opposition Side of the House, but no farther action was taken, except that the report was ordered to ba printed, A meeting of the Native Affairs Committee Was held on Friday morning to review the Various native bills introduced by the Government. The Native Lauda Frauds Prevention Act Amendment Bill was •mended in the direction of widening its Scope, and it was decided that the clause in last year's Act, limiting the number of grantees of a block to twenty, should not apply to lands operated upon prior to the passing of that Aot. The Native Land Court Bill was only partially traversed on account of the objections raised. The Native Minister agreed to strike out the clue providing for the appointment of an adminstrstion officeras recommended by the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, and also to withdraw the clause relating to purveyors' liens.