NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 352, 17 September 1889, Page 3

NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

THE PREMIER AND SIR GEOBGE GREY. STATESMAN OR ACTOR ’ Wellington, Saturday. The Native Land Bills passed their final stages this morning, and a long sought boon has at last been conferred upon the East Coast. The debate on the Land Court Bill, providing for the appointment of Commissioners, was watched with keen interest. Up till 10 o’clock no certainty prevailed that the bill would pass. The House then adjourned and a consultation took place between Messrs Carroll, Billanoe, and Mitchelson, resulting in a compromise, and the measure was agreed to. The tameness of the proceedings in the House last night in connection with the Native Laud Court Act Amendment Bill were considerably enlivened by a warm passage-at arms, almost culminating in a scene, in which Sir H. Atkinson and Sir George Grey played prominent parts. The latter having occupied some time with a vigorous speech in opposition to the Bill, the Premier twitted the bon. gentleman with being unable to do anything but talk, and talk in such a way as almost to make people believe him, if they did not know him. The hon. gentlemen had missed his vocation, and ought to have been an actor, He always scouted anything that was useful, and almost invariably talked to the galleries, for he very seldom addressed the House. For weeks the Bill had been before the Native Affairs Committee, who had sifted everything in the interests of the natives. Sir George Grey had brought down utterly impracticable amendments with utter disregard of the interests of the settlers, but what did the hon. gentleman care about the settlers ? It was the little children in the streets and unborn millions that he gave his attention to. What he (the Premier) wanted was to do justice to the men who hod borne the burden and heat of the day. Sir George did not want to settle anything J he only wanted something perpetually to talk about. At the end of every session he discovered some fancy grievance, just as he had done now, and he knew quite well that there was nothing whatever in the Bill that related to Sir James Fergusson's case ; there were other reasons underlying his action. What they were he (the Premier) would not say, but they wore not noble reasons. So it would always be. Sir George would always want to hang everything up, and talk largely about unborn millions. He had walked out of the Native Affairs Committee-room when the Committee were doing useful work for the settlers because hia own impractical plan was not adopted, but they ell knew the non. gentleman's ways, and that there was nothing practical about him. Sir George Grey said that amongst the Native Affairs Committee he fopud members who were deeply interested in the Bill. After careful consideration he concluded that they were in the position of a Bench of Judges, and that that being so. interested persons ought not to act. Knowing he would be outvoted, and that the Premier would throw it in his teeth that he had sat there, and silently acquiesced in the proceedings, he declined to take any further part in the discussion. In thia he might have acted wrongly, but his conscience acquitted him, and he believed ha had donp right. The Premier had said that the House did not listen to him, yet the other day he had carried flfty.nine members into the lobby against the Government on the honorarium question, while the Premier could only get the support of thirteen, who followed him out of affection, (Laughter). Mr Kerr did not believe that there were any interested persona on the Committee, and challenged the Premier to say whether there were or not.

The Premier said the four native members were on the Committee, and practically agreed with the Bill as it now stood. If there were interested persons on the Committee the Committee ought to have reported the fact. Mr Kerr asked Sir George to name the members of the Committee who were interested, but failed to elicit a reply. Mr Ballance said the real question at issue was whether the Bill tended to validate improper transactions. He was informed by the hon. member for Waitotara that there were clauses in the Bill which would validate Sir James Fergusson's transaction. It the Government would only make a statement, instead of scolding, the matter would easily be settled,

Mr Fisher also protested against the Premier's snubbings and scoldings, and blamed the Government for bringing down the Bill so late. He for one would not submit to be told at this late stage of the session that be did not understand the Sill, or that, if he did understand it, he was stonewalling. The House had no right to be spoken to in the tone assumed by the Premier. If the latter wanted to get the business of the session over he was going the wrong way about it. Members would not have tbe bill rammed down their throats, and if there was to he qny more scolding, he would be prepared to sit there for several hours more if necessary,

MVTV.W* MVM.n Sydney Taiwhfcnga caused great fun in the House just before last night’s supper adjournment by asking the leader of the Opposition to state whether or not the Native Lands Court Bill was an honest bill, He said that the reason why he asked Mr Ballance was because he was afraid of the Prender’s whip and his hob boot nails. Being interrupted by a roar of laughter at the comical slip, Sydney made further reference to Sir Harry’s *' boot nails," and then delivered a long oration in his own peculiar jargon against the bill under discussion. Mr Ballance replied to the question put to him hy stating that they were trying to make the bill an honest one, and he hoped to have the assistance of the native members in doing an. Sydney was not altogether satisfied with the reply, and gave it as his opinion that the bill was “no good" for either the Maori or the European.