Yet here was a Bill affecting the interests of thousands of Natives who had not the slighteat opportunity of knowing anything of it. Important Bills like that ought to be I introduced in the early part of the session. That i was due to the Natives and to the Home, He suggested thtot tho B;ll should be referred to a Select Committee. The Premier said the object of the Govern ment in bringing the Bill forward now was to enable a second reading to come on as early as possible, after which it would be referred to a Select Committee before proceeding further with it. Messrs Taiaroa and Karaitiana supported Mr Sheehto's views, and asked that the Bill be cir culated among the Natives. Mr Lusk asked that, under the peculiar cir cumstances of the case, the Native Minister would allow a Committee to be appointed at once. Mr Rees spoke forcibly against the conduct or the Government. In a matter ao important a Bill should have been circulated three months. Ho showed how Native wars spring from lesser 1 causes than these, and said that to chow such a I want of consideration for the rights of the Na tives was aiming a desperate blow at the peace | of the country. A month at least ought to be allowed to elapee before the second reading was taken, so that the Natives should be enabled to make their ideas known upon the Bill. The Bill was then read a first time. The Native Minister asked that the Bill be read a second time this day week, Mr Wakefield considered the action of the Native MimHor the most extraordinary piece of assurance ho ever saw. Tho Government wore bound, in honour and justice to the* Colony, that this Bill should have been brought down at the same time as all the other Govern i ment Bills. Ho bad looked, like a cat watch j ing for a mouse, for this Bill. Why, the whole j future financial arrangements of the Colony de i pentled upon this Bill. It would bo ultimately linked with the creation of a land fund for the North Island. The Government wronged both race" in delaying the BilJ so long, but now that tho delay had occurred it was imperative upon them now to increase the delay. 