PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 84, 20 June 1871, Page 5

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

We condense from our Dunedin contemporaries tlie following summary of I’rovmeial Council proceedings : TUESDAY, JUNE 13. The debate on the Land desolations was concluded at the evening sitting, it opened with personalities, which were indulged in more freely as it progressed, until the discussion became so warm that members lost their heads and their I tempers ; and the Chairman of Committees, who j made repeated efforts to keep order, but in vain, jgave up the task, and left the House to come to its senses again. The cue was given by Mr Shepherd, who had a liing at Mr Uutteu, accusing that lion, member of giving to the Daily Times reports of speeches that were never made ; and he was followed by the Speaker, who, according to Mr Cargill, put into his (Mr Cargill's) mouth opinions he never gave expression to—the consequence being that the lion. Dillon Bell, Mr Cargill, and Mr Lillies kept bandying words for about half an hour. When they got tired of that kind of amusement, the Provincial Secretary and Mr Haughton, who appeared to have agreed to differ to an alarming extent, had a “go in,” the upshot of it being that the lion, member for the Lakes left the House in disgust. When the ire of members had calmed down somewhat, those who led the quarrels tiled to outvie each other in making the humblest apology: The remainder of the resolutions were adopted without much discussion, i On the second reading of the Imprest Supply I Bill, Mr lleynolds asked for information as to when the Executive arrangements would be completed ; and the Hon. Mr Holmes, in demanding a statement of the exact indebtedness of the Province, expressed the opinion that the floating liabilities at the present time amounted to over £120,000. With such a state of things, he condemned the proposal to place power in the hands of the present Executive to increase that indebtedness, more especially as the Treasury was under the control of a thoroughly inexperienced member. The Provincial Secretary, while evading the question of the member lor I Oamaru Country, entered into a defence of his colleague, and wound up by repeating the state- | meut he made on taking office as to the probable | Executive arrangements. After Mr Duncan had | made a short financial statement, the Bill was j read a second and third time, and passed. ALEXANDRA, Mr Shepherd asked the Provincial Treasurer and Goldfields Secretary— “1. Why the Gold i deceiver, Mr Field, has boon removed from Alexandra? 2. What arrangements have been j made for transaction of the Warden's ofiice business at Alexandra?”—Mr Bradshaw stated j that some time ago it was decided that the serj vices of one of the clerks at Clyde could bo dispensed with, and the Deceiver at Alexandra was sent to the Arrow to fill a place there which had become vacant. The Warden’s office at I Alexandra was not closed. The Warden at Clyde held a weekly Court there, and the Receiver at Clyde went to Alexandra to receive revenue and issue certificates. The whole matter was before the Executive, and was subject to further arrangements. WE D X JU X E 11. Mr Shepherd presented a petition from the people of Clyde respecting the holding of sessions of Supreme Court there ; hut as the verbiage i was rather roundabout and consequently not | very clear, we can give no very intelligible ac- ■ count of it. Several other petitions were pre- | sorted ami notices of motion were given. In | reply to Mr Brown, the Provincial Secretary ; said no steps had been taken towards the remoj val of the police buildings from East Glutha to | Roxburgh, merely because of want of means. I lie could hold out no prospect of its being j speedily done, but land necessary for the purI pose had been reserved. To Mr Brown’s second ; question, the Provincial Secretary replied that j the survey of the five thousand acre block, Moa I Flat, was not completed, and therefore he could i not say when it would be brought into the mar- ! kot. Arrangements would be made for bringing i it into the market as soon as possible, although it would be necessary to reserve such portions j from sale as would interfere with the profitable i working of the run. With regard to throwing ! open the block at Miller’s Flat for sale, it was the 1 intention of the Government to deal with a por- , tion of it in the same way as the Moa Flat | block, but two or three sections were found I seriously to interfere with the profitable work- ! ing of the run, and they would be reserved. ! In reply to Mr Shepherd as to opening up the | block of land adjoining the Shingle Block, the survey was not completed, but it would be j brought into the market as soon as possible. I With respect to the construction of a foot bridge for foot passengers across the Molyneux at Roxburgh, the Government did not purpose i taking action, but would bo glad to receive a I proposal under the 62nd section of the Waste | Lauds Act, which would be considered by the Government. The second reading of the Otago I Road Boards Bill was postponed to Friday, and ! the House went into committee on the Roads , Diversion Bill. The different clauses were i rapidly gone through, and some alterations were j made in the schedule, after which the cam- : mitteo reported, and the Bill w.is ordered to bo | re-committed next sitting. The Districts GomI pulsory Bind Taking Bill was then passed ] through committee, was reported to the House, land read a third time and passed. i