PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 134, 4 June 1872, Page 7

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, 23rd May. NASEBY ROAD. ' J On the motion of Mr Mervyn, the petition ' I inhabitants of Mount Ida in reference j 0 the proposed deviation of road to avoid * loundburn Hill, was referred to a select Committee : to report on the 31st inst. COMMONAGE FOR CROMWELL. j hlr Hickey moved that an Address be profited to the Superintendent, requesting hat he would cause the sum of £IOOO to be i ilaced on the Supplementary Estimates for j he purpose of procuring Commonage for i ’romwell. c Mr Bastings warmly supported the motion. j e pointed out that the district in favour of i phich the vote was asked had contributed ari/ely to the revenue ; that the miners there iad constructed miles of road at their own 1 |X pense, and without asking the Province to x Contribute a penny, and that they had , [hereby greatly facilitated the development of 1 |he resources of the country. ( J Mr Mervyn also supported the motion. ] 1 The Hon. Mr M‘Lean addressed the CounII on the propriety of enabling all districts to [hare alike. | Mr Reid said, that recognising the necessity which existed for a common at Cromwell, * [he Government would take steps to ascer- c Lin whether they could arrange on reasonlye terms with the runholder, and other- { ■rise, for the proclamation of a common there. I Having this assurance, Mr Hickey agreed * |o withdraw his motion. 1 OTAGO LOCAL REVENUES BILL. This bill, which provides for “granting to i |he Municipal and Counties Corporations ' Irithin the Province of Otago Provincial ] license and registration fees as part of their < Brdlnary revenue,” was read a third time and 1 Biassed. 1 THE FENCING BILL, n A measure introduced in order “to con- * iolidate and amend the laws relative to 1 fences,” was read a second time. THE AIDED SCHOOLS CLAUSES. ! In Committe, Mr Clark’s motion on this 1 Subject was slightly modified, and was put J and carried on a division by 21 votes against 1 p one of the latter being given merely to Siring about a division. Messrs Daniel and were the only real opponents of the Baotion, which is as follows : | “That in the opinion of this Council the ■ ft Aided Schools C.auses’ of the Education | Bill, proposed to he introduced by the Ge- j Bieral Government at the next meeting of As- , lembly, are opposed to true principles of political economy, and are calculated to place in ■he hands of the Minister of Education a Binot dangerous patronage, which may be ex- 1 ftrcised so as to prove most detrimental to the! 1 Best interests of the Colony, and to the sue-! feess of a sound system of National Education: I and that an address bo presented to His ■Honor the Superintendent, requesting him : 110 forward copies of this resolution to the ■Speakers and Members of the Legislative 1 ■Council and House of Representatives.” EDUCATION BILL, g In moving the second reading of this Bill, ■Mr Bathgate explained that it was simply an ■empowering Ordinance to enable School ComInittees to levy rates in aid of their ordinary revenue, and otherwise to amend the existing Ordinance. THE COUNTIES BILL. | This bill was re-conunitted, progress was reported, and leave obtained to sit again. IMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS. I Mr Tolmie moved :—“ That a Select Committee be appointed for the purpose of taking into consideration the position of the province in reference to the expenditure of j |tlie loans for Immigration and Public Works; j sand also as to the distribution of the burdens! jpf past loans, and the future management of public Works within the Province.”—Motion carried. 'The Council then adjourned till Monday, pie 27th. Monday, 27th May. PETITIONS. [ number of petitions were received—the majority of them being presented by Mr Innes in favour of Mr Warden Beetham being retained in his present position. NEW MEMBER. Mr Hallenstein, one of the members for Ane Lakes, took his seat for the first time. NORTHERN RAILWAY. . le motion of Mr Hutcheson, a resolution was agreed to, urging the Colonial Go-| Imminent to cause the survey of a railway i Iff 16 between Moeraki and Dunedin, passing I through Palmerston and Waikonaiti, with I I 16 Vl< ;' v of having that line constructed at 1 an early date. j warden’s court. i Mr Clarke’s motion, recommending that a L ni s Conrt bo held once a month either j Wenore or Tokomairiro, was carried. THE EDUCATION BILL. ,J^ S , biR was re-committed. Its objects i to enable School Committees in the' o tago to levy rates (not to ex- i ert threepence in the pound) in aid of their i mmary revenue, and otherwise to amend! existing Ordinance.” n tae motion of Mr Macassey (carried on 1 f r SI ? U n by 18 t0 15 )> the further progress! bbl was delayed for a time so as to j aeie the member just named to bring for- j ratin amenf^men t iu opposition to the I wing clause. I

Tuesday, 28th May. FERN HILL. In reply to a question by Mr Thomson, Mr Reid said the Government had rented the above property for a time, and had also purchased the furniture at a valuation. This had been done in anticipation of the Governor visiting Dunedin, which he was certain to do within a short period ; and part of the expense would fall upon the General Government. THE POLICE. Mr Daniel introduced a motion, proposing to raise the Commissioner’s salary to £SOO per annum, and to increase the other sala ries of the department by one shilling per day per man. Several amendments were proposed, but nothing was carried. BILLS passed. The Counties Bill, Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, and Oamaru Reserves Management Bill, were read a third time and passed. The remainder of Tuesday’s sitting was occupied with a debate on the Education Bill. Wednesday, 20th May. The Council was engaged during the whole of Tuesday night in discussing the Education Bill. The Times' report says that the “rating” clause, which constituted the bone of contention, was ultimately passed at about 11 a. m., after a debate which lasted nearly thirteen hours. Numerous amendments were proposed, but only the following (moved by Mr Bathgate), Vas carried : (Addition to clause 3). —“ Provided further, that where in any city or town there shall be a valuation made under the Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance, 1865, or any Act or Oniidinauce amending the same, such valuation shall be taken and held to be the rateable value for the purposes of this Ordinance.” Mr Bathgate also moved the following new clause : “ It shall be lawful for the School Committee to determine whether the Bible shall be read in the school or not ; and if a School Committee resolve that it shall be read, then it shall be so read after ordinary school hours, and without note or comment, anything in the 40th section of the Education Ordinance, 1854, to the contrary notwithstanding.” IMMIGRATION. The following resolution was adopted : “ That the Government be empowered to expend the sum of £12,000 during the year for immigration purposes ; and, in the event of any liability being incurred under this resolution, this Council pledges itself to vote the sum necessary to discharge the same.” OTAGO UNIVERSITY. On the motion of Mr Reid, it was agreed that 100,000 acres of pastoral land be sot apart as an endowment for the Otago Uni versily. ENDOWMENTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. An attempt to carry a motion (made pursuant to a previous resolution of the Council) to set aside 500,000 acres of land as an endowment for public schools, was shelved. COLONIAL MANUFACTURES. The Council agreed to resolutions authorising the payment of bonuses as follows : £ISOO for the establishment of a paper manufactory, £390 to facilitate the manufacture of bottles, and not exceeding £IOOO for the establishment of a sack and woolpack manufactory. ROADS ON GOLD-FIELDS. On the motion of Mr Shepherd, £SOO was placed on the Supplementary Estimates for the construction and repairs of roads on the gold-fields. [We are unable to summarise Thursday’s proceedings, the Times of Friday not having j come to hand.]