PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 313, 24 April 1868, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, April 14th. Mr. Robertson presented a petition fron settlers in West Taieri, praying for the de claration of a new Hundred. Mr. Donalc Reid seconded the motion, and the petitior was received. The adjourned discussion on the Replj to the Address came on, and Mr. Mitchell, the member for Wakouati, proposed, as ar amendment, to insert this paragraph :—We consider the desire for new Hundreds e< general, the'opinion of the House on th( subject so evident, from the resolutions pas sed towards the end of last session, ant the necessity for a largo extension of thi Hundred system so apparent, that it is not necessary to refer to a Select Committee th< consideration'of„the subject of the procla mation of Hundreds." This was accepte. by the Government as a*wa«t of confident motion. A division on it took place; anc the motion was negatived by the vote o the Speaker, the members being 17 on eacl side. The Government at once moved fo: an adjournment. Wednesday, April 15th. The Speaker read a letter from the Pro vincial Auditor, respecting unauthorise< expenditure, as follows :-" Special Survc 3 Contracts, £548 5s lid; Road, Cromwel to Queenstewn, £B3 16s 3d ; Expenses ii action, " Cameron vOtago Daily Times, ' £l6O 16s 2d. Mr, Haughton gave notice that ha wm\\< move, on Friday, "That the principle o settlement by the system of Hundreds i.. advantageous to the best interests cf th< Province, and that, without delay, Hun dreds , f moderate area, with Commonag, reserved, should be proclaimed in all dis trietswherea fair proportion of land i: suitable for agriculture ; and also, that ad vantage should nt once be taken of the pro visions of the Goldfield'a Act, 1867, to pro claim blocks of land for agricultural settle ment; Commonage, in all cases, to bo re served in such" blocks." The debate on the reply to the Address. was resumed, and continued at some lengtl till the House adjourned. Thursday, April 16th. Mr. Haughton said that he had in mis take given his notice of motion, as to Hun dreds for Friday, ho withal it to stand fo; Monday. | -Mr. Robertson asked the Secretary f,. Land and Works, "Why the vote of £9oi ; for th.- fencing in of the dangerous portion | of the road to Port Chalmers, Blueskin , and the Taieri, has not been expended ?. The Secretary for Land and Works re plied, that through some error, the Adver tisement calling for Tenders had not ap peared in the Gazette. Tenders were nov called. Mr. Hay asked : "Whether a member' seat became vacant, if he signed a deed o arrangement under the Bankruptcy \rt 1567?." The Speaker said that, anticipating that such a question would be put to him ho had written in these words to the Pro vincial Solicitor, requesting his opinion, ~ " Will the Provincial Solicitor be goo, enough to inform me, at his earliest eonve nieoce, whether or not the notificatioi which appears in the "Government Ga zette " of the Bth inst. respecting a deed o arrangement made by John Millar of Dun edin, affects that gentleman's legal right t retain his seat as a member of the Council. The Provincial Solicitor had replied t this effect : " That as yet no act of bank ruptcy has been committed by Mr. Millai and that his seat in the Council has not by the mere fact of his having executed th deed of arrangement become vacant. A far as the Provincial Council was concen ed, the question could only be determine by them, on such question being referred t them by the Superintendent. Mr. Haughton proposed that the opinio of the Attorney General should be taker which was seconded by Mr. Shepherd an agreed to. Mr. Hay asked " What steps have bee taken, with reference to the re-survey ( the township of Roxburgh ? The preset survey of the Township was a highly incoi venientone, and he regretted to see tha the Government had advertised the salec the land according to that survey. The Secretary for Land and Works sai that, some time ago, instructions had be« given to have the township of Roxhnrg surveyed along the main line of road fro Beaumont to Alexandra, A petition he been received frrm Roxburgh, and, as soc as the Government was made acquaint? with the wishes of the residents, the lan was at once withdrawn from sale. Mr. Shepherd asked the Governmen " Whether the alterations in polling plae for the Electoral Districts of the Goidfieid and the Lakes, in the Province of CHag whioh appears in the "New Zralai J Gazstte " of the 3rd iust... have been . n | commanded by the Provincial, Goter

ment ? " His reasons for asking this question was thatj among other places abolished as polling places, wa»the polling place •of Macetown. In that place there were 70 voters residing, and he believed that 30 more hai .applied to be enrolled, He •could not imagine, for one moment, that the abolition of that polling place could have been recommended by the Provincial Government, Other places with not more than 20 or 30 votes, had been allowed to to remain, and, in view of these facts, he •could not see why, by the Prvincial Government, action should have been taken to abolish the polling place of Macetown. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government had had no hand in T ,ie matter. Mr.. M'Dermid moved that the House go into Committee on the Hundred's questi•on. The motion was negatived, The Provincial Secretary moved, "That whenever a new Hundred is asked for, the petition shall be referred to a select Committee. A lengthy and animated discussion took place upon the motion. An addition to the motion was proposed by Mr. Mitchell, but negatived. The resolution as originally proposed >was ultimately carried without a division. The debate on the Reply to the Address was resumed, and the reply as moved adopted. Mr. M'lndoe moved, "That there be laid on the table a return, showing the amounts of money paid to each of the eoiiofficial members of the Executive, either as travelling expenses or allowances." Tho motion was seconded. The Provincial Secretary showed amounts paid to the'varioue members of ithe Executive for travelling expenses ; the House considered the sums expended, quite reasonable. Frilay, April 17th. The Speaker announced that he had telegraphed to the Attorney General for an opinion on Part 18 of the Bankruptcy Act, respecting Deeds of Arrangement by members. The Telegram in reply, was, that the Attorney General fully concurred in tho opinion of the Provincial Solicitcr. Mr. Main presented a petition from Geo. Green, wfc's?reference to land claimed by him on the West Coast, and in other pai ts of the Middle Island, but more especially in Otago. The land claimed on the West Coast was, he (Mr, Main) believed, in the neighbourhood of Martin's Bay, and as there was some probability of that part of the Province being settled, if the petitioner had any claim, it would be wise to have it thoroughly investigated without delay. The petition was read and was received ; and notice was given to move to refer it to the Committee on Private grievances. A motion was carried for a Select Committee, to take into consideration the disease of pleu.ro-pneumoni a, as connected with the importation of cattle at the Port ; ! Committee to have power to call for per- ! sons, pipers, and reports." Monday, 20th April. Mr. Haughton moved---" That this Conn nd wof opinion ■&-,! the principle of set-; tlemont by the system of Hundreds is ad- I vantageous to the best intere it of the Province J and that without delay, Hundreds of mi- j derate area, with commonage reserved, I nhould be proclaimed in all districts where a fair proportion of land suitable for agriculture is available, and where a reasonable demand exists ; and also, that :silvantage should at once be takenxdHtke provisions of " The Goldfield's Act, ISB7, " to proclaim blocks of land for agricultural settlement, commontge injall cases to be reserved in such blocks. The motion was carried.