PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 475, 26 May 1871, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

[by electric telegraph.] Dunedin, Thursday Evening. The Provincial Council was opened to day. Mr. Lillies was elected Speaker hy twentyfour to eleven. The Government proposed Reynolds. The Superintendent, in his speech, said that the history of olonization, up to the present time, afforded no instance of greater progress than has attended this province since 1854, and the progress would have been greater if it had heen a distinct colony, and had been left its own resources. He' congi atulated the Province on the commencement of the Olutha Railway, and that the survey of a lure to the northern boundary of the Province, via Moeraki had been ordered, and an application had been made to survey a line to Tuapcka. He r* commended endeavoring to secure the immediate construction of outworks under Colonial loan. The railway between Dunedin and Port Chalmers was progressing satisfactorily, and would most likely he open d for traffic in February m xt. The erection of a bridge across the Waitaki would he contracted for as soon as Unnecessary plens were prepared. The long delay in placing additional land in the market had seriously diminished the sum total of the revenue duiiug the year. Notwithstanding this, the bulk of lire votes passed were expended, and £230,000 paid up to date by way of subsidies fo District Road Boards, being £3,000 in excess of the last annual vote. As a necessary result, the Provincial account was at pn s :n • largely overdrawn ; hut, from the steps now being taken towar s placing land in the maiket and reducing departmental expenditure, be hoped the account would speedily he more satisfactory. From the Estimab s it would he seen that the most rigid economy was being enforced, and the annual departmental expenses consideraly reduced. The Government felt some delicacy in dealing the estimates with expenditure co nected with the Provincial Council, but are s'roagly of opinion that it may be greatly reduced, He need not siy it was anything but a pleasant duty to dispense with tha services of Government officers from no fault of their own—the necessities of the services an i the exigency of the case however alike leave no option in the natter. While upon the subject he felt that any retrenchment that can he effected must be very incomplete, unless the number of civil servants was reduced, and offices amalgamated. At present about £30,000 was ricained outof the co- solidated revenue in respect of General Government services provincially cha’ged. He trusted the representative s of the province in the G neTid Assombh would endeavor to get this amount largely diminished, so that the difference could he applied to public works. Resolutions would be submitted, bavin? for their object such amendments in the Waste Lands Act as shall offer greater facilities for, and encourage the acquisition of land for settlement. He hoped their recommendations would he so Unanimous as to secure their being given effect to by the CoLnial Legislature. A hill would he submitted for tin! consolidation of existing road districts. and for the establishment ef Road Boards al over the province, and conferring more extended powers on such bodies. Resolutions would be submitted that the ■expansive provisions of the Otago Settlements Act should be extended to various parts of the province. He also asked their concurrence for the province to avail itself of the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Act in respect to immigration. The Land Resolutions were divided uto two parts. Under the first, it provided for applications by persons of mature* age for licen ea to occupy Mocks of land, not within Hundreds, of 420 acres f no application to comprise land within a mile of a homes’ead or premises required for the working of a run, or for washing sheep, unless by permission of the nmholder. The conditions of the license are residence on theal otment, fencing within twelve months, and the cultivation of. one tenth wi bin twelve months. The licenses are not to bo transferrable, and the rent would he 2s. 6d. per year payable in advanee. No person can hold more than one license. If one fourth of his land is cultivated within three years, the licensee shall have power to purchase at 2C», an acre, or oltain- a lease for

| five years at a rental of four shillings per aero. At the end of the four years, the licensee may obtain a Crown Grant upon payment of the difference of the rent paid and twenty shillings per acre. Under heading B. the resolutions proposed that land within hundreds which has been open for sale for six months can be purchased nt the rate of twenty shillings per acre on deferred payments—the purchases to receive an occupation certificate on payment of four shillings. The conditions are residence cultieation of one-tenth of the land within twelve months. The payment of the remainder of the purchase money to he made in four instalments and not more than one occupation certificate to be held by one person.