PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 586, 11 July 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, July 1. ILe thirty-second session was commenced today. There was a full attendance of members gad the public. On the Council assembling, the Clerk (Mr Sessions) read his Honor's proclamation convening the session, and the return of members elected, after which he intimated that the first duty which devolved upon the House was to elect a Speaker. Mr TOLMIE rose and said: Mr Sessions, I havo to propose that Mr William Hunter Reynolds be called to the chair as Speaker of the Provincial Council. Mr Reynolds : Mr Sessions, I feel highly gratified at my name being proposed, but from various reasons which I need not go into here, it is quite impossible for me to fulfil the duties of Speaker and to attend to my other duties as veil. Therefore, while thanking the hon. member who proposed me, I must respectfully decline. I considerably regret I cannot accept the high and responsible office of Speaker of this Council; and tliink that under the eircumitances it would not bo desirable for me to accept it, seeing that my other duties will call nie away from here for some time. Mr Tolmie : Mr Sessions, I wish to withdraw the proposition I made, as Mr Reynolds has declined to accept the office. Mr Bastings: I have much pleasure in proposing that the hon, and gallant member for Clutha, Major Richardson, as Speaker of the Council. sure that if the hon. member will accept gae position of Speaker of this House, it will f» 'et with universal approbation, and the approof all sides. —(Hear.) I may say that I took upon myself the liberty of speaking to he hon. member yesterday, and asked if he would take the position, and he then declined. I hope the unanimous expression of the wish that the hon. gentleman would take the chair will induce the hon. member to reconsider his determination. Seeing that there are so many new members, the Speaker should be a man who will command the entire confidence of the House, and who can direct the business in reference to all points of order, and I am sure that there is no gentleman in the House who is more capable than the hon. member for the Clutha. I, therefore, have much pleasure in proposing the Hon. Major Richardson. (Hear.) Mr M'Lean seconded the nomination. The Hon. Major Richardson : It is with peculiar gratification that I have heard it proposed from the Ministerial benches that I should occupy the chair of this House; but there are circumstances, and the fact that I have been so long absent from the arena of politics, which justify me in declining the position.—(Hear.) I must thank the hon. member, Mr Bastings, but would have appreciated his compliment much more, when he stated that I was the fittest person to occupy that chair, if he had said so before lie proposed the Hon. Mr Reynolds. (Loud llughter.) '.Mr Bastings was understood to explain that \i was not aware Mr Reynolds would not act. The Hon. Major Richardson : I accept the iJUogy witli the same frankness in which it is H"t tendered. —(Laughter.) I do not wish to dfly the proceedings of this House with any fa her remarks, and respectfully decline to ttcße to the request of the hon. member. 5t Bastings : I am sorry that I have to mtilraw my motion. -i'Tor.MlE: Mr Sessions, I have seen Mr Reynold again, and at my strong solicitation, and seftg that no member has been proposed to tn the chair, he lias consented to allow himse.to be nominated; I, therefore, again proi"l Mr Reynolds as Speaker of this lr M'Dkbmid seconded the nomination. 11. i'. uik : Mr Sessions, I have to move an.i.-uili ■.•irt upon the motion as proposed M Wood wished, before any amendment wusimvd, to ask whether it was strictly in on! '..pose a gentleman a second time imnieil. .y ufterhis name havingbeen withdrawn? Five mutes before, Mr Reynolds had been l'i , "I"!, and he had positively declined to auceii.he oliico if elected; and he thought it sh'i.uiv stated to the Council, in the first place,"f be had retracted that statement; and i£, e bad not, whether he was prepared to do so In that case, the Council ought to conBule%hether it was in order to propose a fitlemana second time, immediately alter the it proposition of his name hj ad been withtwn. flie Clerk said lie was not aware that there i is anything out of order. The Hon. Mr Reynolds : I have to say that V veral hon. members have asked me to reconV•■!■ my decision. I leave myself entirely in * .aids of the Council. If elected, I will J„fXvor to fulfil the duties of the office as far ' t i\ possibly can ; if not elected, and the Counfiei'lect any other hon. member, I will be satis-,l.-(Hea'r.) ],JIr CLARK: I rise to move that Mr John gome Gillies be Speaker. I cannot see any . prfi reason at all that Mr Reynolds should be raerred to Mr Gillies. The late Council very Morally admitted that Mr Gillies filled the .air in a very efficient and satisfactory manner, y' 'Mr Lu.USDEN seconded the nomination. All vmembers of the late Council who had seats in Che House, would agree with him in saying that Mr Gillies had fulfilled his duties as Speaker must efficiently and impartially. The election would be decided by the new members; and in whatever light they viewed the question, Mr Gillies had decided claims upon the old members, and they should support him. ,■ 'The Hon Major Richardson remarked tha Mr Gillies and he had for many years been coni nected with Provincial Council business; had Sought battles on both sides, and both been Speakers. The Council could not do better ,;kn unanimously elect Mr Gillies. The Hon. Mr M'Lean said that the same ohjiasj. which had been stated to the Hon. Mr //.vjpls's election applied to the election just now been proposed. If the oiSx JB ■■> derogatory to the one gentleman it derogatory to the position held by Mr BASTINGS : I wish to say one word on behalf of the Government. The Government his no wish to bring party feeling into the discussion of this matter. To prove that individually I have no desire to foster that feeling, 1 have to state I waited upon the hon. member fur the Clutha, Major Richardson, and pressed upon him to accept the office of Speaker. The Government did not for a moment suppose but that Mr Gillies would be nominated Speaker, [ and with the view of introducing the subject they proposed Mr Reynolds. After proposing Mr Reynolds a lull took place, and that was the proper time to have named Mr Gillies. There were not more than three hon. members in this House competent to fill the chair of this Council, viz., the lion, member for the Clutha, Major Kichardson, the hon. member for Duncdin, Mr Reynolds, and the member for Milton, Mr Gillies. Therefore, they had not many names to bring forward. It was yuite unreasonable to suppose that the Government would nominate Mr Gillies. (A Voice : " Why not?") Well, for reasons that Ve at all events sufficient to my own mind, and efficient to others in the Council.—(Applause.) 'f you ask nvy opinion as to either the fitness of Mr Uillies or that of Mr Reynolds, I answerthat both of them are far from being well fitted for the office of Speaker. They were both partisans of either one side or the other. Two years ago I voted against Mr Reynolds for that very reason. The Government was not disposed to get "p a party question on this election, and had Mr Gillies been proposed at once, he would not awe been opposed. Major Richardson called the attention of the Council to remarks made by the Hon. Mr M'Lean, to the effect that he (Major RichardJm) had no right to be a member of this Council. The Hon. Mr M'Lean rose to explain that f e had made no such remark. All that he had ■ intended to do was to draw a comparison between the position of the Hon. Mr Reynolds and that of the Hon. Major Richardson in relation to the appointment of Speaker. Ho on to say—No one is more glad than I am •o find the hon. gentleman in this Council. The Hon. Major Richardson : The hon. member has poured the oil of gladness over my s ful. I thank him kindly for this expression of his sentiments. I wish also to add that no Possible dignity that could be conferred upon we could induce me to forego my rights as a Citizen of New Zealand. Dr Webster : I do not mean to give a silent upon this subject. I have noticed the reasons given by Mr Reynolds for declining to

accept the office. I quite concur in these reasons. I am strongly of opinion that the members of this House should not sanction any person becoming a member of the Executive Council who was a member of the General Assembly. On the same grounds I object to Mr Reynolds being elected to the Speaker's chair. A great deal had to be done during the recess, and if members were absent in Wellington it was quite impossible that the work could be properly done. I have heard a great deal about the partiality of the late Speaker. My own experience of that gentleman leads me to say that I should like to find an hon. member less partial than the member for Milton. However, I believe it is not to be expected that strict impartiality is to be found. I do not see that any objection can be taken to the conduct of the late Speaker, unless during the last days of the session. On that occasion a good deal of feeling was manifested by members on both sides of the House. I do not wish members to understand by these remarks that I am going to accord with the members of the Government or with members on the Opposition side of the House. It will remain to be seen hereafter whether I am or not at one with the Government or with the Opposition. Far too much party spirit has been already manifested, and I am determined to bring about a compromise, if possible. Although Mr Gillies displayed a little too much partiality at the close of the last session, everyone was liable to err, and I have no doubt but that in future he will be a little more careful.—(Laughter.) I hope there will be no division upon the question of this election, but if there is, I will vote against Mr Reynolds. Mr Tolmie applied for, and was granted leave to withdraw the nomination, of MiReynolds. Mr Reid : I have heard a great deal with regard to the laying aside of party feeling and endeavoring to proceed with the work of the country. If the Government was really actuated by that desire, I think they had a good opportunity afforded to them for paving the way by naming Mr Gillies as Speaker. The only objection that had been stated to Mr Gillies's reelection was that some ten minutes before the prorogation of the last session he had allowed a speaker on one side to obtain an undue advantage over a speaker on the other. He (Mr Gillies) had, as Speaker of the late Council, shown a decision of character and firmness of purpose, and for these and other reasons it gives me great pleasure in again supporting his election as Speaker. Mr Fish would not have attempted to address the House had it not been for the remarks of Mr Reid, who first deprecated party feeling and then did the very thinghe deprecated. He (MiFish) had not intended to have said one syllable against Mr Gillies, and would not have done so but for the unwise and impolitic remarks of Mr Reid. He said that Mr Reynolds and himself were the only persons who were dissatisfied with Mr Gillies's conduct as Speaker on the last day of the last session, it was not only apparent to members on his (Mr Fish's) side, but the feeling extended to both sides of the House, and even beyond it. There was no doubt about it, the conduct of Mr Gillies as Speaker on that occtsion—he did not tliink he was going too far in saying so—was a disgrace to anybody oocupying the honorable position of Speaker. (Cries of " Oh!") What were the facts? An official document was handed to the Speaker; the Speaker said this document was not official, and took no notice of it, consequently his friend the member for the Taieri prjeeedd with the speech he was making. A few minutes elapsed, and as the hon. member for the Taieri had made his speech, which set forth the views of his party on the question at issue, he (Mr Fish) rose to make a few remarks in contradiction of what Mr Reid had stated, when the Speaker produced the document which he had before pronounced to be illegal; and this was done to shut him (Mr Fish) up, and prevent him speaking.—(Mr Clark : "As you ought to be.") Was this impartial conduct ? He was aware that the hon. member for Taieri regarded it as an insult and indignity that he (Mr Fish) should speak, and that he had a great contempt for him ; but, having been elected by a not unimportant constituency he would take the liberty of using his privilege of speech whenever he thought fit, whether it pleased the hon. member or not. He had no objection individu ally to Mr Gillies Mr HALLENSTEIN rose to say that he understood no member could speak longer than ten minutes. Mr Fish replied that Mr Hallenstein's remark was impertinent, and from a narrow point of view he would be likely , Mr Wood considered Mr Fish, in his reference to the member for the Lakes, out of order. Mr Gillies : I hope hon. members will not take the slightest notice of Mr Fish's remarks. I have no intention of doing so. Mr PISH made a few additional observations, and withdrew his reference to Mr Hallenstein. No other candidate being proposed, Mr Gillies was escorted to the chair by his proposer and seconder, and, on taking his seat, said he had to express his acknowledgment of the high honor that had been conferred upon him by the Council in electing him for the second time Speaker of the Provincial Council of Otago. In the future, as in the past, he should be guided in all his rulings and decisions by the standing orders, and by the rules and precedents laid down in Parliamentary practice. A great deal of labor and anxiety would be saved tlie Speaker, if members would study well these standing orders and the rules of proceedings laid down in May. Shortly afterwards, a message announcing His Honor's confirmation of the appointment was read. His Honor then entered the Chamber, and delivered the following speech : Mu Speaker and Gentlemen of the Peovin cial Council :- As you are aware, the provision for carrying on the public service under authority of law expired on the 31st of May last, hence it is that I have called you together on the shortest possible notice, and I fear at no small personal inconvenience to many of you. The Estimates for the current year will be submitted to you without delay. In addition to the various matters referred to in my Opening Address to the late Provincial Council on the Gth May last, definite proposals will be submitted having for their object the immediate construction of light railways in various parts of the Province. Some of these railways will act as feeders to the main line—all of them will facilitate the profitable occupation and settlement of the country, and will save the large expenditure which otherwise it will be necessary to incur in the formation and maintenance of metalled roads. I believe that so soon as the Piovince is in possession of the means of transit which the contemplated railways will provide, there is no reason why the remunerative export of agricultural produce should not exceed in value all the other exports of the Province put together. The sooner, therefore, that we make such provision the better. Gentlemen, —The question of assimilating the Waste Lands Regulations of the late Province of Southland with thoso of Otago has lately forced itself on my attention, in connection with the expediency of reserving land for future settlement, contiguous to the lines of contemplated railways, and of setting aside blocks of land for agricultural settlement on deferred payment. Under the Southland Waste Lands Act at present in force, there is no provision in the direction indicated; and it appears to me that the objects referred to would be most readily attained by bringing the whole Province under the operation of the " Otago Waste Lands Act 1872." At the same time, seeing that there was an understanding when the re-union look place, that the existing Southland Waste Lands Act was to remain intact, I should be chary about taking any action towards its repeal without the approval of the representatives of the Southland portion of the united Province. Some time ago it was intended to have proclaimed several Hundreds in the Goldfields, so as to promote agricultural settlement, and to provide grazing rights. Owing, however, to the very strong objections which were urged against these proposals, the matter was allowed to drop. The question is one which is deserving of your consideration, with a view, if possible, of providing Hundreds on Goldfields, and of pro-

claiming deferred payment blocks within the same, without alienation from the Crown of land that is payably auriferous. Gentlemen,—Seeing that the Colonial Parliament, of which so many of you are members, is to assemble for business on the loth instant, it will be expedient to regulate the duration of the present session accordingly. If it should be found that the business of the Province cannot be accomplished within the next fortnight, it will be requisite either to adjourn or prorogue for a few months. I would venture to hope, however, that this may not be necessary, and that we may be able to set an example to the superior Legislature of what can be accomplished by those who are determined to economise, time, and to turn it to profitable account. Gentlemen, —Assembled as we are for the first time as a newly-elected Provincial Legislature, permit me to express a hope that we may bury the hatchet, and work together for the public welfare ; that we may each and all strive to manifest that mutual concession winch is so essential to the working of free institutions. Seeing that the session must needs be a short one, and that it is desirable to proceed to practical business without unnecessary delay, I venture to suggest that the usual formality of replying to the Opening Address may be dispensed with, the more especially as it is hoped that the various matters referred to will be dealt with by you separately. Gentlemen, —With an earnest desire that we may be guided by that wisdom which cometh from above, I now declare this Council open for the despatch of business. petitions. Petitions were presented—From. 129 settlers at South Clutha, praying for such a slight deviation of the Main Trunk bine, as. would enable it to pass by cultivated districts; from the Clutha Road Board, praying for a commission to inquire into old standing and intricate accounts (Major Richardson); from 135 residents in the Western district of Southland complaining of the state of roads (Mr Daniel). The following petition by pupils of the Girls' High School, past and present, was presented by by Major Richardson. "That your memorialists desire gratefully to recognise the great advantages which your honorable House has conferred upon us and upon the Province, by the institution of the school in which we are now and have been students._ It has been the means of instilling and fostering in us an earnest desire to cultivate, so far as our other duties h».ve permitted, those powers of mind which are our common heritance, and has led in v.o small degree to the University of Otago, so justly our pride, willingly opening its halls for the higher education of women, and admitting us, not not only to its lectures, but also to certificates, which are the equivalents of degrees. This deserves, as it has called forth, our warmest gratitude. Royal Princesses in the old conn tryhave not thought it beneath their dignity to afford their support to one of the noblest movements which characterise the present day, and not only so, but have personally interested themseves, and have enlisted the personal and practical sympathy of the professors of one of our most venerable colleges in the great work. We have yet a favor to ask at the hands of your honorable House : it is the boon which you have given to your brothers, and one which we feel assured you will gladly give to us. _ We ask that scholarships similar to those which call forth their energies, and make them fitter citizens, may be extended to us, so that we may become better fitted to do our duty, and, if we be to assist in earning our livelihood as teachers, thus transmitting to others the blessings with which your liberality has endowed us. Your memorialists earnestly commend this prayer to your favorable consideration.'' GOVERNMENT EXPLANATION 1 . Mr Tolmie : I have to inform this Council that the members of the new Government have been gazetted by hj is Honor the Superintendent to-day. The new Government as gazetted consists of myself ais Provincial Secretary, Mr Tumbull as Provii icial Treasurer, Mr Bastings as Secretary for the Goldfields and Works, Mr Turton as Provincial Solicitor, and Mr M'Dermid as a member without office. I wish to explain that I have only accepted office with the view of facilitating the business of the present session. I felt that if I declined accepting office great inconvenience wovdd be experienced by a new member coming in and taking my place, the more especially as the time for carrying on the business of the country was limited, not exceeding ten or eleven days. If it is the wish of the House that I should remain in office during the session, I will do so. Whether or not, it is my intention to retire at the close of this session. Personally, I have no desire to be a member of the Government. I quite agree with the object aimed at by Dr Webster's notice of motion that no member of the Government should be a member of the General Assembly. I believe that it is the intention to reconstruct the Government at the close of the session on a basis that will be satisfactory to all. It was proposed to add one member from the Northern, and another member from the Southern districts of the Province. I wish to make a few remarks in reference to the opinion expressed regarding my position as a member of the Waste Land Board. I hold office as a member of that Board so long as I remain a member of the Government. So long as I hold my position as a member of the Government I shall also retain my seat as a member of the Waste Land Board. The moment I cease to hold the one office I also cease to hold the other. I think that explanation will be quite sufficient for those members who really desire that the business of the country should be gone on with expeditiously. It is quite possible that all the business will not be disposed of during the very short time allowed for the present session. In that case, it will be incumbent on the Council to pass measures of pressing importance, more particularly the Estimates. That done the business can be proceeded with, and if necessary, the Council can be called together again at the close of the General Assembly. I will not now detain the House any longer, as I will have other opportunities for addressing you. The Estimates have been printed, after which some alterations were made which necessitated their being reprinted. They will, however, be laii upon the table this week. Mr Shand was about to review the remarks made by the previous speaker in reforence to his (Mr Tolmie's) position as a member of the Waste Land Board, when he was called to order by the Speaker. Mr Shand : Then I will say nothing more just now, but I will bring the matter up again to-morrow. Mr Reid spoke at some length. He expressed a strong opinion that definite information should be furnished as to what shape the proposed reconstruction of the Government should take before they were asked to pass the Estimates. He understood that the Government contractors had not been paid, and that their non-payment had ben imputed to the action adopted by him (Mr Reid) in the late Council. Mr Turnbull denied that any such statement had ever been made by the Treasury. Mr Reid continued to say that he thought it would be quite sufficient if the Government framed a Bill to make good the payment for all current contracts, and leave the general question of appropriation to be settled after the Council had received definite information regarding the proposed reconstruction of the Government. For his own part he had no intention of passing these appropriations hurriedly ; nor until he knew who the Government was by whom their votes would be expended, and by whom the exercise of the other important duties devolving upon the Government would be performed. Mr Stout wished to know the real position of the Government. At the close of last session they refused to go on with the business, stating as their reason that they simply held office until their successors had been appointed. Mr Turnbull expressed surprise that the previous speaker should have evinced such a lamentable want of knowledge of constitutional law. —(Laughter.) With the election of a new Council, a new Government had also to be elected. That had been done that morning. His Honor the Superintendent had just issued a proclamation electing a fresh Government, the individual members of which had been announced. The late Government became defunct.—(Cries of " No, no.") _ Mr Stout remarked upon the strange position in which the Government stood in relation to the Council, During the last session ths

Government tendered its resignation, and refused to carry on the business, stating that it simply held office until its successors had been appointed. Two members, at least, of that Government got up and condemned tlie conduct of the Superintendent in not calling the Council together. They afterwards stated that the Superintendent had done right, and then that they would the verdict of the country as to whether he had acted rightly or wrongly. These same gentlemen had continued to retain office now more than a month after they had tendered their resignation. Now they were told that the Superintendent had re-appointed them to office. What was still stranger, they were asked to pass the Estimates, and while they were told about a reconstruction of the Government, not a | word was said as to what that reconstruction I was to be. He thought the Government would Bee its way to advise the Superintendent to give a list of the names proposed for the new Executive, so that they might judge whether they had the confidence of the Council or not. In reply to a question put by the Hon. Major Richardson, the Provincial Secretary said he did not think it would be advisable for the Council to meet on Saturdays during the sitting. Mr M'Kenzie made a remark, in answer to which the Provincial Secretary said that it was intended that the Government should be reconstructed before the Council prorogued. All that was intended by the present arrangement was that the business should be carried on without interruption to the close of the session. The Speaker ruled out of order a question by Mr M'Kenzie as to how the Council did not meet yesterday, as was originally intended. After some further debate, the motion for adjournment was put and carried.

Wednesday, July 2. PETITIONS. The following petitions w r ere received —From land-holders and residents in the district of Kakanni, that L 5.000 voted by the Provincial Government for Harbor Works at Kakanni, or portion thereof, should be expended in the prosecution of said works. (Dr Webster.)— From the members of the Lyndhurst Hoad Board for re-construction of the district by separating the Waimumu sub-division. (Mr Kinross.)-- From residents in Tapanui that the Council recommend the Waste Land Board to re-consider its decision refusing to allow valuation for improvements made upon land adjoining these allotments. (Hon. Dr Menzies). —From settlers in the Pomahaka district that a fair proportion of the revenue raised in the district should be expended upon public works in the locality. (Hon. Dr Menzies).—From Robert Dodds and Isaac Wyber relative to the depasturing of sheed at the Table-hill district. (Mr Clark). —From residents of Cardrona relative to a sura of L 240 voted for the improvement of the road communication between that and the adjoining districts, and which was handed over to the Municipal Council of Cromwell. (Mr D. M‘Kellar). —From merchants, lightermen, shipowners, and others residing in Dunedin and Port Chalmers, relative to the imposition of certain dues. (Mr Stout). —From members of a Progress Committee, chosen by the inhabitants of Macraes Flat, relative to the state of the road between that place and Shag Valley. (Mr J. M‘Kenzie).— From parents and guardians of boys attending the High School, praying for a competent systen of inspection. (Hon. Mr Bathgate). QUESTIONS. The Hon. Major Richardson asked : Whether any report has been received from the commissioner appointed to investigate certain charges made against the head master of the Tokomairiro grammar school, in connection with the absence of one of the scholars from religious instruction; and if not, what is the cause of the delay, and when will the charges be examined into ? The Provincial Secretary : In reply to the question, I have got to say that the commissioner appointed to examine into this charge has communicated with the gentleman who made the charge, and at his request the matter has been postponed for six weeks. The Hon. Major Richardson said that, so far as he was concerned, the question had not been satisfactorily answered. Would the Government pursue this investigation to a satisfactory result, or would they insist upon this slur upon eur educational department no longer remaining ? The Provincial Secretary : The Government have, of course, taken the initiative ; but at the request of the gentleman who made the charge, have postponed it, as it is inconvenient for him to attend. The Hon. Major Richardson asked : Whether the report of the commission appointed to investigate the allegations made against Mr Warden Beetham by certain Chinese, is, in the opinion of the Government, such as to fully exonerate the Warden ? The commission had fully exonerated Air Beetham. So far so good, hut he thought it was only right towards a Government officer, charged in this way, that the Government should come forward in a public capacity and declare that these charges had, in their opinion, either been disproved or were true. The Provincial Secretary : I have to say that the Government are perfectly satisfied that . the charges brought against Air Warden Beetham were untrue; and were satisfied be-forehand.-—(Hear.) Air APKenzie asked what amount of money has been expended for road works in the Peninsula electoral district during the last financial year ? The Provincial Treasurer : In answer to that question, I have to state that the amount expended on road works in the district has been Lol-t life Id. lam not aware at this moment whether there is an indebtedness, but I do not think there is. However, I will give the necessary information to-morrow. Mr Stout asked what the cost of tke recent elections of Superintendent and Provincial Councillors has been to the Province ? The Provincial Treasurer : The answer to this question is, that I am unable to say. I can tell the hon. member the number of claims that have been lodged in the Treasury up to the present time, and the amount of them is Lll2 16s (id. There are, no doubt, others to come in ; several returning officers have not yef forwarded their claims ; so that probably the amount will be more than what is claimed up to the present moment. BILLS. The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of the Dunedin Management Ordinance, 1867, Amendment Bill. The Hon. Major Richardson moved as an amendment that the Bill should be read that day six months. The area set forth in tiro schedule of the Act adjoined the Aliddle School, where upwards of 600 children were confined, with barely sufficient breathing space allotted to them. The importance of sufficient ground connected with schools was forcibly pointed out by the High School Commission. The amendment was seconded by Mr MTCenzie. Air Fish moved the adjournment of the debate until to-morrow, to afford him an opportunity for satisfying the mover of the amendment that his apprehensions were groundless. The further consideration of the matter was adjourned till to-morrow. On a motion for the second reading of the Otago Municipal Corporation Ordinance Amendment Bill, Mr Fish expressed an opinion that the power might be conferred upon the Superintendent, and the Executive Council should be guarded by a reservation that their powers wore passed without first ascertaining that it was the wish of a majority of the citizens. It was pointed out by the Secretary for Works that the case put by the member for Cavershatn was an extreme one. The Govemipent only moved at the request of municipal bodies, and they brought down this Bill merely for the purposes of some up country municipality. The Government would, however, withdraw the Bill and introduce a separate Bill • for any municipality that desired to increase its boundaries. The Bill was accordingly withdrawn. On tlie second reading of the South Dunedin Cemetery Closing Bill, Air M'Glabhan intimated that he would have to oi-pose the Bill unless it were amended, because it took away the rights of persons wlxo had purchased land in the cemetery. The second clause should he so altered as to permit of persons who had purchased land to be entitled at all tunes to bring their friends and relatives there. It was stated by the Government that the objection could be met, and the second reading passed.

The Port Chalmers and Queenstown Water- 1 works Empowering, the Bridges Traffic Regu- ; lation, and the Dempsey Trust Bills were read ; a second time. i TIME OF MEETING. Mr Brown moved, " That this Council is of opinion that the financial year should termi- . nate on the 30tU September each year, instead ' of March 31, as at present." The mo- , tion was supported by Mr Lumsden and ' Mr Kinross, on the ground that the , change of time would greatly convenience the country members, who found it exceedingly difficult to travel over the roads in the winter ; . and opposed by Dr Webster, on the ground ' that the change would be preatly inconvenient, September being the month in which agriculI turalists and those engaged in pastoral pursuits initiated their various operations ; and by Mr M'Lean and Mr Bathgate, on the ground that it would clash with the meeting of the Colonial Parliament. The Provincial Secretary had heard no good reason for altering the date of the financial year. If the motion were passed, supplies would have to be voted either for six months or eighteen months, which was inconvenient; but apart from that, it would be of greater inconvenience to members to attend in the spring months. The time of year in which the Council had hitherto met was a good one. There was another thing to be home in mind : it was with regard to the framing of the Estimates and the acceptance of contracts. If the Council meeting was postponed till October, as it generally occupied six weeks, that would bring it to the middle of November; and members generally had expressed a desire that the contracts for works should be accepted before the Ist of January, which would be impossible, if the time were changed.—(Hear). The motion was simply one of those side winds in connection with the motion of the member for Blueskin, which had been negatived a short time before. He would certainly oppose it. The motion was negatived on the voices. deferred payments. Mr Stout moved—"That in the opinion of this Council it is expedient, in order to provide for the speedy settlement of the country, that the Otago Waste Lands Act 1872, in so far as it provides that the area open for alienation by deferred payments shall not exceed 30,000 acres, and that no new block or any one now shall be opened in tne same system, until at least one-half of the said block should be amended. That there should be provided, in lieu of the provisions in the said Waste Lands Act relating to the alienation of land on deferred payments, that the area to be opened in any one year should not exceed 100,000 acres, and that there should be no limit as to quantity to be taken from any one run, nor should it be insisted on that at least one-half of the land opened for sale on the said system should be sold or leased before further land could be opened." It was unnecessary to make any lengthened remarks, because the Council had on more than one occasion affirmed the principle of his motion. In the Waste Lands Bill sent to the Assembly last year, there was no limit whatever to the quantity of land to be opened for sale on deferred payment; therefore he was not asking 1 the Council to assert any new principle. It might be asked why the motion was brought forward ? why the Act of 1872 was not given a fair trial before asking to have it amended ? There were various reasons. One was that the Executive Superintendent, in his Address to the late Council, regretted that there was any limit to the areas placed at the disposal of the Government by the Act. ■ Another reason was that there would be no need for Provincial legislatures if they were not to alter laws in the way they considered suited to i their circumstances. The sole question was—i Was the amendment-necessary ? and no person could read his Honor's Address without seeing that it was urgently required. What areas did the Address propose to set aside under the de- , ferred payment system? 2,500 acres in the , Tuapeka and other districts: blocks of 2,500 acres cut out of certain runs; and the result would be that only small blocks would be set aside, without grazing rights for the settlers. This should urge the Council to see that no block of land was thrown open for sale without having soma grazing rights attached to it, so that new settlers could , carry on farming operations with some chance of success. He also referred to the necessity of providing means of settlement for the immigrants to be brought out under the , colonising scheme, and remarked that there was ; a danger of what had happened in Southland occurring here. Owing to the rise in wool and some other products, capital had become more , plentiful, and the capitalists, seeing that the . area of agricultural land was very limited, were buying up large blocks, thereby injuring the . future settlement of that part of the country, [ because it was almost hopeless for a person of limited means to contend against the capitalist. '. It was the duty of the State to prevent a land . monopoly or the land being swallowed up, and . to provide against it the Assembly had been [ urged to inaugurate this scheme of deferred . payments, and the system should be encouraged in every possible way. It might be urged if . the resolutions were carried, that the result ; would be that injury would be done to the pasl toral tenants. That could not be urged as an . objection, as in the first place the pastoral tenants took their leases on the understanding that , if a settlement increased they must retire; while . in the second, it would be a greater injury to the [ pastoral tenants to have small blocks taken out of their runs here and there—to have the choice , spots in them picked—than to have one large t area taken at once and the thing done with. I Further, the provisions of the Act of 1572 did i not affect the declaration of Hundreds. 18,500 i acres could be taken from a run, and the re- . mainder could be taken, if necessary, for Hundreds ; therefore his tenure would not be i more secure than under the plan proposed. He [ did not object to the provision in that Act that before further land could be opened up , one-third of the land opened up on de- - ferred payments should be occupied. That was ', a guarantee to the Province that the agri- , cultural land was not to be too readily disposed , of. Unlexs the Act were altered in the manner . he suggested the system would not be a success i- to the Province —(hear); —he therefore hoped , that Council, if not unanimously, would pass , the resolution by a large majority, so that the Assembly would feel bound to recognise the wishes of the Council. Mr M'Kenzie seconded. ' Mr M'Lean only intended to express a hope " that the hon. gentleman who had taken the question in hand might prove more successful i than those who had preceded him. For the last t live years they had had a new Land Act with- ) out even tryingit; and now there appeared a new ' cook to prepare a fresh one. He was pretty sure : that if the proposed amendment was sent up to s the Assembly, there would be but one opinion t entertained there : that whatever Otago ' legislators were fit, for, they certainly were not fit to pass a land law. It would be better to - abolish the land laws altogether than to go on getting new Acts, without endeavoring to put ! them into force. Mr Shand admitted the resolutions were not - perfect; but they were good as far as they went. As the hon. member for Oamaru had 3 stated, the act had not'got a fair trial. On the Government benches were a number of gentle- ! men who were opposed to the Act in its entirety, ; and his candid belief was they wished to make l it a failure. It would never lie near a success 3 until the Council placed on the benches the 1 party that passed the measure through the r Council, and forced it on the Assembly. That ; was the reason why he had given notice of . motion of want of confidence, so that they r might test their strength, and see if they had r power to give that Act a trial. Dr Webster meant to oppose the motion, for 1 the reason adduced by the last speaker, namely, ! that the present Land Act had not had a fair - trial. Whether the last speaker was right in , saying that the present Government had pre--1 vented its having a fair trial, he was not prepared i to say. He did not think they had; but he - thought it was perfectly absurd for them to be making laws every year, and sending up amendl ments to the Assembly before giving them a - fair trial. Regarding the small area I be opened under the deferred payment system, ! he said —One tenth of the pastoral land was fit 1 for occupation at the present time. The Go- ; vernment could throw open from 2,500 to 5,000 - in one ran, and if additional land were required, > could select a like quantity from adjoining runs, i This could be done on most runs throughout the i Province, and so in a great measure could the objection to small areas be removed, He would

not be opposed to increasing the area from { 30,000 to 100,000 acres, provided after the first e year's trial it was proved that the larger portion i of the 30,000 had been taken up for settlement, i Let the Act be worked as it is; let it be earned ; out in its true spirit, and let them set apart J agricultural land on which people could settle i and make something out of it; then the Council ] would be doing justice to themselves, and some ' 1 good to the country. ] Mr Bhowne was astonished that the hon. ] member for Caversham should come forward ( with an amendment of the Land Act at such a < time. He would move as an amendment on his , resolutions, " That in the opinion of this Coun- \ cil it is inexpedient to attempt to amend the j Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872, until the said t Act has had a legitimate trial." j Mr M'Glashan seconded the amendment, i He was quite sure that if the resolutions should be passed, and go up to the Assembly they would be spurned. It took two years to pas 3 the present Land Act, and he knew that the feeling ' that existed was very much averse to passing the Act, owing to the fact that there had been so many Waste Lands Bills from Otago. , Messrs Wood, Wilson, and Lumsden supported the motion. Mr M'Dermid said the Government in- ; tended to carry out the Act, both in its letter and spirit. He claimed to have been the first ! to introduce the deferred payment system, in 1869 -(cries of " No ") —and remembered when j Mr Shepherd introduced resolutions on the same subject, they were opposed by Mr Reid and the party that acted with him—(cries of " No") —while Mr Reid's Government, by a side-wind, prevented them being discussed. He (Mr M'Dermid) thought there ought to be no limit to the area to be thrown open, and would go even further than the resolution and support a measure for increasing the acreage to be held by one person, from 200 to 320 or 640 acres. The Hon. Major Richardson asked if the Government would favor the House with an expression of opinion on the subject of the motion. Mr Tolmie said that there was no occasisn for him, as representing the Government, to say anything upon the original motion, because, as an hon. member had already stated, his iionor the Superintendent in his Address had expressed his opinion as to the requirements of the country with regard to bio 3ks of land for the deferred payments system. His Honor, in that statement, had reflected the opinions of the Government ; therefore he thought it would be well to allow the resolutions of the hon. member for Caversham to pass, and to withdraw the amendment. The motion was then carried. SOUTHLAND LAND REGULATIONS. On the motion of Mr Lumsden, followed by a short debate, the following resolutions were carried : —"lst. That this Council resolves, with the concurrence of his Honor the Superintendent, and in terms of clause 16 of the Southland Waste Lands Act, 1865, that blocks of agricultural land, amounting in the aggregate to at least 200,000 acres, be set apart in that part of the Province comprised within the late Province of Southland, as a Reserve for the purpose of promoting emigration to bon a fide settlement and public works in that district; and that with the iew of making a judicious selection of such lands only as are suited for agricultural purposes, the Superintendent be requested to appoint Commissioners to make such selection; and the Council recommends that two of such Commissioners should be the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Inspector of Surveys in the district. 2nd. That the said lands be disposed of from time to time for occupation on the plan of deferred payments only, as already adopted under the 'Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872.' 3rd. That this Council conI siders it expedient that the ' Southland Waste Lands Act, 1565,' be amended so as to provide for the discontinuance of the system of free selection, and the application of the plan of deferred payments, in tha disposal of the remaining unsold agricultural lands within the Southland district: And that with the view of giving effect to this and the foregoing resolutions, his Honor the Superintendent be requested to introduce a Bill into the General Assembly at its next session to amend the ' Southland Waste Lands Act, 1565,' accordingly." ROAD REPAIRS. Mr M'Kenzie moved, "That the Government be instructed to take immediate steps to put the Main North Road and the north interior roads in a passable state of repair." The Secretary for Works said he deeply sympathised with the objects of the motion, and that he fully bore out the remarks made regarding the deplorable state of these roads. As a matter of course, the blame would be laid on the late Government. However, he had to inform them that the Government had not oidy spent the money voted for this purpose, but they had actually gone the length of expending money upon it which had not been voted. The late Executive had actually taken upon itself to spend a sum of LI,OOO in excess of the amounts voted, so that they had actually done more than the Council authorised them to do. Metal hail been ordered for these roads, and would be put down as fast as possible. In reference to a remark made by the mover of the motion, that the coach had been detained that night to eight o'clock, he had only to state that much more serious delays took place on some of the other roads, delays arising from the bad state of these roads. The Tuapeka coach from the Dunstan la-st winter not unfrequently arrived just in time to allow passengers to jump into the Dunedin coach, having been detained all night on the road. In matters of road making the Council should bear in mind that the Government had exceptional difficulties to contend with. They had from seventeen to eighteen hundred miles of made road to maintain. To put them in thorough repair a sum of at least L 500.000 would be required. Now, they must be aware that the Government had not money at its command to do all that at once. The Government had done all it could do, and it could not be expected to do more. The motion was put and carried. THE ADVERTISING SHEET. Mr Pish moved, " That in future all adver- • vertisements, calling for tenders or intimating i the sale of land, should be inserted in the newspapers." He said that at the present time i the Government was in the habit of advertising . in the Gazette sheet only. It was true the Gaccttc was supplied gratis, but he took leave to think that despite that fact it was far from being extensively perused. The result was that . sufficient publicity was not given to public ad- . vertisements, and serious loss was occasioned thereby—a loss far beyond any gain arising i from the charges saved by the sheet. On the suggestion of Messrs Stout and Sumi>TER, the motion was amended by the addition of ; the words "papers published in the localities i referred to by the advertisement, as also the Dunedin papers." i Mr REID did not agree with the estimate ; placed on the value of the advertising sheet. It , was a f.oot within his knowledge that it was i extensively circulated and carefully perused. -, The proposal to advertise in the newspapers would involve an enormous expenditure far in ; excess of what members contemplated. Then • there was a difficulty about what really consti--1 tuted a paper published in the district. He . thought the present arrangement perfectly satis- . factory advertisements were inserted at length in the sheet, and a short notice put in > the district papers calling attention to the sale, ; and referring to the sheet for detailed parti- . culars. ; The Provincial Secretary concurred in ; the opinions expressed by the last speaker, after f which the motion wa-s withdrawn. DEFERRED PAYMENTS. 1 Mr SHAND moved—" Ist. That all that area of land within the Province of Otago, as per : plan attached, and therein colored green and , numbered, be withdrawn from sale, for the purr pose of being placed under deferred payments i as required. 2nd. That a Commission, consist- - ing of the Hon. Major Richardson, Mr Driver, 1 Dr Webster, and (with their consent) the : mover, along with the Acting-Surveyor (Mr i M'Kerrow), be appointed to report, during the - recess, on the within runs, as to the necessity i or advisability of selling part of such runs, not 1 agricultural land, for the payment of railways , within the Province. 3rd. That the Provincial t Government be authorised, as soon as possible, - to call for tenders for the immediate construc- ) tion of the railway between Balclutha and Ma- , taura. The railway to be offered to the General . Government, should they be prepared to take : the contracts up." ; [The following are the runs referred to in the I foregoing motion;— Run, XU ? M'Nab's, 54,600

acres ; 131, M'lntyre's, 32,600; 175b, Ibbotson, say 10,000 suitable for settlement; 167 a, Larnach, 21,400, of wliich 7,000 is surveyed into sections; part of 78, Tolmie, 5,000, of which 3,000 is already sanctioned ; 167b, M'lntyre's, 21,400; 168, M'Kenzies, 17,000, of this I,oooacres are in sections: 176 a, Logan's 23,000, less 11,000, 12,000. The 11,000 acres were recently purchased by Mr Logan in December, 1873. Part of 212, Herbert, say 8,000 suitable for settlement; part of 163, M'Kellar's, late Schlotel, and part of 178, say 8,000 suitable for settlement; part of 193, Swanston, and part of 194, M'Kellar, say 10,000 suitable for settlement. Grand total, 200,000. The whole of this 200,000 acres is well adapted for farms ranging from 100 up to, say, 1,000 acres each —the smaller for dairying and cultivation; the larger for farms partly arable and partly pastoral.] Mr Shand said the land was situated on either side of the Southern Trunk Railway, Invercargill and Balclutha, and was the best unsold portion of agricultural land in the Province. If they were going to dispose of land under the deferred payments system, that was the be , 't place where' settlement would get a fair trial. He also trusted that along with the land, a railway would also be at the command of the settiers there ; that before the crops were grown there would be a railway to transport them to market. If the motion were carried, he would some day prove to the citizens of Dunedin that neither himself nor those who worked with him were obstructionists, for this land was capable of maintaining a population as large as that settled in the Province at the present time. Mr M'Neil said he had very much pleasure in seconding the motion. It was, he thought, a step in the right direction, having a tendency towards accomplishing the double object of settling an industrious population on the waste lands, and inducing a steady flow of immigration. It had always been his impression that the best immigration agents were those letters which conveyed to friends at Home the word "pictures of a happy Colonial home ;'" and ho was very much afraid that the facilities offered for forming such homes had been too limited hitherto. With a great part of the country embraced in the motion he was well acquainted, and could speak with the utmost confidence of its suitability for the purpose for which it was sought to be set aside. Of course it could hardly be expected that the whole area of 200,000 acres would be well adapted for strictly agricultural purposes, and therefore he thought the appointment of the Commission, for the Eurpose of determining the nature and capacities of the various runs, with the views set forth in the motion, very desirable. As to the desirability of providing for the immediate construction of the railway between Balclutha and Mataura, he apprehended there would be no two opinions. The necessity would commend itself. Por these reasons the motion would have his cordial support. The Provincial Secretary asked under what clause of the Land Act the land was proposed to be taken? Mr Shand did not know that power was required under any clause of the Act. He did not wish to leave a Government in power which on some future day might, at a small Executive meeting, agree to sell 20,000 acres of this land. He wished the whole of it to be reserved. The Provincial Secretary : I merely wish to know if the Provincial Council has power to make the reserve? The Hon. Major Richardson : The Provincial Secretary has raised a question. I think he has the power to consult the Provincial Solicitor, and can get the best answer from that qu rtcr. —(Laughter.) Mr ReW) was amazed at the action of the Government in regard to this matter—amazed that they should have met a motion involving the disposal of 200,000 acres by a mere quibble. The reservation did not require to be made under any clause, but could be made, if the Government wished to make it, in the same way that they reserved the land applied for by Messrs Smith and Gellibrand. Where was the great scheme for connecting the Mataura and Clutha railways propounded in his Honor's Address last session ? He would have expected the Government to have come down and either said " we approve of these resolutions: they agree with our views in regard to the construction of this railway;" or "we cannot support them because they entirely interfere with the scheme for the construction of this railway already considered by the Executive." Instead of that, the Government mind was an utter blank ; at all events, if they had any ideas they were precious careful about them. The Provincial Secretary remarked that, had the hon. member for the Taieri been in his place that afternoon, he would have heard the Goldfields Secretary give notice of a motion indicating the course the Government intended to take in regard to connecting the Clutha and Mataura railways. He did not rise to oppose the resolution ; on the contrary, they embodied to a certain extent the views of the Government. The resolutions were not in proper shape, and the first one was unintelligible. It was customary in such cases to move that an Address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to withdraw, &c In regard to the motion itself, it was the intention of the Government, as he had already indicated, to bring forward a measure by wliich the railway conld be constructed, and to reserve certain lands from sale. Mr Shand had said that these lands were open for sale now; but he was neither aware that such was the case, nor by what means they had been thrown open for sale. Mr Reid was not awaro that any portion of the land was open for sale. His own opinion was that very little of it was open. The Provincial Secretary was not aware that a single acre of it was open. As he had already stated, he did not intend to oppose the resolutions, as they were the same thing the Government contemplated, only in a different form. He did not think it necessary to say anything further. The appointment of a Commission was harmless ; and as to the construction of the railway, the Government resolution went further than those of Mr Shand, as it defined the limit to which the Government should go in the matter ef the construction of the line. The Goldfields Secretary said it appeared ; to him that the member for the Taieri and the ' members who voted with him were quite sur : prised that the Government did not take up a ' position of antagonism to them on the land 1 question. No doubt they were surprised, be- ' cause it was the intention of the Government to . be as liberal as, if not more liberal, in the matter ; of the land laws, than any Government that had • preceded them. It was amusing to see the member for Caversham arrogating to himself so . recently the position of people's champion on ; the land question. He (Mr Bastings) might 1 say that be would take second place to none in ; the Province in his desire to settle people on the land. He had devoted as much time and I spent as much money in the advocacy of this " cause as any man who held a seat in the Coun- ' cil, or who resided in the Province. During the last seven years he had devoted a large ■ amount of time, and had travelled over hun--1 dreds of miles in the Province in advocating 1 a liberal land policy. He had oome down to the Council, before he was a - member of it, and presented numerous petitions ' requesting the Government of the day to do something to open up the land in and about the 1 populous districts for the purposes of settle- > ment. And what had been the result? What had been done during the seven years in regard to the Tuapeka district ? The liberal Govern--1 ment of Mr Reid, which had advocated this l ' liberal policy, had opened up 5,000 acres in the neighborhood of Tuapeka, and 2,500 acres in. the neighborhood of the Tcviot. What else did i they do? They uold 50,000 acres in one block, f 22,000 acres in another, and some of the finest I agricultural land in the Province—viz., the - Island Block. And this was the liberal Go- ? vcrnment with the liberal land policy! He - (Mr Bastings) believed in actions, not in words. , it had been said that the reason why these ' blocks were sold was that the Province was in c financial difficulties. That was no valid reason. : It showed incapacity on the part of the Govem- ' ment to get into difficulty; they ought never t come into power. Ho defied the Opposition to 5 lay their finger on any act of malad ffiitu'stra--1 tion by the present Government in reference to , the administration of the lands. The Govern- ■ ment had also endeavored to comply with the wishes that had been made to them in reference I to commonage. He had seen it stated in ! a letter sent to Cromwell by the hon. member for the Taieri that the Government ! had power, under the Act of 1872, to de- • claw commonage, He could only say--.

Mr Reid : That is absolutely incorrect. I merely stated that the Government had power under the Act to take land which could be afterwards used as commonage. The Goldfields Secretary had Mr Ecid's letter in his possession, and, so far as he could understand English, it said the Government could get commonage by paying for it. All he (Mr Bastings) could say was, that the Government had been very anxious to get commonage for the goldflelds ; and speaking for himself and colleagues, they would have been quite willing to pay for commonage if they could have got it; but they had not the power to obtain it except through the pastoral tenants; and, owing to the prevailing prosperity, they had found it exceedingly difficult to make terms with the Crown tenants; in fact, in most cases, the Government had not been able to make any terms. There was another point, and it was in regard to the declaration of Hundreds within goldfields. For a considerable time he understood the Government had not the right to declare Hundreds ; but he had now come to the conclusion, after consulting with several legal gentlemen in the City, that they had the power ; and it was the intention of the Government to proclaim them. There was only this difficulty about it. As soon as Hundreds were declared, there would be an outcry about the land being auriferous; still he believed that would be got over, as in most case 3 the land had been thoroughly prospected, and that if the Government threw open the land, the people would be satisfied, even if there was a risk of the Hundred including a little auriferous land. The Government would support any motion for setting aside the best agricultural | land in the Province for the purpc ses of settlement—indeed, there was no party in the Council more anxious than they to facilitate settlement—and he trusted the member for the Taieri would take this as an indication of what the Government meant in reference to the land system of the Province. He had now spoken the mind of the Government on the subject. That hon. member might smile, but had he (Mr Bastings) been a member of a Government which proposed to do what that hon. member had done, he would immediately have resigned his position, and branded those who had so ccted as traitors to the best interests of the ountry. - (Cheers and ironical cheers.) The Hon. Major Richardson moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr Reid, in reply to the remarks of the Goldfields Secretary, asserted that that gentleman was a consenting party to the vote which enabled the Government to sell the 50,000 acre block. The Goldfields Secretary : No. Mr Reid : In a conversation with me after the resolution was carried, the hon. member said to me that he knew where we could dispose of 50,000 acres without any injury to the Province. The Goldfields Secretary : No. I was 250 miles away when the resolution was carried. Mr Reid : I state most positively that the hon. member told me, though not in this Council Chamber, that he knew where we could dispose of 500,000 acres without injury to the Province, and that it was better 'to sell the land and prosecute public works rather than have no money in the Treasury. The Goldfields Secretary : I never said sell 50,000 acres to Clarke. I could tell you many 50,000 acres that could be sold without disadvantage to the Province. Mr Eeid remarked that a material point was to find a purchaser for the land. He. repeated, the hon. member for Tuapeka, if he was net present when the resolution was carried, was, at all events, a consenting party to the selling of the block. The Goldfields Secretary : No. I deny it emphatically. Mr Eeid : The chief charge of the member for Tuapeka, was that during a number of years only a certain quantity of land had been thrown open in his district. He thought the hon. member was wrong ; his (Sir Reid s) Government had thrown open 5,000 acres on Mr James Smith's run. If the lion, member went over the bluebooks, he would find that instead of his (Mr Reid's) Government only throwing open 5,000 acres, the quantity thrown open during that time was nearer 50,000 or 00,000 acres. The hon. member concluded by stating that he would treat with indifference the brand the member for Tuapeka placed upon him. The Goldfields Secretary : It is as much appreciated at Tuapeka as yours is at the Taieri. After some further discussion, the debate was adjourned till next day.

Thursday, July 3. QUESTIONS. The Executive, in answer to questions, stated that the motion given notice of that afternoon by the Provincial Secretary practically replied to the question whether it was intended by Government to submit any resolution respecting the obtaining of a royal charter for the Otago University, or some University other than the New Zealand University. —That the Government had in preparation a Bill to regulate the weight of load which horse and bullock waggons and drays should be allowed to carry in future on the public roads of the Province ; and it would be laid on the table the next day.—That the whole of the money available for” the purpose of effecting repairs on the main road from Invercargill to Dacre had been expended for maintenance. It was perfectly correct that a report came in from the "district engineer about four months ago, when the road was in a good state of repair, which remark applied to most roads in the Province at that particular reason of the year. This was not an isolated case; for there were close upon a thousand miles of roads in the Province in as bail a condition as the one referred to. It was, however, the intention of the Government to place a sin* on the Estimates for its improvement.—The Government had had the question of fencing the Bluff and Invercargill line of railway several times under consideration. The petition from sixty-four owners and occupiers of land traversed by the railway had been received, and referred to Invercargill, to get an estimate of what the coat of fencing-in the railway would be. The return came back that day, and showed that it would cost 1.3,000 or LI,OOO. The Government, therefore, would have to consider the matter further before they made up their minds. If they had to fenco-in all the tramways and light railroads it was proposed to make,” it would require more money than the Provincial Government could furnish; and it was a question whether it was desirable to fence-in these railroads, seeing the slow rate at which trains would travel. Tim Government would be prepared to give a definite answer on a future occasion as to what they would do in regard to fencing these railways.—That the span of the Kaikorai bridge was found _ to bo insufficient to carry off the water, and it was enlarged by arrangement, the contractor getting paid according to a schedule of prices which he got for the ' other work. The engineer informed the Government that it was an urgent case.—The Government were fully aware of the bad state of the roads through the town of Oamaru, and of that between the township and landing place, and had made provision on the Estimates to remedy the grievance.—The Government intended to vest the Eranktown racecourse in trustees, as requested by the Wakatip Jockey Club. The Government had received the report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the best method of utilising the Wakatip depasturing district; but had not been able up to the present time, in consequence of the conflicting evidence, to make up their minds on the subject, which was still under consideration.—The Government were obliged to the member for Dunedin (Mr Eish) for bringing forward the matter of the present Ordinance relating to the storage of kerosene in the City, which had been declared ultra vires by the Supreme Court, and would be happy to receive his opinion thereon in a day or two.—The Government did not feel disposed to lay on the table a report presented to the Provincial Treasurer by George Lumb, revenue officer, referring to a sly grog case heard in the City Police Court, and the conduct of a certain solicitor serve no public purpose, the gist of it being an attack upon the character of a certain solicitor; but if any hon. member wished to see the document, he could do so at the Treasury.—The whole of the papers connected with the Cardrona arbitration ease between Cottar and others, were in the hands of the Warden at Arrow, who had been telegraphed to to forward

them immediately, and the Government ex pected to be able to lay them on the table on Monday or Tuesday.—The Government fully recognised the necessity that existed at Cromwell for commonage, and had placed L 2,000 on the Estimates to compensate the squatters in connection with the matter, which was all they felt justified in allocating at the present time. land in southlakd. Mr Lumsden obtained the suspension of the Standing Orders to move the following urgent resolution: — " That doubts having been expressed as to the power of this Council, with the concurrence of the Superintendent, to reserve 200,000 acres of land in the Southland district, under the 16th clause of the Southland Waste Lands Act, 1865,' as proposed in a resolution adopted by the Council yesterday, this Council resolves that, in the event of the Superintendent being unable, under the said Act, to reserve the said land, he be requested to purchase 200,000 acres of the best agricultural land on behalf of the Province, in blocks of such size as may be available for the purpose of settlement, the same being disposed of from time to time, for occupation, under the plan of deferred payments only ; and this Council pledges itself to indemnify the Government, and make good such purchase by the appropriation of a sum sufficient to cover the cost thereof." The motion was moved forward to stop the wholesale disposal, or rather waste of land going on in Southland. During the last fourteen months, 210,000 acres had been disposed of. On Friday last he received information that 14,000 acres more had been taken up, and that afternoon he had received a telegram that 31,000 acres had been taken up at the Waste Land Board meeting at Invercargill yesterday. If the land was to continue to slip away before their eyes in the manner it was going, there soon would not be an acre in the Province available for settlement. If the motion were adopted, he hoped the telegraph would be put in motion to stop the sales, until 200,000 of the best land in the Province had been secured for bona fide settlement. After some remarks by Mr Daniel, who seconded the motion, and Mr Shand, The Provincial Secretary intimated that the Government had been advised that the first and second resolutions previously moved by the hon. member for Invercargill, were illegal; but with the third they entirely agreed Mr Stout said the Government were placing themselves in an awkward position. If they desired to protect the land from capitalists, they should bring forward some resolutions; instead of which they allowed an illegal resolu- > tion to be passed, and allowed another to be discussed without themselves giving any expression of opinion upon it. Mr Oliver advised the Government to take a decided stand, and induce the member for the Taieri to bring in his vote cf want of confidence at once, so that the Government might understand their position and strength, ami the Council be placed in a better position, instead of floating without rudder or guide. Mr Reid supported the motion regarding the proposal as temporary, owing to the exceptional circumstances in which they were placed in regard to this land. The Goldfields Secretary said that so far as he was individually concerned, he was pre pared, as were the Government, to support the motion, and to do anything to prevent the wholesale alienation of land in Southland. It was the wish of the Siqierintendent to stop these sales, and upon communicating with tho Attorney-General, the Government received a definite reply that the Superintendent had not power to do so. If these resolutions would meet the case, he thought the Council would be justified in overstepping the law to some extent, in order to stop the sale of this land. Dr Webster and Sir Wood supported the resolutions. Major Richardson suggested that the price should be L 5 per acre, and after the point had been further discussed, the suggestion was adopted, the Provincial Solicitor moving the motion to that effect. GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. Dr Webster nio\'ed—" That in the opinion of this Council no member of the Legislative Council or of the General Assembly, excepting his Honor the Superintendent, should be a member of the Provincial Executive, and that the Executive Council Ordinance should be amended to that effect." The motion was seconded by Mr Shand, and supported by the Hon. Mr M'Lean and the Provincial Secretary. _ Mr Haggitt spoke in opposition to the motion. He could not see why the Council should by Ordinance deprive itself of the services of gentlemen who are useful in the Council, simply because they held seats in another House. It did not seem to him that it was any detriment to these gentlemen that they possessed the confidence of two constituencies at one and the same time. The proposal, if given effect to,would virtually amount to this: the Province, so far as the officers of its Government are concerned, would be, practically speaking, unrepresented in the Assembly, a circumstance which he would very much regret. Major Richardson, Hon. Dr Menzies, and Mr Reid also spoke in opposition to the motion, after which the motion was adjourned. deferred payment system. The debate on Mr Shand's resolutions was resumed by the Hon. Major Richardson, who spoke to them at some length. Mr SHAND replied, after which the resolutions were put and carried. second readings. On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor, the following Bills were read a second time, anil appointed to be considered in Committee on Tuesday next:—lnvercargill Hospital Reserve Management, Invercargill Racecourso Ecserve Management, Education Reserves Management and Leasing, Education Eescrves Management and Leasing (No. 2), Winton Racecourse Reserve Management. PHOVINCIAL EXECUTIVES IN THE ASSEMBLY. The adjourned debate on Dr Webster's motion was resumed. Mr M'Deumid simply said he should vote against the motion. Dr Webster, in reply, said such strong opinions had been expressed in opposition to his proposal, that he should be inclined to alter it, so far as to saying the majority of the Executive should remain in Dunedin during the session of the General Assembly. In regard to the objection that the country, by the adoption of his motion, would be deprived of tho assistance of able men, he was of opinion that there were sufficient men of ability in the Colony to choose representatives from, both for the Provincial Councils and House of Eeprescntatives. He thought his views were probably more progressive than those of Dr Menzies and others who opposed them, and although the majority in Dunedin did not seem to coincide with them, they were firmly held by most of the electors in the outlying districts. Although he was told the plan would not work, a different opinion was held in Canterbury, for there was not one of the Executive of that Province who held a seat in the House of Eeprescntatives. The Council divided — Ayes 13—Messrs Bastings, G. F, O. Brownie, R. Clarke, dimming, Daniel, M'Glashan, M'Lean, Roberts, Rogers, Tolmie, Turton, Turnbull (teller), Webster (teller). Noes 25—Messrs Allan, Bathgate, J.O.Brown, H. Clark, De Lautour, Fish, Green, Haggitt, Hnlleustein, Hazlett, Kinross, Lumsden (teller), Menzies, Mollison(tellor)),M'Dermid,M'Kellar, M'Kcnzie, M'Neil, Oliver, Reid, Reynolds, Hon. Major Richardson, Stout, Wilson, Wood. DUNEDIN RESERVES. The debate on the Dunedin Reserves Management Bill, which proposed to give the Corporation power to lease a recreation reserve situate at the head of Stuart street, contiguous to the Middle District School, was resumed. The Provincial Secretary explained tint he found that action must be taken in the General Assembly, and even there complications might arise. The Bill was ancordingly withdrawn. want of confidence. The Provincial Solicitor having stated that the Government declined to go on with any further business until Mr Shand's motion was disposed of, a discussion ensued, in the course of which Mr Stout and Mr Reid urged that the member for the Taieri could not be forced to go on with his motion; and Mr Reynolds, Mr Turnbull, and the Hon. Major Richardson contended that the course taken by tho Government was. perfectly proper under

he circumstances. The motion to proceed to motion No. 25 (Mr Shand's) having been carried on the voices, Mr Shand rose and said that he believed the action he was taking did not please his party, but he did not care. He moved this vote of want of confidence in the Tolmie Government because they were not the advocates of true progress. He would take that reason first. He was as much opposed to the Tolmie Government last session as he was now, and when he contested the Taieri election, when he told the electors that he had no confidence in the head of the Government. He went on to say that when he was temporarily in the Government, with Mr Cutten as Treasurer and Mr Turnbull as Superintendent, they had never had a single'disagreelnent, and that the latter had said they could dispense with those who were in Wellington altogether, and were quite prepared to carry on the work themselves.—(Laughter.) But things had changed during the election. He respected Mr Turnbull as a representative of the commercial interests—he was a good representative of that class, but he had allowed himself to become the dupe of the member at the head of the Executive.—(Loud laughter.) He would give his reasons why the member at the head of the Government had such a liking for him (Mr Tolmie). He (Mr Tolmie) was acting as deputy-Superintendent of the Province, and he and Mr Cutten were members of the Government. Mr Tolmie, for Mr Logan, made an application on July 30,1872, for some land. He had Mr Logan in an ante-room, with his plans prepared and a report by his own surveyors, Messrs Connell and Moodie. Mr Cutten remarked that it was an important matter, and they ought to have the report of the surveyors who were responsible to Government. He (Mr Shand) agreed with Mr Cutten; but did more than that. He telegraphed to Mr Reid at Wellington, asking Mr Reid what was to be done in the matter, and Mr Eeid telegraphed back : " Don't sell any more blocks until our return." He (Mr Shand) acted on that advice, and declined Mr Logan's application. He (Mr Shand) took this credit upon himself: though he did not please Mr Tolmie, he did not endanger his colleagues in any way during the time he was acting in their places. Then what did Mr Tolmie do ? As soon as he got his friends into power, Mr Logan's application was again made at the proper place, and through the proper channel, in December 1872, and it was granted. Was there any reason for selling that land at 16s 6d per acre ? He (Mr Shand) said there was not. There had been an income coming in from the Province of Southland, but he did not know what was being done with the money. Mr Tolmie The Provincial Solicitor rose to a point of order. The member for the Taieri was constantly speaking of Mr Tolmie when he should address him as member for the Peninsula; and as a new member he condemned the personal aßd offensive tone introduced, which only led to the business being delayed. _ The Speaker: I was not paying any attention to what the lion, member for the Taieri was saying.—(Laughter.) But the hon. member should not introduce personalities, and must address the hon. member at the head of the Government as the member for the Peninsula. Mr Shand admitted that he was quite guilty of what had been objected to, which arose from his not being considerate enough, but he would try and amend his practice.—(Laughter.) He went on to say that possibly the sale to Mr Logan was made because Strath Taieri happened to be part of the Taieri electoral district, which returned three members who were rather dangerous, and always voted one way; or, perhaps for another reason : Mr Logan is a constituent of Messrs Cargill and M'Lean, and — The Provincial Secretary : I must rise to a point of order. It is really too bad that the private affairs of any member of this Council should be dragged into this debate.—(Hear.) I distinctly deny that Mr Logan is in any way connected with Messrs Cargill and M'Lean: he is the constituent of another firm in Dunediu. -(Hear.) Mr Shand withdrew the statement. Before the Council broke up last session, he (Mr Shand) said it was highly indiscreet that Mr Tolmie should be leader of the Government or have a scat on the Waste Land Board ; and he gave his reasons for that opinion, which had not changed one iota. He also had an objection to the hon. member having a seat on the Waste Land Board, because he and Mr Turnbull had on every occasion been opposed to the liberal land act the Council had passed, and had now taken upon themselves to be administrators of it. The member for the Peninsula was highly indiscreet in coming down to the new Council after having filled up a vacancy on the Waste Land Board. As a matter of courtesy to the now Council, it should have been left in the hands of the Council; and the hon. member should have seen who the Government were before he filled up the vacant seat. Then, there was the matter that he had referred to in the afternoon in reference to land sales in Invercargill, and he was not going to retire from his position on that question one iota. In December, 1872, a telegram was sent by the Government to reserve two miles of land along the line of the Winton Railway. On April 10 Mr Webster, a runholder in Southland, made application for some of that land ; he appointed a solicitor, who forced his claim upon the Board, and it was granted. When he found Mr Webster, a runholder, had got 2,000 acres granted to him, he thought he (Mr Shand) was entitled to 2,000 acres too, and he made_ application for it. He had not time to stay in Invercargill, however, and he got his brother to attend the next meeting of the Waste Land Board while he (Mr Shand) stayed in Dunedin, and shortly after he received a telegram which stated that his application had been refused. He showed that telegram to his lawyer, Mr Stout; he showed it to Mr Bradshaw, and he showed it to the Superintendent the next morning, and asked him if it was fair that a nmholder should be able to get land from the Waste Land Board and he should not. The Superintendent, as he had said before, was very courteous, and said it was not right that the Board should grant an application for land in one case and refuse to do so in another. Well, the upshot of the matter was that next day his application was granted. Looking at these things, had he not a right to say that there was something radically wrong in the Waste Land Board of the Province ? It could hardly be denied that there was, and he would ask the Government to refute these charges at the conclusion of his speech. The Government had said that they did not wish for any further Adjournment. They were beginning to see that they must fight to ascertain whether they had the strength to carry on or not. Mr Tolmie had said that he did not intend to hold his seat in the Government or on the Waste Land Board, but it was due to the new Council that he should have informed members who was to be the member to succeed him. They had a right to know who was to be the leader of the Government, and before he would vote one sixpence for the purpose of carrying on the Government, he would know who the gentlemen were who were to sit on the Government benches, when the present Executive, or any part of it, left office. It should not be cast in his teeth as it was cast in the teeth of the country members during the late elections, that they could not do without their honorarium. He could do without his honorarium altogctherfor that matter.buthe thought he was quite as much entitled to it as the members of the Government, who sat day after day during thelatesessiouniovingadjourmnents were to their salaries, and when he got it he would very likely give it to the Benevolent Institution. He would next advert to the manner in which the present Government had administered the waste lands of the Crown. They had had six month's trial in the administration of the Waste Lands Regulations, and they did not yet know how to administer them properly. There was a reference to be found in his Honor's address to the making of a railway between Mataura and Balclutha, in which it was proposed to make a railway in an indirect way ; but he would tell the Government that as long as he held a seat in the Council he should insist that all the railways should be thrown open to fair competition. The next matter he would refer to was one for the Goldfields members to consider, and he would ask them to express their opinion as to whether they considered the Maerewhenua goldfields sale a creditable thing to do, after the resolution which the Council passed on the previous day, expressly recommending that the land should not be sold All he wanted was fair play; and though he might not be able to express himself very grammatically, the Taieri electors understood him much better than the Dunedin eleci iow understood Mr Fish, who had taken liira

to task on the previous day. He should not say much in regard to Mr TurnbulL He was a splendid representative of the mercantile class ; but, since September 12, he had been led away by the hon. member at the head of the Government. That hon. member, when addressing the Dunedin electors, said the other members of the Reid Government were incapable of doing the business while the heads were in Wellington. Did the hon. member mean him (Mr Shand) ? if so, he was quite willing to speak for himself. The Provincial Treasurer was understood to say that he was prepared at the proper time to prove what he said. Mr Shand would Drove that the Government, while he was in it, had not allowed one single thing to get behind, so far as the engineers were concerned. He could appeal to the members for Oamaru town and Waitaki to say that he had written to them refusing to enter into contract until the proper time for spending the money had arrived. He challenged any district to say that as much money had been spent in them by the present Government as during the few months he held office. — (Cries of "No.") Well, he had moved for a return of .the moneys spent by the Reid and Tolmie Governments, and that would show how the thing stood. He wished to refer to the Minister for Justice The Speaker called the hon. member to order. Mr Shand would merely observe that hon. member would, no doubt, like to get a piece of land to sell. He had had several pieces during the last four years, but could not manage them when he had them.—(Laughter.) To recur to his resolutions : he should leave them in the hands of members, to deal with as they liked. He did not consult his party, and therefore it might be indiscreet on his part to have brought it forward. He contended that the words "incompetent and incapable" were the proper words to apply to them; for since he had sat in the Council he had never seen a greater exhibition of incompetency than on the part of the gentlemen now on the Government benches. They did not know for a single moment what they were doing, and allowed themselves to be led by anybody that liked. He did not know whether he would carry his motion, but if he did nothing more than carry his motion for reserving 200,000 acres of agricultural land, and getting the administration of the land in the hands of the party that would administer it fairly and liberally, he would be content. But if that was not to be the case, he would give up his seat, and allow the Government to carry on the business as they pleased. He concluded by inviting the Government to say something upon the subject. After a lengthened pause, The Hon. Mr Reynolds seconded the motion pro forma. On being put, the motion was given for the Noes, when adivisinn was demanded. On the bell being rung, nearly the whole of the Opposition left the chamber, Mr Shand and Mr J. C. Brown being alone on the Opposition benches when the question was again put, and there being no Ayes, it was declared lost. The announcement was received with some applause by the occupants of the galleries. miscellaneous. The following matters were carried without debate:—Addresses to the Superintendent, recommending that sec. 21, block 1, Riverton, be set apart for an Athenamm ; that a portion of sec. 131, block 10, be reconveyed to Mr W. H. Mansford; that sec. 37, Mock 1, Akatore, be set apart as a school reserve; that sees. 10 and 11, block 24, Hampden, be set apart for a site for a drill-shed; that sec. sfi, block 4, be set apart for a cemetery at Purakanui; that sec. 50, Mock 0, be set apart for a school site at Clarendon; that sec. 10, block 3, Kaitangata, be set apart as a school site ; that sec. 41, block 19, Tuapeka. be set apart as a school site ; that sees. 12 and 13, block 17, Waikouaiti, be set apart as a site for a Maori school; that twenty acres of land at Winton be set apart for a public cemetery; that sec. 9, block 15, Outram, he set apart as a school site. It was resolved that all petitions received during last session, and not disposed of, be regarded as petitions received during the present session. The petition of the Kakanui settlers was referred to the Government, as were those from Macraes and Moe rnki; the two last-mentioned being referred for " favorable considerstion." The debate on the motion—" That 500 acres of non-Agricultural and non-auriferous land be 6et apart for every public library within the Province, on such conditions, applicable to all, as the Government may think fit," was adjourned. HIGHWAY BOARDS EMPOWERING ACT. The Secretary for Goldfields and Works moved—" That his Honor the Superintendent be recommended by Proclamation to declare that any or all of the parts of the ' Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871,' numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, G, and 7, shall extend and apply to any Highway District constituted or to be constituted under the ' Otago Roads Ordinance. 1871.'" Mr Reid suggested an amendment, and after some explanation by Mr Haggitt, the consideration of the motion was postponed. RESERVES. On the motion of the Secretary for Goldfields and Works, resolutions were adopted asking the Superintendent to reserve certain lands for the following purposes :—3OO acres for purposes of public recreation, for the use of the residents of Moa Flat and Ettrick; water reserves for Queenstown ; land for public recreation, Queenstown ; reserve for plantations, Queenstown ; quarry reserve, Queenstown ; an acclimatisation reserve, Shotover district. THE GIRLS' PETITION. The Hon. Major Richardson moved—"That this Council cordially recemmends to the favorable consideration of the Government, the prayer of the petition of the past and present scholars of the Girls' High School." He did not think he need use any argument in support of the resolution, for it would simply be wasting the time of the Council. Women were formed to be the companions and counsellors of men. They were so now, and would be still better counsellors did they enjoy equal educational advantages. Human beings were made up of intellectual and physical organisations, but if the first was neglected in woman's education, she could not fulfil her duties a.s man's counsellor. Ignorant mothers would bring up ignorant children, but where principles of morality and religion were intelligently held, the greater success would attend the training of children. Two instances illustrative of the aid women could render men as counsellors were in his mind: the wife of Sir Samuel Baker, and that of the late John Stuart Mill, who paid to her that beautiful tribute contained in the preface to his essay on "Liberty." The petition needed no comment. It asked that the scholarships provided for boys should lie also open for competition by girls, a proposition to which no mortal man should object, as the intention was to enable women fitted for it so to cultivate their intellects as, where needful, to assist in maintaining their family. What he proposed would render them governesses of the rising generation, and mothers of a future intellectual race. The Provincial Secretary complimented the mover of the resolution upon his devotion to the interest; of women, and coincided with the views he had expressed. Dr. Webster considered that at Home the education of women was leading them to adopt professions for which they were by nature unfitted, and to provide for them a high class education was striking at the root of domestic arrangements, for it was an endeavor to remove women from their proper sphere of mothers of families. He did not object to the proposition ; but before spending money on scholarships, he thought education should be extended to the outlying districts. Mr Oliver said although it appeared ungracious, he felt bound to oppose the motion. Although he viewed with delight the high standard of education in the Colony, he considered it wrong to foster it by subscriptions, so long as governesses were worse paid than cooks or housemaids. Were the motion to allow girls to compete with boys for scholarships already established, he should support it. Mr Reid thought that the course Mr Oliver proposed would be that which would be adopted. It had the approval of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the conduct of the Boys' High School. The difficulty was, there were too few scholarships established, and consequently preliminary examinations had to be omitted. This had a disheartening effect on youth, as it took away a stimulus to exertion. We should support the resolution that scholarships should be open for competition to both boys and girls, and that examinations should take place annually,

Mr Fish opposed the resolution, for he did not think the Province should be called on to provide education beyond that given in the grammar and district schools. The hon, mover proposed to confine the privilege to girls attending the High School, whose parents generally could afford to pay for a liberal education. He objected to the petition being signed by children instead of their parents. He objected to a large amount of money being expended for the benefit of a small section of the community. The higher education was filling the heads of youth with expectations they could never realise, and they were crowding into the learned professions in such numbers, that we should soon have a pauper community fastened upon us. He should have no objection to competition for scholarships being restricted to pupil teachers. Mr Lumsden opposed the motion. It was wrong to spend funds in that direction, so long as the educational needs of Southland were unsatisfied. He had applied only that morning to the Inspector, on behalf of thirty-five to fifty children who lived four or five miles from the nearest school. The grammar schools throughout the Province were quite sufficient to fit both boys and girls for their future social positions. If the career of the colonists was analysed, it would be found that the unsuccessful were generally the educated ; and he therefore concluded there was a risk of our educating both boys and girls. The advantages should not be confined to sons and daughters of the rich people in Dunedin, but extended to the poorer classes. Society had not reached the point at which high-class education should be further promoted, to the neglect of that for which so many of the poorer classes were crying out. Mr Stout considered the arguments of the last speaker led to the conclusion that education was a bad thing, as, according to him, only the educated were unsuccessful. As for the members for Mount Ida and Dunedin, who opposed the resolution, it was only charitable to suppose they had not read it. Mr Oliver, in explanation, could agree with the petition, if girls educated in all our schools were permitted to compete for existing scholarships. Mr Stout considered it evident they had not read the petition. Mr Oliver thought it badly constructed, and no credit to the petitioners nor to the person who presented it. Mr Stout read the petition, and pointed out that all that was asked was that their education should be so extended as better to fit the petitioners to fulfil their duties. The opposition was based on the assumption that education was a bad thing.—(No, no.) If it were not a bad thing, the more that could be had the better.—(No, no.) If the higher education meant the cultivation ot the moral, religious, and intellectual faculties, it would be hard to deprive a girl callable of receiving it of the opportunity of obtaining it. The whole system of scholarships was based on the idea that those accepting them were not able to pay the cost of their further education, and the proposition was to place all pupils on a level. So far as the petition asking that the competition should be conned to High School girls, there was notaword of the sort in it. The request was to be placed on a footing with their brothers, and scholarships were not confined to High School boys, but were open to Grammar School boys throughout the country. They were the High Schools of the country districts, and in many of them mathematics, classics, and modern languages were taught. He was therefore at a loss to conceive how it could be asserted that it was pro- . posed to confine the competition to the High School of Dunedin. He held voiy different views from most present on the duty of the State in regard to education, but if, as had been said, State duty began and ended with elementary education, all he could say was no State in the world ever thought so. The Goldfields Secretary did not thinkthey were justified in voting money for the purpose of giving scholarships for high-class education, and thought that in many instances they were foolishly educating the youth of the country. As chairman of a school committee he had been connected with education for many years, and had noticed that many parents, with a parent's weakness of fancying their boys were very clever, had sent them to Dunedin to become learned in Latin, Greek, &c. ; but in many eases he regretted to say those boys had afterwards refused to settle down and learn a useful trade. Instead of becoming useful members of society he knew of his own knowledge that many of them had become quite the reverse. Instead of voting money for these scholarships, which he regarded as luxuries, he though the Council's first duty was to provide necessaries; and he knew numerous places in the Province where for months in the year hundreds of children could not go to school for the want of a bridge over a creek. The Hon. Major Richardson, in replying, remarked that he commenced the advocacy of this matter in a jocular strain ; but at its conclusion had to speak with the deepest feelings of regret. He had heard from gentlemen who ought to know the value of education, language he never expected to have heard in that Council. It appeared to some that the great object' of education was to cook and know nothing, and he really believed that had he advocated a scholarship for cooks, he would have received much greater support.—(Laughter.) Education did not prevent cooking, as he affirmed, for he had received the best chop possible from the hands of a person who had discoursed most learnedly and eloquently on the scientific discoveries of theage.—(Cries of "Name.") He would have no hesitation in mentioning the name to any unmarried hon. member.—(Laughter.) The motion was carried by 18 to 4.

Friday, July 4. EXPLANATION BY THE SPEAKER. Before proceeding to business, the Speaker made an explanation affecting the Superintendent. He mentioned that on June 19 there appeared in the Tunpcka Timex a report of a meeting at Horseshoe Bend, where a Mr C. Nicholson said, in reference to the Island block sale, that “ ho held in his hand the report of the Commission of Inquiry, which he characterised as incomplete and grossly unfair. The fact of the matter was this A party in the district, in conjunction with several others, applied to purchase the whole of the sections. Then he (Mr Nicholson) made his appearance on the scene, and, by applying for the boring rods, endeavored to prevent the sale. But the Government needed money, and at a meeting of the Executive, Mr Ecid moved that the application should thus far be granted, viz., that the laud should be put up to auction for sale. This motion was carried against an amendment from Mr Gillies that the whole should be sold in one block; but thanks to the presence of several persons interested in the application being on the Committee, all this was suppressed in the report.” On observing that statement, he (the Speaker) wrote that, first, “it was a gross fabrication ; second, Mr Nicholson not being a member of the Executive, I ask who was his informant ? third, some, at least, of the commiteee who examined and reported on that subject were my bitterest political opponents.” On July 3 a letter appeared in the Tuapeka Times to the effect that “ Mr Nicholson, at an election meeting held in Ormond's Hotel, lloxburgh, on Saturday night, 21st instant, declared that Mr Macandrow had shewn him certain private letters having reference to the sale of Island block (which had not been published in the correspondence laid before the Council by the Government, and had also furnished him with a copy of the Executive minute referring to Mr Gillies and the Island block sale, which copy, he declared, he holds at present in his possession.” If that statement were true, his Honor’s action could not bo characterised as otherwise than highly improper ; but he was happy to say that the letter was a gross slander upon his Honor. He had waited upon his Honor, and shown him the letter ; and he assured him that there was no foundation for the statement, and he further promised to send him a written contradiction. The Speaker has furnished us with the following, which he received from his Honor later in the day“ Referring to your consideration with me this forenoon, I beg to repeat in writing what I stated to you verbally, viz.: That I am not aware of any private letter cither from you or from anybody else in re the sale of Island blocks. Most certainly none such has ever been in my possession or seen by me. As regards the statement that 1 have ever exhibited copies of Executive minutes either on this or on any other subject—the thing is so j utterly preposterous and without foundation in 1 fact, that it seems almost an insult to oneself to

contradict it, which Ido most emphatically. I write this in compliance with your desire; at the same time, permit me to say that I have long ceased to take any notice of the misrepresentations of which lam constantly the subject, as otherwise I should have rather a severe task before me." PETITION. Mr Keid presented a petition from settlers in Seaside road bush district. WANT OP CONFIDENCE. Mr Tolmie : Before the House proceeds with any further business I wish to make a statement, and it is this: That no sooner have we disposed of one want of confidence motion, than this morning we find another on the Order Paper.—(Hear, hear.) I may say. that these notices of motion, these want of confidence motions, are very perplexing to the Government —(hear, hear)—they paralyse their efforts—(hear, hear)—the Government cannot tell the moment they will be ejected from office, and they do not choose to be placed in that position. —(Hear, hear.) They will take a stand, and they will carry on the business, or they will not.—(Hear, hear.) They don't understand the tactics of the other side placing these motions on the Order Paper, unless they mean to cany out the intention indicated. The Government are prepared to deal with this motion at ence. I don't see the mover (Mr Stout) present; but I now make this emphatic statement, that the Government will not go on with the business, so long as such a notice of motion appears on the Order Paper—(hear, hear; and oh, oh)—and if the other side are determined to oust us, we call upon them to do it.—(Hear, hear.) At any rate, we will not proceed with any more business until that notice of motion has been disposed of; and with the view of giving the hon. member who has tabled it an opportunity of making up hi 3 mind, and also with the view of enabling his supporters to do so, I intend to move the adjournment of the House until seven o'clock this evening. The Government are not afraid to meet the Council. In fact, it is best that the matter should come before the House, because we shall be able to show that the action taken has been that of straightforward, honest men. —(Hear, hear.) If we fail in convincing the house of that, we shall not regret if we receive | an adverse vote.—(Hear, hear.) As the hon. member who tabled the motion is not present, I now move the adjournment of the House until seven o'clock. Mr PiEiD expressed surprise at the motion. For his part, he was not prepared to agree with the motion, in the appearanco of which on the Order Paper he had taken no part, being proceeded with at seven o'clock, unless there was at once laid on the table all tho correspondence and papers connected with the case. He also complained ef an act of discourtesy on the part of the member at the head of the Government. Having heard it stated that part of the defence of the Government was to be correspondence between Mr Campbell and himself, which it had been said had been the means of committing the Province to the sale, anil that tho only reason why the Government agreed to the sale was on account of some letter he gave to Mr Campbell, which would implioate the Province ; consequently he proceeded to the Provincial Secretary's office, but that gentleman was absent. He left a message for him that he desired his permission to peruse the correspondence that had passed between Mr Campbell and himself (Mr Keid). He called at the office on two or three subsequent occasions, and just before coming to the Council meeting that afternoon, the Under-Secretary informed him that the Provincial Secretary had left instructions that he was not to be allowed to peruse the correspondence, and The Provincial Secretary rose to a point of order, but was at once interrupted by Mr Beid, who complained of being interrupted. After a somewhat irregular discussion, The Provincial Secretary explained that the member for the Taieri had (unintentionally, no doubt) misstated the facts. The UnderSecretary asked him (Mr Tolmie) a question, and he told him that Mr Keid might see any document he liked, but it was almost unnecessary, as he intended to lay the whole of the papers on the table of the Council that forenoon. Mr Reid did not wish the House to be satisfied merely with his statement: the member for Caversham heard the conversation. He complained that there was a great deal of practical business to be gone on with, but he did not find the Government vry anxious to go on with it. If the Government were so certain of their strength, they could afford to overlook such trifles as the motion referred to. After some observations by Mr M'GLASHAH, the Hon. Dr Menzies, and Mr Fish, The Hon. Major Richardson said he thought when notice of Mr Stout's motion was first given, the Government should have taken the course they were then adopting. With reference to Mr Stout's want of confidence motion, be might say that, so far as lie was personally concerned, he had nothing to do with it; indeed, so far f 1 om that being the case, as he passed out of the door with Mr Shand, he said to that hon, member, " Do you intend—after I have asked you, and all the party have asked you to desist—do you intend to persist with your motion ?" The answer was, "I do !" He (Major Richardson) then said if the motion were taken up and proceeded with, they would never see him within those walls again. Individuals could not act just as they liked when they entered that chamber. The Council was an organised body, and no member had a right to place his party in jeopardy by tabling such a motion. With respect to Mr Stout's motion he would say nothing at present, but if the party with whom be had allied himself, and with whom he was cordially united, had listened to his suggestion, they would have taken issue upon a different ground altogether. To his mind, there were grounds for refusing to proceed to business until the Government gave a decided and most unequivocal expression of opinion—to be followed by action —that the remaining agricultural lands of the Province should be occupied by the people. The Provincial Secretary said he did not think an adjournment till seven o'clock that evening would be sufficient, and therefore moved that the House should adjourn till Monday. The Council was accordingly adjourned till Monday (this day), at 2 p. m.

In the Provincial Council on Monday, a Message was transmitted from his Houor the Superintendent respecting the Southland land sales. The Message contained a telegram from the Hon. J. Vogel, in which it was intimated that should the Superintendent and Executive desire it, 500,000 acres of land would be reserved as security for the construction of railways. The Government would not agree to any temporary advance in the price of land, but would recommend raising the price to L2 or L 3 an acre, should the Superintendent and Council desire it, to prerent the alienation of land in blocks to speculators. In Message No. 5, his Honor suggested proceeding with the construction of light railways from Riverton to Orepuki, aud from Riverton to Otauto—together 32J miles. Proposals had been made to construct such railways, including working plant, for LSO,OOO, payment to be made in land in the Western District, at the rate of 1.1 per acre. By such a plan, it was considered, a large expenditure in road making would be saved; possibly were the work competed for, it might be done for less money. Message No. 6 transmitted for the information of the Council the Provincial Engineer's estimate of the cost of constructing a light railway from the main line, a distance of fifteen miles up the valley of the Waireka (LSI,000); also estimates of the cost of con struction of a light radway from Palmcrstou uptho valley of the Waihemo, a distance of ten miles (L 20,250) ; the sail works to be proceeded with at once ; in ease of need, the necessary funds to be provided by land sale under section 150 of the Land Act of IST'-. Message No, 7 transmitted for the information of the Council an estimateof the probable cost of reclaiming 100 acres of the mud flat at the head of Dnnedin Bay ; which estimate, assuming it to be correct, would in his Honor's opinion realise a profit of probably L 20.000. Seeing the great scarci'.y of land suitable for manufacturing and building purposes in i.'unedin, his Honor expresed the hope that the Provincial Council would concur in giving effect to this proposal; the work of reclamation, and the

disposal of the land as reclaimed could be so arranged as that the temporary use of saj IdO.OUO would suffice to complete the same llio Ilouor proposed further chat whatevet profit may result from the proposed opera, tions should be applied as an endowment fot a Harbor Trust, and go towards a reduction of harbor dues—a reduction in which co s . sumers aud producers throughout the Pro, vince are more or leas interested,