The Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1865. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. YESTERDAY.

Evening Post, Issue 141, 21 July 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1865. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. YESTERDAY.

The Speaker took the chair at five o'clock. 1 The Clerk read the minutes of the previous sitting. Mr. BORLASE presented a petition from the manager of the Wellington Athenaeum, requesting aid. Mr. LUDLAM presented one from Mr. David Hughey on the subject of a refused Crown Grant of land. Referred to the Private Grievance Committee. Mr. MILNE moved that a sura of £30 be placed on the estimates to assist the Turakina Literary Association in forming a library ; also, that a sum of £30 be placed on the estimates to assist the Western Bangitikei Literary Association in forming a library.— Garriedi L. Mr. HICKSON moved that a sum of £500 'be placed on the estimates for the purpose of constructing a road from Te Aro Gully, by the way of Polhill's Gully to Karori, terminating at a point known as Baker's Cutting, the above sum having been placed on the estimates in Session 11., but which sum has not been expended for the purpose granted. — Carried.S Mr. LTOLAM moved that a sum of £70 be placed on the estimates for strengthening the' second river bridge on the Lower Waiwctu Boad.— Carried. Mr. HICKSON brought before the Council the proclamation of the Governor appointing an additional polling place in Wellington for the Wairarapa, for the House of Representatives. The PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR quoted the Act under which the proclamation was issued, and said that his Excellency the Governor had not exceeded the powers vested in him. Mr. LUDLAM thought that the inhabitants of the Wairarapa could petition the General Assembly, but in his opinion the Council had no right to interfere, Mr. MILNE replied that the Council had done so on former occasions. Mr. HICKSON, though he had no intention to cast any imputation on his Excellency or his Ministers, considered the proclamation illegal, and thought that the Council might interfere. Other members supported this opinion, and the motion was postponed. The . PROVINCIAL SECRETARY proposed, and Mr. BORLASE seconded, a vote of thanks to his Honor Mr. Justice Johnston

for his courtesy iv placing the Supreme Court at the disposal of his Honor the Superintendent, for the use of the Provincial Council during the present session, which was carried unanimously. The Pilot Station Removal Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be read a third on Tuesday. The House went into Committee on the Loan Repayment Bill, and after some discussion passed it with very little alteration. ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply. Captain RHODES proposed an addition of £200 a year to the salary of his Honor the Superintendent. Mr. DRANSFIELD seconded the motion. The SPEAKER ruled that it was out of the power of the Council to increase the estimates , but that the standing order might be suspended, which was accordingly done. The House went into Committe, and were divided, but finally Captaiu Rhode's motion was carried by a large majority, the Ayes being— Messrs. Borlase, Rrandon, Johnston, Halcombe, Dransfleld, Rhodes, Welch, Masters, Hunter, Stokes, Hickson, Allison, and Pharazyn. Mr. WELCH proposed an addition to the salary of the Superintendent's Clerk, which was carried. Mr. DRANSFIELD moved for an increase of £25 in the salary of the Inspector of Police. — Carried. Mr. WELCH mentioned his intention of moving at an early date for an increase in the payment of the force generally. Mr. HICKSON was of opinion that their present salary was too small. A long discussion ensued on Mr. Ludlam's resolution, the further consideration of which was adjourned from the previous day, and which was finally carried without a division. The Council adjourned to this evening.

The Storm Bird, Captain Thompson, arrived at noon to-day from the North, She left Manakau on the 14th, and called at Raglan, Taranaki, and Wanganui, which port she left yesterday at seven, a.m. The Amateur Dramatic Club gave a first performance last night, for the benefit of the " City of Dunedin Fund," and although the house was well attended, yet there wore more empty benches than wo expected to find, considering the charitable object of the club ; the unfavourable state of the weather, however, may account for the absence of many who would otherwise have been present. On the wliole, the performance was a success, and the audience applauded the efforts made to please. Avoiding criticism, we cannot refrain from observing that Mr. Standwell's Don Csesar de Bazan smacked strongly of the professional, and was not encumbered with any of that nervousnesii or bashful timidity which generally attend the amateur ; his acting was fully up to that of anything we have as yet witnessed on the Wellington stage. Mr. WrJgglesworth's personation of Charles Harebrain indicates the possession of talent which will go far to found a name for the new club.