The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 1865.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 809, 8 December 1865, Page 2

The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 1865.

In the Provincial Council this afternoon. The Speaker took the chair at two o’clock. Mr Mon at moved—“ That in the opinion of 4his Council the following sums, amounting to £7B 18s, paid from the Police Reward Fund, are not properly chargeable to the said Fund, and that an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, praying that the sum of £7B 18s be placed on the Estimates to recoup the Police Reward Fund to the amount so misappropriated : 1864 Cash refunded, November 21, Mr Hitman ... ... £33 6 8 1865 April 6, Mr Jordan, cost of confiscated property 8 11 6 May 9 th, Mr Tracy, false arrest... ... ... 13 12 0 ~ July 13th, Margaret Little, false arrest ... ... 23 7 10 £7O 18 0 It was explained that the first two items were ■simply repayments, and the motion was amended accordingly. A discussion ensued, in which Mr Walker, for the Government, defended the Commissioner of Police against the attack made upon him by Mr Haughton, and stated that the Police Reward Fund had now been placed entirely under the control of the Executive, and would, for the future, be strictly confined to its defined purpose. At the request of the mover, the motion was withdrawn. Mr Lloyd moved—“ That the Government be requested to take steps to recover the amount due for interest on the £35,000 loan to the city of Dunedin up to the sth December 1865, and that the bonds be retained till the interest is paid.” A debate ensued, and Mr Haughton moved, as an amendment, that the Government be requested to “ cause the interest and sinking fund to be added to the principal, and remain on the same terms as agreed to by the resolution of the House on the sth December 1865.” The Provincial Secretary (Mr Walker) although a member for a remote country district, . could not see how, after uhe merits of the case had been largely debated the other evening, the present motion had been brought forward On the former occasion the Council accepted as a fact the inability of the City Council to pay the interest and sinking fund for the next ten years, and unanimously agreedto remit these charges for that period. Why then should they refuse to apply to the two or three past years the conditions the House had acknowledged with regard to the ensuing 10 years ? A debate ensued, and on a division the amendment was carried.