PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2602, 20 June 1871, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tins Day. The house was very tliioly attended at the opening of the setting to-day. After the usual routine of presenting petitions and laying papers on the table, Mr Mollisou asked the Speaker a question with regard to theprivi'egeof committees reporting upon subjectsremittedthem forconsideratioo. Thecasibe put was whether the members or any member of a select committee, on reporting to the Council won d be liable to an action for damages for any statement made in the. report or in the report of evidence. If so, he should decline to act on any committee. He wished to know, as a throat had been held out in reference to one committee. The Speaker said he had consulted May, and found that unless in the appointment of a committee express power was granted to report, no report was privileged ; but if the committee were empowered to report, the House itself undertook the responsibility ol that report, and relieved individual members from liabi'ity for damages. On the motion of Mr Sumpter, that the report of the. Commissioner appointed to make enquiries with reference to the reward for the discovery of the pcipetrators of the gold robbery at Clyde, be printed, Mr. Reynolds objected on the score of its being of.no public importance, and of the expense of printing. A division was called, but ultimately it was negatived on the voices. Thu Him. Dr, Mcuzies moved that copies of correspondence in 1858 and 1850 between th 5 Cohmia! Secretary and the Superintendent of Otago, respecting the issue of Crown grants of reserves, be laid on the table. He wished it, as some papers had been lost in the wreck of the While Swan. The motion was agreed to, as, wore Mr Lumsden’s motion that the petitions from Invercargill, respecting a building site for an Athcnieum and the running of mail trains on Sundays, bo laid on the table. The motion of Mr Mervyn, to refer the petition of the inhabitants of St, Ralhau’s, in reference to the appointment ol a trustworthy person to issue miners’ rights, to a Select Committee, was opposed by Mr Reynolds as being the Province of the Government. Mr Reid supported the motion, which Avas carried. Mr shepherd’s motion, that the petition of the inhabitants of Clyde, praying that the sittings of the Supreme Court for the northern goldfields be hold at Clyde should be referred to the Government, avas made by an amendment by Mr Hickey, referring it, Avith petitions from the inhabitants of Alexandra and Cromwell, to the committee on the administration of the goldfields, Avliich Avas carried.