PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 2889, 23 May 1872, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Yesterday. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House having gone into Committee of Supply, consideration of thp Estimates yap resumed at page 14, when all the {terns under tjie head “ Mam Branch Roads ” were agreed to unchallenged, except the item « Dnnedin to Portohello, L 800,” which was opposed, but subsequently carried on a division of 17 against 10. Under the head “Miscellaneous Roads,” the item “Port Chalmers to Blueskin, LI 00,” was agreed to as read. The item “Peninsula Beach

Road, L 300,” being moved, Mr M'Kenzie moved as an amendment, “ That the amount be reduced byL299.” The amendment was negatived. Mr Hutcheson moved as a further amendment, “ That the item be reduced by L 100,” which was affirmed on a division of 19 to 15 The remaining items were agreed to as read , as were also the whole of those under the several heads “ Works and Buildings* L 6970,” “ Railways, L 3000,” “Bridges, L 8360,” and “Jetties and Harbors, L 9.450.” On the item “Orepuki Tramway,” L 20,000, being considered, Mr Bell brought under the notice of the Government the advisability of necessary works being constructed by the settlers in the districts in which the works were situated contributing to the funds, they being allowed, in return, to select land to the amount of their contributions. Mr Reid replied that such a course would be in opposition to the spirit of the Act; and would have the effect of stopping legitimate land sales. Mr Shand moved as amendments that the land to be taken (it being proposed that payment for the vote should be made in land) should be in the district through which the tramway was to pass ; and that the item be reduced to L2OOO. The first amendment was carried; the other was negatived on a division by 15 to 14 Dr Webster moved that the item be reduced to LSOOO, which was carried on the voices. Frog res 3 was then reported. CATTLE TRESPASS ORDINANCE (SOUTHLAND) REPEAL BILL. The Provincial Solicitor moved for and obtained the discharge of this Bill, which is now included in the Impounding Ordinance. OTAGO LOCAL REVENUES BILL. The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of this Bill (formerly called .Municipal and Shires C uncil Local Revenues Ordinance ) The object of it was to enable collectors of Municipalities and Shire Councils to collect and receive the various licenses and registration fees. In Committee he intended to propose an alteration of clause 4 as printed, making it read that Municipalities should maintain and manage all main roads within their boundaries, after the completion of the roads. Mr Mervyn. while not intending to offer further opposition to the measure, could not help thinking that it would act unfairly to some parts of the country. Towns not incorporated would receive no advantage under it, and among those was Naaeby, which Dunedin and Invercargill excepted, contributed the largest amount of revenue to the Province; while it would also act unfairly towards some municipalities—-Palmerston in particular. He approved of the measure because it recognised the principle that direct taxation imposed on the inhabitants of a district should be retained for local purposes ; and the precedent the Government was seeking to establish might be turned against themselves. Great credit was due to the Mayor of Dunedin for initiating the movement which resulted iu the measure ; but the mayors of up-country municipalities had been made cats paws of bythat gentleman. Mr Bastings denied that the country mayors had been made calspaws of. What would accrue to Dunedin was only what it was entitled to, considering its population and the extent of main road it would have to maintain. He hoped soon to see shire councils established ; and it was only fair to assume that the municipal bodies would merge into shire councils, which was a principle they had been fighting for a session or two. The measure would do a great deal of good in enabling them to spend their local revenues and govern themselves. The Bill was then read a second time. IMPOUNDING BILL. The Provincial Solicitor, in moving the second reading of the Bill, explained that it assimilated the law relating to the impounding of cattle throughout the Province. The Bill was read a second time, INVERCARGILL EDUCATION RESERVE EXCHANGE KILL. On the motion of the .Provincial Solicitor, this Bill was read a second time. EDUCATION RESERVE, .JACOB'S RIVER HUNDRED SALE BILL. This Bill was also read a second time. The Council then went into Committee upon the four Bills above-mentioned. After considering some of the provisions of the Impounding Bill, progress was reported, and leave obtained to sit again. The Otago Municipal and Shire Councils I ocal Revenues Bill was reported to the House, with amendments, and its third reading made an order of the day for th next sitting. The Invercargill Education Reserve Exchange Bill was reported to the House without amendment, read a third lime, and passed. The Education Reserve, Jacob’s River Hundred Sale Bill was also reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. OTAGO EDUCATION ORDINANCE, 1864, AMENDMENT BILL Mr Mervyn, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said its object was to leave the decision of the question as to whether the Bible should be read or not with the various School Committees, making it permissive, instead of compulsory as at present; and also to prevent religious instruction being imparted in schools. He did not think it was intended by those parties who introduced the Ordinance that Ibis religious instruction should be imparted—that the Bible should be explained. It was left open to a doubt, which would be removed by the passing of the Bill before the House. The motion for the reading of the Kill a second time was carried on a division by 15 against 8. LICENSING ORDINANCES AMENDMENT BILL. Mr Bathgate, in moving the second reading of this Bill, explained that the necessity for this amending Ordinance arose from a technical mistake in the Ordinance of 1879.. Under the second section of that Ordinance, it was piovided “that a licensed person need not apply for a renewal, provided nevertheless that no such person shall be entitled to such renewal if the Commissioner of Police object, the objections must be stated one calendar month before the 31st December; and in case such notice shall he given, the holder of such license, if desirous of continuing the same, he . may apply for a license, 1 ’ but it did pot allow the party time tp apply. lie was hound to apply a pertaip time before the first Tuesday in December; and the section as it now stood was entirely unworkable. It was proposed to alter the section to the extent that instead of notice of objection being given one calendar month before the 31st December, it should be given one calendar month before the first Tuesday in December. In addition to the Commissioner of Police having the right to object, any owner

r occupier of property in the neighborhood could lodge an objection one calendar month before the first Tuesday in December. The Bill was read a second time, considered in Committee, reported to the House without amendment, and then read a third time and passed. THE AIDED SCHOOLS CLAUSES. Mr Clark moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council the ‘ aided clauses’ contained in the Education Bill, proposed to be introduced by the General Government at next meeting of Assembly, are opposed to the true principles of political economy, and are calculated to place in the bands of Ministers a most dangerous patronage, which may be exercised so as to prove most detrimental to the best interests of the Colony, and to the success of a sound system of national education. ” Mr Reid seconded the motion, to which the following addition was made—“ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Sup- rintendent, requesting him to forward the foregoing resolution of the Speakers and members of the House of Representatives and Legislative Council.” On the motion of Mr Cutten the debate was adjourned, in consequence of tho absence of several members.