PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 2896, 31 May 1872, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Yesterday. The Speaker took the chair at 2 p.m. KKW BILL. The Provincial Solicitor laid on the table the Dunstan Racecourse Reserve Bill, which was road a first time, ordered to be printed, and its second reading made an order of the day for next sitting. BILLS PASSED. The Fencing Bill and the Impounding Bill were read a third time, and passed, ROADS DIVERSION BILL. The Roads Diversion Bill was recommitted, and in committee a new sub-section was inserted, The House resumed, and the Chairman reported the Bill with amendment. The Bill was ordered to be read a third time at next sitting. SUPPLY. The item “ Southland Railway Arbitration, L 3059 7s lOd,” was submitted. The Provincial Treasurer moved—“ That the amount be increased by L 700,” stating that this was required for professional charges, Arc. The Hon. Mr Holmes would like to see the particulars of the claim before any votes were taken. He considered the whole a flair was a complete piece of bungling and incapacity throughout. It exhibited an amount of want of capacity and attention to the public interest that was perfectly inexcusable. Many thought that still worse motives than these were at the bottom of the whole affair ; so that all the circumstances connected with the affair should be brought to light. The commitece appointed specially to consider the matter could obtain only part of the documents concerned. This was another reason why the Council should insist upon having full information of the whole matter before any vote whatever was agreed to. Dr, Menzies traced the various circumstances in detail, out of which the arbitration had arisen, and referred to the proceedings and conclusions of the committee on the subject, from which it appeared to be the opinion of the hon. member that tho amount should pass ; and wherever the blame might ultimately be found to rest, the expense had been incurred. Mr Gillies, as a member of the late Government, felt himself called on to make a few remarks in self-defence. He was simply a non-official member, but on the 12th of January took Mr Reid’s place for a few weeks during his candidature for the Superintendency. In respect to the memorandum referred to in "his Honor’s message yesterday, he (Mr Gillies) could only say that if that memorandum was over brought under the notice of the Executive he was not present —at least he had no recollection of it ; nor was there any Executive minute of such a memorandum having been submitted for consideration ; so whether it was actually ever submitted or not he could not say, but certainly not with his knowledge. The lion, member at considerable length referred to the several stages of the case as it came under the notice of the Government while he himself was a member of it, and stated that much as he now regretted the extent to which it had gone, were the circumstances again to occur, and in a similar way, he would have no hesitation in doing again as he had done in connection with the matter. Mr Lumsden thought it would be better to settle the claim and have done with it, though he did not think the hon. member who last spoke (Mr Gillies) had altogether exonerated the Executive. After a few remarks from the Provincial Solicitor, the item and the proposed addition were agreed to. The House having resumed, a message was received covering the Supplementary Estimates. The House went again into Committee of Supply, when the whole of tho items were agreed to.

The House resumed and proceeded to consider the motions on the paper. The Provincial Secretary moved—•“ 1 hat this Council specially recommends, in terms of the mb section of the Southland Waste Lands Act, 18G5, that a grant of land not exceeding ten thousand acres be made for works and other expenses in connection with the completion of the Oreti and Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Railways, in that portion of the Province of Otago lately known as the Province of Southland.” The Hon. Mr Holmes spoke strongly in opposition to the motion, and stated he considered the claim unjust, and that he would rather see the Government resist the claim, and let it go into a Court of law. The Hon. Dr Menzies thought it would be better to defer any action till a future session, so as to allow the whole affair to begone into by another Select Committee on a future occasion. The Provincial Solicitor thought the Province was bound in honor 1 to pay tire amount awarded, and he therefore could see nothing for it but to agree to the motion. He thought he might in confidence say that the profits of the railway would soon be equal to the amount now required to be voted in land.

This Day. The Speaker took the chair at 12 o’clock noon. IMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS. Mr Tolmie brought up the report of the Select Committee on Immigration and Public Works. The report was ordered to be referred to the Government. QUESTION OP PRIVILEGE. Before proceeding to the business on the paper, Mr Mervyn rose to a question of privilege. The hon member would bring under notice of the House a statement which appeared in this morning’s Times respecting himself; and, having read the statement complained of amid several “hear, hoar’s” from hon. members, Mr Mervyn went on to remark that he would put it to hon members whether this was a true and faithful report of which took place. (Hear.) If the Press was permitted to misconstrue and misrepresent what was said in the House, in self-defence those who suffered from such treatment must take measures of self-defence, and prevent them from coming there to misrepresent them. He would deny that he had any animus whatever against the Goldfields Secretary ; nor had he uttered any words calculated or intended to give personal offence to that gentleman. Again, as to “persisting” in the course he was said to have done, he denied this also. He had repeatedly stated his willingness to sit down if the Speaker considered he was travelling outside the four corners of the motion. He had called the attention of the House to the matter because he made it a point never to reply through the Press to attacks made upon him in newspapers, and this was the only course open to him. The Speaker ; I fail to catch the question of privilege to which the hon. member wishes to call attention.

Mr Mervyn: Tho question is this —Are country members to be wholly ignored by the Press and all their statements misrepresented ? The Speaker ; I still fail to sec any question of privilege involved. If there be any ground of complaint respecting the Press hon. members have the remedy in their own hands. The matter then dropped. [Left sitting.]