PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3234, 2 July 1873, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, July 1, government explanation.

Mr Tolmik : I have to inform this Council that the members of the new Government have been gazetted by his Honor the Superintendent to-day. The new Government as gazetted consists of myself as Provincial Secretary, Mr Turnbull as Provincial Treasurer, Mr Bastings as Secretary for the Goldfields and Works, Mr Turton as Provincial Solicitor, and Mr M'Dermid as a member without office. I wish to explain that I have only accepted office with the view of facilitating the business of the present session. I felt that if I declined accepting office great inconvenience would be experienced by a new member coming in and taking my place, the more especially as the time for carrying on the business of the country was limited, not exceeding ten or eleven days. If it is the wish of the House that I should remain in office during the session, I will do so. Whether or not, it is my intention to retire at the close of this' session. Personally, I have no desire to be a member of the Government. I quite agree with the object aimed at by Dr Webster's notice of motion that no member of the Government should be a member of the General Assembly. I "believe that it is the intention to reconstruct the Government at the close of the session on a basis that will be satisfactory to all It was proposed to add one member from the Northern, and another member from the Southern districts of the Province. I wish to make a few remarks in reference to the opinion expressed regarding my position as a member of the Waste Land Board. I hold office as a member of that Board so long as I remain a member of the Government. So long as I hold my position as a member of the Government I shall also retain my seat as a member of the Waste Land Board. The moment I cease to hold the one office I also cease to hold the other. I think that explanation will be quite sufficient for those members who really desire that the business of the country should be gone on with expeditiously. It is quite possible that all the business will not be disposed of during the very short time allowed for the present session. In that case, it will be incumbent on the Council to pass measures of pressing importance, more particularly the Estimates. That done the business can be proceeded with, and if necessary, the Council can be called together again at the close of the General Assembly. I will not now detain the House any longer, as I will have other opportunities for addressing you. The Estimates have been printed, after which some alterations wese made which necessitated their being reprinted. They will, however, be laid upon the table this week. Mr Shand was about to review the remarks made by the previous speaker in reference to his (Mr Tolraie's) position as a member of the Waste Land Board, when he was % called to order by the Speaker. Mr Shand : Then I will say nothing more just now, but I will bring the matter up again to-morrow. Mr Reid spoke at some length. He expressed a strong opinion that definite information should be furnished as to what shape the proposed reconstruction of the Government should take before they were asked to pass the Estimates. He understood that the Government contractors had not been, paid, and that their non-payment had ben imputed to the action adopted by him (Mr Reid) in the late Council. Mr Turnbull denied that any such statement had ever been made by the Treasury. Mr Reid continued to say that he thought it would be quite sufficient if the Government framed a Bill to make good the payment for all current contracts, and leave the general question of appropriation to be settled after the Council had received definite information regarding the proposed reconstruction of the Government. For his own part he had no intention of passing these appropriations hurriedly ; nor until he knew who the Government was by whom their votes would be expended, and by whom the exercise of the other important duties devolving upon the Government would be performed.

Mr Stout wished to know the real position of the Government. At the close of last session they refused to go on with the business, stating as their reason that they simply held office until their successors had been appointed. Mr Turnbull expressed surprise that the previous speaker should have evinced such a lamentable want of knowledge of constitutional law.—(Laughter.) With the election of a new Council, a new Government had also to be elected. That had been done that morning. His Honor the Superintendent had just issued a proclamation electing a fresh Government, the individual members of which had been announced. The late Government became defunct. —(Cries ofNo, no.”) Mr Stout remarked upon the strange position in which the Government stood in relation to the Council. During the last session the Government tendered its resignation, and refused to carry on the business, stating that it simply held office until its successors had been appointed. Two members, at least, of that Government got up and condemned the conduct of the Superintendent in not calling the Council together. They afterwards stated that the Superintendent had done right, and then that they would the verdict of the country as to whether he had acted rightly or wrongly. These same gentlemen had continued to retain office now more than a month after they had tendered their resignation. Now they were told t)»at the Superintendent had re-appointed them to office. What was still stranger, they were asked to pass the Estimates, and while they were told about a reconstruction of the Government, not a word was said as to what that reconstruction was to be- He thought the Government would see its way to advise the Superintendent to give a list of the names proposed for the new Executive, so that they might judge whether they had the confidence of the Council or not. In reply to a question put by the Hon. Major Richardson, the Provincial Secretary said he did not think it would be advisable for the Council to meet on Saturdays during the sitting. Mr M'Kenzie made a remark, in answer to which the Provincial Secretary said that it was intended that the Government should be reconstructed before the Council prorogued. All that was intended by the present arrangement was that the business should be carried on without interruption to the close of the session. The Speaker ruled out of order a question by Mr M'Kenzie as to how the Council did not meet yesterday, as was prigiaally intended,

At far MamAtnniMwSMHiMfr'sllftlßKNn xOF SQ* Th« tSwmcH then »djdun»d till ipday at

Th« Council re-asbembled to-liy ■•* 2 p.m.

PETITIONS. The ftiflbwiag petitions were received—From land-holders Mid residents in ihe district of Kakamii, that L 5.000 voted by the Provincial Government for Harbor Works at Kakanui, or portion thereof, should be expended in the prosecution of said works. (Dr Webster.)— From the members of the Lyndhurstßoad Board for re-construction of the district by separating the Waimumu sub-division. (Mr Kinross.) - • From residents in Tapanui that the Council recommend the Waste Land Board to re-consider its decision refusing to allow valuation for improvements made upon land adjoining these allotments. (Hon. Dr M«niriea).—From settlers in the Pomahaka district that a fair proportion of the revenue raised in the .district should be expended upon public works in the locality. (Hon. Dr Henries).—From Robert Dodds and Isaac Wyber relative to the depasturing of sheed at the Table-hill district (Mt£ 1 Clark).—From residents fcf Cardrona relative t<£ a sum of L 240 voted fer the improvement of the road communication between that and the • adjoining districts, and which was handed over to the Municipal Council of CrOmweD. , (MrD. M'Kellar).—From merchants, lighter- , men, shipowners, and others residing in Donedin and Port Chalmers, relative to the imposition of certain dues. (IdV members of a Progress Committee, chosen by the inhabitants of Macraes Flat, relative to the state of the road between thatplace «nd Shag Valley. (Mr J. M'Kenzie). —From parents ancL guardians of boys attending the High School, praying for a competent systen of inspection. QUESTIONS. The Hon. Major Richardson asked: Whether any report has been received from the commissioner appointed to investigate certain charges made against the head.master of the Tokomairiro grammar school, in connection with the absence of one of the scholars from religious instruction; and if not, what is the cause of the delay, and when will the charges be examined into ? The Provincial Secretary : In reply to the question, I have got to say that the commissioner appointed to examine into this charge has communicated with the gentleman who made the charge, and at his request the matter has been postponed for six weeks. The Hon. Major Richardson said that, so far as he was concerned, the question had not been satisfactorily answered. Would the Government pursue this investigation to a satisfactory result, or would they insist upon this slur upon our educational department no longer remaining ? The Provincial Secretary : The Govern* ment have, of course, taken the initiative; but at the request of the gentleman who made the charge, have postponed it, as it is inconvenient for him to attend. The Hon. Major Richardson asked: Whether the report of the commission appointed to investigate the allegations made against MrWarden Beetham by certain Chinese, is, in the opinion of the Government, such as to fully «xonerate the Warden ? The commission nad fully exonerated Mr Beetham. So far so good, but he thought it was only right towams a Government officer, charged in this way, that the Government should come forward in a public capacity and declare that these charges had, in . their opinion, either been disproved or were true. The Provincial Secretary : I have to say that the Government are perfectly satisfied that the charges brought against Mr Warden Beetham ware untrue; and were satisfied beforehand.—(H«an) .......... Mr M'Kenzie asked what amount of money has been expended for road works in the Peninsula electoral district during the last financial year? The Provincial Treasurer: In answer to that question, I have to state that the amount expended on read works in the district has been L 514 19s Id. ' I am not aware at this moment whether there is an indebtedness, but I do not think there is. However, I will give the necessary information to-morrow, Mr Stout asked what the cost of the recent elections of Superintendent and Provincial Councillors has been to the Province ? The Provincial Treasurer : The answer to this question is, that I am unable to say. I can tell the hon. member the number of claims that have been lodged in the Treasury up to the present time, and the amount of them is Lll2 16s 6d. There are, no doubt, others to come in; several returning officers have not yet forwarded their claims; so that probably the amount will be more than what is claimed up to the present moment. bills. The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of the Dunedin Management Ordinance, 1867, Amendment-Bill. The Hon. Major Richardson moved as an amendment that the Bill should be read that day six months. The area set forth in the schedule of the Act adjoined the Middle School, where upwards of 600 children were confined, with barely sufficient breathing space allotted to them. The importance of sufficient ground connected with schools was forcibly pointed out by the High School Commission. The amendment was seconded by Mr M'Kenzie. • Mr Fish moved the adjournment of the debate until to-morrow, to afford him an opportunity for satisfying the mover of the amendment that his apprehensions were groundless. The further consideration of the matter was adjourned till to-morrow. On a motion for the second reading of the Otago Municipal Corporation Ordinance Amendment Bill, Mr Fish expressed an opinion that the power might be conferred upon the . Superintendent, and the Executive Council should be guarded by a reservation that their powers were passed without first ascertaining that it was the wish of a majority of the citizens. It was pointed out by the Secretary for Works that the case put by the member for Caver sham was an extreme one. The Government only moved at the request of municipal bodies, and they brought down this Bill merely for the purposes of some up-country munia. pality. The Government would, hqwev«y withdraw the Bill and introduce a separate Bill for any municipality that desired to increase its boundaries. The Bill was accordingly wiflh drawn. On the second reading of sie Squth Dunedin Cemetery Closing Bill, M'GrLASHAN mated that he would haye. to qrpose. the Bill unless it were amended, because it took away the rights of persons who had purchased land in the cemetery. The second clause should be so altered as to permit of persons who had purchased land to be entitled at all times to bring their friends and relatives there. It was stated by the Government that the objection could be met, and the second reading passed. The Port Chalmers and Queenstown Waterworks Empowering, the Bridges Traffic Regulation, and the Dempsey Trust Bills were read a second time.

NOTICES OP MOTION. Mr Stout to move :~ , " That in the opinion of this Council it is expedient, in order to provide for the speedy settlement of the country, that the Otago Waste Lands Act 1872, in so far as it provides that the area open for alienation by deferred pay? ments shall not exceed 30,000 acres, and that no new block or any one now shall be opened in the same system, until at least one-half of the said block should be amended. That there should be provided, in lieu of the provisions in the Baid Waste Lands Act relating to the alienation of land on deferred payments, that the area to be opened in any one year sheuld not exceed 100,000 acres, and that there should be no limit as to quantity to be taken from any one run, nor should it be insisted on that at least one-half of the land opened for sale on the said system should be sold or leased before further land could be opened." Mr FiSH to move:— ** That in the opiniqn of this Council it is desirable that the electoral laws df the Colony should do amended during the ensuing session of the Colonial Parliament, and that such amendment should embrace the following resolutions:—That any person proposed as a candidate for the office of Superintendent of any Province, — days before the nomi. mation, deposit with the chief Returning Officer of the Province the sum of fifty pounds sterling, such sum to be absolutely forfeited to the State, should such candidate fail to secure one-fifth of the total number of votes polled op the day of election. That any person proposed as a candidate for the office of councillor in the Provincial Council of any Province, shalL days before the nomination; deposit Returning Officer of the district in" which he seeks election, the sum 'of twentyfive pounds sterling, such sum to be absolutely forfeited to the State, in the event of such candidate failing to secure on the day of the election one-fifth of the total number of votes polled. That the' franchise be extended to all male persons being subjects of Great Britain ot the age of ' twenty-one years, who BhMJ have been born bom Jidt resident* in,

district for which they seek to oe enrolled, for a pTriodl of .ix months previous to the date upon which claims are received for enrolment. That such persons, when enrolled, shall vote only in the district for which they are enrolled and no other, except for the election of Superintendent when they shall be allowed to vote m any district in which they may for the time being be residing. That the foregoing franchise shall extend to the election for members of the House of Representatives of the Provincial Council and of Superintendent. That the law at present in force regarding the voting of miners by virtue of their miners' rights be abolished, and in lieu thereof all miners bo brought under the operation of the third resolution. That Mr Speaker be requested to forward a copy of these resolutions to the General Government, with a tespectful request that they will introduce a measure during the ensuing session of Parliament to give effect to the same."