PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3844, 19 June 1875, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Friday, June 18. On the Railway Bills, Mr M'Glashan’s amendment having been negatived, Mr M“KenZlE’s motion to include “ Waynes to Waihemo” in the same schedule as the Lawrence-Teviot line was agreed to by 15 to 7. Mr Reeves’s proposal to include the line to the Abbotsford coal pits was negatived by 16 to 6, and that of Mr Kinross to 3-dd th© Win ton to Nightcap coalfield line lost by 15 to 11. Mr Hallen--BTEIN s motion for a bridge over the Kawarau at its junction with the Arrow River was agreed to on the understanding that the work should be constructed by loan. Mr Bastings said he was utterly amazed at the action of the Government. They had actually passed a vote of want of confidence against themselves. Mr Fish said the honorable member at the head of the Government had been consistent in one thing, and that was—thorough inconsistency. That honorable member had been consistent in one thing—his desire for power and place.— (Oh 1 oh!) Well, he would say the honorable member desired to retain office. He (Mr Fish) was really surprised that the honorable member for Tuapeka had only expressed his astonishment at the tail end of the session. Mr Reid, in reply, said the Government had been blamed "7 the honorabble member for the Taieri (Mr Snand) because they had allowed this scheaule to go on a different footing to those already introduced, and then in the same speech said he thought there would not be sufficient revenue to construct the first schedule of railways. The Government were willing to put these lints in tL 8 r me positl °" a 8 wMn introduced, but other hues were added to the extent of L 22.000 i the ° ng^ l Bche dule, which it was SSSSiSi P^V Therefore the 7 could not construct all the lines out of revenue They must do it out of loan. The animus which characterised the remarks of the honorable members for Tuapeka and Dunedin (£re

Bastings and Fish), showed that they could not say anything that was bad enough in regard to himself. He did not expect any consideration from the honorable member for Dunedin (Mr Fish), and he did not ask it. The motion was agreed to without division.

Mr Moody’s motion —requesting the Superintendent to cause a Bill to be introduced into tlm General Assembly at its next session to validate the said Ordinance and confirm the said Board in the exercise of the said powei s in respect of the management of the said port or harbor of Kakanui, as the limits of the said port may hereafter be defined under the Marine Act, 1867- was supported by the Provincial Solicitor, and agreed to. The Appropriation Bill’s second reading havbeen moved by the Provincial Secretary, Mr Fish made a long speech, charging the Government with adopting the old clothes of their predecessors, after which the Bill was read a second time, committed, read a third time, and passed. On the motion of the Provincial Solici; or, tho Harbor Board of Otago Lands Bill was read a second and third time and passed. On Message No, 18 re surveys of lines of railways, from the Superintendent, the Provincial Solicitor moved that his Honor be requested to proceed with a survey in. detail of the lines mentioned, with a view to the same being submitted to this Council for consideration at its next session. Mr Kinross moved, as an amendment, that his Honor be requested not to proceed at present with the survey, which was carried by 14 to 13, The Outram and Geeytown Railway Bill, Dunedin and Peninsula Railway Bill, Oamaru Rifle Range Reserve Management Bill, and Port Chalmers Seamen's Institute Bill were read a third time and passed. The debate was resumed on Mr M'Dermid’s motion—“ That should his Honor the Superintendent give effect to the resolution passed by this Council, viz., ‘ That in assenting to the Dunedin Harbor Board levying dues on the railway jetties at Port Chalmers, a corresponding increase should take place on Dunedin wharves; and that he should be requested at the same time to make over to the Otago Harbor Board all the harbor plant now in its possession, so that the Board may be in a position to effect the repairs necessary to the efficient and economical working of the same’” —the words from “make ” being added on Mr Mills’s motion, was agreed to. The Provincial Solicitor, in moving the second reading of the Education Bill, said it had been wholly misunderstood. It only gave permissive power to those districts which desired to rate themselves. If there was a majority in any district that did not require rating, the provisions of the Bill could not be enforced. He sympathised to some extent with those objectors who de-ired to see a purely secular system of education, because he was strongly in favor of the purely secular principle, but he would point out that this Bill did not create any new liability, but merely removed the liability frorn indirect to direct taxation. Some members might oppose this Bill because they thought that a tax would be unpopular; but if their education system was to be kept up they must have direct taxation. The levying of direct taxation was the only means of conserving the lands of the Province, as otherwise they must be sold to meet the demands upon the revenue. •By passing this Bill they would P« educating the people up to the point of taxing themselves for education. Mr M‘Kknzib seconded the motion. Mr Manders moved that the Bill be read this day six months, and the amendment was carried, on a division, by 16 votes against 5. The following is the division list: Ayes, 16 Messrs Armstrong, Brown J. 0., Browne G. F. C., Clark (teller), Darnel, De Lautour. Fish, Hallenstein, Lumsden, Manders (teller), Mollison, Moody, Reeves, Steward, Sumpter, Wilson. Noes, 5 —Messrs Allan, M‘Kellar, M‘Kenzie (teller). M‘Neil, Stout {teller). On the motion of Mr De Lautour it was agreed that effect be given to the recommenda tion of the Goldfields Committee in re petition of 87 settlers in the Dunstan district that certain lands on Run No. 221 be thrown open for agricultural settlement, as set out in the prayer of the said petition. Mr Clark moved, “That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that a line of railway from the main line to the Tokomairiro Coal Pits should be constructed by private enterprise; and that every facility should be 'afforded by the Government to such Company and further, that in the event of any difficulty arising to prevent any such Company constructing the line, the Government be authorised to proceed with the same, or any part thereof, on such fair and equitable terms as may be agreed on by the Government.” Agreed to. ■ Mr Sumpter moved, “That the Government be recommended to consider the advisability of •utilising a portion of the reserve set aside for Lunatic Asylum and Industrial School at Bluoskin, as a site for an Inebriate Asylum, which was agreed to.

Mr Clark's motion—“ That the petition of Edward M'Glashan re an agreement for the transfer and conveyance of certain lands, for a road line up the Water of Leith Valley, be referred to the Government as recommended by the Private Petitions Committee.”—was agreed to.

The Provincial r- olicitor moved that his Honor be requeste I to urge the Colonial Government to pass an in the General Assembly for compelling farmers, pastoral and agricultural, to prov de sufficient and proper house accommodation for their employes. Mr M ody moved, as an amendment, the insertion of the words “and other employers of labor” after the words “agricultural,”' wl ich was accepted by the mover. The motion, however, as amended, was negatived by 14 to 10.

Saturday, June 19. The Council met at noon to day. On Mr Reeves’s motion the Council expressed ’hs opinion “ That it is highly desirable that a steady supply of suitable immigrants to the Province be kept up, and therefore resolves that, in case it should 'necome necessary during the recess, his Honor the Suoerintendent, with the advice of his Executive Council, be authorised to incur for the above purpose, an expendsture of not exceeding LIO,OOO, and this Council agrees to idemnify the Government for such|amount as may be expended under this resolution.”

Mr Reeves’s motion affirming the desirability, on the expiration of the present toll bar leases, of all toll bars being removed to a reasonable distance from the City boundaries was supported by the Government, and carried on a division by 16 against 13, IMr J. C. Brown was about to urge a few reasons why the Counoil should a«ree to his motion, which invited the Council to say that the conduct of the Government during the recess is censurable for the unnecessary delay that has taken place in opening the Waipori drainage channel for mining purposes, and also for their neglect in not placing the work under proper control;” but he was cut short by the entrance of the Superintendent, who, in proroguing the Council, delivered the followin'* Speech:— °

“ Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial C ouncil of Otago—“P” of the Governor I assented to the following Ordinances, passed by you, each on the date mentioned immediately after the name of the Ordinance : Ordinance, 1875, on May 27; Arrow Waterwarks Empowering Ordinance, 1875, on Juno 3: Cattle and Sheep Ordinance, 1875, on June 3 ihe Immigration and British Agents Ordinance, 1?75, on June 5 ; The Invercargill Corporation Borrowing Powers Extension Ordinance, 1875, on June 10. “I have this day, on behalf of the Governor, assented to the following Ordinances also passed by you Southland Railway Ordinance, 1875; Cemetery Reserves Management Ordinance 1864 Amendment Ordinance 1875 • Dog Nuisance Ordinance ; Southland Repeal Ordinance, 187o; University of Otago Lunds Ordinance, 1875; the Municipalities Validation Ordinance, 1875; the Li fen sing Laws Amendment Ordinance, 1875 ; Dog Nuf9 rdinaTlce 1862 Amendment Ordinance, 1875; Arrow! own Athenaeum Ordinance 1875' Otago. Roads Ordinance, 1871. Amendment Ordinance, 1875; Peninsula District Thistle Prevention Ordinance, 1875; Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance, 1875; Oamaru Waterworks Empowering Ordinance, 1875 ; The Turnpike Ordinance, 1866, Amendment Ordinance, 1875 ; The Immigration and British Agent Ordinance, No. 2,1875; Otago Gold Bonus Ordinance, 1875; Town and Country

Police Ordinance 1862 Amendment Ordinance, 1875 ; Roxburgh Waterworks Empowering Ordinance, 1875 ; Appropriation Ordinance, 1875-6.

‘ 1 have this day reserved for the signification of Governor s pleasure thei’eon. the following Bills passed by you:—Cromwell Reserves Management Bill, 1875 ; Lawrence Reserves Management Bill, 1875 ; Dunedin Recreation Reserve Change Bill, 1875: I Fairfax School Land Sa e Bill, 1875 ; Roxburgh Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Lawrence Reserve Sale Bill, 1875; the Tokomairiro School Reserve and Glehe Land Sale Valuation Bill, 1875; Superintendent’s Land Sale Bill, 1875; Invercargill Reserves Exchange Bill, 1575 ; Gaol Street Diversion Bill, 1875; Port Molyneux Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Invercargill Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Invercargill Athenaeum Reserve Management Bill, 1875; Oamaru Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Naseby Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Otago Harbor Boards Ordinance 1871 Amendment Bill, 1875 ; Invercargill Recreation Reserve Change Bill, 1875 ; Riverton Athenaeum Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Invercargill Public Offices Bill, 1875; Education Reserves Management and Leasing Bill, 1875; Queenstown Reserves Management Bill, 1875 ; Roads Diversion Bill, 1875 ; Palmerston Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Oamaru Education and Municipal Reserves Exchange Bill, 1875; Moeraki Harbor Board Bill, 1875 ; Kaitangata Railway Bill, 1875; Balclutha Reserves Management Bill, 1875; Invercargill Town Hall Site Bill, 1875; Otago Harbor Board Land Bill, 1875; the Outram and Greytown Branch Railway Bill, 1875 ; Dunedin and Peninsula Railway Bill, 1875; Port Chalmers Seamen’s Institute Bill, 1875 ; the Clutha River Conservators Board Bill, 1875. “ And I withhold the Governor’s assent from the West Hawkesbury Reserves Management Bill, 1875, and a*lso from the Oamaru Rifle Range Reserves Management Bill, 1875. Gentlemen, Your various resolutions of riparian rights on goldfields, as being one which have been transmitted to me for Executive action, shall have my best attention. I may say, however, with respect to one of these, that there is little probability of any practical result. I allude to the question of riparian rights on goldfields, as being one which is surrounded, with many difficulties, for the solution of which I am disposed to think that we shall have to look more to the judicial than to the Legislative. At the same time I shall solicit the aid of the Colonial Government to give effect to your resolution on the subject.

“ Gentlemen, the resolutions passed by you urging that no organic change should be made in the system of Government of the Colony, I shall forward to the Colonial Government. I cordially agree with you that any proposed change should .first be defined, and then calmly, deliberately considered by the people, and if this be done the proposal to abolish the Provinces will in my opinion, find few supporters. * “ Gentlemen, I desire again to call attention to the inexpediency of placing upon the supplementary Estimates large sums for expenditure without making an equivalent provision in the shape of ways and means. At your recommendation a considerable amount has been so placed, the power to expend which must be entirely contingent upon the revenue for the year being in excess of the amount upon which the main estimates have been based.

Gentlemen, I have now to thank you for your attention, and to declare this Council as it stands prorogued accordingly.”

From a return prepared by the Clerk it will be seen that the work done (luring the session just ended has bem, in quantity, much the same as in 1874

Length of session days 1874. 48 1875. 48 Lays of sitting ... ' ... 31 32 Average length of sittings... 6ih. 6h.27m Messages from the Superintendent 21 20 Addresses to the Superintendent ... 183 177 Bills introduced ... 39 03 Bills passed ... ... ,,, 39 58 Petitions presented ... 112 60 Papers laid on the table ... 80 77 Notices of questions given... Answers to questions entered in 72 80 journals 68 79 Notices ot motion given ... 303 298 Committees appointed 9 10 Reports from committees... .!, 55 47 Divisions entered in journals 91 89 Entries in journals 760 759