PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 3, 3 June 1874, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, June 2. The Speaker took the chair at 3 p.m. PAPERS Mr Jollic laid a number of papers on the table. Mr Maude also laid several reports of departments, and copies of correspondence on the table. COMMUNICATION FROM TEE SUPERINTENDENT. The Speaker intimated to the House that he had received from the Superintendent a communication approving of the Standing Orders and regulations transmitted to him for his approval by Mr Speaker. PROVINCIAL AUDITOR’S REPORT. The Speaker stated that he had received from the Provincial Auditor the following report;— “ Provincial Auditor’s Office, “ Christchurch, Canterbury, N.Z., “ June 3rd, 1874. “ To H. J. Tancred, Esq., “ Speaker of the Provincial Council. “ Sir. —I have the honor to enclose a comparative statement of the provincial account, showing the amounts voted by the Provincial Council during the last session and the expenditure for the period of eight months ending the 31sfc May, and the amount unappropriated. “ Assuming that tfc" Appropriation Ordinance for the year cubing 30th September, 1874, had to run its course, I will proceed to comment upon some of the items for which a further supply would have been needed. “ The item of Police Contingencies would have been insufficient, the expenditure in this department is largely in excess of the vote.

“ The average of the last eight months shews that at least £lo*oo would haye been required to carry on to the end of the financial year, in excess of the balance at present unappropriated. “ So also in the department of Charitable Aid, the expenditure would also have required a further supply to the extent also of £IOOO. “ In most of the other departments the votes of the Council would have been sufficient, except in the railway department, and here the vote, even including the whole amount for contingencies, would have been largely exceeded. In this department there has been a considerable addition to the staff in excess of the appropriation, partly to be accounted for perhaps by the large increase to the traffic. “ I have audited the accounts of the Kailway department to the 30th April, and have annexed to this report a balance sheet made up to that date. “ I have also enclosed a return, showing the receipts and expenditure of the various Road Boards, made up to 31st December last. Reference to this return will show that there was a balance to the credit of the various Boards at that date, amounting to the sum of £84,000 and upwards, and only in five cases had the expenditure been in excess of the income. “The accounts of theWaimakariri Board of Conservators, and those of the trustees of the Museum, as well as the curator’s account, have also been audited, and are in every way satisfactory. “ la auditing the accounts of the administrator of charitable aid, who is also receiver of the monies due by immigrants, I have had occasion to report to his Honor the Superintendent, that the receipts in this department continue far below the expense incurred in their collection. Daring the last four months only £53 has been collected, while the expense of the department has exceeded £l5O. “ As regards the vote for educational purposes, I have again to invite the attention of the Provincial Council to the remarks which I felt it my duty to make in my last report, and in continuation thereof, I have to ask the attention of the Council to the extremely unsatisfactory abstract of account showing the receipts and expenditure of the district school committees, and which accompanies this report. “The grant for maintenance of schools, which amounts this year to £15,000, passes almost wholly to the chairmen of the district schools, chiefly in the nature of imprest moneys for salaries and other purposes, to bo accounted for in the usual way ; and the Education Ordinance provides that these accounts are to be audited by two auditors elected in each district; but while this has been done, it has not been done in accordance with the Ordinance. “ In proceeding to audit the accounts of the Board of Education, in accordance with the 71st clause of the Ordinance, the accounts so audited by the district auditors were handed to me, as part of the accounts of the Board, and on examining them I found they were wrongly constructed. “ In place of returning these accounts to the Board of Education, I agreed, after a conference with the Board, to return them to the districts concerned, explaining where and how they were imperfect, and requesting they might be revised and returned to me. “ Out of 68 school districts, 41 only have complied with the Ordinance, the remaining 27, as will be seen by my return, have failed to pay any heed to my request, and some of the committees altogether repudiate any liability to account: further, inasmuch as the Ordinance has been, as they think, complied with, in submitting their accounts to the district auditors ; and as new chairmen and new committees are now in office, they owe no responsibility in the matter. As the Ordinance is at present constructed, I have no authority to enforce the rendering of an accurate account. Practically, therefore, the Board of Education, so far its grants to district schools is concerned, stands in the position of irresponsibility, and their accounts are not and cannot be audited. “ This is a matter of serious consequence, and one I apprehend the ProviueiaJ

Council will hasten to remedy, for I cannot imagine any more dangerous precedent to be on record, than thenon-accountabilify of any Board, receiving as this does grants to so large an amount. “No improper application of the public money can be supposed in this particular case, but the Council will see that where an imperfect audit prevails, followed as in this case by indifference ns to the result —not only is there evidence of laxity, but the door is open for a possible misapplication of the public funds, which is not unfrequeutly the consequence, “ The chairmen of the district schools are in the position of receivers of public money, and should be accountable for its application to the Public Auditor — vide, the Ist section of the schedule to the Provincial Audit Act, 1866 —but the fact of the EducatioaOrdinance appointing district auditors to a certain extent alters the case.

“ I respectfully submit that the Ordinance should be amended by repealing the appointment of District Auditors, and. requiring the accounts to be submitted to the Provincial Auditor, and in order to enable the Auditor to visit these districts, a slight alteration in one or two clauses of the Ordinance would be necessary. As for example—the year of office should terminate in the month of April in each year, instead of October, and the accounts should be made up to the previous 31st December, as in the Koad Board Ordinance. The Provincial Auditor could then, without any material additional expense, audit the accounts of the district school committees, while he is engaged in the audit of the Road Board accounts ; it would only occasion the trouble of making suitable centres, to which the accounts could be forwarded for the auditor's convenience as well as for the economy of time. “ This audit should be required to be completed, as is the Road Board audit, on or before the Ist of April—hence the accounts would be made up to a comparatively recent period, in readiness to be submitted to the Provincial Council at its April session. “ Since I have held the office of Provincial Auditor I have endeavoured, in the public interest, and successfully hitherto, to insist upon a full and perfect system of accounting in every case where Boards or individuals are in the receipt of the public funds, and I feel assured that it is only necessary for me to bring under the notice of the Provincial Council a case in which there is found to be a difficulty in this most important matter, for it to be amended.

“ I have the honor to be, Sir, “ Your most obedient servant, “ J. Ollivier. , “ Provincial Auditor.” Mr Jollie moved “That the report be printed.” Mr Higgins wished to make a few remarks on the auditor’s report. He thought that the auditor’s report did not take exception to the accuracy of the school committee accounts, but simply that they did not comply with the letter of the law, which stated that they should be made up to the 30th September in each year. He thought that the auditor had gone oat of his way to bring the matter of the law before the Council. [No, no.J r 1 The motion was then put and agreed to on the voices. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES, Mr Jollie moved —“ That Mr H. R. Webb be appointed chairman of committees.” He need not say much as regarded the qualifications of Mr Webb for the post. That gentleman bad held the oifice for some time, and had always conducted the business of the House in a manner consonant with the dignity of the House itself. The motion was agreed to on the voices. REPLY TO HIS HONOR’S ADDRESS. Mr J. N. Tosswill said that in rising to move the reply to his Honor's address, he thought he should consult the convenience of the House by not making a long speech. In this, too, he had a very good example set by the hon. member for Heathcote (Mr Montgomery) in moving the reply during the last session of the Council. As a new member of the House, also, he thought that he would only be doing what was right in confining his remarks to a short space of time, the more so as in reality the speech of the mover of the address in reply was looked upon to a great extent as a mere echo of the reply itself. The province was now enjoy ing a season of unexampled prosperity, as referred to by bis Honor the Superintendent in his address, and he (Mr Tosswill) could only express a hope that bis Honor would have occasion at a future session to refer, as he had done then, to this prosperity, and that he would be able to support the statement by reference to figures as satisfactorily as on the present occasion. He (Mr Tosswill) was glad to find that his Honor was prepared to recommend that a reduction should be made in the charges and fares of the railway, the more so as he held that low charges for transit of produce would aliect very greatly the grain production of the province in the matter of increasing it, and would also, in his opinion, have the effect of opening up and settling large tracts of waste land. [Hear. | He thought the Government deserved every credit for their prompt action in the rection of cottages and depots for the reception of the large number of immigrants which were now being brought in. It was of the greatest importance that immigrants arriving, as these were doing, in the most inclement season of the year, should bo accommodated as speedily as possible, the more so as it would have a bad effect in England if immigrants arriving in the province at this season were unable to find accommodation for themselves and families. Therefore he was glad that the Government bad acted as promptly as they had done upon the suggestion of the hon member for Lincoln (Mr Knight), Whilst on the subject of immigration, he might venture to express a hope that the immigration agent to whom the selection of the immigrants already sent out has been entrusted, would be more careful in the selection than he had hitherto been, as some of those which had arrived were scarcely the description of immigrants required here. [Hear.] He was of opinion that the agents had not exercised much wisdom in their selection. [Hear, hear.] Not only were the immigrants unsuitable to the requirements of the province, but they would do harm to the province in England by writing letters in which they would not be able to describe the inducements held out here to immigrants of the right character. Ho would like to refer with pleasure to the visit to this province of Mr Holloway. [Hear, hear.] That gentleman was the accredited agent of thousands of agricultural laborers, the very class which they in the province wished to attract, men who would become bona tide settlers amongst us, and by

whose efforts the country would be opened up and settlement progress. He thought therefore that the thanks of the House and province were due to his Honor the Superintendent and the members of the Government fqr the care and attention they have taken in supplying Mr Holloway with the fullest information on all subjects likely to be of interest to him in his mission. [Hear, hear.] He need only glance round the House as at present constituted to see that the road boards throughout the country were not likely to want supporters. [Hear, hear J He, however, was greatly in favor of liberal grants being made to the road boards, as the expenditure of money in that direction would tend to open up the country, and to increase the sale of land. [Hoar, hear.] He was pleased to observe that bis Honor had referred to the work of draining Lake Ellesmere, and also proposed to carry out a system of water supply to the various parts of the plains requiring it. He believed that as regarded both these works the sale of land consequent upon their execution would go far towards recouping the cost, besides which it would have a marked and beneficial effect upon the permanent . i,tleraent of the country; The Council had therefore every reason to consider carefully any proposition such as this, having for its object the opening up of the country and permanent settlement of it. [Hear, hear]. Of the various Bills proposed to be brought forward he would not being so young a member speak. He would leave them to the more experienced members of the House, at* the same time when they came before the Council he would give them his best attention. Speaking generally as regarded the address it appeared to him to bear on the face of it a desire on the part of his Honor the Superintendent and his responsible advisers to make use of the large public funds at their disposal to open up the country, and to promote its settlement. | Cheers.] He would now move the reply, which was as follows :

“ The Provincial Council thank your Honor for the Address with which you opened the firs f - session of the Council.

“The Council concur with your Honor that this session has been summoned under circumstances of peculiar prosperity, and they are gratified to learn that with other evidence of that prosperity the receipts from the railways are so large and increasing as to justify you in reducing the rates of carriage and fares. “ The Council are glad to learn that prompt steps have been taken to provide for the reception and accommodation of the large number of immigrants which are arriving in the province, and they agree with your Honor that it is of great importance that the selection of immigrants in England should be such as will insure the arrival in the province of those only , who are suited to its requirements. “ The Council cordially concur with your Honor that liberal appropriations to the Road Boards are of primary importance.

“Any recommendation of your Honor to set aside a liberal sum to carry out the proposals which may be made by the engineer who is shortly expected in the province to report upon the construction of harbor works at Timaru, will be carefully considered by the Council. “ The Council learn with satisfaction that your Honor will shortly be able to call for tenders for supplying the Waimakariri Plains with water, and will give their best consideration to any proposal for appropriating a sum of money for the supply of water to the district lying between the rivers Rakaia and Ashburton.

“ The Council will give their best attention to any proposals which may be submitted to them for the permanent lowering of Lake Ellesmere.

“The Council coincide with your Honor that the system of education established in the province is producing important results, and that the great increase in the number of children attending public schools is most gratifying. “The Council will be prepared to give their attentive consideration to any proposals for maintaining the efficiency of the schools by endowments in land or otherwise. “Yonr Honor’s recommendation to make further grants to public libraries to extend the usefulness of these institutions will receive our best attention.

“The Council will give their best attention to the Bill which your Honor proposes to submit to their consideration providing for the permanent endowment of the municipalities of the province, and also to the Bills amending the Executive Council Ordinance, and amending the Railway Tolls and Management Ordinance, 1872.” Mr T. S. Tancked in rising to second the reply, said that he had but a few remarks to make in doing so. The hou membe” for Lincoln (Mr Tosswill) had referred to the class of immigrants sent out ; and he (Mr Tancred) quite coincided with the hope that only those classes who were likely to be of use to us in the province should be sent out. In the matter of roads, he held that the Government should take the laying out of these in their own hands, so a? to ensure their running transversely and not parallel to the lines of rail now in course of construction throughout the province. The portion of the reply regarding the harbour works at Timaru met with his fullest approbation. Hon members were not perhaps aware of the very large amount of trade done at the port of Timaru, besides another claim the district had upon the Council ivas the very large amount of revenue derived from the sale of land in that district. Up to October last over £150,000 had been realised by sales of land, and since that time £250,000 additional had been received. Thus it would be seen that that the district had strong claims to the setting aside at least of a sum of money for this work. What he would cordially support would be that a sum should be set apart for the purpose of constructing harbour works at Timaru, if the engineer’s report should prove satisfactory, of course the voting of the money to be contingent on the latter event taking place. He was glad to see that his Honor proposed to carry out a system of irrigation of the plains. Nothing could be devised which would tend so much to the permanent prosperity of the province as this work, [Hear, hear.] Coming to the subject of education, it seemed to him that the present disagreement between the auditor and the Board of Education respecting the school accounts arose simply from the manner in which the Board conducted its business. [Hear, hear.] It would be far better if the local committee were allowed to have more power over the funds placed at their disposal. [Hear, hear,] He could not agree with the present system of reserving agricultural lauds for the purposes of education, unless some system could be devised by

means of which the lands could bo sold, and the proceeds in vested with trustees for the purposes of education. Otherwise it would be far better to confine educational reseserves to pastoral country, as there could be no doubt these reserves were a givnt nuisance. [Hear.] I'lc was very pleased to sec, from his Honor’s address, that he was in favour of increased grants to district and public libraries, which would be a great boon to those districts where they were not sufficiently wealthy or thickly inhabited to subscribe for themselves. [Hear.] Ho did not know much of the Bills before the House, but would give all measures his best attention. (Hear.] He begged to second the reply to the address. Mr Maskell said that he wished to say a few words respecting what had fallen from the hou seconder of the address respecting the reserves for education. He quite agreed with the hon member that reserves were a nuisance, but still he could not agree with him that it would be well to reserve agricultural land ; it seemed to him that it would be far better to reserve pastural lands only. But he had risen specially to call attention to the second paragraph of the address, which was as follows : —“ The Council concur with your Honor that this session has been summoned under circumstances of peculiar prosperity, and they arc gratified to learn that with other evidences of that prosperity the receipts from the railways are so large and increasing as to justify you in reducing the rates of carriage and fares.” Now members of a former House knew that they had had many discussions upon this point, and that there was great diversity of opinion upon the subject. This being the case, the paragraph he had referred to seemed to him to be as it were committing the House upon this subject It would have been far better, he thought, when a new Council was about to meet to have let this matter stand over until the Council had had an opportunity of expressing its opinion upon it. He would move as an amendment—“ That after the word 1 prosperity ’ in the second clause, all the words Ire struck out, with the view of inserting the following :— ‘ And they will give their best attention to any measure which may be proposed for the reduction of the rates of carriage and fares.’ ” Mr Dixon supported the amendment.

Mr Montgomery said that the Executive I had been considering the question of the reduction of the passenger fares and goods rates rpon the railways for some time. With regard to the amendment of the lion member for Seftou (Mr Masked) he would desire to point out that this was purely an executive matter of detail. Under the Ordinance of that Council the Superintendent cannot charge more than was laid down in the schedule of charges for goods and passenger fares, but ho could, subject of course to the advice of his executive, charge such lower rates as may be deemed expedient. Therefore his Honor was perfectly justified in acting as he had done, in fact he had simply carried out the law. The amount of the reduction of fares and goods charges would be issued in a]few days, and then the hon. member for Sefton could bring in a motion of censure against the Government. But to say that this matter should have been brought before the Council for investigation and decision was simply to say that the Government should hand over to the Council their functions, and let them carry out a work of purely Executive detail. He ventured to say that the amount of time consumed in this would be far more than the Council would be disposed to give. If the hon member for Sefton did not mean his amendment as a vote of censure on the Government it simply meant to say that his Honor had done a thing which he ought not to have done. Therefore he (Mr Montgomery) dissented alike from the amendment of the hon member, and also the remarks which he had made in moving it, because it was putting the Superintendent in this position—The Council by an Ordinance said that he should do certain things, and yet now they were asked to pass an amendment, which was tantamount to a vote of censure on him for doing what the law expressly told him he shonld do. He trusted the hon member for Sefton would withdraw his amendment. Mr Kennaway said that the hon member at the head of the Government had construed a very harmless motion into a vote of want of confidence. He (Mr Kennaway) looked upon it merely as a matter of caution. The hon member wished to bring under the notice of the House that they were assenting to something which they had never had before them. If he (Mr Kennaway) had thought that the paragraph in question implied a pledge on the part of the House to support a reduction of fares and carriage rates, he should have called attention to it, but he was bound to say that he did not do so. [Hear, hear.j He thought if the Government intended to reduce rates of fares and carriage, particularly if it was a large and important one, they should have allowed tho House to see it before it became the property of the public by being issued. If the tariff was issued, and the public were using it, it would place any member who objected to it in a very peculiar position to have to rise in his place to object to it then. [Hear, hear.] It must be remembered, also, that this was a very important subject, because, though the reduction of fares and rates now, while there was a large sum coming into the Treasury from the sale of waste lands, would be a comparatively small matter, it would be very different some years hence. He wished to see the particulars of the matter laid before the House; in fact, that the House should not be called upon to pledge itself to support a thing of which it practially knew nothing. (Hear, hear.) Mr W. B. Tosswill was of opinion that the paragraph in the reply was perfectly correct, because the Government were the best able to judge upon questions of this kind. He looked upon it that the Government were right to act on their own judgment, and not delegate their powers to the House or to Select Committees. He should vote against the amendment. [“ Question.”J Dr Turnbull said he thought the House ought to be very thankful to the hon member for Seftou for bringing this matter before them. [Hear.] It seemed to him that it was scarcely courteous, to say the least of it, to the Council, that a reduction should take place in the same week that the House met without consulting them upon a large question such as this. He contended that the Government should have placed the House in possession of all the facts connected with the reduction proposed. He could not agree with those who said that the railways should not be made to pay a profit over their working cost and renewal fund, because if this was granted it simply meant that tho taxpayers should be called upon in perpetuity to contribute towards the cost of the

railways. He was not aware of the reductions proposed by the Government, but he did say that he thought there was a very general opinion current in the House that the Government should have given them the

particulars. The hon member at the head of the Government seemed to lake the motion as one of censure, but he (Dr Turnbull) could not do so. [Hear, hear.]

The Hon Mr Buckley said there was one remark which had fallen from the hon member for Lincoln in proposing the reply to the address which he should like to refer to. That hon gentleman had said that the reason for reducing the fares and carriage rates on the railway was, that it would tend to the greater production of wheat. Now, if that was the only reason for the reduction of fares and rates he disagreed with the hon member, because the experience of farmers in America and other parts of the world was totally opposed to this idea. He thought that the hou member for Sefton was entitled to the thanks of the House for having brought the matter forward. | Hear, hear.] Mr Jollie said that since the last Council rose the Government had been considering the question of the railway charges,to see if the tariff could be reduced, and if so in what way. Shortly after this Mr Marshman left and there was an interruption. The Government were of opinion that the railways should not be looked to each year to recoup the interest, but that a sum should bo devoted each year towards defraying working expenses and cost of maintenance. It seemed to him that it was not right that the issue should be taken in this question on the reply to his Honor’s speech : it should be taken in another way when all the facts were before the House, and they could then discuss the matter fully. At present they could not do this, as none of the members knew the facts of the case. He trusted that no hon member would bring forward a motion to have the papers referring to this reduction in fares laid upon the table, as all the information would be given in the financial statement when it was made. [Hear, hear.] The hon member for Christchurch (Dr Turnbull) had referred to an Executive having been ousted from office because they had carried out works without coming to the Council for its approval, but the cases were not at all analogous. He hoped that the hon member for sefton would not press his amendment. Mr Wynn Williams said he thought that the Government themselves had, as it were provoked this discussion by inserting the paragraph in the reply, pointed out by the hon member for Sefton. He would like to point out that the reduction proposed should not have the effect of reducing the revenue. He quite believed, as had been stated by the Hon Provincial Secretary, that the reductions proposed were of such a nature as would induce traffic as well as to increase the revenue derivable from the railways. Still he must confess that he did not like the mysterious manner in which they had been asked to vote on this question.

Mr Higgins would have liked to have seen his Honor’s address go further and make some propositions for the extension of branch railways.

Mr Jebson confessed that the discussion as far as it had gone had only left him in a greater mist than when it begun. He should like to know whether the address read to them by his Honor the other day was his Honor’s expression of opinion or that of his Honor and his Executive. He was always ready to receive and listen with all due respect to the remarks made by so high an authority as his Honor the Superintendent, but from the way in which the gravity of his hon friend the president of the Executive had been disturbed he had come to the conclusion that the reply had emanated from him. That hon gentleman had said that this was a purely executive matter, and if this was to be taken as a fact surely it was a mistake to insert in the reply a statement that the Council were-gratified to learn that his Honor the Superintendent intended to make reductions in fares and rates of carriage. He felt it would have been far better, if they could not, as had been said, deal with the matter to have left it out altogether. On the other hand if they could deal with it, the Government would have done better to have brought it down in another form. He, personally, was obliged to the hon member for Seftou for having brought the matter before the House.

Mr Joynt said that he thought the House had been arguing for the past hour ou a subject in which there really was uo argument at all, except that raised by the ingenuity of the various speakers. However, he supposed they were just fresh from the hustings, and needed some opportunity to get rid of superfluous eloquence. The reply was simply a sort of echo of the Superintendent's speech, and really did not pledge the Council to adopt anything. It merely expressed the gratification of the Council that his Honor proposed to do something, but did not pledge itself to support it. The discussion, however, had, he was glad to see, allowed several members to ventilate ideas on political economy. [Laughter.J The lion member for Christchurch (Dr Turnbull) had compared the action of the Executive to that of a former Executive who had as he had pointed out, been ousted from ofticc ou account of having disregarded the wishes of the House, but he (Mr Joynt) wished to point out that the very last Executive had lost their seats fordoing what the hon member for Christchurch wished them to do, vi*., the bringing down and throwing on the floor of the House a question which should have been decided by the Executive itself. (Hear, hear.) He submitted to the Council with confidence that nothing could be more plain than the language of the Ordinance under which these reductions had been made. If the Executive had come down to the House and asked it to guide it in this matter, he contended they would have shown great weakness, and laid themseives open to it being said to them that it would be better to allow some other persons to take their seats, as they by their action had acknowledged that they could not carry out the powers entrusted to them by law. The Ordinance itself laid it down distinctly that the (Superintendent by and with the advice of the Executive Council should regulate the fares and tolls to be paid under the Ordinance. It was therefore impossible for the House to take upon itself to interfere in this matter, as the law was against it. Therefore he said that the amendment of the hon member for Sefton was unmeaning, and could only be regarded as a direct or indirect censure on the Superintendent and Executive. If the amendment were carried it would place the Superintendent in the position of having to send down a measure specially to meet this question. Whether or not the House coincided with the action of the Go-

vernment in this matter he might say that they had accepted the responsibility cast upon them by the law, and had done the best they could in the matter. A false issue had been raised throughout the discussion, and he fell that this was not the proper time to r iise the. question. [Hear.]

Mr Fisher considered that the G ivernment, in carrying out the introduction of a reduction in the rates of fares and carriage on the railways, had only done what had been urged upon them by the general public. It was a matter of public interest, and he was quite prepared to support the reply as it now stood. The paragraph objected to was one which would not commit the Council to anything, merely expressing pleasure at the reductions made by the Superintendent. Mr Knight said that it appeared to be the opinion of several members of the Council that the House should not accept the reply to the address as a mere formal matter. For his own part, be was opposed to the second clause, and he noticed now that the reduction party —a party who were determined to reduce the railway charges—were now on the Government benches, whilst last session they were in opposition, Last session there were a number of resolutions brought forward for the reduction of railway charges, but this was not done. So far from being gratified at the reduction of the charges on the railway, he was just the other way, and he felt that it would be better if the clause was struck out altogether. He must say that ho was surprised at the action of the Government in tbis matter. Both the Provincial Secretary and the President of the Executive had told them that they would have an opportunity of discussing the matter, bat then up got the Provincial Solicitor and teld them that it was no use their thinking of discussing the matter, as it was all settled. [Laughter.] The House was asked to assent to a reduction about which it knew nothing, and ho for one should not vote for such a course being pursued. He should vote against the second clause being retained in the reply, but whether the words should be inserted or not as p roposed was another thing. The House then adjourned for half an hour.

On resuming the discussion, Mr J. N. Tosswill said, that in framing the reply with the hon member at the head of the Government, he did not for one moment expect that such a construction would have been placed upon the clause that evening, nor did he think for one moment that the Government would be laid open to the charge of having attempted to carry the reduction proposed by means of a side wind. The clause as drafted by him did not intend to commit the Council in any way to the action of His Honor or the Executive, but simply to express their gratification as the increased prosperity of the railway. He would therefore suggest that the hon member for Scftou should withdraw his amendment, and that the clause should be altered so as to read as follows ;—“ The Council concur with your Honor that this session has been summoned under circumstances of peculiar prosperity, and they are gratified to learn that with other evidence of that prosperity the receipts from the railways are large and increasing.” Mr Maskell agreed to the alteration proposed by the hon member for Lincoln (Mr Tosswill.) The clause as amended was then put and agreed to. The address as a whole was then put and agreed to on the voices. MANDEVILLE AND RANGIOEA DRAINAGE. On the motion of Mr Dixon the Government agreed to lay on the table all papers and correspondence in the bands of the Provincial Government relative to the formation of the Mandeville and Rangiora Drainage district. OPENING OP THE MUSEUM ON SUNDAYS. Sir Cracroft Wilson moved in the opinion of this Council it is expedient that the Canterbury Museum be opened to the public on the first day of the week throughout the year.” Mr G. B. Parker seconded the motion, A long discussion then followed. Mr Fisher moved as an amendent the addition of the following words, “ for at least three hours in the afternoon.” Sir Cracroft Wilson agreed to the amendment, which was put and agreed to. The resolution as amended was then put and declared carried on the voices. Mr Webb demanded a division, which took place as follows : Ayes 26 Noes 7 Majority for Ayes 19 The following is the division list: — Ayes, 27—Messrs Andrews, Bluett, Buckley, Dixon, Fisher, Gray, Harper, Healey, Jollio, Joynt, Knight, Mallock, Maskell, Maude, Montgomery, Parker, Pillict, Potts, Rayner, Richardson, T. S. Tancred, J. N. Tosswill, W. B, Tosswill, Westcura Williams, and Sir J. G. Wilson. Noes, C Messrs Buchanan, Higgins, Turnbull, Webb, White, I. Wilson. Pairs : For, Mr Tcschemaker ; against, Mr Kennaway. The result was received with loud cheers. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AMENDMENT ORDINANCE. Mr Montgomery moved—“ For leave to introduce a Bill to repeal the ‘ Executive Council Ordinance, 1864, Amendment Ordinance, 1868 and to amend the ‘ Executive Council Ordinance, 1864.’ ” Leave was given, the Bill read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second reading fixed for Wednesday next. immigrants’ cottages. Mr Knight did not move the following motion standing in his name, “ That a return bo laid on the table showing the number of cottages erected, and in course of erection in each Road Board district, for the reception of immigrants, together with the cost of each cottage the Secretary for Public Works having laid the return on the table. LIBRARY AND HOUSE COMMITTEE. Mr Jollie moved, “ That a Library and House Committee be appointed ; the committee to consist of Mr Speaker, Messrs Westenra, Parker, Maskell, Gray, and the mover.” The motion was agreed to, BUSINESS OF THE SESSION. Mr Montgomery said that the Provincial Treasurer would probably, but not positively, be prepared to make bis statement on Wednesday evening. If, however, he was not, the Government proposed taking the debate on the Executive Council Ordinance that evening, and the Financial Statement and Works Statement would be made together on Thursday, and the discussion taken on Tuesday. Notices of motion having been given, the House adjourned to five p.m. this day.