PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1353, 19 June 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

THURSDAY, JUNE' 13.. The Council met aL 3 o'clock p.m.. TTue* minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Petition. Mr Kennedv presented a petition,, signed by 48 inhabitants of the town of Napier, objecting to the Market Reservebeing dealt with by the Government. The arguments advanced in the petition (which was read) were very similar tothose adduced in the debate, on the previous day. Mr Kennedy moved the reception of the petition. Mr Colenso objected. He considered the petition out of order, inasmuch as it referred to a matter already decided by the Council. It was a monstrous proceeding—an attempt almost at intimidation. He was surprised that any member could be found to present this petition. No gentlemanly member would lend himself to, such, a proceeding.

Mr Kennedy rose to order. He look exception to the remarks just made, and moved that the words be taken down. The words were accordingly taken down by the Clerk. Mr Routledge considered that the objectionable expression should be withdrawn. He appealed to the Speaker as to whether it was not unparliamentary. The Speaker said the words used clearly conveyed an imputation that it •was undesirable should rest upon a member of the Council. Question put— " That leave be given to the member for the Town to withdraw the words taken down."—Agreed to. Mr Colenso refused to withdraw the expression. He had said that no gentlemanly member would strive in an underhand way to bring an expression of outride opinion to bear upon the Council. To withdraw this would be to say that a gentlemanly member would act in such a way, which he did not believe. The Speaker said that the member for the Town had taken the opportunity to reiterate his statement in a manner more offensive than at first. The re mark though made in a kind of general manner, could be intended to apply to no other than the member who introduced the petition. [Mi Colenso : Hear, hear] The rules of fair debate having been transgressed, it was due to the Council that the expression should be withdrawn. Mr Routledge said that the member having been ruled to be in the wrong by the Speaker, he would mo\e that if the expression was not withdrawn, the Council pass a vote of censure upon him. The Speaker said that whatever the offending member's private ideas might be, he should withdraw his remark in deference to the opinion of the Council. Mr Colenso had nothing further to say. He refused to withdraw his words. He would now retire, leaviDg the Council to consider the subject in his absence. There might be members present vho would be glad to see him expelled from the Council, and perhaps the member for the Town opposite was one. Mr Kennedy explained that he had always been on very good terms with Mr Colenso. He simply took exception to a remark which he considered improper and uncalled for. Mr Colenso then left ihe chamber. The Speaker's attention was directed to the fact that strangers were present, and the general public and reporters retired. Tha Council sat with closed doors for about twenty minutes, and then adjourned for half-an-hour. On the Council resuming, Mr Colenso addressed the Speaker in the following terms : —" If the words I used in the warmth of debate were unpad iamentaiy, I heartily withdraw them." The question of the reception of the petition was then debated at great length, nearly all the members taking part in the discussion. The motion was at length carried on a division. Privilege. Mr Dolbel raised a question of privilege. The safety of the public was endangered by volunteer practice at a certain target. The Speaker was afraid he could not deal with the matter, not being able to see in what way it affected the privilege* of the Council. The matter, he thought, was rather one for the Inspector of Police. Purchase of Land at Mohaka. Mr Dolbel asked hi< Honor the Superintendent if any steps had been taken towards carrying out the Resolution passed last session, by the Provincial Council, in reference to thai block of land for special settlement on the Norih bank of the Mobaka river. His Honor said an endea\or was made lust year to purchase the land in question, but the Government considered it undesirable, as the land was required by the natives for their own use. (To be continued in our next.)