Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 261, 2 May 1855, Page 2

Provincial Council.

Wednesday, April 25. Mr. Hax.l roue to bring forward the consi- • deration of the Waste Land measures which had been so long before the Government. He bad gone to fully into the details on a previous occasion it would be scarcely necessary for him to do more than make a cursory allusion to them. He concurred in the views put forth i» His Honor's address. There bad been other measures before the public—those of Mr. Tattered and Mr. Wakefield—to those they entertained grave objections, and they felt that if the house preferred them to the Government plan, it should be for the authors of these measures to carry them out. The next was Dr. Baiker's scheme, alike objectionable in their estimation, inasmuch as it required the payment in one sum rather than in 5 years. They had agreed to certain alterations in the details of the measure. The first of these bad reference to the receivers. They proposed to adopt the suggestion of the petitioners at Lyttelton— to require that this duty should be performed by the sub-treasurer. Again, instead of the rate being redeemed at 75 per crnt., they proposed to allow a certain discount on the occasion of the first payment, so much on the 2nd, and so much on the 3rd. In doing so, they would increase the rate of discount with a view to induce the payment of the whole rate at once. The next alteration was, instead of dividing the whole proceeds of the rate into two portions they-proposed to make three portions—onethird for Public Works, one-third for Immigration, and one-third for Education, but the Government did not concur in the propriety of devoting any portion to religious purposes. And next, as they proposed that free grants of laud should be made to those who were maimed or the widows and families of those who had fallen in the Crimea, they would introduce a clause by which all such persons should be altogether absolved from the payment of the rate. The grants were intended to be free, and should therefore be so without a doubt. The alterations in the other respects were not of any consequence. In the pasturage licenses they proposed at the expiration of the period of the license, that the holder should be en- ! titled to have the first offer of being allowed to continue on the land on the same terms as other occupiers. They further considered that where private lands were taken for the construction.of roads, the owners should receive in exchange a certain portion of the Waste Lands. They intended also the constitution of a Waste Lands Board, under whose direction the administration of the Waste Lands should be conducted, and, as the usual practice was in other places to make the board amenable to the Council, they proposed to introduce this responsibility to the Council. The board would j consist of a chief commissioner of Crown Lands, a treasurer, and other commissioners. But this board would not interfere with the management of the Land-office. It would be called upon to hear and settle all disputes, to lay down general regulations for the Land-office, and for the surveys under the direction of the chief commissioner. They were of opinion that there would not be any very great .demand upon the time of the Commissioners, | and therefore they should propose that the board j should be composed of the present officers of the Government. There would be other members, also"; iPit became necessary to pay salaries, they would be paid out of the proceeds of the land fund. It would be seen that the arrangements involved no'change in the personnel of the Laud-office ; it would relieve the chief commissioner of so much of the heavy responsibility now devolving uponj him, to decide in important cases affecting the interests of individuals. That was an outline of the alterations they intended, and he would therefore move for leave to introduce the measure. Dr. Barker asked the hon. gentleman to postpone for a brief period at least the consideration of these regulations. The position assumed by the General Government had a large bearing on the 'whole case: if the General Government had the right to take the money consequent upon the sale, they had, he thought, an equal right to do so with the fund raised from the land rale. That would be interpreted as part of the revenue. He again urged the necessity of testing the power of the General Government before they proceeded further. Mr. I»i:.v ;ulv(>f;,iied the same view. Mr, SinvKi.ju said he should move as an amen-

dment that the whole subject of the disposal of the Waste Lands should be considered together, and not in detached portions. The proposal of the Government was to consider the Land Bate bill alone. He had no desire to obstruct thejGovernment proceedings, butsimply to facilitate the discussion of the whole question. He however hoped the Government would accede to his suggestion, if not, he should feel it his duty to proceed to a division. There were several points of view in which to look at these regulations. Should they fix a high price to be paid in one sum, liable to the legal deductions, or should they distribute the fund, making a portion only liable to the New Zealand Company's debt and the Government charges, and apply the residue to themselves, not contributing more than the test of the colonyI;—if it was supposed that the land rate bill would enable them to escape contribution! to the General revenue, the hon. gentleman, the Provincial Secretary, was paying but a poor compliment to the acumen of the General Assembly. He contended it was not a rate ; it was another means only of making the price of the land £3 an acre. It would provoke opposition, and arouse the jealousy, of the GeneralJAssembly, and be sure to create a spirit of antagonism. Again, the General Government might approve .of the regulations, and not of the land rate, and that would place them in jeopardy. Mr. Oixivieb, concurred in a great deal that had fallen from the hon. gentleman. He looked however upon the Land Rate bill, and the land regulations as one measure, which, although separated for especial purposes, were yet intended to be sent up to the General Government as one entire bill. He thought it would be far belter to take the discussion upon the principle first, and therefore he would second the amendment. Mr. S. Bealey said it was an unusual course to discuss abstract principles, and then consider the details. The Committee was the place for considering the details. Mr. Hamilton fully agreed in the terms of the amendment, and should vote for the consideration of the whole principle involved in the Government proposition rather than to take it in detached parts. Dr. Donald said that the divided measure had tbe appearance of an evasion, but in veality it was not so. Nothing could be concealed, nor was any thing to be gained by the {division. There ought to be no colouring of a ruse. Let the house rather stand upon its rights. After a few words from Messrs. J. Bealey and Thomson, Mr. Hall said as it was the wish of the house, he would concede the point. The motion was then agreed to. Mr. Sewell obtained the consent of the house to the appointment of a committee of the whole house for the purpose of enquiring into ! the state of the surveys. The house then adjourned. ■TJmrsday, April 26. Present — The Speaker, Messrs. Blakiston, Sewell, Thomson, Ward, Ehodes, Fooks, Aylnier, Westenra, Packer; Dampier, Barker, Ollivier, Hamilton, Hall, Bray, J. and S. Bealey, Cookson, Brittan,.and Tancred. Mr. Blakiston, in the chair, announced the approval of the Superintendent to the appointment of Mr. C. Bowen, as Speaker. Mr. Bowen then took the chair. Mr. Blakiston presented a petition from the inhabitants of Lyttelton upon the Waste Lands' Bill. . Mr. Sewell said before they proceeded to the orders of the day, he would read to the house the resolutions he intended to move in the form of amendments to the plan of the hon gentleman for the appropriation of the Waste Lands. He would consult the lion, gentleman's convenience by taking them seriatim or in any way he pleased. Mr. Dampiek asked what steps had been taken by the Government in reference to the improvement of the Sumner Bar, and whether it was intended to open the estuary of the Heathcoie. Mr. Hall said the Provincial Engineer had been engaged at the Sumner Bar foi some time; a perch was being prepared to screw into the sand, and would be laid down as soon as completed. A line would also be drawn along the cliffs to guide vessels up tlie channel. It was intended at present not to interfere with the estunry. Mr. Hall then rose to move " that this Council approves generally of the principles of the

laws for! tbe disposal of thcllWasteJ Lands, as published in the GoTernment Gazette." He complained that they had been taken at a great disadvantage ;~ by tbe mode in which tbe learned member Mr. Sewell had brought forward his resolution; he had intended to move the consideration of the main principle in full Council, but it was attempted to limit tbi^ discussion again to a mere question of form, rather than meet the regulations themselves. He should however propose that the house proceed at once to the business before it, and if any hon. member had an objection to raise he could move an amendment to the terms of his motion. Mr. S.Bealey seconded the motion. He again reminded the house that it was not pursuing a dignified course in reducing itself to the level of a debating clubi They were there to discuss measures not abstract principles, that was tbe duty of a Committee, and the house was not yet in Committee. > Mr. Sewell simply desired to bring the subject fairly before the bouse: he had no desire to take advantage of the Government. He was called upon to affirm tbe general principles of the Government measure, and that he was not disposed to do; although he highly approved of most of its details. He would not agree to the passing of tbe land rate bill separate from the Regulations ;in ' the form in which it was he believed it was altogether illegal, and in defiance of the Constitution Act That was his opinion as a lawyer and he would not rote for it. In the amendment he had read he had endeavoured to embody the leading preambles so as to obtain the opinion of tbe Council upon them, before proceeding to details. Mr. Ollivier said the course about to be pursued, was very different to that they had yesterday agreed upon. It was understood they should take the sense of the house upon the principle contained in a fixed price for the fee simple, and a rate for revenue extending over | a series of years. This was what the house had | to consider, and not a new waste Lands Bill which .he contended the hon. gentleman was introducing. It would be competent to any one to move an amendment upon the Government measure, but let the house clearly see the course it was pursuing. - , „, Mr. Beittan said he wished he could see his way clear in this matter. The notice paper asked him to affirm a principle, but he wished to know distinctly from the Provincial Secretary what that principle was. If simply an affirmation of a fixed price accompanied by the rate for revenue, ke was prepared to support it. At the same time there was great soundness in the proposition of his hon. friend Mr. Sewell. But if he adopted that hon. gentleman's resolution, what where the regulations to follow. The house ought to know what course he intends to pursue. The time has now come to act not merely to talk. If we were to have new regulations, the Ordinance required that they were to be 28 days before the public; was the hon. gentleman prepared for that also? He was however disposed to affirm the Government principle in its general terms. Mr. Hall said he bad been so pointedly appealed to he would simply say that the principle the house was asked to affirm is that of selling the land at 10s. per acre on payment of which the Crown Grant should issue, afterwards to create a charge upon the land of a rate of 10s. per acre for o years. Mr. Sewell's resolutions having been read, Mr. Hall said the course the hon. gentleman proposed was one of which previous intimation ought to have been given, and it was hardly fair to ask them to deal with the subject so summarily. A complete scheme of land regulations was embodied in the resolutions before the house, most of them so closely resembling those of the government; that he could hardly withhold his assent to them, and it was not improbable that the house might adopt them ; it would then go forth to the public, that the resolutions to be acted upon were not those of the Government, but those of the hon. member (Mr. Sewell). He would ask was that a position they could consent to occupy ? Amendments genei rally affected details, but these amendments went directly to the principle;; if the Council chose to adopt them, the responsibility of carrying out the measure must rest with the hon. gentleman and not witb a lhem. After a few words from Mr. Sewell, Mr. SeweU's amendment was put, when a division was called for and the house decided upon going into Committee. Mr. HiLLsaid they had a right to complain

of the unfairness of the position in which they were placed; he had been trapped by the hon. gentleman. He would now request that he would select from the resolutions he had introduced, one which would test, the opinion of the on the relative merits of the two propositions, and on its decision they would know how to act. The house then went into Committee. Mr. Fooks in the chair. Mr. Seweix rose. He said the course he had been challenged to pursue was perhaps the best, and he would with the approval of the Committee move "That the whole scheme for the disposal of the Waste Lands ought to be embodied in a distinct and a direct form in any Land Regulations to be submitted for the Government approval." He would at once admit that this form might place them hereafter in difficulty ; there was reason to fear that it would be rejected by the General Government, but the government measure was much more likely to meet with that fate. His only* hope was in placing the matter openly before the General Assembly, and in being ultimately able to act upon that body. This was not their only difficulty, a far greater one was the finance question; this also had to be set right there. He thought that a general proposition might emanate from the Assembly, that there should be a uniform contribution from all the Provinces alike of ss. per acre from the sale of the waste lands for general purposes, to which each Province might have the power to add whatsoever it pleased for local purposes. For this reason he desired that any scheme they agreed to should on the face of it shew their whole proposition. Might not the government assent to the regulations, and withhold assent to the land rate? This was not unlikely. The Provincial Councils were prohibited from making laws affecting the waste lands of the Crown. The land rate bill said, " You shall not purchase Crown Lands except you pay 60s. towards the local revenue." The rate bill was a direct tax upon the waste lands of the Crown, and this was prohibited in the Constitution Act. He had no doubt of the perfect honesty ot the government, but their scheme was not free from suspicion. It was possible to do an honest act in a dishonest way. It was at best an attempt to evade the question. The hon. gentleman then moved the resolution. Dr. Barker concurred in the opinions of the honourable gentleman. He believed the government might even sanction the measure of the Provincial Government, but the general assembly would set them at defiance. It was useless to attempt to evade the question. The association's scheme was legalised, and in that scheme there was the feature of a rate in aid, embodied, as the honourable gentleman (Mr. Sewell) would have it, in one bill. But the claim of the New Zealand Company, through the general government, had beea assented to —its fourth of the whole sum. The Constitution Act said the contribution should be levied upon the whole sum paid in respect of the land. By the 10th and 11th Viet. 10s. was declared to be the price of the land, and it created further a rate for special purposes. This province was still acting under the Canterbury Association's Regulations, and, therefore, they were entitled to their share of the contributions for local purposes under them. But the general government have never attempted to apply the proceeds of this revenue to the purposes for which it was intended. He dared to say that this was a gross violation of principle. One instance was on record of the contribution to the Immigration Fund having been recently repaid, on demand of the land purchaser. This was an evidence at least of the justice of their position. He would go further, and say that the general government bad no right whatever to meddle with the money collected under the Association's regulations. These regulations were never under the control of the general assembly. The Constitution Act gave them no power to interfere; it allowed them to make other regulations for the distribution of the waste lands. But these lands sold under the authority of powers given to the Association, and continued in force by the Governor, were altogether removed from their interference. The honourable gentleman strengthened his remarks by numerous quotations from the Constitution Act and the despatches of Sir J. Pakington. He urged, therefore, delay. He strongly advised that no steps should be taken in the creation of new regulations pending the settlement of this disputed right. Rather would he desire to find the council adopting a resolution that it was its opinion that all monies,

contributed for especial objects, should be applied to their legitimate purposes. If, with so strong a position on which to rest their case, they could not obtain justice, why should they proceed to the enactment of other measures, far more doubtful in their form, and which could only place them in a position of a far worse character? Mr. Brittan said the question still was, should their regulations carry in their face the rate for general purposes, or should they adopt the scheme put forth by the provincial secretary? The learned member (Mr. Sewell) has declared it to be his opinion, as a legal authority, that the Land Rate is a violation of the Constitution Act, and that it would be impossible to enforce that ordinance even if it were sanctioned by the government. Hitherto he had looked upon the government's- scheme most favourably, but an assertion, so bold as that they had heard, alarmed him ; and he required now to be satisfied upon the point. The learned gentleman proposes to embody his regulations in one bill, in which he will define the appropriation of revenue. But on what ground does he suppose this course will be more acceptable to the government or the general assembly ? In the government proposition—a rate is proposed on private property. In that of the honourable gentleman it is, on the face of his regulations a tax on the land. Better at once then adopt the suggestions which bad been made, and fix the price out and out, and let the general government and the New Zealand Company take their relative shares. But if the government plan could be taken in part and rejected in part, the result unquestionably would be that they should be sold. He could not join in the cry that there was an attempt at evasion in the proposal of the government. He thought after, the remarks of the learned gentleman (Mr. Sewell) he was bound to show to the council that the course they were about to adopt was legally wrong, and he cast the responsibility upon him. Mr. Sewell said that course was not fair. He was not the professed advocate of the government. What he had said was only to be taken as the opinion of a private member of the council. If the provincial solicitor declared the Land Rate Bill to be good in law, that its provisions could be maintained against refractory purchasers in the Supreme Court, his opinion ought to be deferred to. Mr. Hall was glad the honourable member for Christchurch had challenged the learned member to assume the responsibility of his act. He was satisfied the learned gentleman knew the insincerity of the ground upon which he stood. Mr. Hall then proceeded to quote from the Constitution Act, to show that there could be no possibility of escape from contributing to the New Zealand Company's debt and the general government upon the full amount of whatever they might call the price of the land. He doubted the legality of the course the learned gentleman proposed; his rate for revenues would be a direct tax upon the waste lands of the crown, fixed before the issue of the crown grant. Then the learned member entertained a fond hope that he should be able to act upon the general assembly, and obtain justice at its hands. But was that council to rest its hopes upon such a foundation ? The learned gentleman had entertained equally fond hopes on other occasions, and they had not been realised. Why should their scheme be less likely to obtain favour than his ? It was intended that assent should be obtained to both measures together. For this reason they would be accompanied with the recommendation of the superintendent and council; and the feeling would be made known that one measure was held to be incomplete without the other. Since it was the wish of the council that the opinion of the provincial solicitor should be obtained, he would consent to the postponement of the subject for this purpose. After a hw words from Mr. Packer, Mr. Hamilton suggested the form of questions which should be put to the provincial solicitor. He must still however say that he looked on the Land Rate Bill as part and parcel of the regulations. He complained that this measure had not been more fully considered upon these legal points during the five months it had been before the public. The regulations might have been sent to the governor and to the attorney-general of New Zealand, and their opinions obtained upon them during the time. We looked upon these gentlemen as though they had no voice in the affairs of this

province—but they were officers of the general government, under whose rule we were, and this council and this province had a right to their counsel. He thought the executive government ought to communicate more frequently with these officers, and not isolate themselves from the other settlements. His opinion was decidedly in favour of embodying the whole regulations in one bill. The committee adjourned; Mr. Hall undertaking to submit a case for the consideration of the provincial solicitor. Friday, April 27. Present—the Speaker, Messrs, Brittan, Tancred, Bray, Dampier, Hamilton, Blakiston, Ollivier, Fooks, Sewell, Khodes, Thomson, Ward, Ayliner, J. and 8. Bealey, |Westenra, J. Hall and Packer. Mr. Tancred moved for the renewal of the grant of a sum of £100 for the construction of the Harewood and Papanui road on condition of the residents finding the labonr. Considerable discussion ensued, in which the following gentlemeu took part —Messrs. Hall, Bray, Hamilton, Thomson, Dampier, and Ollivier, by whom an amendment was proposed that the grant should be referred to the Committee of Public Works. The amendment was seconded by Mr. Blakiston, and lost in a division by 4 the numbers being 11 for, and 7 against the renewal of the grant. The house then resolved itself into committee —Mr. Fooks in the chair. After the examination of Mr. Cass on the subject of the Surveys, the house adjourned until 5 o'clock. The Council having re-assembled again went into Committee to resume the consideration of the Waste Land Measures. Mr. Hall said that a case had been drawn up for the consideration of the Provincial Solicitor by the learned member, to which he had raised no objection. The answer of the Provincial Solicitor was most clearly expressed upon the points raised. He would read to the committee both the questions and the answers. The Provincial Solicitor's opinion therefore was that the Land Rate bill was not a violation of the Constitution Act. Mr. Sewell thought the opinion clear and decisive, and as a member of the Council he should defer to it. The next question the committee had to consider then was the policy of the course proposed. The committee was called upon to say Aye or No, whether it was desirable to encounter the opposition which would necessarily arise to the proposed measure of the Government. Knowing the mind of the General Assembly, he felt assured there would be an opinion adverse to their own, and they might rest satisfied that the feeling of the New Zealand Company would be equally at variance with theirs. By the adoption of his scheme, putting the regulations on the face of the bill, they might possibly have the measure returned to them disallowed, aud delay would be the consequence, but here the evil ended. This rate bill would create a new class of antagouists too, those interested in opposing the payment of the rate. Suppose this measure adopted, and then the General Government enforced the payment upon the whole proceeds of the land sales, it would be no very heavy risk. If the bouse agreed with him, he urged the Provincial Secretary to accept aud carry out the principle, and not to throw up office and place the Council in a difficulty. Mr. Dampier could not give a silent vote. The bill would create a tax upon the lands of the Crown and not a rate upon the lands of the Province. He could not look upou the rating bill as part of the same measure for the regulation of.their Waste Lands. It was to all intents a separate measure, and only shackled ami hampered the consideration of the question. And in that Harht it would be looked upon by the General Assembly. It was only a trap in which to catch themselves. The proposition of the Government was calculated to encourage speculation ; even if it had tbe sanction of the Governor, capitalists might come iwis buy up tracts of land at the price of 10s. an acre, and leave other persons in possession to paysUie rate. Far sooner would he see other restrictions introduced, in tbe shape of fencing or' other improvements, which would cause the expenditure of money in the Province. They might establish a trust fund, or attach some conditions to the issue of the Crowu grant, by which means the New Zealand Company couid not touch

their revenues. A, contract might also be entered into with the land-purchaser, and penalties might be attached to the non-fulfilment of the conditions, and these penalties might form a fund for public works. There would be a compact entered into, but there would be no money price of land upon which the Company or the General Government could put their bands beyond the fee simple. The rate, notwithstanding the opinion of the Provincial] Solicitor, was in his opinion a tax upon the. Crown Lands. He should therefore reject the.proposition of the Government, and support the resolution of the learned member. Mr. J.BfiAi.ET suggested the introduction of a clause in the regulations that the Act should remain in force only so long as the Land Bate bill continued in operation. Mr. Thomson thought the difficulty had not yet beeh overcome. Notwithstanding the Provincial Solicitor's opinion it was; possible it seemed for the opinion of the Attorney-General to overrule that of the Provincial Solicitor. He thought the whole question a mere matter fof form, and as he preferred the learned member's resolution to the Government proposition, he should support it as a more tangible mode of proceeding, He had not the smallest intention to oppose the Government in such a course. Mr. J. Beamy said it was a most unusual course for the opinion of a barrister to yield to that of a solicitor. They had pursued the only course open to them in taking the opinion of tbe^Provincial Solicitor; it was the highest they could get, and ought to be satisfactory to the Committee. He had resolved to stake his position upon the issue of this question. These measures were not brought forward as crude and ill-considered regulations; they were the result of mature deliberation; and as such he should stand by them. Mr. Ollivier thought the regulations and the rate extending over a series of years was acceptable to the working settler?, and that was a class whose interests ought not to be lost sight of. The Government proposition had been called by hard names, but he saw no attempt at evasion in them. They were patent to every one; the preamble of the rate cleaTly expressed its object; he could not understand how it could be said that there was a ruse attempted to be practised by it. The scheme, however, had been before the publicsoine months, and it might be now said was the wish of the people. They were called upon by the act of the General Assembly to adopt resolutions of their own. Having done so what right had they to fear that the Government would treat their regulations framed after mature deliberation/with indifference. He should support the principle involved in the Government proposition, although he differed from them in some of the details, Mr. Takcbed said he was sorry to hear the hon. gentleman state that he should resign his seat in the Executive Council if this measure was not adopted. The question before the committee did not involve the principle of the bill. He accepted the provincial solicisoi's opinion as final and conclusive; but he would ask the Provincial Secretary what was the difference between the cases of embodying the resolutions in one bill, or in two as they proposed. Mr. Haix said that there had been many things brought forward altogether irrevelant to she questions before the Committee. It was Dot a question now of whether they should adopt the land rate bill, but whether they should emhody their resolutions in one measure or not. It was possible that when they came to the details they might find some common ground of agreement as to the mode in which the Beve* nue was to be obtained, but he believed this emhodym^nt in one plan was virtually a condemnation of the rate. The bon. gentleman again read from the Constitution Act in support of his argument, that the government could not assent to any regulations which would tax the Crown Lands, and after arguing at great length upon the subject, he contended that the resolution before the Committee involved either a certain rejection of the measure, or an entire abamlonra^t of the rate. He considered there was priij^plefinvolved in it. If the opinion of the Committee was in favour of the learned gentleman's scheme, others must cany it out. Mr. Packer was astonished at the language the hon; gentleman made use of. There was njice before a time when that sort of threat was need in the Council, and it was time they understood each other. Were they to understand that a measure concocted by 4 members of the Go-

vernment was so perfect, that the deliberations of 24 members of that bouse could not improve it ? and was the Committee to be told you must take this as you find it'or we resign? It" so they might as well go home and take it for granted at once that all the wisdom of the Province was concentrated in the Executive. They were very young gentlemen, and had had a very young addition to their number in the person of a gentleman of some 3 years political experience, but there were many in that house whose political experience numbered all their years together. It seems they were tohave two bills, or a Siamese twin, as the learned gentleman called it; well they had a Siamese bill once before, and how did that fare at Auckland ? Why the Governor quietly pushed it onf one side, notwithstanding the powerful arguments and the clear explanations of the Superintendent and all the Executive Council! Well here was an evidence that the Governor did not want advice, but had a will of his own. This bill might share the same fate, the resolutions might be adopted and the rate disallowed. The questions would not then be " where are ye ?" because we should be" nb where" (laughter). We have been told that Bills were once very easily passed through this Council, arid this was a caution for the future that it should not be said again ; he would sift these measures to the bottom. For his own part he was anxious to support the bom gentlemen on the Treasury bench,—No! he had made a mistake, not the Treasury for there was nonej (laughter); he meant the Executive, but he was not disposed to agree to all the details of this measure. Mr. Hajhitos said the threat that had been thrown out was neither called for nor justified by the temper of the house. There was no want of confidence in the hon. gentlemen, on the Contrary, they possessed their entire confidence; There was not a member of thej house who was not ready to bear testimony to the great and indefatigable labour they had shown in the discharge of their very responsible duties, but that was not the question. The feeling of the house seemed In favour of the embodiment of their regulations in one measure, instead of two, and he had not heard any sufficient reason against itr-notwithstanding the opinion of the learned provincial solicitor. If a resignation was to take place, the settlement would be greatly inconvenienced. Here were questions of importance before that geutleinan. (Mr. Hall: He would only resign his seat in the executive council.) Mr. Hamilton, indeed! Then the provincial solicitor was not a responsible officer? This was a serious matter. He had thought that it was an office, the tenure of which depended on his enjoying tbe confidence of the house. The honourable gentleman resumed, and proceeded at considerable length to contend that an expression of public opinion upon the resolutions bad not been sufficiently sought for. He stated it to be his intention to support the resolution of the learned gentleman if persevered in. Mr. Seweli suggested that the house should go into committee on the regulations at once, and raise the discussion upon the resolutions as the occasion arose. If the honourable gentlemen would agree to that course, he would get them out of their dilemma by withdrawing his resolution. , ■„..... Mivßeay rose to suggest the course which the committee should pursue, and proceeded to- offer a few observations upon the measure under consideration, but there was a great manifestation of impatience on the part of honourable members. Mr. Hall then briefly replied, consenting to the course suggested by'Mr. Sewell. After the Chaibman had reported progress the Speaker resumed the chair, when several notices of motion were given, and tbe bouse adjourned at about lm]f-past nine o'clock—having sat from eleven o'clock, a.m. with the slight interval of an hour for refreshment.