The Lyttelton Times. Saturday, Oct. 13.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 308, 13 October 1855, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times. Saturday, Oct. 13.

We received the report of the proceeaings of the Provincial Council at so late an hour yesterday, that we must defer its publication until our next-issue. We will endeavour to give a brief summary of what passed on Wednesday. On the motion of Mr. Brittan, leave was given to introduce a Bill to administer the property acquired by the Province through the Canterbury Association. Mr. Brittan explained the object of the leading features of the Bill. Under the provisions of the Public Reserves Act the Provincial Government would not have power to sell any of the property, or indeed to lease it for a longer term than three years. It'is considered advisable to sell off the Town Reserve round Christchurch at a minimum price of £50 per acre, in order to $ay off a por: tion of the very heavy liabilities which we have incurred. About 400 acres would be at the disposal of Government after reserving Hagley Park, the Government Domain, and a large belt all round the town for plantations. At £50 per acre this would nearly pay off the debt. The Bill further enables the Superintendent to convey by free grant a portion of land on the Government Domain to the corporation of Christ's College, upon condition of their occupation within three years; and also to convey three acres of land for a church and school in connection with the Free Church of Scotland. Mr. Brittan stated that this land had been promised by the Governor in misapprehension of his power, aud that contracts had been entered into on the strength of the promise. The Bill was introduced and read a first time without opposition. A reply to His Honor's address was then unanimously agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Hamilton, the Census Bill, which had been disallowed by His Excellency, was read a first time in an altered shape; the clause repealing the former Census Ordinance, which was objected to in the Colonial Secretary's letter, havingbeen struck out. Mr. Brittan then drew the attention of the Council to the subject of the Waste Land Regulations, which had been disallowed by his Excellency. The clauses objected to were those referring to reserves for military defences, and to the local improvement fund. The regulations had fixed the price^of land at 10s. per acre, attaching a conditio*!! of a payment of 30s. per acre for local revenue, With respect to the first clause objected to, the Provincial Government proposed to strike it out; with respec

to the last they proposed to alter the worda ten shillings per acre to forty shillings per acre. After noticing other slight alterations which would necessarily ensue upon, these, Mr. Brittan moved, and Mr. Tancred seconded, the following resolution :— "That the Council having before them the letter of the Colonial Secretary, dated the 15th Sept. to the Superintendent, stating that His Excellency the Governor is advised that the Laud Regulations recommended by the Superintendent and the Provincial Council cannot be put in force consistently with the law, and further stating the particular clauses which appear objectionable; resolve that the Land Regula tions be amended by the omission and alteration of the clauses objected to, and be again recommended to be issued hy the Governor." We have not space now to notice at length a singular debate which arose upon this resolution. Some members, it appears, wished to drop the question of the management of the Waste Lands for the present, urging as their reason that the Provincial Waste Lands' Act having received the Royal assent, superseded the Waste Lands' Act previously passed by the General Assembly,—a singular piece of legal reasoning, which would appear to argue an ignorance of the contents of the Acts themselves. The public, t who are very anxious about the speedy settlement of the Waste Lands'question, are justly indignant at hearing of the mere proposal of another adjournment. Was the amendment supported by five members merely a blunder, an unaccountable misapprehension of the simple words of the Act; or did it orig'nate "in a desire of opposition, for the sake of opposition, or from a love of indecision and inconsistency ; or were there still deeper motives for wishing to burke a question of vital interest to the population at large ? Fortunately the hon. members who supported, the amendment succeeded in doing no mischief beyond wasting the time of the Council, which has become used to the process. The resolution was carried by a majority of 11 to 4. The Council then went into Committee, and passed the regulations altered as proposed. We presume that there will be no further reason for any delay in obtaining the sanction of His Excellency.