Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 360, 16 April 1856, Page 7

Provincial Council.

Thursday, April 10

The Speaker went to prayers at 5 p.in

Mr. Olliviee presented a petition from owners and occupiers of land in the Eiccarton district, complaining of the bad state of the road and drains, and praying the house to request His Honor the Superintendent to place on the supplementary estimates a sum for the repairs. Mr. Hamilton, on a point of order, objected to petitions of this kind emanating from other than the Government, or it would not be possible to carry on anything like Respon.>ible Government. The wants of the Colony had been considered, and the Estimates for the'year had been closed, and it was irregular now to bring these kind of application* forward. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. OixiviJßit presented a petition from certain owners and occupiers of land in the district, praying that the Roads' Bill sbould not pas= into law. Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Fooks moved that the following be added to the bye-laws and numbered !22 A, " 4 No petition tor a private bill shall be received for which any member of this Council shall ha\e been engaged as agent.' The motion was agreed to by the house. The house then went into a Committee of Supply on the Supplementary Estimates, which had accrued between the 15th and 31si of March, the close of the Finance year. The Speakkr resumed, and the Chairman brought up the report of* the Committee of Supply. The Prov. Skcretary moved the house into committee to reconsider some slight verbal alterations in the "Road's Bill. The Speaker resumed and the Chairman brought up the report on the Road's Bill. The Prov. Seckkxauy moved that the Road's Bill be read a third time. Mr. Olliviek moved, as an amendment, that the Bill be ieau n third time that day three months. He had a strong objection to the bill from the first clause to the last, and his objection was smmsrly participated in by a rerv large majority of the people out of doors. Thepetit;ou he bad "presented to night contained upwards oi 100 signatures. Supposing that the whole of the"Colony were in one single district under this Bill, 1,400 was the number of the male population, according to the hist census, who would be presumed to be ratepayers. Now, as one fourth of those would constitute a meeting capable of imposing a rate, and a majority of this fourth would decide whether or no a rate should be levied, the number of signatures before the house to night shewed more than hair the number necessary to constitute a majority, and if that was not an expression of public opinion he did not know what was. The Bui gave so great a power to the Provincial Engineer that no nmn u\ standing would consent to hold tlie nrh'ce of way warden. And the Provincial Engineer, what was he ? Not an independent and responsible officer, but under the un media tt? direction of the Superintendent, so that these was no responsibility. Then tin- districts at iirst had been as wide and larjje as Moni L>au to Beerslieha, from Land's E:ul to John O'Groais castle. They were now, by a newly inseru-d clause, capable of division. " The efiuet of U!:< *onld be thai the small holders in the neighbourhood1 of towns would make tiie inh:irmau!« responsible tor acts lo wnicu they were opposed. In the smaller liisuieis, when: peihaps 12 would constitute the number of rate payers, 3 uMliem meeting together, iwo of iliis -three, ntakiuy a majority of the meeting, might impose a tas;

on die whole oi the disirici. Taxation was a ! novel and strange thing u» introduce in this country, and before such a system was resorted to the h-n. member who introduced the Bill was hound to show the house the absolute and dire necessity C>r it. He should have proved the utter absence of fund?, and also that this was the very best scheme that could be devised. He had dons neither. The lion, gentleman having assumed that <>ur income from Waste Lands would be £2,000, when the Crown Com-luissioiu-r had only estimated it at £300, then we have a perfect right to estimate it at £4,000, and if that should be the case, then is this act not called for. The scheme, proposed last session was much superior to this, iuasmueh as it constituted 3 provincial rate, which taxed all persons alike ; while this taxed one district for tlie advantage of others, who bore no part of the impost. He considered this Bill fraught with consequences dangerous to the colony, and would move that it be read a third time that day three months. Mr. Davis seconded the motion. The Prov. Secretary thought that though the honourable member was strictly in order, yet his proceedings were somewhat novel. It was generally considered that the general principles and policy of a Bill should be discussed on the second reading, then again and in detail in committee. The Bill had gone through these two stages, and had been altered by the votes of the house. Now. when the session was nearly over, nlten it was thinned of its members by one-third, the hon. gentleman proposed to raise again the discussion. It hardly squared •with his (the Provincial Secretary's) idea of what should regulate the tactics of au opposition. The Bill had been accepted by the house, and it was hardly in accordance with precedent to endeavour at this late hour to raise an opposition. As to the strong feeling out of doors he could not agree with the hon. gentleman. He had mixed as much as all members with the public, and bad not heard anything dissatisfactory to the measure, but he had certainly heard doubts nsto its working. At the introduction of the Bill there certainly was an outburst of indignation from the hon. member, followed closely (whether from his own instigation or not he would not presume to say) by a public meeting, at which be (the Provincial Secretary) was present, and certainly the sentiments expressed at that meeting did not seem so very distasteful, or to carry any very*great weight. The Speaker on that occasion was the Speaker of to-night, a'"l probably had it not been for him we should lave heard of no opposition. He did not oppose the petition of to-night, he did not wish to c-iticise it; but it certainly appeared to contain some discrepancies, and he saw perfectly well that the gelling up of petitions was liable to be abused. Tbe hon. member seemed enamoured of the Bill of the last session, a Biil which also enforced taxation, but not of the mild and permissive kind. The Government had dmie tbe best they possibly eouid ; they felt themselves surrounded on this subject with difficulties. The communication tiiey had received from the General Government, respecting the Waste Lands of the Crown, had interfered v.-ith their free action. They felt they could not come before the Council without some measure on this subject. They anticipated a failure of the usual source of income, and they had framed ' this measure to enable the people to do legally what they were in many cases doing voluntarily, to club their money together to repair their loads. In every district there were sure to be defaulters, who would not subscribe as their ijeighViur', m-kJ it was to meet this difficulty tbit the pre«ent act was fr-imed. IJf thought that the Bill would be taken up eventually and be found to work well. Mr. Waed spoke in favour of the third reading-. Caps. Wbstenba thought it his duly to vote against tbe third roadiii*/. Mr. Ojaavieh replied briefly. The hoixe divided. i'OU MB. OI.LIVIEIi's AMESHMEST. Ayes. Noes. Mr. Barker Mr. S. Be* ley „ Bray „ Brittan „ Davis „ Fooks „ Moorliouse „ Hamilton „ Qilmer „ Thomson Capt. We.-terira „ Ward -6 __ G The SrfiAKEK i^ave the casting vote against it, and the amendment was lust.

The original motion was put and carried. The Bill was then read a third lime. Mr. Hamilton moved the house into committee on the Public House Bill, when several of the clauses wt-.ve verbally altered. Clause 2 was the subject of discussion as to the wording admitting of evasion. After various suggestions from different members, an amendment was proposed by Mr. Mooriiouse and adopted, to the etfect that an unlicensed person cannot sell any quantity less than two gallons of one kind of spirits. In clause 2<), " live justices" was agreed to be inserted instead of three. Mr. Hamilton said that by a suggestion of the Provincial Solicitor, the Bill could come into operation before next year. It was to introduce a proviso at the commencement that all licenses granted under the present licensing act should by this Bill be deemed to have been granted under its provisions, and, consequently, come under its action. tho..gh granted under the old act. The oily difference besides would he that there would for this year be no beer licenses. Mr. Davis protested strongly against (.his, and complained ©f having been misled by the Government, who had said that the Bill could not come into operation till 1857. Mr. Davis divided the house on this, when the numbers were, for the clause, 12 ; against it, 3. The Bill, therefore, comes into operation this year. The Speakkr then resumed, the Chairman brought up report. Mr. Hamilton said that he should propose the third reading: the next -ime the house met. The Appropriation Bill was read a second time. Mr. Hamilton proposed that the Speaker be requested to lay before the house the names of members who have been absent from their places for more than the number of times sanctioned by the standing orders.—Carried. The Pkov. Secretary wished to state to the house that he should not like the session to close without bringing before their notice a subject connected with the new Waste Lauds' Regulations. The Board, of which he was a member, had had a srreat difficulty rise before them in dealing between the preemptive risrbts granted by the Canterbury Association and the law of the Crown. The subject had become so intricate and complex that the Board felt ; obliged to take counsel. The Provincial So- ' licitor had been consulted, and he found the affair so peculiar and novel, so unlike any- j thins; on the face of the earth, that he had not j yet been able to form an opinion. Pending that opinion the Government did not think it fit to prorogue the Council, as it wns probable that it would be necessary for them to frame some additional regulations to meet these peculiar cases. He had imt yet beard the opinion which the advisers of the Government had nearly come to, but he thought, that he under- I stood the hearing jnf it to be one that would strike at th< j root of the. regulations, and materially aff^ci. the price and size of blocks. The matter was altogether so important that the Council should not separate until something had been determined on. He, therefore, moved that the Council do adjourn until this day week. The house then adjourned until Thursday, April l?tli, at 5 p.m. €ije Wat. The Gluhc says,— "■ The peace rumours which have been so prevalent fo r si-me days are not entirely without foundation ; but we should warrant an i-xiremelv erroneous impression, if we descube that, foundation as possessed of the solidity with which some capitalists and others have invested it. and up<m which they would appear to have huik the most .sanguine expectations. Russia, has liers»]f made no propositions for peace; and whether she is now disposed to such terms as the Western Powers would accept, is only to he t!si.inm«d by her character for prudence, and her wish to fo<m a current appreciation of her own military resources, ami tlios.; of her opponents. Judging of bin- intentions by this light, w« own that they (J., not appear to m. a!J Hkoiy to lead to any prompt solution. Russia having made no off.-.-r of terms of peace, it cannot of course be stamd what precise terms the belligerent powrs would he willing ,„ oons j,|, M .. lhe terms ,„.,, win he .-ntfriiuiKid will only b« such as afford a complete guanuiu-u ugaiusi limner u^iossion.

Of this the English penpie may rest satisfied' Whatever may ho the indirect attempt made to terminate hostilities, thorn will noi he the least cessation on the part of the English Government. We may say gigantic preparations are now on Coot for the ensuing campaign, [f the Emperor of Russia could be brought to j, full appreciation of those preparations, \ve shotild, indeed, have hopes of peace. We, soma time asro, showed th;>t with the spring of ISSG, England. wollh' '>c represented in the Crimea by an army of 70,000 strong fighting- men in adinirahle condition, and we believe that estimate will turn out a good deal too moderate. She will he represented in the Baltic by a fleet not far short of two hundred and fifty vessels, of which by far the greater portion are being constructed specially for the services required of them. Our allies are acting as becomes the trivatnes" of the contest. As far as human calculations go, we can see nothing to t\ar, but, we say it deliberately, appalling disasters to. Russia for the next campaign. It is entirely for Russia *••> avoid or invite those disasters. The Daili! News, Vienna correspondent tele-o-ranhs that the exportation and transit of saltpetre, sulphur, and lead, over the Austrian frontiers, to Russia and Turkey (Wallachia excented) is to ne prohibited after the loth

December. With reference to the enlistment ot Germans for the British German Legion, the Globe says :_ " We have reason to believe that nn the tacts of the case being; represented to the King of Prussia, he was pleased to pardon Mr. Ciuiis, and order liis immediate release." The people in the city are quite sure of peace; they wish it,—will have it. The clubs are of the'same opinion ; but Lord Pahuerston i.s opposed to the conditions offered. Personal and political considerations may have their influence in his decision, for he knows that with the termination of hostilities his power would end. Gre <t changes would come. A general election would tax their extent, and in the return would be involved the future Ministry. To the Derhyites, Louis Ntp'Heon has been clairvoyant; he has'been en rappnrt with Mr. Disraeli; and the party know that the Emperor of tiie French will coerce Lord Palmerston into his views. Apprehending » squall in France —the worst kind of st'irm, a financial one—Napoleon 111. is making all snug. He has brought home his Guards, will brins home the Z<»uaves, and then in safety settle with himself whether he will arrange for the annexation of Turkey. Knowing people in France say tim he will do it ; and they are bold eniitigh to say no one can prevent him. Our rulers, for otir'sv.is, have let England down so low that we compare meanly with our ally ; and having boasted so largely of his friendship, we cannot well say that we Licked discretion in our admiration. Events an; pending, and they may be ehanred with mortification. But what of that ? England is GugWud still. Never so potent as vv'ien alone —fiien only is she true to herself.— Liverpn >l Paprr.

The Sea of Azofi-1. — A. letter from tbe squadron off Maronpol, says :— " Yesterday the Ardent, Weser, and Curlew attacked the sea side at new town (GheUk). All tlie Mariners and as many men as could be spared went inside tlifi lake in gunboats. The Recruit, Cradcr, G'inder, and Boxer attacked the old town. We kept up a heavy fire during- the morninsr, wliicli was answered !>y ilie rifle pits in front, of the town, and in the afternoon we landed on a spit to the left, and destroyed the Custom house and several large buildings by fire. To-day die. "Uiilmats got close to the town, so thu place w;«s half surrounded. It is a veiy lar(j;e place and well built; in fact, (be first Russian town I have seen. Alter shelling, for an hour, the fjunbnats landed their men »»; the lake side, and we landed ours on this. During the day our men were in advance, and the t'uvn in several parts in (lames; all their windmills and one or two manufactories were burnt to the "round. We had to lire hard fur it, for the Russians kept up really a teiriiic lire, the extent, of it itniM have been Mirer; miles, and we should have suffered very heavily bad it not. been for sundry slacks of wood and mound* of earth, which aflVdod us shelter. H;ivin«r destroyed all we could, and seeing the: necessity to keep the open ground in our position. ,we. beat a retreat at half-past two, and embarked the men,"

Fiesna.—Sir. H. Seynjour, the new English ambassador, has arrived in the A usii i;tn <m ]>i."l. Th«. Austrian army, ia to be again reduced by 80,000 men.

The Northern Bee publishes an article on the chances of Russia in the continuation of the war ; it is entitled, " The war is only beginning," and is preceded by some lines of Kutusoff on the burning of Moscow ac a motto.

Honest cabmen are to be found. The oilier day, a clerk of Twinin»s left in a cab a bag containing 300 half-sovereigns. A short time after, the cabman discovered the treasure, and hastened to restore it to the bank : he was rewarded with £10, afterwards increased to £20.

The colossal horse for the monument, of Washington, designed by Mr. Crawford, has been cast at Munich, in ihe Royal Foundry. It was a vast undertaking, as fifteen tons of I)ion7,e had to lie incited and kept in a fluid state : the casting appears to have been successfully performed.

At Toulouse, at a concert attended by 1700 persons, for ihe benefit of wounded soldiers, a yreat sensation was excited by the sinking of 'God save the Queen" in English. The entire audience rose to do honour to Queen-Victoria.

Belfast. —The numerous 'recruiting-parties, says the Belfast Mercury, " are beginning to complain of the scarcity, of young men." —A mistake, surely. There is no scarcity of young men, but only at the most a scarcity of young men on the terms offered. The same journal shows by statistics that Belfast has furnished its full quota towards ihe number of men raised ; it also explains one reason why young men are slow in coining forward, and their preference for enlisting in the Militia first, since they thus >.-et two bounties. The

assertion of the Belfast joiunaMst, properly translated, really is, that tlie Suite is more in wiiiiiof vmuijj men than young men are in want of £0. or £8. ; and indeed, the exchange proposed by tlie State is a bargain that cuuld only go down with country lads. The preference <>f ihe youmv vtcii forgoing into the Militia first seems to he justified by observation of its effects. The Militia promises an exceedingly good recruiting-depot, aim a preparatory school for trying the men, their physical constitution, ane capacity to learn military duty. The onld question is. whether the forces ought not to by increased, and whether some steps ought not to he taken for the purpose of drawing a more various class into its ranks. The system of the United States, which compels every man, without qualification and with a few exemptions, to enter into militia corps, is the fairest. The greatest tax is that imposed in the form of time for drill ; but the time which cvt-ry man S'ives places each at no disadvantage in comparison with others; and the permission for entering an enrolled volunteer corps in lieu of the common militia, enables every calling to adjust its own hours of drill according to its

own convenience