WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 360, 16 April 1856, Page 4

WELLINGTON.

PROROGATIOK OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

The Council met»t 2 o'clock on Wednesday the 6th February. After the minutes of the last sitting were read, Mr. Woodward rose to give notice that he would next session move that arrangements he made nfter the dissolution of the present Council, for the payment, of members in all future Councils, and that the Superintendent be requested to put on the future estimates such sum as may be required for that purv>ose.

On the motion of the Prov. Solicitor the Harbour Reserves Bill was read a third time and passed.

His Honor the Superintendent then entered the Council Chamber, the members rising to receive him, and delivered the followiiia1 address.

,'_Mb. Speaker axd Gentlemex or the Protixciax Council :— I have assented on behalf of the Governor to the following acts : —

To an act entituled (i An act to vest in the Superintendent the control of Main Roads:'" ho " An act to amend the Loan Ac., Session 1, No. 6 ; " to "An act to make further provision for regulating Sumrnniy Proceedings before Justices of the Peace :"^to " An act to amend the Scab and Catarrh Act, Session I. No. 20;" to " An act to fextend the period after which the slaughtering of cattle within certain limits of the Town of Wellington is prohibited :" to "An act to authorise the Executive ( overnment to'make Roads in the districts of Ohariu and Makara;" to "An act to amend and .consolidate the laws relating to Cattle Trespass and Impounding ;:? to ** Ah act to appropriate the Revenue of the Province of Wellington for the year commen-

cinq the l^t day of January. 1856, and ending the 30th December, 1856 ; " to " An act to provide for the Management of Savings" Banks within the Province of Wellington;" to "An act to enable the Superintendent Ho manage and administer certain public Reserves:" to ''An act to amend the Thistle act^of Session I: " to " An act to authorise the establishment of Boards of Wardens for the management of Public Works, and : other matters : " to

" An act to consolidate the law relating to highways:" and in compliance with ""the 27?h clause of the 'Constitution Act, I have reserved the Bill to enlarge the Provincial Council for the signification of his -Excel-

k-::cy's pleasure thereon

The gratification I "feel at the several measures referred to in'rny openinir address Laving- thus passed through the searching but fair and impartial ordeal to which they Lave been subjected, is not a little enhanced by the: warm approval with which they have b-;e» received by ijje whole community: an approval with which I cannot forbear attri-l--:itiji2- in some degree to the alteration mi y.iur time ofir.poJinjj; for by holding your j-mm'js at an hour when all cias.s<:V can attend, you havy -jjlar^ed ih e tribunal before wbicii your dis-u-slo-.s have'taken placehave "ivtMi liirnia^d publicity to ail your j,.. Vft ei . ab]e - (J )!)p p^ ])lir; 1 > n.::i« l!.«-u;.vf-lv.^ fully acquHi.iied with 1h« j-iui'-ipit-: ;i: .fl details of every 13511 that !Kis h.-i-w »,;■ .»;»!,. I:lJ .; er your consideration. Ai:oriic-r aii\j t ntf:^.' of that cl'ian^c—;md r»n- the inipo< f.ijc» ; (.f which can so:."ro fc ]v-bft over t'f.msit-fI :—i<. that ,j !e hupii, {^s "j",;^ been u'one through, and your labours brought to a close, within n third of the time Which previous flexions have occupied. And when it is borne in mind, that notiiinij has hitherto tended more io deter un>n r-rjiinentiy qualified to take jjart in leaisiauoii, from accepting seals in ;his Council, thajj the vrospvet of a iuiig und indeiiuite

detention from their homes and avocations, I sincerely trust that in future no Session may last longer 'than three or four weeks. For without some such arrangement, or understanding, I fear that the representation of the whole Province will inevitably fall into the hands of inhabitants of the town, and that the enlargement, of the Council ma} r prove a curse rather than a benefit.

As the addition of twelve members will, to a considerable extent, constitute this Council a new body, I cannot close this Session without recording my own conviction, that no Council will ever more faithfully represent the opinions of the province, or more ably discharge their duties to their constituents, than you have done. Looking indeed, at the Acts you have passed during the three Sessions you have beld, it must, I think, be admitted that you have so fully occupied the field of legislation that it would be difficult to point out a single want—a single requirement of this Province for which you have not provided.

I must be permitted further again, to tender my acknowledgments for the assistance you have ever been ready to afford me in overcoming the difficulties necessarily attendant upon the inauguration of a new order of things ; and especially to thank you for the high compliment you have recently paid me in requesting that my name should be given to the proposed township in the Wairarapa,—a sett lenient which, from its great natural capabilities, must speedily become the most important inland town of this Province.

Assuring you. in conclusion, that no efforts shall be wanting on the part of the Executive, to push forward the various public works for which you have made provision, and that my own absence from this Province shall not be unnecessarily prolonged, I now declare this Council do stand prorogued.

J. E. Featherston. Superintendent,

Advanck Port Nicholson.—As journalists we think we are duly fulfilling our duty in awarding- praise where praise is justly due. In carrying out this axiom, we feel ourselves bound to notice the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Swinbourne (of the Commercial Hotel,) a highly respected colonist of many years' standing. Since he has become the proprietor of the above establishment, he has, at great labour and expense, erected a jetty upwards of 500

| ft. in length, for the accommodation of vessels visiting our harbour. The difficulties of discharging passengers and goods ) from vesspls has been long felt, therefore ' the facilities of loading or discharging by | the jetty in question must, we opine, be con*. | sidered a y-reut boon to ail concerned. We 1 learn that vessels drawing 14 feet can at all ! times t-ecurely ioad and unload with the | greatest possible despatch, as the following list wiJj shew :—" Supply, " 6'o tons, dist charged in twelve hours; "Lady Grey" ! .90 tons, passengers, pleasure trip ; " ist. i Kilda, "■ 70 tons, lull cargo in 14 hours- !'" Vvyvern, :' discharged passengers and | lu-jgayc without the l<.-ast confusion, 2 hours; j i he " Kate Kearney !: discharged and leaded | during-one of the heaviest gales we have j experienced for upwards of s!x months—

thus practically disproving- the croaking- of | many who declared lhat on .several occasions; a vessel of five tons would not, nor could not approach it. We sincerely hope | that Mr. Sv.ii,bourne, having at a Jar'tre out- | lay er-eted so usufu! an appendage "to our j harbor, will profit ultimately by hj. s patri- | otic exertions.. We say advisedly to others ! u:o '.{•'.<} <\u likewise.— Communicated to j the •" Independent."

.r ' J/' x iias r''s'gn«;d* the office of Provincial Treasurer, i,, accordance with a i pieuge ghejj at hi;; election that he would

resign at the close of the late session of the Provincial Council. Mr. Kelhani has undertaken the duties of the office thus vacated until the Superintendent's return jfVoai Auckland. THE FIRST MEASURES OF THE NEW HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The whole of the. members of the House of Representatives for the Province have engaged their passages by the "Zinyaii"' for Auckland, where they are about, to" proceed to take part in the discussion and settlement of the vitally important subjects which will engage the attention of the General Assembly in its ensuing session-. The first question which will come before the House will, in all probability, be that relative to the seat of the future .sittings of the General Assembly ; the decision of which will decide the question as to the future seat of the Central Executive. On this subject the whole of our own, and we fully anticipate, the whole of the southern menw bers will be unanimous. It will be necessary to bring this question forward at first, for until it is decided a Responsible Ministry could not be formed, for who would be found to accept, office on such a tenure before he knew where he would be called upon to reside ? Or who would undertake to form a Ministry at all until this question had been decided : Tin's bone of contention having been disposed of, a Responsible Ministry will be easily constituted; but it is not to he expected that, they will have nn elaborate, and a ready cut and dried policy to lay belore the House. One of their first Bills will necessarily be that to authorise the appropriation of the revenues for the ensuing^ financial year : this having been passed,—and the future prosperity'of the Provinces depends more upon the character of this than of any measure that could be brought forward—in all probability the Responsible Ministry will recommend an adjournment or prorogation in order to give them time to prepare those measures which they may think the colony requires. We feel convinced that the southern members will be actuated with an honest determination to give justice to Auckland, as well as to have justice for themselves. We trust that a spirit of firmness, yet. one of conciliation, moderation, and equity, will characterize the doings of our legislators.— Independent.