Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 473, 16 May 1857, Page 6

Provincial Council.

Tcbsdat, Mat 12th.

Present _:-r~ The Speaker, Messrs. Barker, J. and S; Bealey, Blakiston, Brittan, Bray,Copkson, Dimpier, Donald, Fooks, , Moorhouse, Morg4n, OUivier, Packer, Rhodes, Thomson, and Westenia. , . : In the absence of Mr. Ross, from indisposition, Mr. Leonard Harper was appointed to act M Clerk of the Council;- h „ . A petition was presented by Mr. Ollivier from the Archdeacon of Akaroa, and the Revs. J. Aldred and Fraser, praying that a sum of money should be gtanted for education purposes to be expended in a certain manner, The petition was refused oh a point of order, as asking for a specific grant of money. Shortly afterwards a Message from His Honor the Su* perintendent was received, conveying the substance of the petition. It was as follows:— "Message No. 19, from His Honor the Superintendent. transmitted a letter firom the Arch* deacon of Akaroa, enclosing a series of resolutions on the subject of Education, which were signed, by himself and the Revs. J. Aldred and C. Fraser. The Resolutions twere as follows :— 1, That all schools receiving government aid should be placed under the entire management of one of the heads of the religious: bodies as. follows:—The Church of England,'the Presbyterians, and the Wesleyah; and that such heads shall have the appointment of the;"teachers, and the entire control of all the instruction carried on in the schools, both religious -and secular. 2. That if the parents of any child attending any such school 'shall wish ii, s.uch child shall riot be required tq receive religious instruction in the school. ' ■ ; . '

3. That the school fees shall be the same in all schools receiving Government aid, on a scale to be fixed by the Superintendent and-Executive Council in consultation with with the heads of the several religious denominations above mentioned. ■'■'■.-' '•'■••■•■■ ■.-.;

4. That £1,70Q he. granted annually to the Church of England; £250 tq the Wesleyan; and £250 tq the Presbyterian bodies, respectively'; and that in order to secure the assistance of competent masters, the above grant be made for five years.

5. That there be an Inspector, of schools, to he appointed by the Superintendent with the assent of a majority,^ the acting heads of the different Religious' denominations which have schools' in, the province; that such Inspector have power only $q inspect and examine the schools and to report thereon to the. Government, but not to interfere in the' management of the schools, and that all reports should be published in the Government Gazette : that the salary of the Inspector should be i£3OQ a year, and that his whole time should be employed in inspecting schools receiving Government aid. ' On the motion of Btr, Thomson, leave was given to introduce "Volute's Kaiapoi Bridge Bill.

INWOOD S MILL BILL

34.r. OttiviEß moved that this Bill he read a

second time. Some amendments had been added in Committee, particularly one reserving to the Government a power of requiring the removal of the Mill, Mill-dam, and all other obstructions to navigation, if the river should ever be wanted for that purpose. The Committee had agreed to the bill unanimously, with these amendments.

Mr. Bhay recommended that the right should be confined to a certain term, of years. He thought a clause should be introduced to that effect, and he should move as an amendment that the second reading be postponed for its in* troduction. ,

Mr. Hah suggested that such a provision should be introduced in committee.

A short discussion followed, in which Messrs. Fooks, J. Beaky, Dampier and Donald took part, generally agreeing with Mr. Hall's suggestion. '.' '"■ ; ' ■"■' ■ ' ■ '■ ..'' ""'.

~ Dr. JBabkeb considered that the permission to construct a mill would be the establishment of a serious nuisance in the town of, Christchurch. ' Let the bill be altered ever so much he should still oppose it on that ground. Mr. Ollivieb pointed out that in the petition in favour of the bill the names of almost all occupiers of land around the site appeared, except that of Dr. Barker.

The bill was then read a second time. "peacock's whabp bill.

' The House, then went inta committee on this bill, when the clanses were read and adopted wifli; slight amendments; one df which was to the' effect that parcels carried by hand should be freei of'charge. A clause was also reserved for further consideration, to give explicitly to the public the use of the jetty and wharf. The committee reported progress.

■■.;;;• ; .'J ; BIHTOATION, .. .\ '. , Mr. Packbb moved the House into committee on the subject of iEdttcation. ♦ Jttr. Hall pointed out that there was before them a new set of resolutions on the subject which ought to be printed. He moved an'adjournment, which was agreed to. Notices of motion were; then given, and the House adjourned till Thursday, Th^hsdat, Mat 14 The Council met at 5 o'clock. The report of the committee on the petition of H. I, Cridland was postponed till ne^t Tuesday. BOAD BESEBVEB BILL. Thef debate upon this bill was renewed. Mr. Packer opposed strongly the proposition for going into committee. The bill had not been askedforand was a most sweeping measure, calculated to do an imtnenße deal of injury. There/ was no benefit proposed to the public, and, if any private person desired the advantages conveyed by the bill, they should bring forward their claim in a private bill, which' would, no doubt, be allowed by the House. He asked the Council to consider solemnly arid seriously before they adopted the measure. Mr. S. Bealey fully agreed with Jlr, Packer's remarks. - /.'"''"' * Mr. Dampieb, in reply, remarked that the legal effect of the measure did not appear to be understood. This bill, instead of allowing private rights tq obtain against the public^ especially marked out $hereserv'eWor roads, and ren-i dered them permanent by Parliamentary enactment;. He had undertaken the bill with great anxiety, as he hoped that it would have been originated by the Government. He believed the measure was quite worthy the consideration of the House, but if such could not be given it, he would not persist in bringing it forward. The House then divided on the second reading which was carried by a majority of 10 votes to 6. '*' '....''''•■'■ ■' '.■ :■■ •■ ■'" EDUCATION. The House went into committee on the question of education. '; ' • ' Mr. Bowbn said the resolutions brought forward by him oh a previous evening had been drawn up in a hurry and without consultation. If it seemed desirable tq the Council he whuld withdraw them, and/ allow the house to proceed to the consideration of those resolutions .recommended by the heads of the' religious/ bodies, in the general principles of which he cqincided.l Mr. Pacxbb suggested the consideration'of the resolutions proposed in the Superintendent's Message. ; Dr. Donald believed that if these propositions were carried, there would in a short time be more masters than scholars in the Govern-

ment schools. He would more an adjournment of the question in order that the public might be able to give their opinion upon this important question. ' \ . . On a division the, motion for adjournment wm carried by 10, to ?. ' ' ' Ayes.—Messrs. }'.■ and 8." Bealey, Cookaon Dampier, Davis, Rhodes,, Thomson, Ward, and' Westenra. '• ■" t :■ ' '■"■'- ' :n' ■ : ;•; , ■ ■•■ Noes.—Messrs. Barker, Blakiston, Bowen, Bray, Hall> Ollivier, and Packer, The debate was accordingly adjourned, ? INWOOD'B MILL BILL, On,the motion of Mr. OLtirnsß, the Hoiim went into committee on this bill An amendment vtaa projposed to liniii the operations pf the biU to fifty years. This amendment was carried and a second amendment prpposed by Mr. Thonqlson to reduce tfie limit to 30 years. . — T Mr. Bray*i)r.Bari£er,J.Be^e^,an4,Dampier, spoke in favour of the amendment. Messrs. Hall, Rhodes, and Ollivier, opposed the Reduction of the term. ' On a division the amendment was earned Vr lOto 6. Ayes.-^Dampier, J. Bealey, C. Barker, Bray, Westenra, Cookson, S.. v Bealey, Thomson, Bowen, and Packer. , v, , Noes.—rPonald, Davis, Rhodes, Hall, QlUvfer, Ward,; ; ■ . ' .■' :■■■ ■" ■, The committee then reported progress. The House resumed and adjourned till Tues* day evening.