TOPICS OF TALK.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 226, 4 July 1873, Page 6

TOPICS OF TALK.

Lsr the Provincial Council, on May oth, Mr Eeid is. reported by the ' Daily Times ' to have said :— c< In moving i / this motion he felt it quite unnecessary to re-open the debate on this question that took place last session. He thought members would probably have glaueed over the Bill placed on the table, and perhaps may have compared it with the Bill as passed by the House of Representatives. If they compared It with the Bill as introduced into the Provincial Council, they would find no material alterations were made in it while passing through the Lower House, and he (Mr Eeid) thought it would be better to accept the Bill in the shape it was passed through the House of Representatives, without again entering upon*its consideration and discussion." This is interesting, as entirely disproving the statements of many that the gross errors in the Otago "Waste Lands Act were forced on Mr Eeid by the Assembly. So far from this being the case, when Mr Eeid had again the power of making alterations, in moving the adoption of the Act, he merely added a clause as to dealing with leases about to fall, in < —certainly a very necessary one—- . which he carried.

On the same day, during the debate which ensued on Mr Beid's motion, the constitution of the Waste Lands Board came up. Mr-Beid said :—"The Assembly insisted that the'constitution of the-Waste'Lands'Board should be altered, to the form in which it appeared in the Bill before them—viz., that it should comprise the Cornmis- * doner of Crown Lands, the Superintendent of the Province, the Speaker of the Provincial Council, and other two members not being members of the Executive. He was doubtful whether that was an advantage, but rather than have a delay in bringing the measure into operation, he would be willing to accept it." This provisional constitution of the Board, and one, we think, that would have been advantageous, was recodified by the Council, after a great deal of discussion—Mr Barton's amendment being finally carried, that the Board should consist of the Chief Commissioner, and not less than two nor more than five other Commissioners, all of whom shall be appointed and be removable under the hand of the Superintendent. So that this non-po-litical Board is a creation of the Council, and should be always and everywhere credited to its aiithor, a late member for Dunedin—Mr Barton. i The Provincial Government, by its continual neglect in opening up the northern line of. communication, has been guilty of a great injury to a large and important district. What is the use of the General Government initiating schemes to populate the interior, and to make the hidden gullies of the ranges give up their treasures, if their measures are thwarted by the neglect of the Provincial authorities to keep open—to say nothing of permanently making—the main lines of communication? The success'of the General Government scheme depends upon the cost of living on the Goldfields opened up. " Carriage at £lO and £ll a ton, and a loss to the cartors at that,, is hardly conducive to the retail supply of commodities at a low rate. At this present time, the new road round Houndburn Hill is impassable to dray traffic, and thb coach can only venture it when there is no frost, and no more than one passenger to each horse. The petition to open up communication via Strath taieri, co be laid before the Pouncil, will have the good effect of bringing this, great grievance to a prompt issue. ,