By Electric Telegraph

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 270, 9 May 1874, Page 3

By Electric Telegraph

(From our own correspondent.)

Dunedin, Wednesday. .!; ■The hew Goverinnent has been formed, and is composed as follows: —Reid, Provincial Secretary and Secretary of Lands and Works; Turhbull, Treasurer; Stout, Provincial Solicitor; and Webster and Lurnsden without office. •"

Dunedin, Thursday Evening. In tbe Council yesterday Reid announced the formation of a Government, and promised to make a statement next day. A personal debate followed. Fish attacked the personnel of the Government, characterising the association of Turnbull and Webster Reid as.ah unholy aj. "'' ■ -' ~''■; ,'..-..' ■'. f. . -

fiance; He charged Turabull with deserting his party and throwing over his hard-worked colleague, Bastings. He referred to the rumor that Peid had been promised the support of the High-street clique on the condition-of his taking in Turnbull and Webster. "Fish concluded by intimating that he should oppose the Government in its present form. Reid replied, denying the truth in the rumor referred to by Mr' Fish, but said that some members had banded together to force certain members on the Government—action which Tur.ibitll and himself had resented.

Davie, M'E>llar, and Brown explained. Clarke said hs wmild not support the. Government that would overlook the Goldfields interest.

Turnbull said he took the Treasurership because the duties were simply routine, and at the desire of a large body of (lie members. Webster explained, and did not accept Jhe Secretaryship of Land because he felt that the holder of that position should be a member of the Waste Land Eoard, which field was. To-day the Government, in answer to a question, said they wo ild grant a commonage to Cromwell, and gradually revert to the staff system of survey. After the foi mal business was got through, Reid stated the intention of the Government with regard to the Land question. Believed the plan of deferred payments eminently calculated to settle a largo population on the available agricultural land in the Province. The Government was aware that the system must be carefully watched, and every endeavor made to prevent any shirking carrying out to lull extent the conditions on which land is taken up. Must insist on residence, and all improvements required by the Act, andpn due payment. Certainly these things would always be kept in view. It is proposed to make certain trivial alterations in the Act.. The Act limited the area to 30,000 acres, and no more could be thrown open until half that quantity had been taken up. That was the i greatest blot in the Act, but was one which people in Wellington could remove. Go- ' vernment would ask the 47th section re- ! pealed. With regard to section 49, and the other provision compelling parties applyvcg at the Land Office within which the land applied for is situated, the Government looked upon that as a hardship. It was a mere matter of routine which should be able to be effected at any Land Office in the Province. Under the Act 30,000 .acres in Otago and 30,000 acres in Southland' could be set apart, and the Government proposed, where practicable, to intersect .sections set apait for sale on deferred payments with sections of similar areas to be sold for cash payments. He proposed recommending the proclamation of new Hundreds in addition to those recommended last session, but. were iiot in a position to state where the localities would be, or the area. .The proposed hundreds would be 60,000 acres, 40,000 acres recommended last session, and 60,000 on deferred payments, 160,000 acres altogether. If unable to extend the deferred payment system to Goldfields they would set apart lands to be taken •up under the Agricultural Leases system. With regard to land in Southland there was a wide spread feeling, whether well grounded or not he could not sny, if proclamation were issued, placing in market agricultural portion recently classified, land would be taken up in lar fe e areas. Government did not propose issuing a proclamation at the present time. It would, set apart 30,00.0 acres on deferred payments' 1 as soon as practicable; ai:d after the Council rose the Superintendent would temporarily resume the lands, and issue a proclamation opening up such lands in Southland as the Government thought it necessary to offer for sale during the year- The deferred payments sections would be interseefcecLwiTh blocks to be sold for cash, in the same-way as in Otago. . With regard to raising the price of' land, the Government had come to the conclusion that it, was not. desirable to raise.thence'throughout the Province, because the||isge\-e aware the*'e was a considerable extgjlrof country which, being only adapted fdFpastoral purposes, would perhaps be wori'h/£i per acre, and be sold gradually ; but, if. the price were increased to £2, it would be on their hands for year's to come. But lands contiguous to railways, &c, would be considered as of special value, and reserved as such. Those lands it was not expedient to sell at 20s an acre. But revenue mu o t be had, and the Government would ask power to sell pastoral land; tut that would only be cV.ne as a last resort. Wo Government could carry on unless it had that power, and ho warned the Council that, if railways were to be gone on with, that power must be given or a loan obtained through the General Govern ment,"b'r the works would iiave to be le.'t in abeyance. With regard to the improvement of the Dune'din harbor, the Government would propose a vote for c-invraenc-ing the work, bring in a Bill to consolidate the. Harbor Trust, and endow {hat body with part of the lands reclaimed, and assist it if borrow. He hoped to see a Goldfields representative in the Government before the session closed.

The Council immediately afterwards adjourned.

The tender of Brogden for the construction of the Knkanui Island Creek bridge, for £6,636, was accepted.

James .Robertson, found dead on the road, near Awumoko, on Mondny, was crushed to death by the wheel of a dray passing over his head.

At the adjourned meeting of the Education Board it -was decided not to grant any scholarships except one to Milne, the only candidate who obtained over the minimum number of points at the late examination. The directors of the National Insurance Company have issued the report for the halfyear ending 31st March. A sum of £17,236 Is 8d is left .to credit after prolit and loss. The directors recommend a dividend at the rate often per cent, per annum be paid, which will absorb £2500, and a balance of £14,736 Is. 8d will then be carried to the reserve fund.' The case of Macassey and Bell is unfinished. Chinese Interpreter is now under examina-' tion. The lawyers are fighting at every step. NELSOX. ■ The Provincial Council has been opened. The Superintendent said, as the result of the consultation with the Ministry, it had been resolved not to Jaise £60,000, authorised by the Council last session, as to do so -would probably endunger the success of the proposed aDplication to Parliament fora loan of £250,000. • GEAHANSTOWN. The local Roman Catholic priest refused rites of burial to one. M'AuliflY because deceased had not been at Easter Communion, and attended other religious duties. After hunting all over town for Episcopalian, Pres: byterian, or other clergymen, the Rev. — - Crump (Wesleyan) proceeded to the cemetery, and read service over the grave. Some indignation was expressed amongst the Catholics at the conduct of the priest—this being the second time during less than a month the Church rites of burial have been refused. AUCKLAND. Three informations are. laid against J. S. Macfarlane, merchant, charging him with inciting Thomas Craig and Andrew Craig to murder C A Harris, junr., which has been sworn to. The case -will be heard at the police Court on Friday.' I.YCTELTON. ■ The ship Appelles lias arrived. She was ninety-four d»ys out from Shirt Poirt. She bringfe 305 souls. There were no deaths on the voyage. DUNEDI?. LATEST. . ... The Cahforniaa mail reaches her: to-mor-row. • Gold has been discovered between the head of the Lake and Martin's Bay, as -well as aneriferous quartz reefs. The' news was officially communicated .to Warden Beelham, .who is ra this city. No. particilare ore given as to th.e actual locality.