LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 132, 4 June 1872, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

The Council mpt at, 5 o'clock. The Provincial Treasurer laid on the table a statement of the prices realised for the Gasworks loan. — Mr. Gibbs presented a petition signed by twenty-eight Takaka settlers praying tbat a sum of money might be placed on the Estimates for improving a road in the Upper Takaka district — The Provincial Secretary laid on the table a report on the BrunDer coalmine by Mr. Dent. — Mr. Donne moved " That the Estimates be recommitted, to enable him to move that the words ' Inspector of Leases aud Assistant Clerk at Reefton ' be struck out, and the words 'Extra clerical assistance' be inserted in lieu therof ; and tbat the figures ' £300 ' in the same item be struck out, and '£200' substituted." Motion lost. — The Provincial Solicitor obtained leave to bring in Bills to amend tbe Law relating to Publicans' licenses on the Goldfields, and to amend the Act to determine the number of members in the Provincial Council, and to appoint electoral districts in the Province of Nelson.— On the motion of Mr. Guinness, a Select Committee was appointed to enquire into and report upon the expenditure of th'o sum of £800 under the item " Contingencies," as per Appropriation Act last year. — The following resolutions were agreed to on the motion of the Provincial Secretary : — " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that the Superintendent should raise on loan, under the provisions of the ' Lunatics Asylum Act, 1862,' a sum of money sufficient to purchase a site aud erect suitable buildings for a Lunatic Asylum." — "That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to add the sum of £150 to the Estimates for the purpose of erecting two additional rooms at the Lunatic Asylum." — Mr. Collins moved, " That in the opinion of this Council, it is advisable: that clause 41 of the "Nelson Waste Lands Act 1863" be repealed, and that other provisions be made in lieu thereof, with a

view of permitting the Government to grant land in payment for public works at . uch a price per acre as may be fixed by rhe Waste Lmds Board-" He did so as he was desirous of affording every facility to the Government for opening up the country and settling population on the waste lands, which was at present to a great extent put a stop to by the 41st clause of the " Waste Lauds Act," -which provided that the land should not be sold at- less than £l per acre. It was said that this might be evaded by those who tendered for the construction of public works placing a proportionately higher value on their labor, but he did not think it desirable to keep on the Statute Book a provision that to be rendered at all useful must be evaded, neither was it fair to contractors, as persons living on the spot were naturally in a far better position to judge of the value of the land than those at a distance. It would be far more fair to the public that the Waste Lands Board should have the power to assess such lands. Mr. F. Kelling seconded the resolution, which was carried on the voices. — Mr. Kynnersley moved, "That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that the price at which agricultural leaseholders, under the provisions of the " Goldfields Act 1866" s.n'l the " Goldfields Act Amendment Act 1870," are entitled to purchase their leaseholds, should be fixed by law, at a price not exceeding £l per acre, and that all sums paid as rent should be accounted part of the purchase money." A lengthy discussion ensued, and eventnally an amendment proposed by the Provincial Treasurer was adopted, to strike out all the words after " fixed," and substitute the words " when the lease is granted." — The Council then adjourned until this afternoon, at 5 o'clock.

The public of Christchurch apparently take a deep interest in the proceedings of the Provincial Council and are disposed to show that interest, in an unusual manner. The Lyttelton Times states that lately " some bon. members have been cheered from the stranger's gallery, while others have practically been prevented from speaking, aad it does not appear tbat the Speaker has taken the usual steps to prevent the recurrence of these irregularities. It is hardly necessary to say that discus-

sion and the unrestrained expression of opinion, both of which are essential to the public interests, are simply impossible under such circumstances;" and the Times appeals to tbe good sense of the majority of those who attend the debates to restrain the intemperate and unseemly enthusiasm of the few. The Otago Times of the 27th ult., says: — A painful accident occurred on Saturday night to a fine little girl, about three years old, the only child of Mr. Waoston of M?lville-street. The parents having put her to bed locked the door, and leaving a lighted candle on the table, went down " town. A woman who was passing heard the child cry and spoke to her through the window. Shortly afterwards the same person noticed an unusual glare from the window, and running back, saw that the child's night-dress was on fire. The little one, it appears, had got upon the table, which was near the window. After some delay, the door was broken open, when the child was found to have been badly burnt on the left side, arm, and face. Dr. Cowie was soon afterwards in attendance, and did all that could be done for the little sufferer, who was last night in a very precarious condition. A Shocking catalogue of crime was presented by the! calendar of the recent sittings of the Batburst Circuit Court which formed the heaviest ever laid before a Circuit Court in New South Wales. At the termination of the business the acting-judge, Sir William Manning, addressiug the jury, observed: — "I am happy to say that the business of what I believe has been the longest, and certainly the most painful, sittings of the Circuit Court in Batburst, has concluded. The court has lasted twelve working days, and has had to sit by candlelight on more than one occasion. The number of cases set down for trial was thirty, of which two have been postponed, one not being proceeded with. Twenty-seven prisoners have been tried, and twenty-five were, arraigned at the present assizes, two having stood over from a previous court. There were thirteen capital charges, and one of these has been postponed. It has been my painful duty to sentence three men to death, and altogether there have been thirteen convictions, and four acquittals. On the whole the present court has been a most distressing one."