The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1875.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 238, 21 September 1875, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1875.

The information that we receive by the wires of the progress of the Abolition Bill through Committee and the amendments made in the various clauses do | not of themselves give any clear idea of the shape the Bill is assuming under the remoulding process to which it is being submitted. We therefore propose to follow the Bill through' Committee, and to give in full the original clauses that have been amended, together with the alterations that have been effected in them. Clause I, the short title stands as originally proposed, an amendment moved by Mr Stout to change the title from " The Abolition of Provinces Act" to "The Two Provinces Act," having been rejected on the voices. l Clause 11, which stated when the Act was to come int^o operation, was struck out with the view of a new clause being inserted to give effect to the arrangement come to between the Government and the Opposition. In Clause 111, the interpretation clause, the following amendments were agreed to. The first section in the original ran thus : — "In the construction of this Act the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively attached to them:—' Govtr -ing body ' means and includes the Council of any city or borough constituted under * The Municipal Corporations Act. 1867,' and the Council, Board of Commissioners, Bo*rd of Wardens, Trustees, or ttie persons or body havinar the control or government of the local affairs of any city town or place under any o£ the Acts or Ordinances specified in the fourth column of the First Schedule to ' The Municipal Caiporatioos Act. 1867/ and also the Bowd, Trustees, Wardens, or the persons or body, as the case may be, having the management, control, or care of roads or highways in any road district " On the motion of Major Atkinson, the following words were inserted after the words "Municipal Corporations Act 1867 "— " Or other person or body having governance or control of local affairs in any other city, town, or place." In section 3 of the same clause the words printed in italics were struck out on the motion of Mr Stout : — " Public works" mean and include branch railways, tramways, main ronds. public bulges and ferries on main roads, docks, qua>s, piers, wharves, and harbor works, reclamation of land from the sea, protection of land from encroachment or destruction by s°a or river, public buildings far the use of the General Government or any department thereof, and any other work of public utility or convenience connected with the Government of the colony. Clause IV. O» suck day, not liter than nipety days from the commencement of this Act. as the Governor shall, by proclamation published in the New Zealand Gazette, appoint, the following provinces shall be abolished, tiz :— The provinces of Auckland, Hawke's B*y, Tarataki, Wellington. Nelson, M irlnorough, Westlami, Canterbury and Otaeo. lu anch proclamation a day shall be fixed for the coming into operation thereof, and the day as fixed is hereafter referred to as the date of the abolition ot the eaid provinces. On-.J^fce motion of Major Atkinson, the woftls in italics were struck out, and the following substituted : — " The 2nd section of the Constitution Act is hereby repealed.'* After the word Otago, the words " shall be and are hereby abolished" were inserted. The remainder of the clause was omitted. Sir George Grey proposed that the word " Auckland," and Mr Stout that the word "Otago," should.be struck out, but both propositions were negatived, the former on the voices, the latter on a division by 53 to 11. Clause IX. AH powers, duties, or functions which lmmediitely before the date of the abolition hereunder of any province are under or by virtue of any law not expressly or impliedly repealed hereby vested in or to be exercised or performed by the Provincial Treasurer, Provincial Secretary, or other public officer of such abolished province, shall, from and after the date of the abolition of Mich province, and for thi purpose ot the district included within such abolished province, vest In and be exercised or performed by any person or persons from time to time appointed for the purpose by the Governor. Clause X All l*Dds, tenements, goods, 'ejhattels, moneys, and things in action, and all real and personal property whatever, and all rights aod inleres'B therein, which immediately before Ihe date of the abolition hereunder of any province were vested in or belonged to the Superintendent of any province, as such Superintendent, shall on the date of theabolitiou thereof vest in her Majesty the QueenAll revenues and moneys, and all securities for Mich money*, which on the date of the abolition of any province in»y be the properly of, or invested on behalf of, such provinc?, shall on the date of the abolition thereof vest in her Majesiy the Qtieen. Provided that if at the date oi the abolition of any province any moneys or revenues of such province shall have been specifically set apart and shall be available for the purposes of public works within the province, or any district thereof, such moneys or revenues shall be applicable to such purposes accordingly. To this the words " Except as hereinafter provided " were prefixed. Clause i XIII. If within one year after the date of the abolition hereunder of any province the services of any officer in the employment of the Government of the colony, or of the Provincial Government of the abolished piovince,

are dispensed with in consequence of the abolition of such province, ho shall be paid out of the ordinary revenue of the colony for each year of service one month's gtlary, according to the rate pa>able to him at ths time of such abolition, ani al<o a further sutn equal to the said rate ff such service be dispensed with without three months notice. The words in italics were struck out, andafter the words " ordinary revenue of the colony" the following words were inserted on the motion of Mr O'Conor, " such sum as he may be entitled to under the terras of any agreement entered into prevoius to 1875, and, in default of any such agreement." In Clause XIV, which provi'ies for the payment of license fees, &c, into the public account, and thence to the municipalities or road boards, an amendment was proposed by Mr Wood, and accepted by the Government, to the effect that the fees, &c, should be collected by the municipalities or road boards themselves. At this stage of the Bill, the House adjourned on Friday evening until tonight.