THE OTAGO PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 138, 25 April 1862, Page 4

THE OTAGO PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

THURSDAY, APRIL 21.

THE SPEAKER took the Chair at a quarter past four o'clock ; at which time there were but five lion. ; members, exclusive of the Members of the Executive, ' who took their seats at the table in the following'" orc l er : _On the Speaker's right, Messrs. M'Glashari,' Dick, and Reynolds ; on Mr. Speaker's left, Messrs. ■ Paterson, and ICilgour. '.....,.,".

te Land 'Board : .Provided, tlmt notice, in . writing, of appeal and the grounds thereof shall bo ■given-.'to the said Itoiuxl by tho person appalling within liftaon days 'ai'ter notice of such assessment :4iall have been served, as aforesaid ; and . the .said Board is.hereby, niitliorised''and reiiuireJ to hear aud determine .the' matter of such appeal; and tomake such order therein, as to it may seem meet. , . ' 54. In case any.peiyon liable for payment of such! aaseisuioat.of v.'hicji, due notice shall have been 'served .as,aforesaid, shall refuse or. uegLent to pay the'ftuiount flue within tiie timg proscribed by. these Ilegulatjons,l it shall be lawful for.the

submitted were; Sir. M'Glashan, Provincial Solicitor ; Himself, .'Secretary, and, Treasurer ; and Mesnv, Reynolds, Paterson, and Kilgour, as lion-olncial members of Hie Executive. Since their' acceptance by his Honor, they had bean frequently in consulta-' tion, with a view to prevent as little delay as possible in the carrying on of the business of the country which Wiey felt to be a matter of the greatest impoitanco. He had found-that most of the bills -laid on ' the table" for the approval of the House, wore inten- " tied merely to effect certain alterations in Ordinances past by the Council; and disallowed by the Genera 1 Government, which alterations for the most part they ~ hadfoundto be necessary; and they were therefore pro, pared to adopt and carry through, the bills as n . commended, without delay. With regard to tha Building Ordinance, which contained many very ix» J portant provisions,, they intended to ask for the appointment of a select committee to take evidence^ I and report, with.a view to making certain alterations" which he trusted would he 'found to be improvements.. There were also two or three clauses in the Education Bill they thought ' susceptible of improvgment, which', would cause a j brief.delay of,its progress; but about the others. h§ anticipated thors would be but little difficulty. Ha would also state they intended to introduce a bill for the purpose of conferring extended powers upon tho ' Town Board, which he trusted would meet with the Council's approval. There wa3 a difficulty about' the construction of the present Executive that ho wished distinctly to bring before the Council at tho outsat. He alluded tt> the fact of his being at once Provincial Secretary an 1 Treasurer, and a member of the General Assembly, which^vould shortly require his being absaat from his provincial dutie3 for some two months. Tlie difficulty was increased by the fact ' that his Honor the Sappriiitenclant intended to stand for a vacancy in the' General Assembly also ; and so, if elected, they should both have to be away together. * He deemed it right that the House should take this fact into consideration, as they would have to make provision for carrying on the Government in the mte- . rim. If they deemed Jthis; an insuperable difficulty, they might object to the present Executive on that, account: • Before sitting down, he might remark that' they should have to ask the House for considerable grants of money} for important purposes. Th.ey' were expecting a large influx of population-from G-reut Britain ; and at present there was'- hut imp.erfe.ej; aii(J insufficient .accommodation,' and it behoved tho. Go.-,

.vernuicnt to' make isoine provision for its reception

Then .the Public Buildings for Government purposes would require a large outlay. And in addition \,o these, they should ask for a sura to bo placed at their" disposal for the purpose of affording occupation to nn* einyloyed hands during the winter months. Having so recently assumed office, they had nat had time to pro-' pare anydetaile'daocountof principles or plans of opera-, tions, having bosii fully employed in preparing the business for this evening, with which they were prepared to proceed at once. No other lion, member rising to address the House, 'the ordinary business of the Sittings was at once proceeded with. ' CORRESrOSBEXCK. ' Mr. DICK laid on -the tableau compliance with the request of the House, the Correspondence wlncn had passed between his Honor the Superintendent and the General Government respecting the Bills recently disallowed. THE OEXBBAL GOVEIUfMEST AND POLICE POKOC. The SPKAKEIt read Message No. 1, from his Honor the Superintendent, transmitting transcribe of the General Government Bill, respecting tho management of the Colonial Police Force, and asking an expression of the opinion of House respecting its provisions. It was moved by Mr. DICK, seconded by Mr.' REYNOLDS, and carried:—" That his Honor" message No. I. be .taken into consideration at to' morrow's (tin's day's) sitting." IIABBOR LOAN. ]\lr. M'GLASHAN laid upon the table the Harbor Loan' Hill, which was ordered to bo printed, read a first time, and the second reading made an oruer of the day for Monday next. TOWN* BOARD. Mr. M'GLASHAN, pursuant to notice, rose-" to ask the Provincial Solicitor if it be his intention, on.

the part of tls= <i- fho Town Hoard, to introduce in 111i--; sukmou a Bill for the enliu-^eiiiCMt of the power* of the Hoard, and tiic improvement of Diinedin. air"; l,!:;i-t if the answer In; in the negntivu, lie "would wove for leave to Living in a liil for ihvse purposes." Tl'.e lion, l'lomhar remarked that owing U> h change in the Executive, lie found liimsHf ; ■ the novel posUppn of ha", in;; to riok a ijtie^tion of M-i.V-if. He waSHiowever. lii'.j'jv' '■'■'' My tluit lie v.;; ' •jiired tj answer it. Tise JixuHUtive, of which 1:■ ...: < a lic-iu-ber, had considered the subject, nud li!i'; r.: wived to bring in a Bill for the purpose, and iio hoped iii n few days to be able to lay the 13111 upon the bible of tlie House. JtINIKO OK FKEEItOM) LANDS. Mr. CAUIIILL rose "to move that an address be presented v. his Honor the Superintendent, for copy of all coir.'ilioiuicnce in reference to trespass I upon freehold Isindg for the purpose of gold mining, and of any instructions given to the police force on that subjeut;'' and remarked,, that the subject was or.c of very grave importance, and required the immediate attention of Government. The reason that hud led him to submit tins motion was simply this : he had heard that certain minere —especially in the neighborhood of Tokomairiro,— had rushed" the land belo'ngimr to some'of the tanner*. He might instance, in particular, Mr. W. Miller, whoso turned up land had been much injured, and that the farmers hud experienced much difficulty in trettmsr the men oil', and keeping them out. It was therefore exceedingly desirable that the country should know wlwt the law on the subject really whs. lie had heard that the [Superintendent had taken steps to remedy the evil, and had forwarded instructions to the police for that purpose, and heshoidd like to Imveonicial intbrmation upon the subject. But as the case stood nt present, as reported to him, it was simply ■this—the farmer appealed to the police, the police sent him to the magistrate, and the magistrate sent him to ascertain the names of t';e offending: parlies. Whether the action taken by the Superintendent would effectually remedy the evil, he did not know, but thought inquiry should at once be made, and therefore submitted his motion for the approval of the House. Mr. M'MASTEtt seconded the motion. Mil. DICK stated, on behalf of himself and the Executive, that they entertained no objection to the motion. There was some little difficulty in dealing ■with the subject, which the carrying of the motion v might probably tend to remove. The Executive had "already had the subject under consideration, and would lose no time in seeing what could be done in the matter. The motion was then put from the chair, and carried nem.*con. ' SEPARATION. Upon the Order of the Day being called, for MB. DICK to move, " That the Council go into Committee, for the purpose of considering his resolutions on the subject of Separation from the Northern Island." The lion, member craved the indulgence of the House, owing to, the altered circumstances in which he found himself, and the manner in which his time had been employed, and asked permission of the House to allow his motion to lapse, with a view of bringing it on again at a future period, when he should have had more time to consider the subject. The motion was then allowed to lapse. CLERK OP THE COUNCIL. MR. DICK stated, in reference to the Select Committee appointed to briiiff up its report, relative to the appointment of a Clerk of the Council, that unfortunately the Committee were divided in their opinion—two against two, which left him no alternative but,an appeal to the opinion of the House. The fact was, that two of their number were for rccommenaing the gentleman previously nominated by the late Executive, at a salary of £75 per annum, while the other two were for the appointment of a gentleman altogether unconnected with any public office, to act at once a.i Clerk to the Council, nnd Council Librarian. He would therefore move the suspension of Standing Orders to allow of his submitting"to the House a motion on the subject at once. The motion for the suspension of the Standing Orders was seconded by Mr. Paterson, and being carried. Mr. DICK submitted the following'motion—! eThat a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Suderintendent, requesting him to place upon the estimates the sum of £10(1, as the half-yearly salary for a Clerk of the Provincial Council, who shall also act as Librarian of the Council.' This sum to stand jn the place of any sum which may at present ba on jhe Estimates for Clerk of Council." Mr. PATERSON seconded the motion. Mr. WALKER remarked, that as one of the Committee, lid might be allowed to state the grounds upon which bo dim/rod from the lion, mover of the motion. Hecould not see anyjust reason why the Council should be palled upon to pay £200 a year for what they could get done for £75. Mr. Willis was already engaged in the Superintendent's office at a salary that would have to be raised, as it was already too low, so that if he did not receive the appointment it would be a loss to the revenue. Then as to a •' Clerk of the Library" —-why, at present, they had no library. Why, therefore, need a clerk 1 At least, for the present, he thought all tho work they would require done could be well aiul 'effectually done by Mr. Willis for £75 a-year, and he should therefore oppose the motion.

Mr. CARG ILL would like to know if it was thought jjossible to obtain the services oi'a gentleman, wholly unconnected with any public office, who would really discharge ail the duties of Clerk of the Council and Librarian for £'200 a-year1? He thought the amount very small, but if "a really suitable person could be obtained for. the amount he saw no objection.

Mr. HEPBURN would like to know if it was intended to claim the entire services of the person employed for the amount proposed 1 '

Mr. rATSRSON would support tlie motion, as he thought it would not be in keeping with the dignity of the llouso, that its Clerk should be a mere employee in another Government office.' If tbey had not work enough at present to occupy his whole time, yet lion, members must remember that the work would increase. They should have a Clerk who was not at the mei-cy of the present or any future Superintendent, but free and independent to :lo the work of the Council, whenever and wherever he might be wanted. -

Mr. CUTTEN could not see how it would much add to the" "dignity'l of .the .House to engage tlie pntire services of a' clerk- and librarian at £200 a year! It would be impossible to obtain the entire services of a really efficient man for that amount, and lie would therefore hftvc to seek employment about town ;'"|ip;:ujips in some merchant's olflce, and he could not f.« liu'w that would'add.materially to the_ dignity of tlus Uu.ise. - If they were simply to consider the •'dignity" of the Council, there ware m;tny other things that might be sought to c-nlunics it loss objeetionnble llian engaging a "clerk' from tlio Superintendent's office; 'who, lie would remind the House, would be is much the servant of the Council as he would if lie held no other appointment. He thought they could not do better than abide by their original nomination, and should therefore oppose the motion.

Mr. DICK, in reply, stated that his motion was met by doubts, uncertainty, and opposition. Some lion, members seemed to fear that they could not getnn official clerk for L2OO a-year. He admitted" the Amount was small, and he would readily submit' a larger one if the House wished him to do so. But he ' would inform the House that he believed he could find several gentlem in,' every way qualified for the office, who would accept it, at the amount proposed. He did not suppose it would be abtoluteiy necessary to stipulate for the entire lime of the person employed, it they did not realiy need his services. He should consider himself bound to discharge his duties to the Council primarily, faithfully, and punctually, and this would probably occupy liis entire time while tlie Council was sitting,'and when it was not, say, two hours a flay as Librarian. A serious objection to any gentleman in a public-office would lie this—Suppose him to be jn'the Superintendent's office, and in the receipt of £2otf, and an extra £75 "as Clerk of the Council" Wliy, just as they"wanted him,.", tlie Superintendent might say—"l ennnot spare you—you must stay where you are." Which would he give up ? Why, of course he would resign his engagement with (he Council, anil the Council'might gotp the wall! As to' f heir-Clerk drawing a subsidiary salary frpm other source's, lie did pot see much force in that objection, for they all knew full well that gentlemen even :',t the heads of departments, and in the receipt of £3QO and £600 ayenr could do the same thing ; why not then a subordinate officer of that house? He should press the motion. The motion was put from the chair, and carried without a division. EDUCATION ORDINANCE. Upon the motion of Mr. DICK, seconded by Mr. PATEKSON, the Education Ordinance was read a second time; arid, upon the motion of Mr. DICK, ordered to bu .considered in Committee on Monday next, for material alteration of some of its clauses. BUIIDING ORDINANCE. Upon the order of the day being called for the second reading of the Building Ordinance,— Mr. M'GLASHAN stated that the Executive bad no intention of going into committee upon the Bill that evening, for the reason previously-mentioned. HeVoiud, therefore] simply move its second reading forma, td enable an amendment to be submitted to the House. Mr. DICK, for the reason previously assigned, would move as an amendment—" That a select committee be appointed to take evidence upon the Building Bill; raid committee :to consist of Messrs. Pbwp'rtli, M'Glashan, and the mover."' , . ' sioabs obdinaxoe. "■■ . The Roads Ordinance was rea(j a second time, and ordered to be committed the following day (this day). LOAN, VACKAHT, TUIaONOJIBTMCAI', LIOENSINCI, ANI> ORUEMY TO ANJ3IALS BILLS, 1862. The several Bills indicated above ; consisting of but one or two clauses each, and being intended simply to