PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 106, 26 October 1863, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

I FJEtIDAY, 23kd OCTOBER. Vt .■ . ; i '--- ; --'^\MoKNi^(>'SfPTiNO^' : '' ■,)■:/ -Jr^ -.■ .■■/. Tto Speaker took the* Chair at 11 o'clock/ ' ■"■■'■':■■. itdnoNS. 1 ". Mr WILSON, in the absence of Mr Tarljon, moved " for alteration and extension of iheWaianiwa School District." The PROVINCIAL TREASURER secpnanJ. and the motion was carried. -.:•■ v 1 ; •'■ The PROVINCIAL TREASURER asked leave to bring in a Bill inti uled "An Ordi-. nance to appropriate the Revenue of the Province of Southland for the period of one year eudingthe 30th of September,; 1864, and to authorise the Provincial Treasurer to take credit for certain suraa expended before 30th September, 1863," ' ,;';". r , Mr COWAN seconded. The Bill was read 19 first time, and^the second reading ordered [or the afternoon siti ng. v : ; ■ Mr WILSON moved " declaatory of the rule regarding this Council to censure individuals and acts, and the mode of its doing so." ■'--" : The PROVINCIAL TREASURER stated that it was the intention of Government at next Session to'take steps "for the removal 6f the restriction clauses in the land regulations, ge wished to have the opiniondf the House if any further alterations were necessary, but jjot to provoke -an endless land discussion, for he knew that no two members could agree upon that subject. He thought— the restriction clauses removed— the regulations would pork well, and transfers be satisfactorily accomplished. Again, he would deprecate a land discussion. His maxim was quieta non v i. »overi. He-understood-that the Province of ■x Otago was soon -to" adopt -the £2 an * acre system. It might, in the future, be - ■ advisable for this province to do the same, ) Mr WILSON thought that the land ought i cot to be raised above £1 an-aGre,-iii order to 4 the settlement of the country. ; Mr STUART was averse to opening up the r land question. By atoo constant ventilation i, thereof, the Otago '-Government had framed ■"£ regulations which were a heterogeneous mass. v ofnonserrae. Mr ROGERS was in favor of -raising the' price of land to £2 an acre, for Nelson and ; Canterbury -were already at that figure, and £ the neighbor ing Province of Otago would soon be so too :und if Southland did not pursue the same "course they would be devoured ■'- by ali'the iand sharks in the colony.- '■'. Mr STUART contended thai; their coming j irould be an advaniaije, as conducing towards '■•- ?ttlemerit. i The PK< ) VINCIAL TEE ASURERthough t ' t was premature to go into the question of •'!. Qcrease in price. When Otago lands were ' fixed at £2, then it would be time enough to liscu-s the matter. If they went on arguing r in what might happen, the Session would iot be over by Christmas. IMr M'KAY did not want to go into the ncstion, but [Here three messages from the Superin>ndent were announced, and the honorable lember was compelled to put off his oration J MESSAGES "FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. "(Message No. 4.) To the -Provincial Council of the Province df Southland. " A resolution, passed by the Provincial limncil, has been transtrittcd to the Superilendent, which affirms that it is ' eminently lesirable that the Provincial Council should c consulted by this Government previous to lie declaration of any portion of the Proince into Hundreds.' The opinion here esrressed does f not appear to be open to much :■; bjection in fee abstract, -yet the results, \ Dwing from it, if acted upon in all circuralances, might on occasion prove highly emmassing. The Council, under ordinary \ ircumstances, will meet; annually, and in ■ '<■ le intervals, occasions might possibly arise, iaji tere a demand for land in a locality where ilar icfe was not anticipated would require to be * '" : ict without delay. *But, apart from this, a lore serious objection "remains. The power ':. (declare a hundred— when, where, and how .> : pleased— is -vested -in his Excellency the ovevnor. Tho practical bearing of this ; solution is , tantamount to a claim to the »wer of determining where and how this iwer of the Governor should be exercised. v The Superintendent does not suppose that c Council intended to advance such a claim, it as ii appearsan his opinion practically to . nount to this, he must express hi 3 regret at he is unable to concur with it. " J. A.. R. MEszifes, " Superintendent. " Superintenrlent's Office, '" Southland, 23rd October, 1863/' " (Message No 5.) To the Provincial Council of the Province of Southland. "The Superintendent' transmits herewith the Provincial Council a Bill passed during epresent Session, entitled 'Educationalßeves Ordinance, 1863,' and recommends for i consideration of the Council the follow- ; amendment therein, namely— "To insert the word 'Rural' before the rd ' Lands 'in the second line of the title." " J. A. R. MeHzibs, "Superintendent. "Superintendent's Office, "Southland, October 23, 1563." '* (Message No. 60 . 'o the Provincial Council of the Province' of Southland. . " 'The Provincial Council -having 'made ious alterations in the amounts of the • iries proposed to be paid to the different . : * eers of the. Provincial Government, the' perintendent desires to draw its attention r : , he following consiiierations which influ- ; ed the Executive Council when drawing ■;• the Estimates : — The Executive Council conceived that ; scaJe of salaries to the different officers ; I rfld be fixed with a regard — Firit, to the j ■■-. ortance of their duties ; and Second, their " iient performance of them. As originally soseii, the salaries bore a relation to each • Sf. based on these considerations. The 5 irations do not appear to have been made A " In any definite principle. If the Council 1 agree that the points stated are sound is for determining the relative amount of ;■ "es, it will no doubt also readily admit the Executive has better opportunities inn an opinion on those points than mem- ; 'of the Council can have. 0 It is extremely desirable, that salaries of ':,- officers of the Provincial Government IM be fixed with reference to some defiPrinciple, and if the Provincial Council not approve of that on which the Governt has acted, the Stipeiintendent has to ;est that it would recommend any other ; h in its better judgment it conceived Id be more applicable, r 'he Superintendent has to recommend reconsideration of the Estimates, with 3 ■ view of considering whether a reduction !„ > 't not be advantageously made on the —" 4 e ?ate sum of the salaries proposed for the y K I ?' n S officers, the amounts of which reed ~; lively, as now proposed, appear to be disan .-.!• ortionately high, when contrasted with x- i of other officers in the service, — io- :i !ly:_ •"•. up-i] 'Tlte Superintendent. jct.'.jj ' * Superintendent's clerk. he ' Provincial Treasurer. an ;• * Chief Commissioner Waste Land k v . Board. 'Clerk to do. " ' Inspector of Schools.. ' Ji he salary to the -Immigraticn Officer f ■>■ o continued unaltered, is, on the other " e * i below the average amount, toe ; "J. A. R.-Menzjes, re- ;j " Superintendent, m- j 'Superintendent's Office, the J "Southland, October 23, 1863." et- . sJiles^fvges were tb-eji taken into con- .; lion,""' ' •

.The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved, as suggested by the Superintendent's message, that the word " rural " be added before the words "-Endowment Bill. 1 ' Thia?Bill would be i superseded by another of , similar terms, and with the view of allowing it to lapse, he would move that its consideration be postponed till this day month. , The rotation was Carried. j The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved the recommittal of the Estimates, to consider the reductions suggested by his Honor's message. l Mr WILSON moved that the Estimates be sent back to the Executive, to be reduced on the principle stated in the message. Mr ROGERS thought the Estimates* as altered, should stand. He did not agree With his Honor's views in the matter. Mr HO WELL thoroughly agreed with the Superintendent, that the Government knew best the value of the services of its officials. He, for one, did not know the merits of any of the men. The motion for recommittal being put — the House divided, with the fpllowing.result: Ayes, 6. Noes, 4. Messrs M'Kay Messrs Beaven Howell Jackson Wilson Scott Cowan Rogers (teller) Stuart Chalmers (tellpr) Majority for ayes, 2. IN COMMITTEE. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved that the salary of the Emigration Officer stand as printed. Mr M'KAY moved, as an. amendment, that it be £250. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said "that as so many salaries had been raised— by implication — that of the Emigration Officer should be raised too. 3le did not think the duties were -very onerous, but the present officer was very energetic, and, as the Province grew, his duties would proportionately increase. The amendment having been put, the noes had it — the Provincial Treasurer voting against his own motion. Thj PROVINCIAL TREASURER then, moved that the salaries allowed by the Council be reduced in accordance with the suggestion of his Honor. Upon being put; the motion was lost. The Chairman then reported progress. Thereafter the House adjourned to 2.30 p.ra -AFTERNOON SITTING. Friday, 23rd OctoEEr. The Speaker took the chair at half -past 2 o'clock. . The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved the House into Committee for reconsideration of the item "Immigration Officer, £200.'' ■IN COMMITTEE. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved that the item, "Immigration Officer, £200," stand as printed. Mr ROGERS said that when he Opposed the increase of this item to £2"50 on a previous occasion, he had done -so because lie was ,not aware 'that the duties were as onerous as he had been since told by Government, they were. lie had not been acquainted with the special duties of the Government officials, except those with whom private individuals -had been brought in contact. He was now inclined to accept blindly what the Government had informed the House with regard to the Immigration Officer, and would move as an amendment that the item sand at £250. The amendment having been put, was carried. The CHAIRMAN reported progress. Mr ROGERS wished to draw the attention of the House to the fact that one of his Honor's messages had not been considered. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said that the hon. member had had an opportunity of considering it, if he had liked. Mr ROGERS replied in the negative. ■ The PROVINCIAL TREASURER— We will then consider it. Upon a motion to that effect, the Clerk reread his Honor's message as to Hundreds. Mr ROGERS ad-vanced the desi: ability of the Council being consulted prior to the declaration of Hundreds. Mr COWAN explained the views of the Government. A message from his Honor the Superintendent was then announced, which bore thus : — (Message No. 7.) " To the Provincial Council of the Province of Southland. "Gentlemen, — I have to. propose an amendment in the Bill entitled the ' Sheep Ordinance (1862) Amendment Ordinance (1863),' consisting of the addition of the following words to clause 4 of the said Bill : — • And as if the word " on " in the tenth line had been struck out, and the word "of " inserted in lieu thereof.' " J. A. R. Menzies, " Superintendent. " Superintendent's Office, Southland, 23rd October, 1863.^' In reply to a question from Mr ROGERS, The PROVINCIAL TREASURER explained that the cause of the amendment was simply a clerical one. '1 he House then went into Committee upon the Bill intituled " The Sheep Ordinance (1862) Amendment Ordinance (1863)," and progress was thereafter reported. ORDERS OF THE DAT. The Appropriation Bill, No. 3 1 863^>vas then read a second time, and the House went into Committee upon -the same. Progress having been reported, the ©ill was read a third time and passed. The House then adjourned for ten minutes. At 3.30 the House resumed and the Superintendent having been announced by the Sergeant-at-srros, his Honor entered and read the following Address, proroguing the Provincial Council of Southland — Fifth Session': — " Gentlemen of the Provincial Council - I have to thank you for the zeal and assiduity which you have displayed in carrying through the businesss of this Session. " The Bills which you have passed — viz., ' The Constabulary Ordinances, ' The Electric Telegraph Ordinance, 'The Hospital Ordinance, ' The Common Lodging-Houses' Ordinance ' The Pawnbrokers' Ordinance, , • The Hawkers' Ordinance, • The Licensed Theatres' Ordinance, ----- • The Licensing Amendment Ordinance, • The Sheep Ordinance, (1862), Amendment Ordinance (1563), • The Cemeteries Ordinance, • The Church of England Cemeteries Ordinance, 'The Oreti Railway Ordinance, 1 The Debentures' Ordinance, ' The (Railway) Appropriation Ordinance, 1 The Education Rural Endowments, ' The Alteration of Education Reserves, ' The Collegiate Endowments, : ' The Appropriation' — ; itjis my duty to reserve for the consideration of his j Excellency the Governor. When ! transmitting them for his assent, I shall give expression to my own concurrence therewith. " The Maiine Boards' Ordinance will be returned to the Governor with an intimation j that this Council has accepted the amendments there proposed by his Excellency. " The Resolutions which you have passed with reference to the Extension of the Bluff and invercargiil Railway, I shall have pleasure in supporting when brought forward hi the General Assembly. The other works on the same line of i ail way will be vigorously prosecuted in accordance with the opinion you have expressed. '• In the present Session of the General Assembly I trust that the members for Southland will* be enabled to obtain an Act embodying views on the subject of the improvement clauses of the Land Regulations in operation in this Province, which formed the substance of a Resolution passed by thi3

Council in its last Session. This measure will receive my hearty support. " The busi less of the Session being ended, I have now gentlemen, to relieve you from further attendance, and declare that this Council ii prorogued." His Honor then withdrew, and the Council Room was speedily deserted.