PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 1578, 14 May 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, 7th Mat. Mr Mervyn moved—" That an addrass be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him that he will be pleased to cause a copy of all correspondence and telegrams in reference to the sale of 50,000 acres of land at Moa Flat to Mr Clarke, to be laid on the table." Carried. Mr J. C. "Brotvn moved— "That a ■Select Committee be appointed to enquire into the circumstances attending the sile of two blocks of land at Moa Flat, comprising over 50,090 acres, to Joseph Clarke, Esq., with power to call for persona and papers, and to report in ten daya. Such Committee to consist of Mr Speaker (with his consent), Messrs Bastings, Clark, Hon. Mr Holmes, Messr3 Lumsden, Reynolds, Thomson, and the Mover." Carried. Mr Reid moved — " That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, recommending that sections 17, 18, 19, and 20, block LIV., town of Invercargill, be set apart for educational purposes." Carried. Mr Macassey moved — " That a Select Committee o? this Couucil be appointed to confer with the Council of the Ofcago University upon the expediency of establishing Law and Medicine Classes in connection with the University, Bueh Committee to consist of the Hon. Me M'Lean, Dr. "Webster, Mr Barton, and the Mover." After some remarks — mostly of a favorable character, by several honorable members — Mr Shepherd intimating his intention of moving an addition to the Committee — the resolution was passed. Mr Reid having replied to Dr Menzies' question as to the road from Oreti anct Mararoa valleys to Hollyfird River to the effect that, in the first place, no engineer could be spared for the purpose ; and, secondly, that taking into consideration a report made by the Chief Surveyor, the Grovernment did not feel justified in carrying out the resolution, The Hon. Dr. Menzies moved the following resolution, which was carried — ' ' That the reports and plans of any, officers of the Survey and Public "Works Department, which show the elevation of the passes leading from the valleys of Oreti or Mararoa to be no lower than 3000 feet, be laid on the table." Mr Macassey, in moving — " That an address be presented to His Honor the. Superintendent, respectfully requesting that he will be pleased to transmit to this Council copies of any official correspondence or memoranda in the possession of His Honor, or the Provincial Government, relating to the appointment of C. D. B. Ward, Esq., as a District Court Judge for the Province of Otago," said that he thought it was within the knowledge of honorable members that for years and years past there had been too little rather thau too much work for the judges of the Province. He held that the appointment was wholly unnecessary and wholly undesirable, while it would cost the Province £800 °or £900 a-year. It was in order that the public at large and the Council might have an opportunity of ascertaining upon what grounds and. under what circumstances this appointment had been made that he moved the motion standing in his name. The motion was agree 1 to. Mr Reid moved — " That this Council, having before it a copy of the Otago Waste Lands Bill, passed by the House of Representatives during the last session of the General Assembly, resolves to approve of the same, and to recommend the addition of the following clause, to define the terms on which renewals of leases of pastoral lands may be granted, viz. : — ' 97. Before the expiration of any license or lease for depasturing purposes the Board shall with the approval of the Superintendent determine whether it is expedient to lease again for depasturing purposes the whole or any part of the lands held under such license or lease and if it be resolved that a lease of the whole or any part of such lands be not granted it shall be lawful for the Board at any time not later than six months before the expiration of the license or lease to cause a notice of such resolution to be served on the licensee or lessee or to be left at his last or last known place of abode or with some person resident upon the lands comprised in such license or lease. In the event of it being resolved that a lease of the whole or any part of such lands be granted such lease shall subject to the provisions relating to leases of pastoral lands contained herein be sold at least six months before the expiration of the then existing license or lease.' " Mr Tolmie moved and Mr Holmes seconded an amendment of eight resolutions. The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr Thomson. Wednesday, Bth Mat/ The debate on Mr Reid's motion was resumed by Mr Thomson, who opposed MrTolmie's amendment. After discussion, the amendment was lost on the voices. Dr Menzies moved an amendment on Clause 6 of the Waste Land Resolutions, relating to the constitution of the Waste Land Board, with the view of divesting that body of its present political character. Two amendments of the same tendency, but more definite in terms, by Mr Macassey and Mr Reynolds, having been negatived, Mr Barton said that he also was dissatisfied with clause 6, and should like to see it again in the same form as when it left the Council last year. The great object of the squatters was to monopolise the waste lands, and they did so in every place where they dared to put forth the cloven foot. He wished to see the Land Board composed of persons responsible to the Council. He moved the following amendment -. — " That the following words be inserted in clause 6 of the resolutions, after the word ' lands,' in line 3 : ' and of no less than two nor more than five other Commissioners, all of whom shall be

appointed and be removable by warrant -winder the hand of the Superintendent ; .And the Chief Commissioner of the said Board shall he the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Province of Otago under the Crown Lands .Act, 1862.' " Mr Shepherd supported Mr Barton's amendment, considering that the administrators of the %vaste lands should be responsible to the people and to their representatives. Mr Barton's amendment was carried. Mr Lumsden moved an amendment upon clause 69 r so that it should read — "It shall be lawful for the Superintendent, with the advice and consent of the Provincial Council, from time to time, by proclamation to be published in the Provincial Gazette, to set apart, in any part of the Province, districts or blocks of land within which licenses to occupy land and leases thereof on deferred pay- , ments, as before provided, may be granted, j either exclusively or together with land open for sale by immediate payment, and ' from time to time, with consent as aforesaid, to alter, amend, or revoke such proclamations." This amendment was agreed to. The Hon. Dr Menzies moved the insertion of the following new clause, to follow section 69, which was agreed to unanimously — " Whenever it shall appear upon petition of the inhabitants of any district in which settlement by means of sale or license and lease shall have taken plaes that within a circle of five miles in diameter, a population of not fewer than thirty adults has settled thereon, occupying an area of not less than three thousand acres, that such settlers have made improvements such as houses and fences, Ac., of a value not less than £1000, and that the conditions on which such land bas been occupied have been duly fulfilled, the Governor shall after verifying by enquiry the statements of the petitioners, proclaim the said district into a Hundred of such extent as may be deemed expedient, and such Hundred shall include the land occupied by the petitioners." Mr Beid moved that the new clause embodied in his original motion, and numbered 97, should be embodied in the Bill. Mr Barton suggested an alteration of the time for notice to 12 months instead of 6, so that the clause would read, "if it be resolved that a lease of the whole or any part of such lands be not granted it shall be lawful for the Board at any time not later than twelve months before the expiration," &c. This suggestion was adopted by Mr Eeid, and the clause passed in the amended form. Mr Eeid moved an addition to subsection 1 of clause 110, so that it should read — " The term shall be for such period as the Board shall determine, not exceediug tenT years, and subject to being determined, at any time on twelve months 1 notice being given by either party" Carried. The debate was then adjourned. A number of additional clauses were inserted in the Shires Bill on the motion of Dr Menzies, and the Bill was reported. Mr M' Arthur moved— " That a Select Committee be appointed to enquire into the nature of the report by Capt, Hutton as to the value of the Coalfield Eeserve made at Wrey's Buah, Southland, on his recommendation, such Committee to consist of Mr Beid, Mr Batbgate, Hon. Mr Holmes, Hon. Dr Menzieß, Dr Webster, Mr"Basstian, and the mover." Carried. Mr Lumsden moved the following resolution, which was carried — " That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to ask the concurrence of the General Assembly at its next session, to an. amendment of clause 20 of the ' Southland Waste Lands Act, 1865,' with the view of giving power to the Superintendent and Provincial Council to reduce the upset price of town lands in that part of the Province." On the motion of the Hon. Dr. Menzies, it was resolved — " That the consideration of the papers, contracts, &c, of the Winton Railway be referred to a Select Committee ; such Committee to consist of nine members, namely, Mr Barton, Mr Bastings, Mr Bathgate, Hon. Mr Holmes, Mr Hutcheson, Mr Lumsden, Hon. Mr M'Lean, Mr Maeassey, and the Mover, to have power to call for persons and papers, and to report in fourteen days." Mr Eeid eaid he would probably be in a position to bring down the Financial Statement about the beginning of next week — perhaps on Tuesday. The House adjourned shortly after midnight till 2 p.m. on Friday.