THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 1768, 18 July 1873, Page 3

THE PRO VINCI AL COUNCIL.

Monday, 14th July. haeeisville. Mr "Wood presented a petition from residents at Harrisville, in reference to a road closed by proclamation. The petition asked tbat that decision should be rescinded, and the road re-opened. EELIGIOUS INSTBTTCTION. Mr Stout asked the Provincial Secretary whether the Government would lay upon the table all correspondence referring to any complaints that bad been made regarding the manner in which religious instruction had been given in some of the Public Schools of the Province ? Mr Turnbull laid upon the table the whole of the correspondence on the subject, which, he said, also included correspondence between His Honor the Superintendent and the Eight Rev. Dr Moran, respecting children at the Industrial Schools. THE STTPZ MAILS. Mr M'Dermid asked the Government if they were aw.ire whether the information received by telegram, on sth July, respecting the contract between the New Zealand Government and Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., for the forwarding of the Suez mails to New Zealand, was correct, and if so, what action, if any, they intended to take in the matter ? Mr Turnbull said the Government had no official information in reference to tho new contract with Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co. They were %>posed to ttie contract, and purposed to remonstrate with the Government. An hon. member had shown the Government a notice of motion which he proposed to submit to the Council, and which the Government endorsed. HOKANTTI DISTBICT. Mr Rogers asked the Secretary for Lands if he would lay upon the table all documents relating to a Sheep Reserve made by the Provincial Council of Southland on Run No. 148, Hokanui District, known as Centre Bush Reserve ? Mr Bastings — The Government have no objection to lay the documents on the table. DEVELOPMENT OF COAL FIELDS. Mr M'Glashan moved—" That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that immediate efforts be made, by boring, to develope the coalfields of the Province, more particularly that portion of coast line between the Molyueux and Mataura Rivers, which, on the geological map issued by Dr Hector, is shown to be of carboniferous formation, and in which several thin seams of coal have already been discovered. That a respectful Address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place a sum of money on the Estimates with that object." In support of his motion, Mr M'Glashan cited statistics showing the extent of the importation of coal during the years 1870-1, amounting to 87,239 tons, and in value to £374,582.

Mr Stout seconded the motion. i Mr Davie supported an amendment to strike out all the words from the word " more" down to the word " discovered,'' so that instead of their operations being restricted to any particular district, the Council might direct their efforts to the discovery of coal wherever it was likely to be obtained. Mr M'Glashan said he did not wish to take the matter out of the hands of the Government, neither did he wish to prevent the Government from seeking for [ coal in other places. He only asked that I operations might be commenced where ! there were carboniferous " indications ; where it was believed coal could be obtained for sea-going steamers. The Hon. Dr Menzies suggested that the question . as to where operations should be commenced ought to be left to the discretion of the Government. The amendment was carried on the ' voices, and the motion as amended was also carried. TOLL B.VTIB. Mr Fish moved — " That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that the toll-bars known as Hill Side, Anderson's Bay, Wakari, and Water of Leith be removed from their present position to a distance of not less than three miles from the boundary of the city of Dunedin." After considerable discussion, and the proposal of several amendments, the motion was lost oh the voices. AMENDMENT OF THE ELECTORAL LAWS. Mr Fish moved — " That in the opinion of fchis Council, it is desirable that the Electoral Law 3of the Colony should be amended during the ensuing session of the Colonial Parliament, and that such amendment should embrace the following resolutions : — lst. That any person proposed as a candidate for the office of Superintendent of any Province shall days before the day of nomination deposit with the Chief Keturning Officer of the Province the sum of fifty pounds sterling, such eu.n to be absolutely forfeited to the State should such candidate fail to secure one-fifth of the total number of votes polled on the day of election. 2nd. That any person proposed as a candidate for the office of Councillor in the Provincial Council of any Province shall previous to the day of nomination deposit with the Returning Officer of the district in which he seeks election, the sum of twenty-five pounds sterling, such sum to be absolutely forfeited to the State in the event of such candidate failing to secure on the day of election one-fifth of the total number of votes polled. 3rd. That the franchise be extended to all male persons, being subjects of Great Britain, of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been hona -fide residents in the Province for a period of six months preViOUS tO the date, upon which claims are received for enrolment. That such persons when enrolled shall vote only in the district for which they are enrolled, and no other — except for the election of Superintendent, when they shall be allowed to vote in any district in which they may for the time being be residing. 4th. That the foregoing franchise shall extend to the election for members of the House of Representatives, of the Provincial Council, and of Superintendent. sth. That the law at present in force regarding the voting of miners by virtue of their Miner's Eights be abolished, and in lieu thereof all miners be brought under the operation of the third resolution. 6th. That Mr Speaker be requested to forward a copy of these resolutions to the General Government, with a respectful request that they will introduce a measure during the ensuing session of Parliament to give effect to the same. After referring to the patent necessity for the two first resolutions, the hon. member went on to say with reference to resolution No. 3 3 that he felt ifc to be a most important oce. He thought that the time had arrived when manhood suffrage should be the voting power in the Province. In the election of representatives he did not see why they should confine the suffrage to propertyholders or leaseholders. What principally induced him to take up this question was a knowledge of the fact that in Dunedin, and no doubt throughout the Province, there was a large number of the most intelligent of the community debarred from voting. He referred to the numerous class of intelligent bank clerks, shopkeepers' assistants, and storemen, who, although spending as much in the country in the way of cost of living as many persons holding a piece of land, yet had no voice in the election of members to represent the country. He thought that the result of permitting such men to vote would be the return of a superior class of representatives throughout the Province. That class of persons might be enabled to vote by the granting of a lodger franchise, but he thought that in fairness they should extend the franchise to every British subject — to have, in fact, manhood suffrage. That system had been in vogue in Victoria for a number of years, and he thought ifc would be admitted that the result, so far as the representatives of the people in the Victorian Parliament were concerned, reflected credit on the manner in which voters were placed on the roll there. It might be said that they might very properly go in for a system of manhood suffrage, provided there was a representation* of property by plurality of votes. He had thought considerably over that proposition, and he felt bound to say that he thought it would be a principle most pernicious when applied to the election of representatives in Parliament. There was a distinction between political and municipal representation. In municipalities and road boards it was perfectly right that there should be a plurality of votes, because the object of electing members of those institutions was to directly tax property, and if property were directly taxed, he thought it should be directly represented. But he felt that the revenue of the country was contributed equally by all classes. It was not a tax upon property in any shape or form. If his resolution on this subject merely led to

a ventilation of the subject he would be I quite content. Of course he was aware that any resolutions passed by that Council wight not have the slightest effect, because legislation on the subject must take place in the Assembly. At the same time if .there- were any expression of opinion as to the principle of manhood suffrage given by the Council and sent up to the Assembly, he had no doubt it would receive considerable attention at the hands of Parliament. The fifth resolution was also of importance. At present he believed miners voted simply by the production of a miner's right. They were not restricted to the use of this right in only one locality ; so that if an election were pending in Waitahuna, for instance, and one of the candidates had sufficient capital at command, he could bring down a hundred miners from Tuapeka, and thus swamp the electors of the district in which the election took place. He did not say that any such thing had been done, but if it could be done it was an evil which the law ought to remedy. He was assured that the provision he referred to bad crept into the Act' by mistake, and that it never was the intention of the Legislature that the miners should be enabled to vote in the way he had indicated. If that were the case there would be no difficulty in getting the law altered. Mr Bastings seconded and supported the resolutions. Mr Lumsden agreed with the intent of the resolutions, but thought they should be discussed seriatim, so that amendments might be made. He would like to see the 4th resolution struck out altogether, because it was too dictatorial in its construction to the Assembly, seeing too that ifc was a matter that was under their control. It would therefore be a waste of time to discuss it. Mr Kinross moved an amendment to the effect " That it is expedient to enable every male person, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen, and who has attained the age of 21 years, to vote at the Superintendency, House - of .Representatives, and Provincial Council elections ; and that the Speaker be requested to forward the Amendment to the Colonial Government." The Hon. Dr Menzies suggested that the resolutions should be brought down in an amended form. After other honorable members had addressed the House, The Council divided on the amendment of Mr Kinross, with the following results : — Ayes, 9 ; Noes, 12. The amendment was therefore negatived on the voices. Mr Fish's resolutions were afterwards negatived on the voices. LAND IN IITVERCAEGILL. Mr Lumsden moved — " That this Council resolves to ask the concurrence °^ His Honor the Superintendent in the following resolution, viz. : — ' That the remaining unsold town land within the eouthern division of the town of Invercargill, extending southward from the Puni Creek, be offered for sale in sections of one-half acre each, at the upset price of £10 per section, in terms of Clause 2 of the Southland Waste Lands Amendment Act, 1872.' " Carried. AMENDMENT OP THE IMPOUNDING OBDINANCE. Mr M'Lean moved — " That in the opinion of this Council, the Impounding Ordinance now in force in this Province should be amended so as to put a stop to the practice of turning out horses and cattle to graze and wander within the limits of towns between th 6 time of sunset and sunrise, which has in some places become a dangerous nuisance ; and that the Government be requested to introduce such amended Ordinance this session." Mr Lumsden seconded the motion. Several members spoke in support of the motion, and the Government stated they had no objection to bring in an Ordinance to effect the purpose desired. The motion was then agreed to, DISPOSAL OF THE WASTE LANDS. Mr Stout moved — " Ist. That a Committee, consisting of the Hon. Dr Menzies, Hon. Major Eichardson, Mr G. E. C. Browne, Mr Lumsden, Mr Driver, Mr K. Clarke, and the Mover, be appointed *to inquire into and report upon all questions relating to the management and disposal of the Waste Lands of the Crown in this Province that may be referred to it. 2nd. That it be referred to such Committee to consider whether it is possible and desirable to provide for the profitable occupation of the Waste Lands, by leasing instead of selling them." After some discussion, the motion was agreed to on the voices, Dr Webster's name being substituted for that of the Hon. Major Richardson. The following Messages were received from His Honor the Superintendent : — NEW HTJNDBEDS. The Superintendent desires the cooperation of the Provincial Council in recommending His Excellency the Governor to proclaim three new Hundreds, as follows, in terms of section 96 of the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872:— 1. 20,000 acres in runs 185 and 160. 2. 10,000 acres in runs 88 and 161. 3. 15,000 acres in runs 137 and 123. DEFEBBED PAYMENTS. The Superintendent submits for the consideration of the Provincial Council the desirability of setting apart the following blocks of land for settlement on deferred payments, as provided by the "Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872":— 5000 acres in run No. Ill; 5000 acres in runs No. 167 a and 78 ; 2500 acres in runs No. 168 and 175 a ; 2500 acres in run No. 199 ; 2500 acres in run No. 261 ; 3000 acres in run No. 346 ; 2500 acres in run No. 109 ; 2000 acres in run No. 205 ; 5000 acres in runs No. 123 and 137. The Council adjourned at 0.30,