PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 381, 18 June 1861, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

.. Thursday, June 13. The Council met at 5 o'clock.

Present: The Speaker, Provincial Solicitor, Dr. Renwick, Messrs. Saunders, Baigent, Horn, Kerr, Dodson, M'Rae, Hewetson, Elliott, Parker, Wells, and M'Mahon. The minutes of the preceding day were read and confirmed.

LUNATICS.

Mr. Horn brought up the report of the Committee on the state of the Lunatic Asylum, and moved that it be read.

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.

Mr. Hewetson moved' the further consideration in Committee of the Bill to amend the Electoral Districts.

Mr. M'Rae seconded the motion. The House then went into Committee on the bill, Mr. Saunders in the chair. On resuming, the Chairman reported the bill without amendments.

THISTLE ACT,

Mr. Horn moved ' that the Thistle Amendment Act be read a third time. Mr. M'Rae seconded the motion. The bill was then read a third time and passed.

RIVERS.

Mr. Horn moved ' that the Superintendent be requested to place the sum of on the estimates to enable the Government to effect alterations in the various rivers so as to protect public roads and private property.' Mr. Baigent seconded the motion. Mr. Kerr moved as an amendment the words, * to meet equivalent subscriptions,' be added./ Mr. Baigent seconded the amendment, which was carried.

The original motion was then^put ias amended, when the Council dividedAyes. Noes. Mr. Hewetson Provincial Solicitor Kerr Dr. Renwick M'Rae Mr. Saunders Paiker Dodson M'Mahon Wells Baigent Horn

GAME LAWS.

The Provincial Solicitor moved 'that tbe Protection of Animals, Birds, and Fishes Bill be recommitted, for the purpose of striking out the words ' and set at liberty for the purpose of breeding,' in Clause I.' Mr. Wells seconded the motion, which was carried.

The house then went into committee, Mr. Parker in the chair. On resuming the chairman reported progress. APPROPRIATION BILL.

The Provincial Solicitor moved 'that tbe Appropriation Bill be read a second time.' _ Mr. Baigent seconded tha motion, which was carried.

The house then went into committee, Dr. Renwick in the chair.

On resuming the bill was reported with amendments.

DEPARTMENTAL RETURNS.

Mr. Elliott, in the absence of Mr. Mackay, moved, ' that in the opinion of this Council the Superintendent should cause to be furnished at the opening of each session, the following Departmental Returns, relative to the various subjects generally brought under the notice of the Council, viz.:—

Treasurer's Department. 1. Estimates.

2. Comparative Statement of Vote and Expenditure. 3. Quarterly Returns of the Receipts and Expenditure of the Province for the previous Financial year. ■ ' 4. Quarterly and Yearly Returns of Customs for ditto, stating separate amount received for duty on gold exported. 5. Annual Return, showing value of Imports and Exports.

Audit Department. 1. Report from the Auditors stating result of their investigations of the Provincial Expenditure. Crovm Land Department. I. Annual return of all,land sold by. auction or otherwise, stating districts, and separate proceeds, with amount of per centage on the same accruing to the Central Board of Education.

2. Annual return, showing amount of License and Depasturage Fees for sheep and Cattle runs. Survey Department. 1. Annual return of ncieage of land surveyed in each separate district, and by whom, with the cost thereof.

2. Return of Explorations, accompanied by particulars of the same, and by whom made, ,and the cost thereof.

Engineer's Department. 1. Annual report as to the''state of the roads, bridges, femes; &c, of the province, with particulars of the requirements of each separate distriot. Registration of Deeds Department. _ 1. Annual return of number of deeds registered,

with amount received for the same. 2. Annual return cf births, marriagas, and deatha. Gaol Department. 1. Annual return of number of prisoners, sentenced to hard labor, with the estimated value of work done by them, and where. 2. Annual return of number of debtors and other

prison eis. 3. Annual report from the visiting Justices. Weights and Measures Department. 1. Annual return of fees received, with number of collections, «fee.

Medical Department. 1. Annual return of number of patients admitted into the hospital, stating the number cured, and otherwise; with particular! of diseases treaied, and giving Maori cases separately. 2. Annual return of number of lunatics, stating whether or European or Maori.' 3. Annual report from the Visiting Committee.; Harbor Department. 1. Annual report of the state of the harbor, new government wharf, lighthouse, buoys, beacons, &c.

2. Annual return of number of vessels arrived and sailed, with their tonnage, giving those coastwise separately.

Superintendent's Department. 1. A copy of all correspondence respecting financial matters between the General and Provincial Governments. 2. Return from the different District Boards of amount received for Educational and Road rates, with nn account; of the Expenditure of the same, and also all monies voted to them by th* Council. 3. Annual return of proceeds of Dog-Tax for. each separate district. 4. Annual report of Immigration Commissioners. 5. Annual return of alP.Public Libraries receiving aid fr.>in the council, giving number of subscribers, and amount of subscriptions, state of library, &c. 6. Annual return of. Bush Licenses, and to whom granted, with amount received for the same. 7. Annual return of the number of officers and men enrolled as Volunteers in the Province, and the

cost of drilling' them, &c. 8. A relurn of all cases heard in the various Magistrates' Courts, the nature of the offence and the penalty inflicted in each case; also, tho amount paid to the Treusury from each court.

Dr. Renwick seconded the motion, which, after an amendment proposed by Mr. Parker, was carried.

REPORT.

Mr. Elliott brought up the report of the Emigration Committee and moved it be read.

CATTLE DISEASE.

Mr. Elliott moved that Standing Order No. 29 be suspended to allow him to move, which was agreed to. Mr. Elliott then moved ' that a copy of the memorial recently sent to the General Assembly to prevent cattle disease spreading in this proviuce be forwarded to the Governor of the Legislature.' Mr. M'Rae seconded the motion, which was carried.

WASTE LANDSThe PROviN(acAi,SoMQtXQRBWTt<t thaSUttto^

Order No 29 be suspended in order to allow him to move. Agreed to. The Provincial Solicitor moved the adoption of the Committee on Waste Lands.

Dr. Renwick seconded the motion, which wa« carried. The Council then adjourned till Friday morning at 11 o'clock.

Friday, June 14,

The Council met at 11 o'clock.

Present: The Speaker, the Provincial-Solicitor Messrs. Dig^n, Baigent, Parker, Horn, M'Mahon' Kerr, Hewetson, Elliott, Wells, M'Rae, and Saunders.

The minutes of the preceding day were read and confirmed.

REPORT.

Mr. Baigent brought up the report of the Select Committee appointed to consider the claim of Jacob Watson with respect to a disputed block of land purchased by him in 1855, and moved that the same be adopted which was agreed to.

DRY DOCK.

Mr. Elliott moved the third reading of the Dry Dock and Patent Slip bill. Mr. Wells seconded tlie motion, which was carried. "

The bill was read a third time and passed. GAME. LAWS.

Mr. Elliott moved the third reading of the Bill for protecting Birds, Beasts, and Fishes.' Mr. M'Rae seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

The bill was then read a third time and passed.

IMMIGRATION.

Mr. Elliott mored 'the adoption of the report of the Select Committee on.lmmigration.' H» said he was not satisfied with the report as ho thought something more extensive necessary and Without this was done we should be outstripped by the neighboring provinces, and without agricultural labor was imported those interests must of ml ceßsity be impeded. Mr. Kerb secouded the motion. Mr. Saunders had much pleasure in supporting the motion, and was glad to see the report of so moderate a character. He was not so sanguine as Mr. Elliott, of the advantages to be'gained by adopting a large system of immigration, and he thought the provinces who had done.so had not' reaped an amount of prosperity commensurate with the outlay. ..Tlie want of labor lately felt here was now finding its level by an influx from the other provinces, but he admitted this was not' the most desirable kind. He quite agreed with the recommendation in the report to introduce females between the ages of 18 and 30. He eladlv supported the motion, and as a whole he aereed with the report. 5 The motion was then put and carried. LUNATICS.

Mr. Horn moved ' the adoption of the report of the Select Committee appointed to investigate the accommodation and treatment afforded to Lunatics Mr. Baigent seconded the motion, which was* agreed to,

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.'

Mr. Hewetson moved * that the bill to amend the Electoral Districts be read a third time. Mr. Wells seconded the motion. Mr. Baiqent moved as an amendment that the bill he read a third time that day six months Mr. M'Mahon seconded the amendment, which was put, and the Council divided — Ayes. N oes§ Provincial Solicitor "■ - Mr. M'Rae Mr. Parker Wells M'Mahon ' Elliott Baigent Hewetson Saunders Kerr Horn

Dodson The original motion was then put and carried on the following division— . . Ayes. Noes. Mr. Wells Provincial Solicitor Dodson Mr. M'Mahon Horn Saunders Kerr Baigent M'Rae Parker Hewetson Elliott The bill was then read a-third time and passed.

IMPOUNDING BILL.

The Provincial Solicitor moved the third reading of the Impounding Bill, Mr. Elliott seconded the motion, which was put and passed. The bill was then read a third time and passed.'

APPROPRIATION BILL.

The Provincial Solicitormofed the third reading of the Appropriation Bill. Mr. M'Rae seconded the motion, which was agreed to. " The bill was then read a third time and passed.

CENTRAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Mr. Horn brought up the report of the Committee appointed to cousider the report of the Central Board of Education, and moved that it bjs adopted. .

Mr. M'Mahon seconded the motion; ' ..■:'■ Mr. Saunders would oppose the motion. He" was sorry to see a subject of such important passed over in the way it. was in the report, fle considered the report was based on such%evidence as was .calculated to convey a wrong impression; he also thoght the way in which the Inspector performed his duties should have been enquired into. He felt the report was founded on evidence not worth a straw, and unworthy of adoption by ihis council.

Mr. Horn, in reply, said there was such a thing I in the world as a fault-finder, and when this propensity was once indulged in it increased to a great t •xtent; Mr. Saunders, on almost every subject brought before the council this session, had set in • his opposition. That gentleman was a member of the committee, and he (Mr. Horn) could safely aay that he had not rendered him the slightest assistance in getting the evidence or carrying through the report. The motion was carried. ■ .\ ■ The Council then adjourned till 2 o'clock this ' day.; '