Thursday, May 12. PETITION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 119, 19 May 1870, Page 6

Thursday, May 12. PETITION.

Mr. SIBBALD presented a petition from a number of shipowners and others. The petition was received. LOANS. Mr. SHEPHERD moved, " 1. That this Council does not approve of loas being abtained for any purpose whatever on the special security of the pastoral rents of the Province of Otago. 2nd. That if loans were so obtained, legislation on the land laws of the province would be impeded, thereby injuriously affecting the settlement of the people on the waste lands of the Crown. 3rd. That copies of the above resolutions be forwarded to the Colonial Government, with a request that the same be laid before the Legislative Council and House of Representatives." - The House divided on the question, with the following result : — Ayes, 21 : — Messrs. Allan, Barr, Brown, Clark, Duncan (teller), Eraser, Gillies, Green, Henderson, Hughes, Hutcheson, M'Dermid, Mitchell, Mollison, Mosley, Murray, Reid (teller), J. Shand, Shepherd, Tayler, and Thomson. Noes, 8 : — Messrs. Ashcroffc, France, Hay, Main (teller), M'lndoe, Millar, G-. Shand, Turnbull (teller). The motion was therefore carried. THE BALLOT. Mr. BROWN moved, "That this Council is of opinion that voting by ballot should be adopted at all elections for this Provincial Council and the Superintendency." He (Mr. Brown) spoke briefly in support of the motion, showing the ill effects of open voting and the benefits which, in his opinion, would be conferred by establishing the system of vote by ballot. Seconded by Mr. SHEPHERD, and carried on the voices, without dissent. AGRICULTURAL BLOCKS. It was decided that the following motion, by Mr. BROWN, should be considered in Committee of Supply :—: — " That it be an instruction to the Government that agricultural blocks be proclaimed for settlement without unnecessary delay, in the neighbourhoods of Moa Flat, Roxburgh East, Blacks, Naseby, Macraes, and Messrs. Boyes Bros.' run 345, Frankton district, and that this Council is of opinion that in all cases the depasturing licenses should be cancelled on such blocks so set apart." COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY. At the evening sitting, Mr. DUNCAN moved the House into Committee of Supply. Mr. ASHCROFT said that in making; the financial statement the previous evening, Mr. Duncan had glossed over some unsatisfactory facts connected with the state of the country very well. The weakest point was that there was £-10,000 short in the revenue. He (Mr. Ashcroffc) considered the present Government had brought the country to the verge of ruin. — (Oh!) He gave them credit, however, for having done many things, amongst which was the extending of agricultural leases. He also agreed that the fund derivable from the agricultural leases would form a security when they wished to borrow. Large amounts had been expended, but not anything like the amount which had been voted for expenditure. He found that although the Government had only sold £35,000 worth of land instead of £100,000 worth, as it might have done, it had not limited the departmental expenses. He regretted one item had not been expended, viz., that for immigration. The province was capable of supporting three times its present population. They did not want a treasurer to come to them year after year in the steps of his predecessors, pointing out what had and had not been done, so much as one who was inventive, and could not only show them how to save but how to make money. (Mr. Ashcroft continued a most disjointed and incongruous address. In the one sentence he gave great praise to the Government ; in the other he heaped obloquy upon it. We can see very little in his speech to impress us that he would be an acquisition to the province if he occupied the treasury benches. — Ed. Mr. SHEPPHERD, in the course of his speech on the financial statement, sard, it must have struck every thinking man that, in a country where £444,000 was spent in departmental expenses in four years, there was room for retrenchment. He thought that an able financier would be able to save at least 33 per cent, of that sum in the next four years. He did not regret having aided in placing. the present Government in their seats.

They were not perfect, but they were the "best G-overnment they could have chosen. Mr. M'DERMID complimented Mr. Ashcroft on the excellent and moderate speech he had made. The House was further addressed by Messrs Haughton, Gillies, M'lndoe, Thomson, Reid, Fraser, and Hutcheson. The House adjourned at 20 minutes past 11 o'clock till 7 p.m. next day.