The Provincial Council met on Monday in the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute.—The Naval and Military Scrip Bill passed through committee, was re ported/read a third time and passed,—but not without opposition and an effort at amendment fro n Messrs. Williams an, Dilworth, and the other Independent members present. The member for the Pensioner Settlements exposed the paltry nature of the bonus (scrip to the amount of £29) the Bill proposed to confer on, and confine to, those soldiers who fought in the Northern campaign in this Province; and moved, as an that the mnovmVW increased from got. to -tOi. The Pro vinos) Secretary — -stimtAslei) by the presence of some of the Southern members among the wvuAhuce—assumed M’s most tordi’e and car ongTie port and his friends with having, vs hew in power and -.\s,kod for bread, given a stone to the soldiery, by merely “ reporting’ ' that they had claims to consideration, ft was also pleaded on the part of the V.x-cnuvo, that, were the amount doubled, all tl;e disposable laud would he absorbed. Mr. Williamson, by a reference to the records of the CaaaclL exonerated the supporters of the late Regulations from the charge of inconsistency, and showed that the fault of no such provision being therein made, did not rest on them. The former Council had unanimously agreed to the recommendation of a Select Committee, that liberal grants of laud should he made to those men who had served in the Colony and were discharged prior to March of last year, hut the dissolution of the Council which followed soon after, prevented them from carrying out their determination. Mr. Dilworth disposed of the other objection by showing that the number of applicants would probably not exceed 70 in all. The “ strong majority,” however (Mr. Schultz excepted) refused to give way, Mr. Williamson’s amendment having been negatived by 7 to 5, and the Bill passed as hi ought in. I ■ 1 The City of Auckland Building Act passed through committee after some discussion, and with some technical alterations,—-the Independent members protesting against the delay that had taken place in the bringing forward so important a measure, in consequence of which it was now hurried through the Council without the citizens having had an opportunity of considering its provisions. The title of the Bill, as brought in, was “The Town of Auckland Building Act;” but when pressed for a reason for this uncalled-for degradation ot the City, the Provincial Secretary could only hint that some person or other had questioned the right of Auckland to be called a city—(in reply to which it was shown that Sir George Grey had recognised such right in Proclamations and Ordinances) that there was no disgrace in giving up a title to which there was not a legal claim—and that he himself, acting upon this principle, had repeatedly urged his private correspondents to drop the “ Esq.” in addressing him, for he really had no legal title to such an appendage to his name; nathless, strange to say, the foolish folk would continue to ‘ squire him !' Equally strange to say, the Independent members failed to be convinced by the personal logic of the Provincial Secretary, who thereupon yielded the point, and g-aciously permitted Auckland to be called a city—thus once more treading in the steps of his ancient enemy Sir George Grey.— Clause ss (whicK permits li Tke Youug Men's Christian Association’’ to carry out the contracts into which they have entered for a wooden structure in Durhamstreet) led to the claim of the Mechanics’ Institute for similar grace with respect to their contemplated additions being forcibly urged by Mr. J. O’Neill; ami we hope with good effect, a kind of prom se being given that on the Bill coming down again from the Superintendent, an addition should he made clause for that purpose. The City and Harbour Acts Repeal Bill was read a third time and passed, the Independent members recording their votes against it. Messages were announced from his Honour, dediuiug, on the recommendation of the Board of Works, to accede to several applications lor grants lor road and ferry communication, and stating that provision was made in some of them under a general grant, while in others, unapplied votes were still in hand. In another Message his Honour declined to place any sum on the Estimates for a vote to the Auckland Hace Bund, seeing that there were so many other and more legitimate claims upon the Provincial finances. The Appropriation Bill was reconsidered in committee, and the blank in the first clause was filled up by jC7<' f O0(), after protests from the Independent members, Mr. J. O’Neill recommending (but without effect) that as the Council would meet again before the close of the year, £jC',ooo would he sufficient. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The Deeds Registration Bill was. with amendments, (proposed by the Provincial Secretary) also read a third time and passed. The Provincial Secretary announced that he would ask the Council to adjourn until’Wednesday week—pieparatory to prorogation by his Honour. The Council then adjourned until this day week.