Provincial Council.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 46, 27 May 1875, Page 5

Provincial Council.

THE- ajJwW. Aiuxm A ujl IVB.

c^ e Coun ciUssembling on Tucslsv,tne .Treasury benches were occupied by Messrs Bastings, Moody, and Green, at the front table : Mr Wood had replaced Air Lumsden, and Mr Pish occupied the scat nS V S«L y h 1? \ Ur Slo^ Mr Re* d had betaken himself to the extreme corner foiJ.iK„ oppos, ?°5 ■ 1 ? Uor Wh « n some formal business had been got through, Mr Bastings rose to make ah S'

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT, *'"' and said that from the strong expression of opinion, with which he himlelf coincided! evinced during the discussion the other evening m reference to the member for the Taieri, in the opinion of many members on both sides of the house it would be conducive to the beat interests of the province it a strong Government, with that hon member in it, could be formed, he had, W H&S J •" a ° dertaki °g responsibility of forming a Government, 4t himself in commumcation with that gentllLn with 5™MrLV f T ti § i{ an «ffl*^mation swi^f i°^ d^l Btron * Government thereby oMfined. To that member he of 7\L € h ? ton HP of th « Govertiment and the secretaryship of lauds* and^at a subsrquent interview asked iftbere wasaW SLn^h eße . mte^ ewß wereof th * most S L Cbar ! Cter ' \ e . re «w"ed to *ay Mr Reid did not see his way 9 lear to an* amalgamation. A similar feeling had been ™S^ tha {. gentleman declined to. SM ,ther v, a u Pol i ticalor a apolitical office, though he had kindly consented to T d T ugh tbe Council SbiS already bet* re the house, and any that might be brought forward durinVthe present session. Hayi njf failed i„ fff was to form the best Government uL possibly could from .S^STSrtfc so'Se^d a iTf d W, i th h ™> g doing so he had tried to select gentlemen whom he considered eminently fitted to fill SS counSf Th« T?* 1 bußinefiß of the SXSS'a * d, i tleff Pertaining to the offi^^etaryfo r L *nds and Surveys L J?r. lU t 8k A DI w^° Assure to endeavor to carry out the views he had always so cZcK a ?h d hoa^ advocated Tthe £o5J M - * h « vu P r °Per administration of Memb?rs w^V** dement. iTmSi wo6ld a S ree with him that vast importance was now attaching to the railThTre w^uTh^ and > fliQ » months mUes 52SLS1 BOr ne sixty to eighty more ?»». !? way opened » tfa ey would admit it was quite necessary that there should be a political head of the department, who would keep proper supervision t£« the working of it. He thought credit would be given to Mr Pish, menTber for DunS for a large amount, of ability and enegry and he was sure he would prove a good * d ™ n,B * ato T. It was unnecessary to refer k \ 0? -WW) own position, but he thought he might without egotism say that when he formerly filled the* office he had given moderate satisfaction to a good many members. He asked the Council to give £!i De w^ Ver^ ment a fair aid impartial trial. With reference to the EDUCATION ORDINATE already before the house, it was n.t the intention of the Government to 3? *° n ., W *? h lt ' lt wa9 th « ir opinion that if there was to be any education ; tax at all, it should be a generiil and not a permissive one. The Government contended that it would he very disastrous to the well being of society as constituted in the province, and would be throwing down an apple of discord to have a permissive tax. It was a matter tbat would oempy their serious attention; and that or any other Government in power should, during the next recess, take into consideration the enormous expenditure from general revenue, now amouuting to L55 000, fori school buildings, sUaries, etc. It must be" self-evident that the revenue could net stand it very much longer. It would be the duty of the Government during tbe recess to consider the matter with the view of creating an Education Board or corporate body, with power to borrow money on the educational estate, such moneys to go towards extending the school system and building new schools— salaries, etc., to come out of ordinary revenue. He thought that could be done. It was the intention of the Government to bring down resolutions following up those of last year requesting the Aseerably to grant a loan, for the purpose of constructing railways ;* andT also to ask lor an extension of the area to be taken up undjr deferred payments. It would be necessary to re- arrange the estimates, and these as remodelled would be brought down on Thursday or Friday.

The adjournment baying been moved. DrMecetes explained that, bad he been present on Tuesday last, he would have voted with the minority. i£r 'Teuton immediately raised the question of the legality of the constitution of the Executive^ stating that.it was not legal. Mr Bastings said that matter had received the attention of the Government; that there was something; in it, and pointed out that a similar-ille-gality had affected tbe late Government— and promised, if necessary, to amend the Executive Ordinance. v After some' of th;e the. other members had spoken, Mr Reid got up and delivered one of those cutting speeches which peculiarly distinguish v him when in opposition. Never, said hejwas he so forcibly reminded that "circumstances alter cases?' as when he contrasted the, action of the member for^ Dunedin twelve i months ago, when he termed 1 the then "Government- can "unholy allianoe/* .and rallied all independent members not to allow tbem to keep possession of the benches for a single day, with the hon member's action to-day asking-fbrfor^^ . jit? there ; was an unholy alliance it was the [pnoft?!&srfi^^ ... t fear of cpntradictioh, and the hoh. memoiJf |for^i^ne^?tteWr; i^;s^r;^e|^^ntr^v - been string-pullinjr. k ; r--tHeytratadythe;:Goverament with having A, rpW^^Mm^^^^m^^^^M'-AX iws|/^hCTtp^ m^^^^m^Mmmm'"