The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3, 1866.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 830, 3 January 1866, Page 2

The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3, 1866.

The Provincial Council met this afternoon at 2 o’clock.

The Clerk of the Council having intimated the absence of the acting Speaker, MrG Hepbues proposed “That in the absence of Mr F. D. Ball, the acting Speaker, Mr John Carsdll do take the chair.” Mr Haughton moved as an amendment—- “ That the Chairman of Committees (Mr George Hepburn) do take the chair daring the present .sess'o i whenever the acting Speaker may be absent. ”

The Clerk of the Council declaring that the amendment was carried, a division was called for, which resulted as follows : ' Ayes —Messrs Vogel, Burns, Lloyd, Mouat, Grant, Kileour, Blair, Mollison, and Haughton and Brodie (tellei's) —10. PToes Messrs Adam, Clark. Hepburn, Hughes, Miller, Moss, Reid, and Reynolds and Stevenson (tellers) —9. Mr Mouat asked the Government —“Whether any steps have been taken to secure to the holders of claims at Canada Reef any guarantee for the tenure of their claims, and what course ■they intend to take with reference to Mr Hardy?” The Provincial Treasurer (Mr F. Mossi sail that since the 27th Dec , one of the Sections Ho. 7 had been restored to the Gold Fields. That was the only step which could be taken. An re rar Jed the course the Government intend ;d -jjo’ adopt with regard to Mr Hardy, the Gove nme'. t had referred the Report of the Comu iltce to that gentleman, and until they rccei -ed a reply to their communication, they coul 1 do no more. They were only awaiting a re ly tc take !ina ac ioa in the matter. Mr Mouat sa'd that he referred also to an )t aer section, Ho. 1. The Provtn :.xal Treasurer replied that two claims for protection had been sent in for that s iction subsequently to Mr Hardy’s purchase, and it was considered that the applicants were aware that the land was sold before they sent Several members were proceeding to put further quevtlms on the .subject, when the Provt vC'Au Treasure a said that he would be clad to a , a V3r any questions re ml irly made, but jobjected to being catocffiiaed.Mi round the house.

Mr Brodie, with, the permission of the House, ) asked without notice what had been done in the matter of the tenders, for leasing the Clutiia Ferry. The highest tenderer last year was unable to provide the necessary security, and the next highest did not take the lease up. Subsequently he (Mr Brodie) understood that the Government had placed the Ferry in the charge of aMr Smith. He wished to know whether the Government had obtained the necessary bonus from the lessee. j The Provincial Treasurer said that the hon. member for the Goldfields doubtless knew more about the matter than himself, as he had ' lately held office. If proper notice were given, he would be prepared with information on the subject. Mr Vogel without notice enquired whether it was the intention of the Government to make any ministerial statement which would throw some light upon the fact of the hon. member for Dunedin occupying the position of Provincial Treasurer. The Provincial Treasurer said that it was evident, from the question of the hon. member, that he (Mr Moss) could not consider him as one of his supporters. Of course, if it was desired to embarrass the Government, such questions i could be asked. However, he was glad to have the opportunity of making a personal explanation of the causes which led to his resignation and subsequent acceptance of office in the present Ministry. He had refused to give any assistance towards incorporating the High School, and upon consideration, he was satisfied that he was right. He still entertained a strong feeling against such a step, tie had no desire to join the Government, and when applied to bad recommended that Mr Street, instead of himself, should be asked to accept the post. It was only when Mr Street positively refused that he (Mr Moss) was again asked, and even then he would not consent until he had consulted his colleagues. He believed that he was pressed to join because it was considered that his late experience of the affairs of the province would enable the business to be more easily carried on. He had no desire to retain the office of leader in the Government a moment after the rising of the Council, and would willingly leave it for that of Treasurer, so that, should any question arise which would compel him to resign, it would not necessitate the whole of the Executive doing so. (Hear, hear.) Honorable members would eventually see that tenacity to office could not be imputed to him. (Ironical cheers.) The honorable member for Dunedin opposite him (Mr Grant) usually he-hawed loader than any other members when his (Mr Moss’s) name was mentioned. If he had, by declining to pay court to everything unworthy, offended that honorable member, he could not help it. Mr Vogel moved the adjournment of the House in order to enable the members to take part in a discussion of the extraordinary statement made by the Provincial Treasurer, to the effect that, immediately the Council rose, he contemplated retiring from the leadership of the Government, and thus materially alter its formation. A long and acrimonious debate ensued, in which Messrs Brodie, Reynolds, Grant, Moss, Miller, Cargill, Adam, and Burns took part ; when Mr Vogel, with the permission of the House, withdrew his motion. Mr Vogel moved and Mr Burns seconded ‘ * That an Address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to represent to the General Government the claims which Otago has to be made the calling place of the steamers of the Panama Service on the homeward route, and the advantages which would accrue to the Service by such selection ; and praying the Government to move for a Select Committee of both Houses of the Assembly to enquire into the subject.” The motion was carried. Mr Vogel moved the motions in his name, affirming the desirability of the Provinces of Otago and Southland agreeing to unite, but withdrew the second clause, fixing as thebasisof union the permanent appropriation by each Province of its own land revenue, subject only to the liquidation of the liabilities they have respectively contracted. The motion was seconded by Mr Brodie and carried. The Plouse was about to adjourn until seven o’clock this evening, when our reporter left.