PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2064, 16 December 1869, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Last Evknixo, The debate on tbe Otago Hundreds Regulation Bill increased in interest, instead of flagging, last evening. It was not that anything new could be advanced on the subject, for long since that which may bo termed argument had been exhausted. But the proceedings of the House formed a flue example of Parliamentary tactics, besides disclosing some rather extraorrliuary individual peculiarities. To those who are merely lookers-on, and who know nothing of the reasons that are behind, it seems s imewhat wearisome to see honorable members ris ng and disputing every inch of ground. Perhaps, were wo in tire secret, it would be possible to give the true reason why they occasionally seem to bring into prominence all possible subjects connected with earth, air, and water, however remote their hearing may be upon the subject under discussion. Those who listen in the stranger’s galleries wonder why on earth such men are chosen to fill such an office as that of member of the Provincial Council. But wisdom is justified of her children. To the uninitiated it may seem very absurd for members of the Opposition to travel over such an amazing amount of ground, and to amplify with such an apparent gusto the most trivial incidents. Occasionally they contrive to bring in scraps of domestic history, and tell

where their children were bbi:ijy&nl "’by Victoria happened to be interesting family events rathef thftiij Otago We have heard cynics sneer and say 1 iwhat on earth has all this to do with the Otago Hundreds Regulation Bill ? But cynic is for once wrong, It has much to do with it ; for aught wo know its very fate hangs upon the Speaker’s ruling, that the hon. member is out of order five minutes sooner or five minutes later. We of course are not in the secret, and can only judge from what we see of what we are not permitted to see. It was very evident yesterday afternoon, that the Government wanted to bring the debate to a close, and that theiropponentsdid not. Mr Sibbald, as the mover of the adjournment, opened the debate in the afternoon. He occupied the time of the House for some three-quar-ters of an hour, and then there was a pause. No one seemed anxious to thrust his opinions upon the House. Then rose Mr Hutcheson, who contrived in the course of his remarks to draw down upon himself sundry remonstrances, and to render necessary a multiplicity of explanations. But the time did not go fast enough, and the Opposition were not prepared for the division. The question was put from the chair, when Mr Main rose and fairly occupied the time of the Council until the adjournment at half-past five. He went over the history of the land legislation of the Province, refuted the statements of the Secretary for Land and Works, showed that it was just and reasonable that the runholdcrs should have compensation for land taken for Hundreds and for improvements effected, and gave his reasons for thinking that, so far from the Act favoring the squatters, it was actually depriving them of hitherto undisputed rights; but they were willing to accept it, as it would do away with the feud that has so long raged between the runholdcrs and the farmers. The adjournment cut his address short, but it was resumed in the evening, when he travelled over the various clauses of the Act, commented upon them, and showed what improvements he considered might be made in it. He thus paved the way for a compromise with the Government ; pointed out that the squatters did not care about the improvement clause so far as English grasses were concerned, for they not only were no improvement on the natural grasses but they would not grow, and declared if the Government would consent to bring the Bill into operation, he would support them in certain amendments he suggested. Still the Executive were immovable and presented an unyielding front. It was afterwards stated that this unimpressibleuess was induced by the intimation that the member for the Taieri, Mr A. J. Burns had deserted the enemy and come over to their side. A fact which was fully confirmed in the subsequent proceedings. It seems very doubtful whether the opposition could have staved off a division last evening, but for a new turn in affairs given by the hon. , member for Port Chalmers, Mr Tayler, who came forward as a peace maker, and proposed an amendment that seemed to meet with acceptance, and has certainly given an advantage to tho Opposition for which the Government were not prepared. The chief objection to the Hundreds Regulation Act has been the amount of compensation likely to be payable to runholdcrs, assuming that they arc to have awarded to them half-a-crown an acre oji all improved land proclaimed a hundred, besides the value of other improvements, Tho Executive affirm this is sufficient inducement to break up large quantities of land in order to obtaui the award. This theoretical objection was proposed to be met by Mr Tayler, by limiting the area on which such compensation should be claimable to 640 acres. This most i reasonable amendment seemed to change the feeling of both sides, but above all, was a boon to the Opposition, as it was ruled by the Speaker that so important an alteration in the terms of the question in debate justified the re-discussion of it. Still the Government seemed bent on fore big a division, and much ingenious talking against time ensued. Member after member rose, tho excitement increased, inueudoes of defection oyere multiplied, until the hon. member, Mr A, J. Burns, was placed on his defence, and had to show cum-e why he had expressed his approval of the Bill in Wellington, supported it outside the House up to that day, and then was known to intend to vote with the Executive against it. The hon. member drew down heavier vials of wrath by his speech in explanation : the conduct of hon. members on both sides was freely commented upon: eloquence became unrestrained 4 thji ripe burned, and they spake with their tongues, K/;r were they mealy-mouthe'l. It is surprising what hightoned political morality animated the Government benches, and how shocked Mr Gillies was when he found out that some plotting against his ministerial existence had been going on, and that Mr Burns had been finessing with the Government for a billet as Immigration Agent at Home, or possibly as Provincial Treasurer, when Mr M‘Lean re igns his portfolio op £h e 0116 hand, and with Mr Driver for the Secretaryship of Land and Works should the present Government have to give up their seats on the other. No wonder this attempt at political murder roused his ire, which reached its climax when he affirmed that a man who could he guilty of such political forethought as the member for Waikari had shewn, could only be characterised as unfit to hold a position in any Legislature. Probably few will agree with ’hip/, for Mr Driver truly said, “How could a jxirty bv organised without its -personnel being canvassed beforehand and talked over ? ” The debate was adjourned at twenty minutes past two this morning.