PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1636, 14 March 1866, Page 5

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

+. Tujsdat, March 13. The Provincial Council met this day at 2 o'clock, for a special session for the despatch of urgent business, pursuant to a proclamation of His Honor the Superintendent. The Speaker took the chair at a few minutes past 2 o'clock. Members present: Messrs. Aynsley, Barff, Beswick, Buckley, Clark, Cowlishaw, Dixon, Duncan, Hall, Hargreaves, Horn brook, Jollie, Lance, Maude, Peacock, Shand, Stoddart, Templer, Wilson, C., Wilson, W. MESSAGE. The following message from the Superintendent, to the Council, was read. Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen op the Provincial Council.—l have found it necessary to call you together to submit to you an amendment in the bill passed in your last session for increasing the number of members of the Provincial Council. This bill was drawn in strict accordance with the terms of the Provincial Council Extension Ordinance, Session 17, No. 4, which was assented to by His Excellency, the Governor, and by which an addition was made to the number of members of which your Council is ccmposed. The ordinance in question contains no provision for the preparation of electoral rolls for the new electoral districts constituted by it. It was assuned that such rolls should be formed, and in fact they were formed under the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly entitled The Provincial Council Extension Act, 1858. I am iuformed, however, in correspondence, of which copies will be laid before you, that in the opinion of the present Assistant Law Officer to the General Government, it is necessary that our provincial ordinance increasing the number of members of the Provincial Council, and creating new electoral districts, should itself provide i»r the preparation of the rolls. An amended bill complying with these requirements will be therefore at once laid before you, and will, I trust, receive your early consideration. No other business than that above mentioned will be submitted to you by my Government. PAPERS. The following papers were laid on the table. Letters from Mr. Selfe, from 15th Dec. 1865, to 13th Feb. 1866 ; and from 25th Oct. to 25th Nov. 1865 ; letters to John Marshman, Esq., Emigration Agent, from 15th Dec. 1865 to 15th Feb. 1866 ; copy letter from the Superintendent, dated 24th Feb. last, to the Colonial Secretary, requesting him to advise the Governor to dissolve the Council; and copy correspondence between the Colonial Secretary and Provincial Government, relative to the Provincial Council Extension Ordinance, 1866. SPECUL BUSINESS. Mr. Hall gave notice that he would the next day, move for leave to bring in a bill to extend the Provincial Council Ordinance, and also move for the suspension of the Standing Orders, so as to enable the bill to be passed through all its stages in one day. He also said, that as far as the Government was concerned, this was the only business to be brought forward. He might also be allowed to add that he did not think the necessity for the present session would have delayed in any way the preparation of the rolls or the new elections. HOKITIKA ROLLS. Mr. Barff begged to ask the Provincial Solicitor without notice whether any provision was about to be inserted in the bill for the preparation of electoral rolls in those districts in which rolls had not yet been drawn up. He observed from clause 5 that the new rolls were to be prepared from the old ones, but in such places as Hokitika and Greymouth, which had been withdrawn from the gold fields, there was no provision in the present ordinance for preparing the rolls. Mr. Cowlishaw replied that there were some nice points involved in the question, and he should like to have notice of it. ADJOURNMENT. On the motion of Mr. Hall it was resolved that the Council at its rising should adjourn till two o'clock, the next day. There were no notices given by private members. The Council adjourned at half-past two o'clock.