The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 137, 14 June 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thuksday, June 13. The Speaker took the chair at 5 o'clock. All the members were present. The Proviucial Secretary laid upon the table a return of the total cost of the Government, Wharf, with the amount received for rent to the present time. Mr. Kingdon moved that the Council resolve itself into committee on that part of the Superintendent's address relating to Mr. F. Steven's proposal for the formation of a railway to the Buller. Mr. Bentley seconded the motion. The- Provincial Solicitor moved, as an amendment, that a Select Committee should be appointed to consider the proposal, and to take evidence upon it. Neither the Government nor the Council had time fully to consider the subject, and hear evidence upon it, and it would be premature to go into it without further information. He therefore moved that a Select Committee be appointed to consider that paragraph in the Superintendent's speech, and also the Message Kb. 2 from his Honor, having relation to this subject; the committee to consist of Messrs. Baigent, Parker, F. Ivelling, Dreyer, Kingdon, Greenfield, Wasfcney, and the Speaker. Mr. Simmonds seconded the amendment, and a division was called for, with the following result : — For the amendmeut: ayes, 14 ; noes, 8 ; majority, 6. The amendment was therefore carried. The Proviucial Secretary moved that the Superintendent be authorised to expeud £5000 on salaries and contingencies for the present month. The Provincial Solicitor seconded the motion, which was carried. On the motion of Mr. S. Burn, seconded by Mr. Simmonds, the address in reply to the Superintendent's speech was adopted. Mr. F. Xelling, in moving for a Select Committee to take into consideration the ■working of the present Scab Act, said that ifc was felt that the operation of the Act was very unsatisfactory, but it would be premature in him to make any further remarks upon it until the Committee had given in their report. He would therefore only ask that a Select Committee, consisting of the Speakei', Messrs. Baigent, Wigley, McMahon, Pitt, Gibbs, Eedwood, the Provincial Secretary, and the mover, be appointed /"or this purpose. The motion was carried. Mr. Baigent moved for a return of the names of each householder who has paid the Education Rate for the last two years in the district of "Waimea-south, also the amouDt paid by each householder, the names of all persons who have been exempted from the rate, and by what authority, if any, such persons have been exempted. He paid that he had been requested to ask for these returns by several of the ratepaj r ers in Waimea-south, where an impression had gone forth that some irregularities had occurred in reference to the collection of the Education Eate. Carried. Mr. R. Burn asked and obtained leave to withdraw the motion standing in his name for a Select Committee to take into consideration the petition of Mr. James Wilkie, presented *by him on Wednesday

last, he having since discovered that the Council was not competent to deal with the question. Mr. A. Pitt moved, that a Select Committee, consisting ■ of Messrs. Akersten, Dreyer, Kingdou, Gibbs, Wastiiey, Macma hot), Parker, and the mover, be appointed to take into consideration the petition presented by him on Wednesday evening, with reference to the construction of a cart-bridge over the Mauui River in Bridge-street. The motion was seconded l>y Mr. Simmonds, and carried. Mr. Akersten asked nud obtained leave to withdraw the motion standing in his name with reference to the Government Wharf. The returns asked for had be:?n that evening placed on the table by the Provincial Secretary, and lie had found them altogether, satisfactory. Mr. Kingdon moved that a Select Commistee should be appointed to consider i\.e petition of My. Robert Crawford, late keeper of the Lunatic Asylum ; the committee, to which some additions were . made, to consist of the Speaker, the Provincial Secretary, Messr?. F. Kelling, Baigent, White, Wastney, Burn,McMahon, and the mover. Mr. Parker seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Donne's motion in reference to the expenditure on the West Coast gold-felds, was, at his request, postponed until Tuesday nest. The Provincial Solicitor then moved the second reading of the Education Bill, expressing his hopes that, as the Roman Catholic body had given their assent to the Bill, it would pass unaltered. Mr. Wastney seconded the motion, which was carried without division. On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor, seconded by Mr. H. Redwood, that the House go into Committee on the Bill at once, Mr. McMahon moved that the Council go into Committee on Thursday next, on the ground that there had not been time for the full consideration of the Bill. Mr. Baigent seconded the amendment, stating that the returns he had asked for with reference to tbe collection of the Education Rate in Waimea-south would show lhat other alterations were required in this particular respect, whHi might be incorporated in the present Bill. On a division, the amendmeut was lost by a majority of 15 to 8, and the Council went into Committee on the Bill, which was passed without any amendment. Notices of motion were given by Mr. Dreyer, with reference to the resignation of the Warden at Charleston, and the reason for delay in the appointment of his successor ; by Mr. Akersten, that the Superintendent be requested to defer the repairs of the Government Wharf until the Council shall have considered the advisability of filling in the Wharf with stone and rnakiug other extensive and necessary additions in the earthwork,, and also, that a sum of money be placed on the Estimates sufficient for the removal of the Buoy Hock in Nelson Harbor ;' by Mr. Gibbs, for a return of the number of miles of road proclaimed as trunk lines in the various districts under the operation of the Country Roads Act ; by Mr. White, that a sum of £1000 may be placed on the Estimates for a cart-bridge over the Wai-iti Eiver, to connect the district of Wuimeawest with Waimea-south ; by Mr. Donne, for p. Bill providing for a re-distribution of the Cobden and Buller Electoral Districts, and for au enlargement of the re-pi-esentation of the Nelson South-west Gold-fields ; and by Mr. Bentley, for a return of the amount of money received for land sales at Westport, and the amount expended in forming roads and wharf in that place. The Council adjourned at a quarter to 1 7 o'clock until 1 1 o'clock to-day.