The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 143, 21 June 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Government was, ou the contrary,, anxious to hear any ill ing that might be brought forward either by the members for the Gold-fields, or any other' 1 members, and would pay every attention to whatever might be brought before them bynuy gold digger. The motion was earned, on a division, by 17 too, the Government voting against it. Mr. Akersfen then moved the a-ijourn-ment of the Council, as hart been ni ranged on the previous day, iv order lo allow the attendance of how. members on various CommUtees of importance. Messrs. Donne and Simmootls opposed the motion. Mr. Baigent and Mr. Parser supported the motion, and said that, so far from its being any proof of a desire on the part of honorable members lo evade (he diligent performance of their duties, the adjournment Sviis proposed in orJer to allow of their sitting on committees, which would probably occupy them up to a late hour of the niglit, and many of them had been alrcadv engaged during the whole day in a similar manner. The motion was carried without a division, and the Council adjourned fit a quarter past 6 o'clock, until 11 o'clock ibis morning.

Thursday, June 20. The Speaker took the chair at a quarterpast 5 o'clock. All the members present, except Mr. Burn. Mr. F. Kelling presented a petition from Sir David Monro, praying that certain alterations may be made in the present Scab Act. The petitioner complained of the treatment to which clean sheep, coming into this province from Marlborough, or vice versa, are subjected, as inflicting a gratuitous and unnecessary injury upon the public at large. The petition was read and ordered to be laid on the table. Several notices of motion were given, and Mr. Pitt brought up the Report of the Select Committee appointed with reference to the construction of a footbridge over the Maitai River, at Nilestreet East; at the same time giving notice of a motion for to-day, to the effect that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place a sum of £250 on the Estimates for that purpose. Mr. Donne, in moving that, in the opinion of the Council, it was desirable ard necessary that the mining regulations, now in force on the Nelson goldfields, should be speedily revised, and that his Honor the Superintendent should be recommended to appoint a Mining Conference to consider and report upon such alterations and amendments as might be needed, said that if such a Conference were—appointed;" its duties would be very light, for a similar Conference had been appointed by the Canterbury Government., and the result which had. been arrived at might be made available in the present case. The Provincial Secretary opposed the motion, and read a letter from Mr. Commissioner Kynnersley, recommending a repeal of the 21st clause of the Gold-fields Act. He was therefore of opinion that it* would he better to wait and see whether the General Assembly acceded to the repeal of this clause, which had been found to be very inapplicable to the Nelson gold-fields. The Provincial Solicitor said that mem. bers were uot acquainted with the mining regulations iv force on the gold-fields, and would rather leave it to the Commissiouer and Wardens, who were better qualified than, themselves, by experience of their working, to make such alterations iv the .regulations as might, from time to time, be found requisite. Mr. Donne expi'essed his surprise that the Government should oppose the motion, especially with the precedent before them of the course adopted by the Canterbury Government in reference to this subject. He thought Mr. Kyunersley had quite enough to do without .making rules and regulations for the gold-fields, and he was sorry to find the Government and also some other members of the Council, "snubbing" the representatives of the gold-fields. The matter had been discussed by large bodies of experienced men on the diggings, and was worthy of serious attention. . The Provincial Solicitor emphatically repudiated any wish or intention on the. part of the Government to "snub" the members from the West Coast. The