PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1732, 17 June 1862, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, June 10, 1862. The Council met at 3 o'clock, but owing to the Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court, there were ouly 16 members present, and most of the business on the notice paper was consequently postponed. MANAWATU SWAMP. Mr. Carter, in the abseuce of Mr. Waring Taylor, moved — "That in the opinion of this Council it is the duty of the Government to obtain at the earliest possible period, the Report of some competent Engineer as to the practicability of draining the Swamp on the North Bank of the Munawatu River; — and of the probible expense of the work: such Report to contaiu an estimate of the cost of cutting a fresh channel for the River from Long Reach to Sea Reach ; and particularly an opinion as to the advisability of making such a cutting with a view to the drainage aforesaid. TOWN RESERVES BILL. * This Bill passed Committee, and was then reported, read a third time, and passed. atcheson's petition. Mr. Stokes postponed the bringing up of the report of Atchesou's Petition Committee, and said that there was hardly time this session to enter into the subject. TOWN BOARD BILL. Mr. Stokes moved — "The re-committal of this Bill when on the motion of the Provincial Tieasurer, the clause allowing absentees two years for the payment of arrears of rates was reduced to one year. The bill was then reported, read a third time and passed. " ann wilson " Committee. The report of this Committee on the motion of the Provincial Tieasurer was adopted. j A number of orders this for day were then postponed till to-morrow and the House ad- , jourued at half-past 4 o'clock. Wednesday, June 11. The Speaker took the Chair at 3 o'clock. Present 16 members, the Supreme Court still being in session, and many members being absent in consequence. WAIANGA FERRY. The Acting Provincial Secretary in reply to Mr. Carter, said that the Government intended to take immediate steps fur the establishment oi a Ferry at Waianga on the banks | of the Ruamahanga, as soon as the land was purchased from the natives. It was intended to erect a house of accommodation on the land when handed over to be kept by a European I who would be placed in charge of the Ferry. In the meantime the ferry would be in the hands of the natives. j HIGHWAYS TRAPJFIO BILL. This Bill was considered in Committee, reported with amendments, read a third time and passed. DOG REGISTRATION BILL. Mr. Duncan moved—" The second reading of this Bill which was assented to without discussion, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. MESSAGE. A message was here rec3ived from His Honor, recommending some amendments and additions in the Wangauui Board Bill, which was ordered to be printed and to be taken into consideiation to-morrow. The Council then adjourned. ■•■ Thursday, June 12. The Speaker took the Chair at half- past three o'clock. Present 22 members. Absent Messrs. Barton, Bryce, McEwen, and Whitewood. Queen's Warehouse. Mr. Duncan moved — "That this House considers it desirable to rescind the vote of £2500, agreed to on the Estimates for the erection of a Queen's Warehouse. He said that he felt some apology was due to the House for again re-opening a question which had already been decided and agreed to a second time by a vote on the Estimates. Strong disapprobation was felt by many of the public, who had expressed a hope that if possible an effort would be made to prevent this sum of money from being expended for this purpose. He was induced to bring this motion forward on other and broader grounds than those on which the former opposition to the vote had been chiefly based, winch was passed by a majority of only two members on a foimer occasion, notsimplybecause it would be injurious to vested interests, but because it was wrong in principle and a violation of one of the chief axioms iv political economy ;at variance with the entire spirit of recent English legislation, which he conceived to be whatever the people could do for themselves that the government were not to attempt to do for them. This he thought was the case of the proposed Government Warehouse. He regarded this as an introduction of the thin end of the wedge of Trading on the part of the Government, which it was the interest of the public should not be permitted. For if a store were built, rents would have to be charged, this would compete with private interest. The Government had not said what the scale of rents were to be, he supposed they would not be higher, but rather lower than other private stores, if lower, it would bean unjust interference with private enterprise to take the public reserve for such a purpose. Admit the Government and the majority of the Council were right in the vote they gave, he for one could not se3 where they were to stop. They might as well enter upon any other undertaking on the plea that it would be remunerative, become owners of sailing vessels, steamers, and watermen's boats — or a good Hotel or Public House at the end of the Wharf. The same might be said of the Wharf itself, for better would it have been, had the circumstances of the place allowed it, that even this should have been undertaken Uy a private incorporated body instead or me Government. But to every rule there was an exception, and situated as Wellington was, he believed the Government were justified in taking it in hand. They were also warranted in building sheds for temporary accommodation for the safe keeping both of bonded and free goods when landed from sailing vessels and steamers discharging at the Wharf. Upwards of a £1000 had beeu already voted for that purpose, anil he therefore thought that would be found enough. Again looking at their financial position, and many ways there existed for spending money on really" public works of pressing and the public importance he thought it was wrong to spend so large a sum on an object whereon so vital and great ' diversity of opinion was felt as to the principle of the measure. The supporters of the measures had entirely failed in showing that they were acting in harmony with either the principle or practice iv England, in the Ausstralian Colonies, or in any other part or the Colony. The only apparent argument offered was that it would tend to enhance the value of the reclaimed land, this he thought to be au erroneous one. They had the Wharf and its sheds, the Custom House, Post Office, and Supreme Court were to he built there. The effect would more likely be if the Government persisted in this building, to prevent some

enterprising and wealthy man from baying some of the land for the purpose of erecting as good or perhaps a larger building than the one proposed. The Government would therefore lose the chance of securing a good -customer and very li/cely considerable competition would be lost for some of the laod adjacent if they built the proposed Queen's Warehouse. — Believing it to be strongly repugnant to many in the Town, and feeling certain it wonld be objected to by many in the country, as a misappropriation of public money, and feeling it was not warranted by a consideration of their financial position, be trusted they wonld adopt his motion. Mr. Watt seconded the motion. The Commissioner of Crown: Lands said though he was not prepared to say that there were no examples furnished by Legislative bodies of rescinding votes, it was not their usual practice ; and he thought the House ought to require, very strong reasoDS for the adoption of such a course in the present instance. They should not suddenly rescind what has been after due deliberation, ample discussion, sufficient notice, and in a full house solemnly passed. The house had a right to ex* pect some very strong grounds and certainly some new matter which had arisen in the interim, before proceediug to rescind a vote, thus recorded and at this period of the session, when members had left with the expectation was virtually at a close. He would remind bon. members of a similar course which bad been adopted at Auckland iv session held in 1856 when a vote with reference to the next meeting uf the Assembly was set aside owing to the absence of members who hrd left the House in the full assurance that the vote «vhich had been arrived at would not be interferred with. That example was one which the Wellington Council certainly ought uot to take as a precedent. He had purposely omitted to enter into the merits of the question because he considered Liatthe House had already decided it. Mr. Johnston thought that the course adopiby the mover of this resolution was one that the Council should not sanction, or there would be end to their legislation, and the session would never be brought to a close (hear, hear). He would not waste the time of the House in going again over the reasons which had induced him to propose the original vote. He was not prepared to say that the English Government had sanctioned the practice, or that the custom their would not be better honored in the berach than in the observance. He believed that the House had done wisely in sanctioning this sum being expended for this purpose, and that it would be doing a foolish thing to undo one day what they had done the day before. Captain Rhodes would remind the House that the vote was only carried by a majority of 12 against 10, and that had the House been a full House the vote would not have been carried at all. It was not the expression of the opinion of a majority of the Council, but on thecontiary the expression of the views of twelve of its members. He justified the coarse the hon. member Mr. Duncan had taken on the ground that though the vote was earned in was in opposition to the wishes of the majority of the Council. Instead of the proposed warehouse being a convenience to the public, the importers, the only portion of the public directly interested in the questionconsidered it would be a great inconvenience. It had been said that the opposition had originated in personal motives ; but be opposed the vote on public grounds, and without any reference whatever to private interests. He opposed the vote on the ground that they had no money so devote to this work, and if they had it would he wrong to expend it on what was not wanted, when it was so urgently required for other purposes. Mr. Spinks thought that when they had to borrow £25,000 to carry on public works, they oug-ht not to expend so large a sum as £2500 or on work which was not required. Mr. Fawcett opposed the motion. If hon. members were absent when the original vote was passed, it was their own fault and not that of the Council which had declared that the building was necessary. Mr. Hunter followed on the same side. Without a Queen's Warehouse the Wharf would not be complete, and having voted for the one be could not consistantly oppose the other. In the event of the Panama boats calling here a proper warehouse in the vicinity of the wharf would be indispensible. Mr. Watt supported the motion and disclaimed any such motives as those alluded to by the hon. member (Mr, Hunter) not a single member had yet brought forward a title of evidence to show the necessity for this building. It might hereafter be required, but for the present he objected to the money so urgently required for other purposes being thus expended. Mr. Wallace thought that the adoption of rescending votes would be attended with very great inconvenience. He was ia favour of the original vote, and be did not think that it would interfere with vested interests. Mr, Johnston here stated for the information of the House that he had misapprehended what Mr. Carkeek had told him with reference to all goods liable t> duty being landed at the Queen's Wharf. He, himself, had no power after the wharf was erected to order goods to be exclusively landed there. Mr. Taylor supported the motion and he thought the Government was taking a first step in the wrong direction. He opposed the vote because he did not think the Government should expend money on a work which is not required for there was ample bonded accommodation already. If it is uot the intention of Government to restrict the bonding of goods to the Queen's warehouse, then the erection of such a warehouse will prove a public loss. Mr. Stokes said there had been no good and special reasons (riven why a vote previously arrived at should be rescinded, and as l.c believed the want of a Queen's warehouse near the wharf would be prejudicial to the public service and public interest, he should oppose the motion. Mr. Turnbull said that there was a good and sufficient reason for rescinding the vote furnished by the circumstance that it was not a fair, expression of the Council. He opposed the original vote because in his opinion no such warehouse was wanted. The arguments advauced in favour of the proposed building would not hold water. If the Government were to find accommodation for bonded goods why not for free goods also — if for goods by Panama steamers, why not for. passengers— and if for cargoes of merchandise why not for cargoes of horses — and forthwith baild the necessary hotels and stables for their accommodation. (Hear, hear.) A complaint was insde that the present bonded stores were not fitted for the purpose but would the store it was proposed to erect be adapted for the purpose? would il be constructed of more durable materials than those they had already. He should support the motion of Mr. Duncan because he believed that the proposed warehouse was not wanted, and because the former vote was not a fair expression of the opinion of the House.

Mr. AttEtf and the Provincial Treasurer opposed the motion. Mr.-Borlase'also opposed tbe motion. He thought 'that a money vote passed in a thin house might very properly be rescinded ; but tbe vote sought to be set aside was carried in a full house after ample notice and due deliberation, and he had failed to see any reasons snffi- i cient to induce him to vote for its being rescinded. It had been asked why not find stores for free goods as well as those under bond, but the answer was obvious — the Government had no right to interfere with free goods, but ' it was their duty to take care of the goods liable ] , to, duty until they got their money. Mr. Duncan said that the argument of the hon. member would sound well in Austria or I ' Rrussia but it had a grating effect on the Eng- f lisb ear and was a novrl doctrine amongst sub- | ; ./ jects of the Biitish Queen. Nothing he had , < heard bad convinced him that the principle i adopted by the Government in doing that which '. ought to be left to be done, and could be done * by private enterprise was not a vicious princi- ] pie. Eeference had been made to the full ! house in which the vote now sought to be ' rescinded was carried, but would the house i believe it, there were exactly 22 members pre- , sent on this and former occasion. As it was , almost impossible to spend the money before . the next Session of the Council he could see ; no reason for voting the money now unless t» \ < pledge a future Council to it. He could see i no good in putting large sums for public works on the estimates which could not be expended, \ and which sums they had, id fact, not got to spend.- It might cause other Provinces to exclaim " see what large sums of money are ' expended in the Province of Wellington on public works ;" but such a deception ought not to be countenanced by the Council. If the money were available for the puipose it would be far batter to spend it in surveying the public lands, and in giving facilities tor its acquisition to the would-be freeholder, and to intendingsettlers, (hear, hekr.) His grand objection to the vote, as it stood, was that the Government undertook a matter with which they had no right, as a Government, to meddle with, they undertook to do what should be left to private enterprise to accomplish. We had too* much Government already, and too many people who made politics there sole means of existence, in New Zealand. Now it was proposed to increase the evil by making tbe Government a sort of trading corporation. He did not think the vote would be rescinded in this Session, but he felt quite sure that in the next Session no such vote would be given, and one so vicious in principle neither the Council nor Government should sanction. The Speaker said that as it was a distinct rule in the British House of Commons to permit no member to vote on any question in which he had a direct personal interest, and for the vote of any member so disqualified to be disallowed—he should adopt the same course on the present occasion and disallow the votes of any members who were directly interested in existing bonded stores. Mr. Turnbull, Mr. Hunter, Captain Rhodes, Mr. Taylor, aud Mr. Watt, all spoke against this ruling of the Speaker and demanded from him explanations and reasons. Tne Speaker, " Ayes to the right, Noes to the left," and the House consequently divided. Ayes, 10 — Rhodes, Duncan, Turnbull, Crawford, Spinks, Taylor, Buck, Watt, Wright, Allison. Noes, 11 — Johnston, Smith, Fitzherbert, Brandon, Hunter, Stokes, Borlase, Fawcett, Woodward, Allen, Carter. "- ' Tbe division having been announced, tbe Speaker proceeded to ask, in order, Captain Rhodes, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Watt, and Mr. Turnbull this question " Have you any direct interest in a bonded warehouse, but none of those - gentlemen appeared disposed to give what the Speaker demanded a simple Aye or Nay to tbe question. The votes of these four were disallowed and also that of Mr. Hunter who admitted he bad a bonded warehouse but who, equally with the ayes seemed to be puzzled to understand on what principle the Speaker's ruling could be upheld in the midst of the uproar. The Speaker left the chair announcing the House in Committee on the APPROPRIATION BILL. The Pbov. Treasurer moved that the Chairman report progress and ask leave to sil again to-morrow. Motion agreed to. The further consideration of the estimates were postponed to the same day. The District Highways Act was read a third time and passed. BEPORT OF " MARY MERRIL " COMMITTEE. The following report of this Committee was then brought up, read, and adopted. Report, together with evidence, ordered to be printed. Your Committee find from the evidence laid before them, that the vessels " Mary Merril " and " Tjra" were the only two in the Harbour which suffered any damage during the gale of the 21st April last, which appears to have been of unusual severity. It also appears that the " Mary Merril " was deficfent in the number of her crew and had very inefficient ground tackle, — and your Committee have ascertained that no assistance was tendered to her, nor does any appear to have been asked for, either by signal or otherwise ; an effort was, however, made by her crew after the commencement of the gale to send her yards down, but waa unsuccessful on account of 1 the want of hands. Your Committee further find that thg " Tyra" was anchored at the North West extremity of the Harbour, where she was exposed to the full force of the storm, and, that although her royal yards were sent down, this alone was not sufficient to enable her to weather the gale, in such an exposed position. Your Committee call attention to the fact that indications of the approaching bad weather was given by the barometer at least two days previous to the gale, — and suggest that intimation of similar indications should be given by the Harbour Master to the shipping in port by means of danger . signals. They also recommend that by an alteration: of the Harbour Regulations power should be given to the Harbour Master to require any vessel not having a full crew to send down her top-gallant masts and yards at any time he may deem it pru. dent to do so. W. WARING TAYLOR, Chairman. 800 REGISTRATION BILL. After some discussion, most of the clauses of this Bill were read, amended, and agreed to, when the Committee reported progress in order to re-commit clauses 1 & 2 after which leave was granted to sit again that day six mouths, consequently the Bill was rejected. BEPORT OF SURVEY COMMITTEE. The following report of the Survey Committee, was brought up and read, and it, together with the evidence ordered tube printed.— SUPERINTENDENTS MESSAGE. His Honors Message propo&iug amendments and additional clauses in the Wanganui Streets Bill was then taken into consideration and adopted. This Bill was then read a third time and passed. ( The other orders of the day were postponed till to-morrow, and after 'several notices of motion had been given, the House adjourned.

Vnitokit, June 13. The Speaker took the Chair at 3 o'clock. Present 24 members, abseut Mr. McEwen and Mr. Bryce. THE SURVEYS. Captain Smith moved — " That the Report of the Survey Committee be adopted, nnd that a respectful Address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent requesting him to place the sum if £1759 on the Estimates for tise pur pose recommended by the Committee." ' Your Committee, after having carefully weighed and considered all the evidence hereunto annexed, on the present state of the survey in this Province, regret to report that the surveys, both of the lands purchased from the New Zealand Company, and of those more recently purchased from the Government, together with the Crown Grants for the same, are very much in arrears. That these evils have arisen from various causes, among others the inefficient strength of the survey staff, which during the first half of 1861. consisted of 3 surveyors, 1 draughtsman, and 3 cadets, but has since been mci eased, and now consists of 6 surveyors and 3 cadets, but no draughtsman, he having retired from the service in March last, and his situation has not yet been filled up. But when your Committee consider the amount of land surveyed by the staff during the past seventeen months, — about 120,000 acres at a cost first stated in evidence at 2d. per acre, and subsaquently as amended iv the same evidence o^d. per acre, up to tho present time — they are of opinion that this is a very satisfactory report, as far as it appears from the evidence. ' Your Committee look with considerable alarm at the arrearsjin the issuejof Crown Grants — as shewn in the evidence of Mr. David Lewis, the Commissioner for deciding claims to land, under the New Zealand Company, and from that of Mr. Holmes, olerlc in land Office — and in order that the issue of these Crown Grants may be expedited, your Committee would urge the necessity of attaching as soon as possible, one surveyor exclusively to Mr. Lewis, and another to the Land Office for this special purpose. ' Your Committee learn from the evidence of Mr. Swainson, the surveyor in charge, that he as been absent on field duty from, the Survey Office from Ist December to Bth May, and that during only about 3 months of that period was any one left in charge of the Survey Office. Seeing the mischief that may be done to the maps, instruments, &c., without some proper guardianship, your Committee would recommend that an efficient draughtsman be kept constantly in the office, with the responsibility of taking charge, and that his attention should be specially directed to the urgency of preparing duplicate copies of all important maps, in order that the Government may take such measures as they may deem suitable to provide for their safe custody in some building entireiy separate from the buildings in which the originals are kept, so as to provide, as far as possible, gin so important a matter, against casualties by fire. Your Committee would further recommend that the various detached maps of different districts be so far connected that intending land purchasers may, on application, easily ascertain what lands are open for sale, and their relative positions, and may thus be in a position to select from such maps : the surveyed portions beiug clearly defined. • Your Committee would furtner recommend that, having regard for the numerous demands for various services to which the survey staff is liable, an increase pf two more surveyors, at the least, be made to the strength of that staff beyond the addition recently received from Auckland. ' Having regard to the resolution passed by the Provincial Council — that the whole of the runs be surveyed with as little delay as possible — a, still further increase in the staff will be necessary for this special service ; and you* Committee recommend the following plan for the survey of the runs. That two parties should be organised, one to commence at Cape Palisier and work northward, the other to commence at the N.E. boundary of the Province and work southward, a surveyor to be in ' charge of each party. • Your Committee recommend that a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place on the Estimates a sum of £1750 to carry out the recommendations of this Committee. ' It appeam from the evidence of Captain Smith, that great delay and much unnecessary expense has been incurred by the disturbance of original boundaries. On this point your Committee recommend the adoption of a rule in the Survey Office that the boundary linos once surveyed should on no account be allowed to be altered, and that a nominal register of the survey of purchased allotments of land, specifying the date, contents, the nature of the survey, and name of the surveyor, should be kept, in order that the necessity for resurvey may obviated, as far as possible. It appears to your Committee that another cause for the re•urvey of land has arisen from the destructaldlity of the materials used, for the pegs to mark the boundaries of allotments, and the careless way in which they have sometimes been put in. To obviat« this cause of re-survey, your Committee recommend that the corners of all allotments of land, once snrveyed, should be marked by cast iron survey mark, according to the plan and section shown in the appendix. Your Commitee eUo suggest that marks of cast iron of larger dimensions should be adopted for all Trigonometrical Stations, such marks to be 4 inches by 4 inches nside, and 3 feet long. ' W: M. Smith, • Chairman of the Committee,' The Commissioner of Crown Lands hoped that the hon. member would consent to modify his motion and consent to leave out the words after the word "adopted." He asked th«» hon. gentleman to drop the latter part of bis motion because it was unreasonable at so late a period of the session to ask the government to place so large an additional sum upon the Estimates, a sum of neatly jG2OO0 — when the session might be said to be virtually at a close. If the motion were adopted in its present shape, hon. mpmbers must be prepared to sit another week. The report contained several vaiuable suggestions and lite referred particu larly to those recommending the appointment of an efficient draughtsman to be kept coutinually in the office — the substitution of cast iron for wooden survey marks, the perishable nature of which had been a source of great expense— and to the desirability of giving 1 Mr. Lewis a sur- | yeyor for the special purpose of expediting t he issue of Crown Grauts — though the principle reasons for those grants wera so much in arrear was in -consequence of the luuds sold being uusurveyed. If those lands were surveyed the Crown Grants would be a mutter of uo diffi« culty, he was fully alive to the valuable suggestions contained iv the repoit, and fully acknowledge the searching enquiry of the Committee and the disinterest that they had in conjunction with himself taken in the matter, at the same timehe mustiegrettheiate period of the session that just as the estimates were being completed so large a sum as nearly £2000 should be asked for, and for so very important an object. The adoption of the report would I >e a recommendation to the Government, and he suggested to the mover for this Committee th'it he should be content with having brought so important an equiry to such a very successful termination. One point he wished to inform the house upon was that the report contained a suggestion foi surveyors to be added to the Land Purchase Depanmeut, now the funds to be employed for that department would fully supply that want, so that on this point the hum Gentlemen could not express any disappointment. He must confess as a whole that it was one of the most valuable reports and carefully

collected evidences presented to this House and he supported the amendment that the leport be adopted and that the latter part be a separate j question. ' Mr. Wallace in rising to address the House ' upon the motion, he must claim the attention ! of the House while he entered to some extent iuto i details and the first thing he would do would be to ask the clerk what date the motion for this committee was made. Cletk referred and reports May 14. Now he could not admit for o ne moment that the matter had been brought before the Huuseat solatea period of the session, and he must say tint he looked with considerable ahum and with deep regret -it the remarks which had fallen from the Crown Lands Commissioner that he — one of the principle movers in the matter before the House — one? of whose suggestions had been of tbe most valuable nature— one who had taken such a deep interest in the proceedings of the Committee, and who had led the Committee on to the adoption of the report as it now was before the house— that that gentleman should now come in and throw a wet blanket upon the labors of the Committee. It was a matter of deep regret and he trusted would not be sanctioned by this House — but that the report would be adopted in it-; etirety. The Committee had had the advantage of the experience of a gentleman who now sat in this House — a gentleman who came out here more than twenty years ago, and who was at the head of the Surrey Department under the New Zealand Company. That gentleman had laboured night and day in bringing the su! ject now before the Huuse to a successful issue— he had given the Committee valuable evidencehe had furnished valuable suggestions, and it was a question whether so searching au enquiry could be made at a future period— unless we had the assist mcc of Captain Smith to carry it on. The question before the House is one of the most important that has been brought forward this Session —it is a question upon which every eye is directed in aud out of the House— one that has distracted the public mind for many years past, and which if not taken up by this House, in the same spiritjthat the Committee had evinced — would he feared leave it in that unsatisfactory slate which the Committee had endeavoured to avoid, and should the report not be adopted as a whole and the motion acceded to, to place the sum upon the Estimates, he contended it was virtually shelving the report. Tbe Speaker here said tit at questions of money must be considered in Committee of Supply. Mr. Hunter said with all due deference to the Speaker he thought the objection should have been made before the motion was spoken to, to which the hon. member was now replying, he did not see why the hon. gentleman should be interrupted particularly after the hon. member, the leader of the House had been allowed to speak without interruption upon the same motion. The Speaker said he did not observe the point or he would have caused the motion to be amended. Mr. Wallace resumed — There was very little use in adopting the report without granting the money, as it was taking the very vitals out of it. He concluded, after going into considerable length upon the merits of the report, and the value of the evidence by impressing upon the House the importance of carrying the motion in its entirety, and taking; the question of the money vote into Committee of Supply. The Provincial Treasurer in order to bring the questioa before the House, would move as an amendment, " that the Report be adopted, and that the latter part of the motion be afterwards considered. The Crown Lands Commissioner said that the Government did not see its way clear: it was a considerable item and one that could not be sanctioned without altering to a great extent the relative proportions between revenue and expenditure. He hud spoke to the Chairman and another of the members of the Committee and they agreed with him in opinion that the Estimates should not be re-opened but that the Superintendent should be authorised to carry out as far as practicable the recommendations, contained in the Report. Mr. Hunter did not think that the Council would be doing justice to their constituents if they did not vote the money required for so important a purpose. He would vote the amount and throw the responsibility on the Government of carrying out the recommendations of the Com. niuee. It was a serious evil for the Crown Grants to be allowed to remain any longer than could be avoided so greatly in arrear. He should support the motion as it stood. Mr. Carter thought that the Council should not only authorise, but request the Superintendent to expend the sum of £1750 in order to carry out the recommendatious of the Survey Committee, and he hoped the hon. gentleman in charge of the motion would modify it in accordance with this suggestion. Captain Smith would accept the suggestion as it would answer the object tney had in view without opening up the Estimates. Captatn Rhodes said that he did not believe that there was another Province in the Colony where the Surveys were so much in arrear. He would support the adoption of the Report. Mr. Borlase and Mr. Spinks spoke in favor of the .Report, when the Provincial Treasurer's amendment was put and carried nem con. On the House going into Committee, to consider the latter part of the motion, a discussion of some length ensued," aud ultimately an amendment suggested by Mr. Carter thai the Superintendent be authorised and requested to .expend £1,750 in carrying out the recommendations of the Survey Committee was acceded to. plimmer's petition. The Provincial Treasurer brought up the report of Pliunner's Compensation Committee, which was ordered to be printed aud to be taken into consideration on Tuesday next. The Council then weut iuto Committee on the Estiiuates, and subsequently Hie Appropriation Act, the latter was reported to the House, read third time aud passed. ■ The House then adjourned.