PEOVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3139, 4 March 1871, Page 3

PEOVINCIAL COUNCIL.

. ' — c FRIDAY, MAECH 3, 1871. The Speaker took the chair at 3 p.m. Present— Messrs Borlase, Pharasyn, Brandon, Taylor, Thynne, Halcombe, Hunter, Pearce, Masters, Anderson, Crawford, and Johnston. The minutes were read and confirmed. PETITIONS. Mr BRANDON brought up a petition from the inhabitants of Karori and Makara, with reference to the erection of a toll gate on tho road of the district. Ordered to be printed. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr BORLASE gave notice of a committee for enquiry into tho stato of tho accounts between the General and Provincial Governments. KAIWABEA SCHOOL. Mr PHARAZYN asked the Provincial Secretary — Whether it is the intention of the Government to separate the " Rhodes " from the " Kai Warra Warra " School District, in accordance with the prayer of the petition of tho ratepayers of the Rhodes Highway District, presented last session ? Mr HALCOMBE eaid the Government were perfectly williug to consider the question. COMPENSATION CLAIM. Mr PHARAZYN asked the Provincial Secretarj — Whether any steps have been taken to satisfy Mr Francis Williamson's claim to compensation by the issue of land scrip in accordance with the provisions of an act of tho General Assembly, intituled the Williamson's Compensation Act, 1868 ? Mr HALCOMBE, in reply, said that his Honor the Superintendent had never agreed with the recommendation of the General Government in this matter. It was impossible the Council could entertain the claim without going over the whole of the evidence. This they were not prepared to do. Besides, the amount of compensation proposed seemed altogether unreasonable under tho circumstances • of the case. Ho did not think they could even allow the claim to come before tho Council in any shape. The mode of procedure, too, seemed a gross violation of the privileges of the Council. What right had the General Government to pretend to recommend terms to the Council ? QUESTION. Mr BORLASE wished to ask for the information he gave notice of yesterday. Who ■were they to look upon as the Government ? as it was rumored that two members of the Government had resigned, though such had not been publicly announced. Mr BRANDON, in reply, said it was correct that the two members referred' to had resigned, aud that the Government would in future be carried on by himself and colleague (Mr Halcombe). The resignation of the two members would appear in the noxt Gazette. HIGHWAY DISTRICTS. Mr BRANDON moved — For leave to bring in a bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to highway districts. The bill was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second reading made an Order of the Day for nest sitting day. SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS. Mr BRANDON moved— For leave to bring in a bill to authorise the Betting apart of certain blocks of land for special settlement, Mr BORLASE said the bill had only been just put into his hands, but he could Bee from the very first clause that it was a mockery, a delusion, and a snare. When he read the motion he could not believe but that there V?as something in tho proposed measure antagonistic to the views he had always supported. It was impossible that a satisfactory measure of that nature could have emanated from a party who had ever been opposed to the principle of selling land on deferred payments. The remarks of the last speaker being out of order, the bill was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second reading fixed for Wednesday next. Mr JOHNSTON wished to know if it was quite in order to fix the second reading of a bill that was not complete in all its parts. The SPEAKER knew it to be the practice of other legislatures. BENEWING OCCUPATION LICENSE. Mr BRANDON moved for leave £o bring in a bill to enable the Commissioner of Crown lands to renew licenses for the occupation of the waste lands of the province. Read, ordered to be printed ; second reading fixed foi* Wednesday next. FENCING. Mr BRANDON moved — For leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to fencing. The bill he proposed to briug in differed but yery little from the act of 1867. Read, ordered to be printed, and second reading made an order of the day for Wednesday next. COMPENSATION. Mr HALCOMBE moved— For the appointment of a committee, consisting of Messrs Andrew, Pearce, Bunny, Pharazyn, and the mover, to consider and report upon certain claims made by Messrs Buck an<J Eemblo for compensation in consequence of their not having been placed in possession of certain lands fcought by them from the Provincial Government. Meßsrs Buck and Xemble had purchased certain land from the Provincial Government, but the Government had not been able to place these poreons in possession. Through this they hud of course suffered considerable pecuniary loss. The land- was in possession of the natives, "who professed to be able to chow a good title to it. It was for this roason he was anxious a committee should be appointed to inquire into the claim. Agreed to. PBOVrNCIAIi GOV3BBNHENT OFFICIALS. Mr PHARAZYN moved for a nominal return of the officers in the employment of the Provincial Government fitating tho date of their appointments, the amount of their salaries and the nature of the office or ofßceß held by each person. He moved this resolution on the ground that it was a moat useful custom which was observed annually in the General Assembly, and one that was found | "beneficial. Agreed to. ADJOUBNED DEBATE. Mr HALCOMBE said that when he applied for the adjournment of the debate yeßterday it was not with the intention of nominating any other candidate. He had merely been taken by surprise. He now believed, however, that there were to be other nominations. After gome remarks from the Chairman as to the proper course for the Council to pursue in the matter, the Hon. Mr Johnston thought that though the appointment of a new clerk was a small matter, still as it was a piece of patronage belonging to the Council, it would not be courteous to the country members who had not yet arrived to make an appointment of that kind in their absence. He therefore moved the adjournment of the debate till that day week. This was seconded by Mr Geo. Cbayjtobd and agreed to. The Council then adjourned.