9

A.—4a

"The Education Ordinance, 1874 ;" " The Trespass and Impounding Ordinance, 1874 ;" "The Hokitika Street-Closing Ordinance, 1874;" and "The Appropriation Ordinance, No. 11., 1874 ;" which have been passed by the Provincial Council of the Province of Westland, and assented to by your Honor on behalf of His Excellency the Governor. 2. The Hokitika Street-Closing Ordinance is still under consideration, with a view to ascertaining the private rights that may be affected thereb3 r; but with that exception His Excellency the Governor will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance in respect to any of the other Ordinances enclosed in your Honor's letter under reply. 3. I must, however, inform your Honor that two of these Ordinances, though left to their operation, are nevertheless objectionable in point of law. 4. The Education Ordinance should have created the rate a debt to the Board, and left its recovery to the ordinary laws, instead of providing exceptional machinery for the purpose. 5. The Trespass and Impounding Ordinance affects to impose on Justices certain duties to be exercised judicially, as for instance in section 25. This, unless specially authorized by Act of the General Assembly, is beyond the power of Provincial Legislatures. Still the defect is one common to many provincial enactments, and I have not thought it necessary to advise the disallowance of the Ordinance in consequence of it. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Westland. Daniel Pollen.

CANTERBTJRT. No. 23. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Canterbury, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, 22nd April, 1874. I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of the under-mentioned Ordinances passed by the Provincial Council of Canterbury during its last Session, to which I have assented on behalf of His Excellency the Governor, viz., — " The Christchurch Stage Coach Ordinance, 1873." " The Imprest Supply Ordinance, 1873-74." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 3, 1873." "The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 4, 1873." " The Stage Carriages Amendment Ordinance, 1874." " The Classical Schools Reserves Ordinance, 1874." "The Township of Geraldine Ordinance, 1874." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 5, 1874." "The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 6, 1874." " The Superintendent's Salary Ordinance 1870 Amendment Ordinance, 1874." " The Canterbury Sheep Ordinance 1872 Amendment Ordinance, 1874." " The Appropriation Ordinance, 1873-74." I have, &c., W. Rolleston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Superintendent.

No. 24. The Hon. tho Colonial Seceetaey to His Honor the Sijpeeintendent, Canterbury. Sic,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Ist May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 52, of the 22nd of April, in which you transmit copies of the under-mentioned Ordinances passed by the Provincial Council of Canterbury during its last Session, to which your Honor has assented on behalf of His Excellency the Governor, viz., — "The Christchurch Stage Coach Ordinance, 1873." " The Imprest Supply Ordinance, 1873-74." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 3, 1873." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 4, 1873." " The Stage Carriages Amendment Ordinance, 1874." " The Classical Schools Reserves Ordinance, 1874." " The Township of Geraldine Ordinance, 1874." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 5, 1874." " The Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 6, 1874." " The Superintendent's Salary Ordinance 1870 Amendment Ordinance, 1874." "The Canterbury Sheep Ordinance 1872 Amendment Ordinance, 1874." "The Appropriation Ordinance, 1873-74." 2. As these Ordinances appear to be legally unobjectionable, His Excellency will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance in respect to any of them. 3. I desire, however, to point out to your Honor that in " The Appropriation Ordinance, 1874," and in several of the late Canterbury Appropriation Ordinances, the provision usually contained in Provincial Appropriation Ordinances, to the effect that the moneys voted are to be paid in pursuance of warrants of the Superintendent, specifying the persons to whom, and the proportions in which, the moneys are to be paid, has been omitted, although it is inserted in the Imprest Supply Ordinance of the same Session. 2—A. 4a.