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Mr. Lill, according to notice, moved that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to move His Excellency the Governor to cause a return to be made to this Council of the amount of Parliamentary grant to New Zealand for each of the last seven years, stating the amount appropriated to each of the six Provinces, each year out of the said grants.

Mr. Gilfillan requested permission to postpone his motion relative to the engrossing and reading the Interpretation Bill a third time as he was desirous of having it re-committed.

Agreed to.

Council adjourned at twenty minutes past four o’clock.

Wednesday, 2nd November, 1853.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Speaker took the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

The Speaker, before proceeding with the orders of the day, suggested the necessity of further clerical assistance being afforded in the Council Office.

The Speaker presented a minute from His Honor the Superintendent, relative to certain repairs required to be made to the building attached to the Council Chamber. Minute read and referred to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.

Mr. Dignan presented a Petition from the inhabitants of the North Shore, praying for pecuniary assistance towards the support of a resident Schoolmaster for the District. Petition read and received.

Mr. Porter gave notice that he would, at the next sitting of Council, move that the Estimates be printed.

Mr. Busby gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move that the Speaker be requested to provide such clerical assistance as he may find necessary to prevent the business of the Council from getting in arrear; and that the Council pledge itself to vote such funds as may be necessary to meet the expense of such assistance.

Mr. Busby gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move the adoption of the Petition to the Queen and Parliament, praying that the Northern Province of New Zealand be constituted a separate Colony; and, if adopted, that the Speaker be requested to have the petition engrossed and transmitted to Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, to be laid before the Queen. And that copies of the Petition, mutatis mutandis, be also engrossed and forwarded by the Speaker to such Members of the Houses of Lords and Commons as the Council shall decide upon.

Mr. J. O’Neill gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he will move that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to obtain from the Collector of Customs a return, showing the quantity imported and the amount of duty levied upon each item of the present Tariff in the course of the last twelve months.

Mr. J. O’Neill gave notice that he will move, at the next meeting of Council, that the Superintendent be requested to obtain the opinion of the Attorney-General as to whether the New Zealand Company can claim for proceeds of lands sold not having been waste Lands of the Crown at the date of the Act of Parliament charging the Company’s debt upon the waste Lands of the Crown.

Mr. A. O’Neill gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to procure for the Council a correct estimate of the probable expense of each road (that may be ascertained), the field books, plans, vertical sections, the gradients as laid down by the late Clerk of Works himself, showing the requisite inclinations of cuttings and embankments; the calculations (if any) of the quantity of cubic yards that have been or are to be removed on each line; the nature of the strata ascertained to determine at what inclination the slopes will stand; and the borings made to try the depths in morasses.

Mr. Williamson gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to procure from the Surveyor-General, for the information of this Council, a set of plans and sections of all the streets in the town of Auckland, as furnished by Mr. S. Elliott some time ago to the Survey Department, with a plan accompanying it explanatory of the sections.

Mr. F. C. Lewis gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move for a return, showing the number of acres of land belonging to the Government in the Hundreds of Auckland, Onehunga, Panmure, and Howick, respectively.

Mr. Dilworth gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move for a return of all roads and public works completed and commenced but not completed, for a period of four years ending the 31st October last past; the sums spent on each work respectively and under whose superintendence; also, what roads, and what extent in miles, the roads are metalled in the Province of Auckland.

Mr. Porter brought up the report of the Dock and Harbour accommodation Committee. Report received and read, and ordered to be printed.