51

trusts, by hearty co-operation with your
Honor in affording every justice to that
district, that all desire for separation may
be speedily removed.

ADDRESS OF HIS HONOR THE
SUPERINTENDENT,
ON PROROGUING THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL,
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1860.

GENTLEMEN,—Your protracted la-
bours having now been brought to a
close, I have to intimate that I have as-
sented, on behalf of the Governor, to the
following Ordinances :—

The Board of Audit and Executive
Council Ordinance, 1860.

The Appropriation Ordinance, 1860.

The Otago Loan Bill, 1860, I have re-
served for the signification of the Gover-
nor's pleasure thereon. I regret that the
other measures to which I alluded in my
opening Address, with respect to unbranded
cattle running at large, and an electric
telegraph to Port Chalmers, have not been
passed by you. I trust, however, that at
your next session they may be placed
before you in a shape which will secure for
them a more favourable reception.

As regards the Licensing Bill, I have
received your resolutions, and will take
care to have the subject carefully matured
and framed into a Bill by your next ses-
sion. In the meantime the question will
no doubt elicit public opinion and discus-
sion, which may be useful when you come
to deal with it again.

Your resolutions respecting the Pro-
vincial Council Enlargement Bill have my
cordial approval, and a Bill will be pre-
pared, embodying the electoral districts as
recommended by you, to be submitted to
you next session.

I have also received your various reso-
lutions respecting the amendment of the
Land Regulations, and will take the
necessary steps to procure for them the
force of law. I shall in the meantime
examine the power vested in me, so as to
prevent undue speculation, pending the
decision of his Excellency the Governor
upon the proposed alterations. I have
already withdrawn from sale the whole of
the 2000-acre blocks, and have ordered
the available portion of them to be laid off
into 80-acre allotments. Ere this is ac-
complished, I hope the general question as
to price will be fixed, and in operation;
but in any case I shall continue the re-
serve until the price is fixed. Your reso-
lution respecting the plantation of Hun-
dreds in the North will be duly attended
to.

With regard to your resolution as to
steam communication on the Clutha and
Taieri Rivers, I have entered upon nego-
ciations on the strength of this resolution,
by which we may expect to have steamers
plying on these waters in about nine
months hence.

You will observe that I have placed the
various sums upon the Estimates as re-
commended by you for public works: of
course I shall take care that these and all
the other amounts voted are carefully and
economically expended.

I regret the differences of opinion which
seem to exist upon the subject of Educa-
tion, especially as they appear to have
prevented your providing a High School
for Dunedin,—a necessity which the in-
terest of the Province in its widest sense
demands, and which I had hoped would
have been provided for under the direction
and control of the Government. As a
modification of the existing Education Or-
dinance, however, will be laid before you
at your next meeting, I trust the matter
will be then more favourably entertained.

I am happy to have succeeded so speedi-
ly in forming an Executive Council, which
I trust will work harmoniously together
and with myself in promoting the best in-
terests of the Province.

It now remains for me, Gentlemen, to
declare this Council prorogued, and I do
hereby declare it to stand prorogued accor-
dingly.

RESOLUTIONS
PASSED IN THE NINTH SESSION OF THE
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL :—

ROADS.

REPORT of the Select Committee ap-
pointed to take into consideration
the requirements of the Province as to
Main Roads, and regulations for the judi-
cious expenditure of the Grants in aid of
District and other Roads :—

The Committee expresses their entire con-
currence in the Resolutions contained in the
Report on Money Grants for Roads adopted
by the Council at the last session—viz., that
the public revenue should be held applicable
in the first instance for the formation of Trunk
Roads only, and for District Roads subject to
the conditions recommended in said Report.

Your Committee recommends the formation
of the following Main Trunk Lines, viz.:—

1. The Main South Clutha Line, in the
   direction of the Village Reserve at the mouth
   of the Clutha, passing through a fine agricul-
   tural district, and necessary to the develope-
   ment of the coastal steam communication in
   that quarter. This road was recommended
   by the Chief Engineer to be placed on the
   Estimates, but omitted by an oversight.

2. The formation of a Dray Road from In-
   vercargill by Ryal Bush to the interior, which
   by the Chief Surveyor is considered the best
   and most direct mode of access to a rich agri-
   cultural district, including the unsold portion
   of the two thousand acre blocks about to be
   laid off in 80 acre sections, and by far the