Friday, May 3, 1872. The Speaker took the chair at five o’clock. Present : The Provincial Secretary, the Provincial Solicitor, Hunter, Masters, Hutchi son, Morgan, Thynne, Fagan, Taylor, Seager, Andrew, Crawford, Dransfield, Pearce, A. Milne, Watt, Burt, Brandon, llenall, and W. S. Milne. PETITION. Mr [DRANSFIELD presented a petition from the settlers and inhabitants of the dis trict lying between the Manawatu River and Paikakarika praying for a readjustment of the electoral districts of the province so as to con stitute that district an electoral district. Mr HUTCHISON presented a petition from Samuel Vincent, of Wanganui, praying for a grant of sixty acres of land on the terms usually allowed to discharged soldiers. Mr THYNNE presented a petition from Henry Phillips, a storekeeper of Palmerston, praying the Council to consider his case. The petitioner had built upon a piece of unsur veyed land at Palmerston, and had been ejected under an order of the Provincial Secretary, by which he had been subjected to considerable expense. RETURNS. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY laid upon the table a returnof the several amounts of money paid to the road boards of the province ; also a return of the quantity of land surveyed in the Wangaehu district. LUNATIC ASSYLUM. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the Lunatic Asylum Commissioners, which was read and ordered to bo printed. COST OE POLICE. MrDRANSFIELDmoved for a return ofthe police force within the boundaries of the city of Wellington for the year 1871. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY laid the return on the table. PUBLICANS AND AUCTIONEERS LICENSES. Mr DRANSFIELD moved for a return ofthe amount received for licenses granted to pub licans and auctioneers in the city of Welling ton for the year 1871. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY laid the return on the table. WANGANUI PREEMASONS. Mr WATT introduced a bill intituled, “An Act to authorize the Superintendent to sell a a piece of land in Wanganui to the Free masons,” which was read a first time and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday. WANGANUI ODD PELLOAVB. Mr WATT inti*oduced a bill intituled, “ An Act to authorize the Superintendent to sell a piece of land in Wanganui to tho Odd Fellows,” which was read a first time and ordered to bo read a second time on Tuesday. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE. 