PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 85, 27 June 1871, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

—o— 1 (Abridged from the Times.) \ FRIDAY, JUNE 10. 1 The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at 2 < o'clock. ' OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. ' Petitions condemnatory of the system of Public Education at present existing in Otago ( were presented : By Mr Shepherd, from Ro- j man Catholic inhabitants of Blacks ; by MiBastings, from Roman Catholic inhabitants of Tuapeka; by Mr Hickey, from Roman Catholic inhabitants of Cromwell; and by MiArmstrong, from Roman Catholic inhabitants of St. Bathans. ft WATER SUPPLY. lie Speaker read the following message (NoV 7) from His Honor:—"The Superintentwnt submits for the consideration of the Provincial Council the advisability of recommending such a modification of the ' Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870,' as that a portion of the loan authorised to be exponded on Water Supply on the Goldfields may be diverted towards the construction of sludge-channels and other works necessary for the development of the Goldfields—such, for example, as at Naseby, where mining operations must very soon cease, and one of the most productive goldfields collapse unless a suitable sludge-channel is provided." SETTLEMENT IN GOLDFIELDS DISTRICTS. Mr Bastings moved—" That in the opinion of this Council, in order to encourage settlement in populous Goldfields districts, the Government of the day should cancel any Runs fit for settlement in close proximity to the same, and throw them open under the agricultural lease system." The honourable member remarked, in support of his motion, that if something were not done in the direction indicated, people, instead of coming into the country to help them to bear the burdens imposed by the Colonial Government, would leave the country. It was folly to send money out of the country to induce immigrants, when already there were people here who possessed money and were anxious to settle in the country if reasonable opportunities of doing so were afforded them. He wished to call attention to the results of the cancella- _ tion of certain runs. There had been cancolled 90,000 acres, commencing from Table Hill, as far as Lawrence, which were occupied. The population of Tuapeka was about 5000. Run 137, held by Mr Maclean, consisted of 30,000 acres, from which there was derived as rent by the Government £1.78 per annum. Run 108 consisted of 10,000 acres, and the rent obtained amounted to £175 per annum. Run 123 consisted of 28,240 acres, and the amount of rent paid per annum was £ W3 103. The total amount of rent paid was £315 10s, and the total number of acres 05,210. Out of that there were 22,000 acres lit for agricultural purposes and settlement. Again, there were 45,000 head of cattle, 00 horses, and 17,000 sheep running in the Tuapeka district, from which the country derived a revenue of £1293 16s Bd, £378 Gs Sd in excess of the sum derived as rent from the runs. It had been said that there was a desire to tike land from the pastoral tenants of the Crown merely with a view to settle another class of squatters upon it; that statement, however, had been made without foundation. The land in respect of which the sum of £1293 16s 8d was received, belonged to 297 settlers, all of whom were holders of agricultural leases. Since those runs had been thrown open, there had been no less than 500 applications for agricultural leases. There were 10,000 acres now leased in the district, witli 7902 acres under cultivation. That fact alone was sufficient to justify the Government in cancelling runs in populous districts. Besides, a large profit would thereby accrue to the Crown. This matter had occupied the attention of the people whom ho represented for a long time past. Five years ago a petition was sent to the Superintendent, asking that certain runs should be cancelled, and had that request boon granted, there would have been at the present time 30,000, instead of 10,000, acres under cultivation ; and people who had gone to the Fijis, New Caledonia, and other places, because they could not acquire proper facilities for settlement, would have remained and spent in the province the money which they took away from it. He could mention thirty persons at least who came to the district poor men, but who by industry and perseverance accumulated money ; men who had families, whom they were desirous of settling in Otago ; but in the absence of sufficient inducement to remain, they had gone elsewhere. He also thought that rather than take from a run 16,000 acres, and thereby render the remainder almost useless to the runholder, they should take the whole, and give compensation. Mr Reid said he thought that few honourable members could refuse to support the motion as a general principle. At the same time he was not aware that much would be gained by affirming such a motion. It was already recognised as desirable that the pastoral leases of land contiguous to populous districts should bo cancelled. The extent to which this system had been carried out, had been somewhat limited, because of the want of money required for compensation or on accogrt of the area of land fit for settlement, amJ-ffl** some cases because for the improvements 'made compensation more than the Government considered they would be justified in paying was asked. When the estimates were placed before honourable members, it would bo seen that the amounf of revenue likely to be placed at the disposal of the Government during the ensuinp year would be required for the construction of works in their respective districts, and

that a very small margin would be left to pay the compensation necessary to enable land to be thrown open. It would be advisable, however, for the Government and the Conn- a cil to ascertain whether by some means they v could manage to ensure a plentiful supply of <; land for settlement throughout the province ; because, if it were ultimately found that they could not redeem land required for that pur- * pose, then one of their first functions would f have come to an end. 1 The motion was put and carried. c MONDAY, JUNE 19. \ The Hon. the Speaker took the Chair at . two o'clock. ST. BATHANS. l Mr Mervyn presented a petition from cer- * tain residents at St. Bathans, demurring to j the closing of the Receiver and Warden's ! c office at St. Bathans ; also, to the removal of j f Mr H. A. Stratford. ( OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. | j Mr Haughton presented a petition from j., Roman Catholic residents at Queenstown and the Lakes district, objecting to the educa- j . tional system of the province. ] Mr Clark presented a petition from Roman i Catholic residents at Tokomairiro to the same i effect. j THE DUNSTAN DISTRICT. ( Mr Shepherd presented a petition from residents in the Blacks and Drybread di- j vision of the Dunstan district, praying that a Supreme Court or District Court in its ex- '• tended jurisdiction should be established at 1 Clyde, and also that a gaol should be erected, i COURT HOUSe AND GAOL AT CLYDE. Mr Shepherd moved—"That the Petition;; of the residents at Blacks and Drybread, i ■ praying that a Court House and Gaol' be established at Clyde, as the centre of thej Dunstan district, be referred to the Government." Mr G. F. C. Browne seconded. Mr Reid pointed out that the difficulty which existed would not be remedied by adopting that course. Only a limited sum of money was placed at the disposal of the Government, and the Government could not j undertake to place sums on the estimates to meet this and other similar requests made. The motion was carried. MR WILLIAM SMITHAM. Mr Shepherd moved—" That the petition of William Smitham, and report of the - Select Committee on Private Petitions thereon, be referred to the Government, with instructions that they give effect to such report." The motion was carried. AGRICULTURAL SETTLEMENT WITHIN GOLDFIELDS. Mr Shepherd moved —"Ist. That blocks of land withdrawn at any one time from the 1 pastoral runs, for agricultural settlement ; within Goldfields, shall not exceed in extent > 20,000 acres. 2nd. Th t when such blocks of land are withdrawn, same shall be open 1 to selection, under the Goldfields Agricultural Leasing Regulations only. 3rd. That • the grazing rights of the pastoral tenants over the blocks of land so withdrawn shall, in all cases, be extinguished. 4th. That the ' unoccupied portion of such blocks shall be a j ; commonage for the use of settlers on such blocks, and residents in the district where ' such blocks shall have been withdrawn." Mr Shepherd, in reply to Mr Ciuten, : denied that the provisions to be found in his resolutions were embraced by the Goldfields Act of 1838. The Government bad eon--1 tributed something towards the Hundreds 1 system, but ho wanted to get something for ! the Goldfields ; he, in fact, wanted to facili- > tate settlement there. k The motion was carried. THE LAND RESOLUTION-;. Mr Cutten's motion—"That the Land ' Resolutions, as agreed to in Committee and j reported to the Council on June 13, be adopted,"—was carried. j TUESDAY, JUNE 20. i The Hon. the Speaker took the Chair at i two o'clock. I THE COLD ROBBERY AT CLYDE. Mr Sumpter's motion— "That the Report i of the Commissioner appointed to make enquiries with reference to the Reward for the ' discovery of the perpetrators of the Gold Robbery at Clyde, be printed,"—was lost. t, ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOLDFIELDS. > Mr Mervyn moved —"That the petition 1 of the inhabitants of St. Bathans, in referY ence to the appointment of a trustworthy ! person to issue miners' rights, &c, be re- :- ferred to a Select Committee to consider the o whole question of the administration of the tl Goldfields, with the view of suggesting - means whereby the administration may bo y placed on a more efficient and economical ~ basis ; said Committee to consist of Mr Speaker (with his consent), Messrs Ilaugh- •- ton, Hickey, Bastings, G. F. C. Browne, e and the Mover, and to report in fourteen e days."—Carried. C THE DUNSTAN DISTRICT. »s Mr Shepherd moved—"That the petition i- of 191 residents in the Dunstan district, s praying that the sittings of the Supremo o Court for the Northern Goldfields shall be d held, and a gaol built, at Clyde (it being the it centre of the Northern Goldfield), be ron ferred to the Government." '•, Mr Hickey moved as an amendment, — i- "That the petition of 101 residents in the e Dunstan district, and also the petitions from i- Alexandra and Cromwell, praying that sitti- ings of the Supreme Court for the Northern i- Goldfields should be held, and a gaol built, it in one or other of said districts, bo referred 5- to the Committee appointed to enquire into g the administration of the Goldfields." n The amendment was carried, and the mod fcion, as amended, wai adopted.