OPENING OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Dunstan Times, Issue 237, 9 November 1866, Page 2

OPENING OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

SUPERINTENDENT'S SPEECH. ~~ ft BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH [FROM OUR OWN CORK ESI'OX DENT. ] Dunedin, StliNov., 7.30 p.m. Great Fire at Christchurch. Five Buildings totally destroyed. Lost L 35,000. 'Sydney Morning Herald' says that the Victorian Government have stated their willingness to support the Panama Mail Service. Wellington, 11 a.in. Ambush was lately laid for the Governor. He escaped by passing another way. The Melbourne Exhibition was opened on the 24th ultimo. EUXZDIK. The Provincial Council was opened on Tuesday. All the Members were present. The Superintcndants address was well received, he said as follows : Mr Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Provincial Covnoil,—ln meeting you on the present occasion, I have to congratulate you on the possession of a suitable place for your deliberations. You have refrained from "expending any money for this purpose hitherto, feeling that however important it was for the Provincial Council of Otago to have a" fixed place of meeting, there were other undertakings which should first meet with your attention, and it is worthy of note, that upwards of a million of money had been expended upon Public Works, before the building in which your are now assembled was commenced. Nevertheless, the draw upon our resources caused by the increased expenditure. f the General Government revenues, the finances of the Province, so far as they are within our own control, are in a satisfactory conditio). The Territc rial revenue for the past year has been considerably in exasi of the sum anticipated; and has enabled me to undertake nearly all the. Public Works authorised at jour last The Land Bill of last session is now in operation and it will, I trust, not only be found advantageous as a means of increasing the r, - venue, but more especially facilitating the per. manent and satisfactory settlement of population in the Province. An Act has been passed consolidating the previous Act, containing provisions which, it is hoped, will have a tending to develope our resources and encourage industry. I regret that owing to the difficulty found by our home Agents in obtaining female emigrants all the money voted for the object has not been expended, A proposition was introduced into the Assembly to reduce the export duty on gold, but was finally withdrawn ; as it is a question which more concerns the Provinces than the General Government, I consider that as far as it affects Otago you are better qualified to judge the propriety of such a measure than the Assembly would'have been. I have therefore to request your consideration of the subject so that when the question is again introduced into the Assembly, the view of one of the Provinces most .deeply interested may be known. Special resolutions upon the subject will be brought before you, and I trust that you will see your way to recommend, at no distant date, a reduction of the export duty on gold. A Bill to equalise the rates of toll levied on roads will be laid before you. Tho consolidation of tho Ordinances is becoming a matter of urgent importance in consequence of the many amendments which have been passed and I would recommend the subject for your consideration. The Municipalities created in virtue of the Ordinance of last session, are now in full operation; they have received the initiatory grants voted by you, and I now have to ask you to vote a further sum in accordance with the same Ordinance, to supplement the rates which these Municipalities propose to levy. The legislation of the (ieneral Assembly during its last session, has been of a character, which calls for your earnest deliberation, as it has a tendency if persisted in, to place Provincial Governments in a position of dependence which will materially interfere with the performance of the duties devolving upon them: and which does not appear to have been contem - plated under the provisions of the Constitution Act. The Provincial Audit Act passed last Ses J sion, takes from the Provinces all control over their own auditor; making him responsible to the General Government instead of the Provincial Councils. The report of the Commissioners to enquire into the position of the property vested under the original Otago scheme for Religious and Educational purposes appointed in accordance with an Act of last Session, will bo laid before you. The Otago Dock Trust created by the Otago Dock Trust Ordinance, 1565. has commenced operations, and will, I trust, succeed in constructing the valuable and important works it has undertaken. Being on the eve of a dissolution, the estimates have been prepared for only six months on this occasion, but as this interferes seriously with the arrangements for the carrying out of Tublic Works, it will bo for you to consider how far this circumstance : should be allowed to influence the acceptance of contracts which may extend over a longer period. I now declare this Council ar-sembled 'for the despatch of business.