PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2384, 22 November 1870, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

This Day. At this afternoon's sitting Air Hay presented a petition from William Hall, paying that enquiry might. be made into the circumstances of his dismissal from the public service ; and Mr Alain presented a petition from David Ross, architect, praying the House to take into consideration the professional services given by tho petitioner to the Province, which services have never been acknowledged by the Province. Both petitions were received. In answer to Air Shepher I the Government stated that they cuild give no definite reply as to when the telegraph will bo extended to Arrowtown. and a station established there. Tho only information the Government possessed was contained in a letter from the Colonial Secrotary, dated June 10th, in which the Superintendent was informed that a sum would be placed on the next, estimates for thework. Much to Mr Shepherd’s annoyance, Mr Haughton explained that he hid in tcrested in the matter, and that he was now in a position to state that tho work had been sanctioned by the Colonial Government, that the erection of the building would bo proceeded with, and a station erected during the summer. In answer to other questions, Government stated that since last session fifty-one contracts for the maintenance of roads had been lot, the number of miles included in such contracts being 101 ij. That the Government had been in correspondence with the General Government with regard to the erection of a courthouse at Cromwell. The General Government were about to erect post and telegraph offices there, and it had been suggested by the Provincial Government that it would be desirable while erecting those bandings to erect the court house in connection with them. The p'ans woald be prepared by the Colonial architect, and the buildings erected at no very remote period under the superintend cnee of the Provincial authorities. That it was impo slide to say when the Clyde gold robbery r ward would !)■’ mid. It was offered uud r certain condijjrms—viz., that whoever might do the means of brin i g the robbers to ju tice, and of secnrL g their convicdon, would he entitled to the reward. But so far as the information possessed by the Government up to the present time went, although many individuals had in a praiseworthy manner assisted the police to the utmost in obtaining the conviction of the robber, still none of them were in a position to claim the reward. It might 1)0 a question whether one or two who acted more energetically than the others were not worthy of some slight consideration for their loss of time. —That 37 road districts had applied for an acreage rate, and 35 had applied for a rate on annual value.— Tho Government were prepared to lay on the table all correspondence relating to the admission of cattle into the Canterbury Province ; and that the Chief Inspector had been instructed to proceed forthwith to that part of the Province alleged to be infected witfi pleuro, and make enquiries—That the Government bad no official information from the General Government, as to the probable commencement of the Waitaki bridge; and the Government would no steps towards urging its construction under the present scheme of tho Colonial Government, —That the Government had received no written offers for the construction of a railway from Invercargill to Mataura, but the Government was quite prepared to accept any reasonable offer. They could not, however, accept any proposal for payment in land ; such a proposal would have to be laid before the Council. Tho Provincial Solicitor laid on the tabic bills to extend the provisions of the Otago Education and Roads Ordinances to Southland, and they were read a first time. The debate on Mr Shepherd’s land resolutions was resumed.