PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2619, 10 July 1871, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tins Day. The principal business at this afternoon’s sitting was the consideration of tUe following resolutions, moved by Mr Cargill“ Ist. Tint in the prospect of extensive Railway and other public works being undertaken within the Province, under the Public .Vorks and Immigration Act, 1870, it is desirable that means may be adopted to promote such a healthy flow of immigration into the Province from Europe as will prevent undue disturbance of the labor market, and secure the utmost benefit in the way of settlement of population in connection with the expenditure on said works. 2nd. That an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent requesting him to obtain the aid of the Agent General of the Colony in sending out under the provision of the said Act, such emigrants as shall be selected from time to time by the home agents of the Province, under the instructions of the Erovincial Government, eras shall receive passage orders issued in the Province. 3rd. That every possible encouragement be given! to parties in the Province desiring to bring but the r friends from Europe, and that means Pc taken to circulate information throughput the country as to the terms upon which -age orders may be obtained.” The Provincial Secretary said |Mr Cargill was entitled to the thanks of the Council for bringing che matter forward in a proper form. It was true that if the Province was to delve advantage from- -in fact hold our own against the large debt it would give rise to—ihe loan, we must introduce a suitable number aud a suitable class of immigrants. But it the same time it was a matter of difficulty that this duty should be discharged in che maimer indicated by the motion ; and in die consideration of the subject there was required more than the usual amount of carefulness and deliberation. Although it vas true that they were about to enter upon the construction of largo public works ; it was very difficult to arrive at the extent to which these works would be the means of providing profitable employment on their arrival, to the immigrants ■hat might be induced to come put, because the mere knowledge that the Cplony was about to enter upon those works would be means of inducing persons to come from the Australian Colonies, aud when the immigrants arrived it might be found that the labour market was overstocked. This probable event must be kept in mind by the Government; aud on the other hand it was its duty to endeavour to secure such an increase of population as -would tend to equalise the rate of expenditure as compared with th-j revenue of the country, aud to secure this in such a way as to provide facicities to enable those immigrants who could not all find profitable employment to be in a position to take up the waste lauds of the Crown, and provide themselves with homes on which they could to a certain extent be independent of the labor market. Referring t»the unemployed agitatiou that hadjb een going on, he thought that difficulty might be somewhat obviated by the Government keeping over certain works, such as road extension, until the winter months. Notwithstanding the objections urged against immigration, lie found that the Province bad not done its duty iu this respect during the last four years. In 1868 there came into the Province 214 males, 183 females: iu 1860, 262 males, 232 females ; iu 1870, 312 males, 272 females; and up to June, 1871, 280 males, 228 females. He believed it might be advisable to introduce females free ; and thought the General Government should insist upon Provinces charging a uniform rate for passage money; the objections to Napier char dug L 5 as that Province desired, and Ota.o LG, being obvious. Mr Hutcheson’s obj ct ou to going into the question before a liberal. land law' was passed, revived the laud que.tion, which furnished Mr Barton with another opportunity at tilting at hie red The r«<

solutions were adopted on the voices, Mr M‘Arthur giving notice of his intention to propose to-morrow a resolution affirming the desirability of appointing as emigration agents in Britain persons well acquainted with the pastoral and agricultural pursuits of the Colony. GOLDFIELDS ADMINISTRATION. The committee appointed to consider the above subject have reported as follows “Your committee having considered the question of the administration of the goldheld?, with the view of suggesting means whereby it may be placed on a more efficient and economical basis, have the honor to report that, owing to the scattered nature of the mining population, the comparatively large revenue paid by them, and the conflicting demands of the various small centres of population to have Government officials stationed in their midst, this question is surrounded with some considerable difficulty. Your committee are, however, of opinion that the necessity for maintaining the present 1 rge staff of officials upon the goldfields would be very much obviated, and at the same time the wants of the raining populations better attended, were arrangements made by the Government to enable tbe police officers, in those parts of the goldfields where wardens or gold receivers are not stationed, to receive applications and to issue miners rights business licenses, &c. The committee are further of opinion that, if this suggestion was given effect to, the grievances of which the petitioners complain would be remedied ; whilst such placi s as St. Bathans, Macraes, Waitahuna, Waipori, Alexandra, and the Arrow, could otherwise be attended to by periodical visits of the wardens or gold receivers from the head-quarters of the.r respective districts. Your committee are also of opinion that it is unnecessary to create a now warden’s district wilh head-quarters at Blacks, but would recommend that bt Bathans should continue a part of Mr V\ arfien Robinson’s district, and that Blacks and Drybread remain a portion of the district under the charge of the warden at Clyde. They also believe that the growing in portance of Cromwell demands that an officer should be appointed to take charge of that district, acting in the double capacity oi warden an I goldfislds receiver ; and w ou.d suggest that the gentleman whom it is reported to appoint as warden at Blacks should be sent to Cromwell, thus saving the expense entailed by the warden at Clyde travelling once a week to Cromwell, and also giving him more time to attend to the icquirements of the other parts of his dis trict. Your committee would not as a rub: recommend that wardens should be changed periodically, but they that ulicic a general feeling of dissatisfaction exists on the part of the inhabitants of a district with the warden, it would be advantageous to the interests of the pnblic service, and more satisfactory to the officer himself, if he was removed to another locality ; but they must express their dissent from the recommendation of the Mining Commission, that wardens should be changed at least once every three years, as if that recommendation was given effect to every officer whose services were worth retaining would leave the seivice; but, irrespective of this consideration, your committee deem it inadvisable that wardens should be changed except in specie] cases, as their knowledge of the various claims and also of the character of the inhabitants within their respective districts, enable them to deal more satisfactorily with the cases brought before them. Your committee deem it (heir duty to urge upon the Government to fix tbe days and hours of attendance by tbe wardens and other officers at the several places under their charge, public notice to be given of such days and hoars ; and in the event of non-attendance of any warden or officer, the reason therefor to be officially forwarded to the Government; and in the case of any anticipated absence, every precaution should, be taken to give public notice of tbe same. They would also urge the desirability of tbe wardens visiting the outlying portions of their districts with greater frequency. Vour com mittee would further rcoomaiymi that, wi. practicable, the' Executive roeomimml to i i:«.• Governor the appointment of one or nn-ie gentlemen to the commission of the peace in and adjacent to the centres of population where there are no magistrates already appointed, as they believe that in no other way can the inconvenience that exists as regards the issuing of summonses, &c., be satisfactorily dea't with ; and they further believe it is expedient in some districts to appoint acting clerks to the bench at a small salary, who might summon es in the absence of the R.M.—such summonses to be returnable to the place where issued, and be heard before the H.M. at a time Ereviously fixed. Your committee have also ad under their consideration the expediency of dispensing with the services of the bailiff upon the goldfields wilh the view of recommending that the police should perform their duties, but having examined Mr Commissioner Weldon, they sre piianimously of opinion iyere this carried ipto effect it \fould interfere with the discipline of the police force, would also tend to destroy the good feeling which exists between the police and the public, and would really be no appreciable saving. Under these circumstances they cannot recommend that any change should be made.”