PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3235, 3 July 1873, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, July 2. TIME OF MEETINGS Mr Bhown moved, " That this Council is of opinion that tho financial year should terminal" mi tho 30th September each year, instead of March 31, as at present." The motion wiih supported by Mr Lumsden and Mr Kiniiohh, on the ground that the c)j«mk« of time would greatly convenience Llin country members, who found it exceedingly difficult to travel over the roads in the winter : and oppo««d by Dr Webster, on the ground that the change would be greatly inconvenient, September being th« month in which agnculturuliHtH and those engaged in pastoral.pursuits , initiated their various operations ; and by Mr M'Lkan and Mr Bathgate, on the ground that it would clash with* the meeting of the Colonial Parliament. The Provincial Secretary had heard no good reason for altering the date of the financial year. If the motion were passed, supplies wouid have to be voted either for six months or eighteen months, which was inconvenient; but apart from that, it would be of greater inconvenience to members to attend in the spring months. The time of year in which the Council had hitherto met was a good one. There was another thing to be borne in mind : it was with regard to the framing of the Estimates and the acceptance of contracts. If the Council meeting was postponed till October, as it generally occupied Bix weeks, tHat would bring it to the middle of November; and members generally had expressed a desire that the contracts for works should be accepted before the Ist of January, which would be impossible, if the time were changed.—(Hear). The motion was simply one of those side winds in connection with the motion of the member for Blueskin, which had been negatived a short time before. He would certainly oppose it. The motion was negatived on the voices. deferred payments. Mr Stout moved— m " That in the opinion or this Council it is expedient, in order to provide for the speedy settlement of the country, that the Otago Waste Lands Act 1872, in so far as it provides that the area open for alienation by deferred payments shall not exceed 30,000 acres, and that no new block or any one now shall be opened in the same system, until at least one-half of the said block should be amended. That > there should be provided, in lieu of the provisions in the said Waste Lands Act relating to the alienation of land on deferred payments, that the area to be opened in any one year should not exceed 100,000 acres, and that there should be no limit as to quantity to be taken from any one run, nor should it be insisted on that at least one-half of the land opened for sale on the said system should be sold or leased before further land could be opened." It was unnecessary to make any lengthened remarks, because the Council had on more than one occasion affirmed the principle of his motion. In the Waste Lands Bill sent to the Assembly last year, there was no limit whatever to the quantity of land to be opened for sale on deferred payment; therefore he was not asking the Council to assert any new principle. It might be asked why the motion was brought forward ? why the Act of 1872 was not given a fair trial before asking to have it amended ? There were various reasons. One was that the Executive Superintendent, in his Address to the late Council, regretted that there was any limit to the areas placed at the disposal of the Government by the Act. Another reason was that there would be no need for Provincial legislatures if they were not to alter laws in the way they considered suited to their circumstances. The sole question was— Was the amendment necessary? and no person could read his Honor's Address without seeing that it was urgently required. What areas did the Address propose to set aside under the deferred payment system? 2,500 acres in the Tuapeka and other districts: blocks of 2,500 acres cut out of certain runs; and the result would be that only small blocks would be set aside, without grazing rights for the settlers. This should urge the Council to see that no block of land was thrown open for sale without having some grazing rights attached to it, so that new settlers could carry on farming operations with some chance of success. He also referred to the necessity of providing means of settlement for the immigrants to be brought out under the colonising scheme, and remarked that there was a danger of what had happened in Southland occurring here. Owing to the rise in wool and some other products, capital had become more plentiful, and the capitalists, seeing that the area of agricultural land was very limited, were buying up large blocks, thereby injuring the future settlement of that part of the country, because it was almost homeless for a person of limited means to contend against the capitalist. It was the duty of the State to prevent a land monopoly or the land being swallowed up, and to provide against it the Assembly had been urged to inaugurate this scheme of deferred payments, and the system should be encouraged in every possible way. It_ might be urged if the resolutions were carried, that the result would be that injury would be done to the pastoral tenants. That could not be urged as an objection, as in the first place the pastoral tenants took their leases on the understanding that if a settlement increased they must retire; while in the second, it would be a greater injury to the pastoral tenants to have small blocks taken out of their runs here and there—to have the choice spots in them picked—than to have one large area taken at once and the thing done with. Further, the provisions of the Act of 1872 did not affect the declaration of Hundreds. 18,500 acres could be taken from a run, and the remainder could be taken, if necessary, for Hundreds ; therefore his tenure would not be more secure than under the plan proposed. He did not object to the provision in that Act that before further land could be opened up one-third of the land opened up on deferred payments should be occupied. That was a guarantee to the Province that the agricultural land was not to be too readily disposed of. Unless the Act were altered in the manner he suggested the system would not be a success to the Province—(hear);—he therefore hoped that Council, if not unanimously, would pass the resolution by a large majority, so that the Assembly would feel bound to recognise the wishes of the Council. Mr M'Kbnzie seconded. Mr M'Lean only intended to express a hope that the hon. gentleman who had taken the question in hand might prove more successful than those who had preceded him. For the last five years they had had a new Land Act without even trying it; and now there appeared a new cook to prepare a fresh one. He was pretty sure that if the proposed amendment was sent up to the Assembly, there would be but one opinion entertained there : that whatever Otago legislators were fit for, they certainly were not fit to pass a land law. It wouid be better to abolish the land laws altogether than to go on getting new Acts, without -endeavoring to put them into force. Mr Shand admitted the resolutions were not i perfect; but they were good as far as they went. As the hon. member for Oamaru had stated, the act had not got a fair trial. On the Government benches werea number of gentlemen who were opposed to the Act in its entirety, | and his candid belief was they wished to make it a failure. It would never be near a success until the Council placed on the benches the party that passed the measure through the Council, and forced it on the Assembly. # That was the reason why ne had given notice of motion of want of confidence, so that they might teat their strength, and see if they had power to give that Act a trial. Dr Webster meant to oppose the motion, for the reason adduced by the last speaker, namely, that the present Land Act had not had a fair trial. Whether the last speaker was right in saying that the present Government had prevented its having a fair trial, he was not prepared to say. He did not think they had; but he thought it was perfectly absurd for them to be making laws every year, and sending up amendments to the Assembly before giving them a fair trial, Regarding the small area that could be opened under the deferred payment system, he said—One tenth of the pastoral land was fit for occupation at the present time, The Government could throw open from 2,500 to 5,000 in one run, and if additional land were required, could select a like quantity from adjoining runs. This could be done on most runs throughout the Province, and so in a great measure could the objection to small areas be removed. He would not b'e opposed to increasing the area from 30,000 to 100,000 acres, provided after the first year's trial it was proved that the larger portion of the 30.000 had been taken up for settlement Let the Act be worked as it is; let it be carried out in its true spirit, and let them set apart agricultural land on which people could settle and make something out of it; then the Council would be doing justice to themselves, and some good to the country. Mr Bkowne was astonished that the hon. member for CaYerebaw f&ouW come forward

with an amendment of the LancLA«i-at snob A time. He would move as an amendment on his resolutions, " That in the Opinion of this Council it is inexpedient to attempt to amend the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872, until the said Act has had a legitimate trial.' Mr M'Glashan seconded the amendment. He was quite sure that if the resolutions should he passed, and go up to the Assembly they would be spurned. It took two years to pass the present Land Act, and he knew that the feeling that existed was very much averse to passing the Act, owing to the fact that there had been so many Waste Lands Bills from Otago. Messrs Wood, WrLSON, and LuMSDEN supported the motion. Mr M'Dermid said the Government intended to carry out the Act, both in its letter and spirit. Ke*claimed to have been the "first to introduce the deferred payment system, in 1869 -(cries of "No ")—and remembered when Mr Shepherd introduced resolutions on the same subject, they were opposed by Mr Eeid and the party that acted with him—(cries of « No »)_whtle Mr Reid's Government, by a side-wind, prevented them being discussedHe (Mr M'Dermid) thought there ought to be no limit to the area to be thrown open, and would go even further than the resolution and support a measure for increasing the acreage to be held by one person, from 200 to 320 or 640 a ol * B * , , ~ .. The Hon. Major Richabdsos asked if the Government would favor the House with an expression of opinion on the subjeci of toe motion. Mr Tolmie said that there was no occasian for him, as representing the Government, to say anything upon the original motion, because, as an hon. member had already stated, his cfonor the Superintendent in his Address had expressed his opinion as to the requirements of the country with regard to blo3ks of land for the deferred payments system. His Honor, in that statement, had reflected the opinions of the Government ; therefore he thought it would be well to allow the resolutions of the hon. member for Caversham to pass, and to withdraw the amendment. The motion was then carried. SOUTHLAND LAND REGULATIONS. On the motion of Mr Lumsden, followed by a short debate, the following resolutions were carried :—" Ist. That this Council with the concurrence of his Honor the .Superintendent, and in terms of clause 16 of the Southland Waste Lands Act, 1865, that blocks of agricultural land, amounting in the aggregate to at least 200,000 acres, be set apart in that part of the Province comprised within the late Province of Southland, as a Reserve for the purpose of promoting emigration tobonafide settlement and public works in that district; and that with the view of making a judicious selection of such lands only as are suited for agricultural purposes, the Superintendent be requested to appoint Commissioners to make such selection; and the Council recommends that two of such Commissioners should be the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Inspector of ! Surveys in the district. 2nd. That the said lands be disposed of from time to time for occupation on the plan of deferred payments only, as already adopted under the 'Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872.' 3rd.. That this Council considers it expedient that the ' Southland Waste Lands Aet, 1865,' be amended so as to provide for the discontinuance of the system of free selection, and the application of the plan of deferred payments, in the disposal of the remaining unsold agricultural lands within the Southland district: And that with the view of giving effect to this and the foregoing resolutions, his Honor the Superintendent be requested to introduce a BL'l into the General Assembly at its next session to amend the ' Southland Waste Lands Act, 1865,' accordingly." |road repairs. MrM'KENZiE moved, "That the Government be instructed to take immediate steps to put the Main North Road and the north interior roads in a passable state of repair." The Secretary for Works said he deeply sympathised with the objects of the motion, and that he fully bore out the remarks made regarding the deplorable state of these roads. As a matter of course, the blamtfwould be laid on the late Government. However, he had to inform them that the Government had not only spent the money voted for this purpose, but they had actually gone the length of expending money upon it which had not been voted. The late Executive had actually taken upon itself to spend a sum of LI.OOO in excess of the amount > voted, so that they had actually done more than the Council authorised them to do. Metal h§d been ordered for these roads, and would b,e put; down as fast as possible. In reference to a remark made by the move? of the motion, that the coach had been detained that night to eight o'clock, he had only to state that much more serious delays took place on some of the other roads, delays arising from the bad state of these roads. The Tuapeka coach from the Dunstan last winter not unfrequently arrived just in time to allow passengers to jump into the Dunedin coach, having been detained all night on the road. In matters of road making the Council should bear in mind that the Government had exceptional difficulties to contend with. They had from seventeen to eighteen hundred miles of made road to maintain. To put them in thorough repair a sum of at least L5G0.000 would be required. Now, they must be aware that the Government had not money at its command to do all that at once. The Government had done all it could do, and it could not be expected to do more. The motion was put and carried. THE ADVERTISING SHEET. Mr Fish moveoV, " That in future all adververtisements, calling for tenders or intimating the sale of land, should be inserted in the newEpapers." He said that at the present time the Government was in the habit of advertising in the Gazette slieet only. It was true the Gazette was supplied gratis, but he toqk leav§ Jk> think that despite that fact it was far from being extensively perused. The result was that sufficient publicity was not given to public advertisements, and serious loss was occasioned thereby—a lossi far beyond any gain arising from the charges saved by the sheet. On the suggestion of Messrs Stout and Sumpter, the motion was amended by the addition of the words "papers published in the localities referred to by the advertisement, as also the Dunedin papers." Mr Reid did not agree with the estimate placed on the value of the advertising sheet. It was a fa2t within his knowledge that it was extensively circulated and carefully perused, The proposal to advertise in the newspapers would involve an enormous expenditure far in excess of what members contemplated. . Then there was a difficulty-about what really constituted a paper published in the district. He thought the present arrangement perectly satisfactory—advertisements were inserted at length in the sheet, and a short notice put in the district papers calling attention to the sale, and referring to the sheet for detailed parti-' culars. The Provincial Secretaray concurred in the opinions expressed by the last speaker, after which the motion was withdrawn. • deferred payments. Mr Shand moved—" Ist. That all that area of lend within the Province of Otago, as per plan attached, and therein colored green and numbered, be withdrawn from sale, for the purpose of being placed under deferred payments as required. 2nd. That a Commission, consisting of the Hon. Major Richardson, Mr Driver, - Dr Webster, and (with their consent) the mover, along with the Acting-Surveyor (Mr M'Kerrow), be appointed to report, during the recess, on the within runs, as to the necessity • or advisability of selling part of such runs, not agricultural land, for the payment of railways within the Province. 3rd. That the Provincial Government be authorised, as'soon as possible, to call for tenders for the immediate construction of the railway between Bafclutha and Ma/ taura. The railway to be offered to the' General Government, should they be prepared to take the contracts up." ?;.,, [The following are the runs" referred to in the foregoing motion:—Run 111, M'Nab's, 54,600 acres ; 131, M'lntyre's, 32,600; 175b, Ibboteon, say 10,000 suitable for settlement; 167 a, Larnach, 21,400, of which 7*ooo is surveyed into sections; part of 78, Tolmie, 5,000, of which 3,000 is already sanctioned; 167b, M'lntyre's, 21,400; 168, M r Kenzies, 17,000, of thisl,oooacres are in sections: 176 a, Logan's 23,000, less 11,000, 12,000. The 11,000 acres were recently purchased by Mr Logan in December, 1873. Part of 212, Herbert, Bay 8,000 suitable for settlement; part of 163, M'Kellar's, late Schlotel, and part of 178, say B,ooosuitable for settlement: part of 193, Swanston, and part of 194, M'KeUar, say 10,000 suitable for settlement. Grand total, 200,000. The whole of this 200,000 acres is well adapted for farms ranging from 100 up to, say, 1,000 acres each—the smaller for dairying and cultivation; the larger for farms partly arable and partly pastoral.] Mr Shand said the land was situated on either side of the Southern Trunk Railway, Invercargill and Balclutha, and was the "best unsold portion of agricultural land in the Province. If they were going to dispose of land under the deferred payments system, that was the best place where settlement would get a fair trial. He, also trusted that along with the land, a railway would also be at tto command • ■■'■•' ''••"'

of the settlers there; that before the crops were grown there would be a railway to transport them to market If the motion were carried, he would some day prove to the citizens of Dunedin that neither himself nor those who worked with him were obstructionists, for this land was capable of maintaining a population as large as that settled in the Province at the present time. Mr M'Nbil said he had very much pleasure in seconding the motion. It was, he thought, a step in the right direction, having a tendency towards accomplishing the double object of settling an industrious population on the waste lands, and inducing a steady flow of immigration. It had always been his impression that the best immigration agents were those letters which conveyed to friends at Home the word "pictures of a happy Colonial homeji" and he was very much afraid that the facilities offered for forming Buch homes had been too limited hitherto. With a great part of the country embraced in the motion he was well acquainted, and could speak with the utmost confidence of its suitability for the purpose for which it was sought to be set aside. Of course it could hardly be expected that the whole area of 200.000 acres would be well adapted for strictly agricultural purposes, and therefore he thought the appointment of the Commission, for the purpose of determining the nature and capabilities of the various runs, with the views set forth in the motion, very desirable. As to the desirability of providing for the immediate construction of the railway between Balclutfaa and Mataura, he apprehended there would be no two opinions. The necessity would commend itself. For these reasons the motion would have his cordial support. The Provincial Secretary asked under what clause of the Land Act the land was proposed to be taken ? Mr Shand did not know that power was required under any clause of the Act. He did not wish to leave a Government in power which on some future day might, at a small Executive meeting, agree to sell 20,000 acres of this land. He wished tke wkolo of it to be reserved. The Provincial Secretary : I merely wish to know if the Provincial Council has power to make the reserve ? The Hon. Major Richardson : The Provincial Secretary has raised a question. I think he has the power to consult the Provincial Solicitor, and can get the best answer from that quarter.—(Laughter.) r PvEiD was amazed at the action of the Government in regard to this matter—amazed that they should have met a motion involving the disposal of 200,000 acres by a mere quibble. The reservation did not require tg»be made under any clause, but could be made, if the Government* wished to make it, in the same way that they reserved the land applied for by Messrs Smith and Gellibrand. Where was the great scheme for conneuting the Mataura and Clutha railways propounded in his Honor's Address last session ? He would have expected the Government to have come down and either said "we approve of these resolutions: they agree with our views in regard to the construction of this railway;" or "we cannot support them because they entirely interfere with the scheme for the construction of this railway already considered by the Executive." Instead of that, the Government mind was an utter blank; at all events, if they had any ideas they were precious careful about themf The Provincial Secretary remarked that, had the hon. member for the Taieri been in his place that afternoon, he would have heard the Goldfields Secretary give notice of a motion indicating the course the Government intended to take in regard to connecting the Clutha and Mataura railways. He did not rise to oppose the resolution ; on the contrary, they embodied to a certain extent the views of the Government. The resolutions were not in proper shape, and the first one was unintelligible. It was customary in such cases to move that an Address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to withdraw, &c. In regard to the motion itself, it was the intention of the Government, as he had already indicated, to bring forward a measure by which the railway conld be constructed, and to reserve certain lands from sale. Mr Shand had said that these lands were open for sale now; but he was neither aware that such was the case, nor by what means they had been thrown open for Bale. Mr Rbid was not aware that any portion of the land was open for sale. His own opinion was that very little of it was open. The Provincial Secretary was not aware that a single acre of it was open. As he had already stated, he did not intend to oppose the resolutions, as they were the same thing the Government contemplated, only in a different form. He did not think it necessary to say anything further. The appointment of a Commission was harmless ; and as to the construction of the railway, the Government resolution went further than those of Mr Shand, as it defined the limit to which the Government should go in the matter ©f the construction of the line.