PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3252, 23 July 1873, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, July 22.

questions, q reply to questions, the Government said effect of the contract with the Henley EsCompany, to put a bridge over the Taieri er, was, that only the ordinary tolls should jWged. If anything in excess had been ged, the arrangement made with the Goment had been violated, and inquiry would Dade.— Suitable emigrants were accepted out regard to country.—No decision had cpme to re declaring the Crown TerArrow, a commonage. —Application had made to the General Government, in order the proclamations of the Traquair Hunmight be validated by Act, and also in ct of other Hundreds, —Crown grants had applied for the 2,800 acres reserved for reion at West Hawkesbury, but were reV GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. b, Goleields Skckktary moved that Goaent business take precedence for the refer of the session. The motion had been at the request of several members who anxious to get to Wellington. The Sutendeut also wished to get there as soon as )le, I motion was negatived by 18 against 16. UI’BEK HOUSE HEFOM3J. M'Glashan moved his resolution afnnnhe desirability of a reconstruction of the lative Council, it to be an elective instead lominuted body; and added that the resoshould be forwarded to the Speaker hj Houses, with an expression of ojiiuion the measure of reform should emanate the Legislative Council. Oliver, in seconding the motion pro , said he had intended to move as an on “ And that his Honor the Superintenne requested to send down an Ordinance c effect to this resolution,” His first inn had been to propose, “ That in the m of this Council the present Constitution gland is old and out of date, and it is de--8 that a Republican form of Government 1 be established,,something on the model it of the United States, but no person be eligible as President unless he has at time or other been a member of this Coun(Laughter.) Stout moved an amendment, “ That in pinkm of this Council the Legislative :il should he abolished.” If a nominee had been useless, an elective one would better, but rather far worse, Reid commented <hi the uselessness of ■.bate. On the main question his views omewhat altered, and he did not now the whole of the members of the Upper i slicmUl V>e elected. M'Kere ouglit to l>e to nominate gentlemen in the Colony ad taken groat interest in public affairs, ro, although well fitted for the position of er of that House, would not contest an m. He remarked that to carry out the i would be to effectually do away with mnee the member for JXorth Harbor might of becoming a member of the Legislative il.--(Laughter.)

iijgij.9, n was negatived !ou tlie voices.

JETTY DUES. Stout moved that the jetty clues charged i Dunedin ami Port"'ChaJnj.e’‘s jetties be reduced one-half their present rates, at the Government he requested to get ictiou of the Colonial Government there- ' that were not done, the probability was gs would hardly be worth the cost of colrVovuvcu i . Secretary did not think the al woviid ty? ,QjE such advantage to the men as some bin. iheiuuers imagined; on Itrary, jt would be a greatet oenefit to ■Junercial community, as at the present fthtennen competed successfully with the referi’ed to the dredging opeVand said the Council would soon have Bder whether the dues should not go tofor that work.

After some observations by Mr Davie, who said the Committee were unanimous in recommending the reduction of the dues ; by Mr Lumsden, who considered that it had not been shown that jetty dues were an unfair impost; and Mr Oliver, who remarked that the Council should hesitate about affirming the resolution, seeing that increased jetty accommodation and additional harbor accommodation was about to be provided—the motion was carried. FOREST TREES. The regulations of the Government re forest tree planting were agreed to. OAMARU MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE ENDOWMENT. Mr Sumpter’s motion for endowing the Oamaru Mechanics’ Institute with 500 acres of laud was carried without a division. railways. The Goldfields Secretary moved that a light line of railway be constructed from Riverton to Orepuki, sixteen miles, at a cost of L 40,000, to be paid for in land. He considered unless a line of railway was carried through the district, it would he useless for many years. Reports before the Government showed that every kind of timber suitable for railways, piers, and harbor works grew there, coal of the best quality abounded, and it was fine agricultural land. Warden Wood also expressed the opinion that there was a valuable goldfield there capable of sustaining 3,000 or 4,000 people.

Mr Lumsden compared that with other districts, which he maintained had prior claims. A line from Switzers would have opened for settlement Waimea Plains, but the line-pro-posed had the smallest goldfields, agricultural, and trading population of any of the goldfields. He would propose an amendment that it would be inexpedient to proceed further than already contracted for, but that a line from Riverton to Otatau and to the Night Cap Goldfields should be substituted. Mr Daniel said that the lion, member bad based his arguments on hearsay. The Orepuki Goldfield was one of the richest goldfields in New Zealand. The men were earning from L 3 to Lls per week. The greatest difficulty was bringing water to it: which, however, had been done in one or two instances at great expense. The timber in the district is the most valuable in the Colony, and access to it could only be had by means of alight railway. Messrs Guthrie and Asher had taken up 2,500 acres, and the white pine procured there would compete with American wood. Two other establishments were also contemplating arrangements for constructing sawmills. To illustrate the character of the timber, Mr M'Kerrow measured a totara tree, which was 27ft. in girth. The timber would supersede jarrah timber. Employment for a large population could be given during winter. A better settlement could not be selected in any part of Southland. It contained a coalfield, which Captain Hutton said was three miles across. He had traced it Ifift. in depth. Had that forest been opened up, the telegraph posts in Southland, brought from beyond Wellington, could have been supplied at a less amount than it cost to draw them out of the bush at Wellington. The line would pay within eighteen months. Mr Gumming supported the amendment.

Mr Reid supported the proposition of the Government. He presumed the contract was let in accordance with the resolutions of the House. It was not his intention to oppose the Government resolutions. The Goldfields Secretary said the contract was for payment in pash, as it was necessary to construct a bridge over Jacob’s river, which would have had to be done whether the railway was made or not. Mr Stout opposed the motion, and supported the amendment, on the ground that it was premature, and that other lines were more necessary.

The amendment by Mr Lumsden was negatived by 21 to 3. The Secretary for Works moved “That a line of railway between Riverton and Otautau, in length HU miles, already surveyed, be constructed, at a cost of L 40,000, payment to be made in cash or land at the option of the Government.”

Mr Lumsden proposed the insertion of the words “ The Nightcap Coalfield via” after Otautau.

The amendment was negatived, and the original motion carried. The following resolutions were also carried : -“That a light line of railway, to connect the Otautau line with the Invercargill and Winton railway at Wallacetown Junction, a distance of fourteen miles, be constructed at a cost of L 20,000, payment to be made in cash or land, at the option of the Government.” "That a branch line be constructed from the Southern Trunk line to Green Island coal-pits and meatpreserving works, and that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place the sum of LG, 000 on the Estimates for this purpose.” “ Resolved further, that, the following branch railways be commenced next year, and that the Government be requested in the meantime to obtain the necessary survey and estimate, viz. : Waipahee to Tapani; main trunk line to Kaitangata ; main trunk line to Outram ; Palmerston to Waihemo; Otautau to Nightcap Coalfield.” “That in the opinion of this Council the General Government should be strongly urged to take immediate steps to construct the Dunedin to Moeraki line of railway, being a higldy important portion of the Main Trunk Line, and one which, there can be no doubt, would prove pre-eminently reproductive; and further, that failing the General Government being in a position to undertake its immediate construction, the Provincial Government be requested to obtain borrowing powers on the most favorable terms possible, so as to enable them to proceed with its immediate construction.” Mr MackeUjA,k moved—“ That the extension of the railway line from Tokpnrairirp 3.1$ Tuapeka to Roxburgh, Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell (and which for shortness sake may be hereafter designated the Otago Central Railway), be proceeded with. That the said extern sion shall be proceeded with in such a manner that the portion between Tuapeka and Roxburgh be constructed concurrently with the progress of the present contracts between Tokomairiro and Tuapeka.” This railway would pass through districts with 3, population, according to the last census, of over 12,000 people, and no doubt the population had since increased. If they included the Tuapeka dis> trict, which was interested to some extent, this railway would benefit 10,000 or 17,000 people, and would be the means of settling more people in these districts. A number of valuable minerals, besides gold, were known to exist in several places ; but, owing to the cost of conveyance, they remained undeveloped. There could be no doubt that this state of things would soon be changed when they had the railway. The length of the line from Tuapeka to Roxburgh would be about thirty-eight miles. At the suggestion of the Government, the debate was adjourned till Thursday, so that the report of the Select Committee might be printed and considered by bon. members. NEW HUNDREDS. On the adjourned debate being resumed on Message Np. 4), the consideration of Mr M'Keuzie’s' motion, recommending the proclamation of a Hundred pf 6,.000 acres in runs N<» 80 and 109, a large portion pf that area having beep surveyed, was proceeded with. The Government intimated that they would have no objection to recommending that the Hundred proposed should be proclaimed, and the motion was affirmed.

Mr M'Kenzie moved —“ That after the proclamation of said Hundred, 2,500 acres be at once set apart to be dealt with under the system of deferred payments.” Mr Stout suggested that the Government might, after the Hundred was proclaimed, reserve, with the sanction of the Waste Lands Board, 2,500 acres of the best land in the block until next year, and then they could proclaim it in the next 30,000 acres to he proposed. The Government adopted the suggestion, and the words “ at once ” were struck out. The resolution was then agreed to, Mj' MTvexzlk then moved the following series of resolutions : —“That in the opinion of this Council, for the better encouragement of a healthy liow of immigration, and lona fide settlement of the waste lands of the Province, a block containing 30,000 acres of good agricultural land, say in the Mataura district, as near as possible to the Invercargill and Mataura Railway, should be set apart for the purposes of special settlement. That said lands should-be surveyed into farms containing 200 acres each, Hip general character of each farm being noted by the survey Of in his report. That the plans of and reports on such land 1 should be forwarded to the Home Agents of the Province; and that the said Agents be instructed tc ad-

rertise the same aaopen for selection at Home. That the terms and conditions on which said lands should be offered, be similar to those provided for under the system of deferred payments in the ‘ Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872.’ ’ _ Mr M'Keuzie’s motion was lost on a division by 17 votes against 14.