PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3525, 10 June 1874, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, June 9. In moving his amendment to Mr Fish’s motion re the acceptance of tenders for the construction of light railways, the Provincial Secretary said he' cmxtd have subscribed to the whole of Mr Fish’s speech up to a certain point. He (Mr Reid) quite agreed with the principle that the votes of the Council should not be exceeded by the Government ; but the present motion could effect no good whatever, as it was only hurling censure at the heads of those who would not be affected by it in the least. As for the alleged haste in accepting these tenders, the honorable member’s remarks had no force. Special meet* ings of the Executive were often held, and upon all days of the week when occasion required. While he did not think that Constitutional Government and the liberty of the subject could be endangered by the rejection of the motion before the House, yet he upheld, and always upheld, the right of the Council to ?ee that its decisions were carried out. But still the Government should not act merely as a machine ; but, when occasion required, they should be prepared perhaps to exceed the letter of the instructions 'given by the I’ouncil, while they carried out the spirit of those instructions. The Government, of course, should be prepared to explain and defend their ■ctious to the Council.—(Hear, hear, from Mr Fish.) That, however, did not help the hon, member, because, as far as he was aware, the late Government did not resign on account of the acceptance of those tenders, or because they were afraid to defend their action in that respect. He had not altered his opinion as to the duty of t with regard to the Council; but how were they to remedy it by passing this resolution? To bring forward such a motion was simply reducing the Council to the level of a debating club, and by passing the motion they would effect no purpose whatever. They might as well place on their records a motion censuring the acts of a past Council. They should not only look to the pass but to the future. On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor’ the debate was, after a division of 18 to 16 adjourned till next day. ’ •On Mr J. C. Brown’s motion, “That"the Provincial Treasurer having confirmed the following as a correct report of what ho had said during a debate in Committee of Supply, viz., that during the recess he (Mr Turnbull) had managed to save a good deal of public money that the honorable member (.Mr J. C. Brqwn) had desired to get hold of, in the opinion of this Council that gentleman should be called upon to substantiate or withdraw the imputation conveyed in the term made use ofthe Provincial Treasurer explained that he had referred to an application by a company at Lawrence for a grant of money for mining purposes. The

Executive refused the, grant, and when the la*e Secretary for Works and himself visited Lawrence they were met by a deputation headed by Mr Brown, who, with his usual pertinacity, argued strongly and forcibly that this sum of money should be granted. The matter was again brdught before the Executive, and the application refused. Since then repeated applications had been made and refused. He never meant to say that the honorable member would have benefited personally by this money.—Mr Brown in replying, complained that the Treasurer had not stated the whole truth. He then went into a lengthy explanation, the substance of which was that the application referred to was made on behalf of the Clark’s dill Prospectiug Company; that he (Mr Brown) as representative of the district had been requested urge to the Executive its claims for a portion of the grant in aid of prospecting ; that the works of the company had been visited by the Superintendent, who expressed the opinion that they were proper ones to be subsidised ; and that the application of the company was made in terms which could not have involved the Government in any loss, but if granted would*have greatly benefited the district. He also complained of the loose manner in which the Treasurer made statements concerning hon. members. The motion was carried.

In moving—** That it is desirable the number of representatives in this Council should not exceed twenty, and that with a view to readjust the representation caused by such reduction, a Committee be appointed to consider thereon, and report as early as practicable,” Mr Rbevjss said he considered the present Connell far too ponderous for the work that had to be done. Forty days had elapsed since the present session had commenced, while he had no hesitation in saying that the actual business could have been done in ten days, tbe question of re-arrang-ing the representation was not at all a difficult one. The Provincial SECttßTAßvdidnot think such a large question should be opened up at the present time. It was necessary to have numbers to secure purity. If the matter were to be discussed, they should first determine on the future electoral districts, and the number of members each should have. After some discussion, Mr Gumming moved the previous question, which was earned. In Committee of Supply the following votes were earned LIOO for the construction of a foot-bridge across the Teviot; L2O for repairs on main road close to- Carnie’s Hill; LSO for a bridle track along the bottom of the spurs from Switzers to INokomai; LSOO to form the main branch road, from Balclutha to Waitabuna and Lawrence, via Mount tewart; Ll5O “ for the purpose «f offering a first and second prize for the pi oduction of the best and most approved di ainage plough. First prize, LIOO ; second, L 50 —to be awarded on such terms as the Government may consider advisable and >25 as an addition to the salary of the harbormaster at Kakanui.

In moving railway resolution No. 4, which authorises the calling for tenders for and the construction of the following lines of light ■ ailway : —Main line through Seaward Bush, 10 miles ; Waipahi to i'spauui, 13£ miles; main line to Kaitaugata and extension to Coal Point, 10 miles ; main line to Outran), 4 miles ; Tokomairiro branch, 5 miles; Palmerston to Waihemo, 10 miles; hdeudale to Wyndham, 3 miles—the Provincial Secretary said as no reliable data could be obtained on which to form an exact estimate of the costs of the works, the Government asked that if a loan were obtained, they should have the power to enter iuto contracts for the construction of these lines oefore the end of the year, provided the tenders were within the estimates of costs. Mr Kin koss moved, as an amendment That, in the event of a loan being sanctioned, the Government be authorised to have surveys aud estimates in detail of the cost of construction and probable revenue of the following lines prepared during the recess, in order that this Council may, at its next session, be in a position definitely co decide what railways are most urgently required to promote settlement, and are most likely to prove reproductive.” Mr Lillies proposed that the following words should be added to the fourth resolution :—“ And in the event of a loan not being sanctioned, the Government be authorised to enter into arrangements with either public companies or private individuals willing to risk their own capital in constructing any or all of the proposed railways.” His reason for proposing the amendment was that in the event of the loan not being obtained many important lines would have to stand over. One line particularly would be constructed at once by the residents in the vicinity, if they were permitted to do so. He did not propose that any guarantee whatever should be granted by the Government. To meet the views of ao jie members who seemed to be afraid that something .more would be introduced under his addition than he had any intention of introducing, he was quite prepared to ask the Committee to add the following words to those be had already proposed :—“ Provided such arrangements shall not include any guarautee, and shall provide for the purchase of the line or lines on equitable terms at any time.” Mr Kinross’s amendment was negatived on a division by 19 votes against 10. The motion as amended by the addition proposed by Mr Gillies was then agreed to on the voices. All the lines in the schedule were agreed to with the exception of “ Waipahi to Tapanui,” which was withdrawn‘with the view of placing it in the schedule of railways to be surveyed only during the year. Progress was then reported.

Wednesday, June 10.

The Private Petitiong Committee reported as follows On the petitions of George Bailey and Christopher Rea, the latter of whom prayed for redress for losses alleged to have been sustained in consequence of the sale by the Waste Land Board of petitioner’s residence area, Wendon district, and forcible possession of said area being made without compensation for improvement being first paid ; and the first named for redress for losses alleged to have been sustained by him as holder of a mortgage over a gold mining claim at Acton’s Flat, Switzers, in consequence of the land upon which the claim was situated having been sold to one Allan M‘Donald—that the petitioners have a good claim for consideration, and recommends that the Government be requested to remit these claims to be adjudicated upon in equity by the warden of the district. (2.) Un the petition of Mary Rutherford, widow, which set forth the circumstances under which her late husband lost his life, and prayed for favorable consideration for her case—that the committee was fully impressed with the fact that the awkward character of the bridge at Manuka Creek may render the liability to accidents of a similar character to that by which the petitioners husband lost his life great, but could not agree that on that account there was any ground for claiming compensation. The committee was of opinion in similar cases to the petitioner s the Executive alone wore in a position to deal competently with than in giving assistance or relief. (3.) On the petition of George Hepburn, chairman of the Halfway Bush Road Board, praying that any action m reference to constituting the Waikati subdivision of the Halfway Bush road district an independent district be postponed—recommending the Government, before taking ftny Ftejpg to alter the boundaries of the Waikari subdivision of the Halfway Bush

road district, should hear the road Boards of the districts affected by such proposed alterations. The Goldfields Committee recommended that copies of the reports of the Mining Conference of 1872 and 1874 should be forwarded to th? Colonial Government for its consideration in re Goldfields Bill. Message No. 14 was read as follows; ** The Superintendent solicits the attention of the Provincial Council to the variom reserves, as per annexed statement, which have been proclaimed or recommended by the Council, but for which Crown grants have been withheld. After much negoiatiou on the subject, the Colonial Government introduced a Bill into the General Assembly at its last session having for its object the cancellation of the proclamations under which the reserves in question have been made, and autuorizing the issue of Crown grants to the extent of not exceeding 500,000 acres for such purposes, and in such localities as the Provincial Legislature might see fit. This Bill, however, did not become law. As there se-ms to be no hope of the Crown grants being obtained, it is essential that some action should be taken in this matter, with a view to which it is desirable that the Provincial Council should express its opinion on the subject. Ihe Superintendent would be disposed to agree to the Bill of last session, rather than allow the reserves to remain in their present exceedingly unsatisfactory position; or perhaps, were we to abandon the whole of the reserves now in question, with the exception of those for educational purposes, the General Government might be induced to issue grants for the latter.” [The following is the statement of reserves made by the ■'uperintendent and Provincial Council for which crown grants have been withheld :—Reserves for High, Grammar, and District Schools, 1 108,580 acres; Benevolent Institutions, 353,300 acres; Glut ha River Trust, 50.0J0 acres ; endowments for Hospitals, 487,750 acres.] The House Committee reported that their attention had been drawn to the dangerous state of the Council Hall, and recommended that such alterations and improvements as may be found necessary should be carried out during the recess. The Council went into committee on the railway resolutions : To the schedule of lines authorised to be constructed was added, on the motion of the Provincial Secretary, Kaitangata Station to Inch Clutha, three and a-haif miles, L9,5U0. To the fifth resolution was added, on the motion of Mr Mao KENzie, from the main north line to Shag Point Coalfield, two miles; and on Mr Wilson’s motion, Wintoa to Nightcap Coalfield, an addition to the fifth resolution, that estimates of probable traffic ou the lines named in the schedule was moved by Mr Kinross, and agreed to. '1 he resolution-, as amende , were reported to the House, and adop ed. On Mr Reeves’s motion re Volunteer land grants, the Provincial Secretary’s amendmeat agreeing with the Superintendent’s recommendation that a grant of LlO should be given to each person Claiming, was carried on the understanding that opportunity woul.i be given to test the feeling of the Council as to whether the grant should, jbe granted or not. The Licensing Ordinance Amendment Ordinance was read a third time and passed. [Left sitting.]