CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3778, 3 April 1875, Page 2

CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

(By Telegraph.]

™ p . . . Christchurch, April 2, The Provincial (Wncil opened this afternoon. iho Superintendent delivered a lone speech, and said they had still came to he satis, bed with the progress the Province was making m enlarged industries, increased population and extended means of communication. Though the price of agricultural produce was lower than last year, yet the unusual yield of grain was some compensation for it, and the price of wool had been maintained at fairly remunerative rates. Nearly 50,00«J acres hack been laid down in artificial grasses during the past year making a tota of nearly 300,000 acres so laid down, while the growth of other crops than grain and grass has been more than doubled in , past year, thus largely increasing the produemg power of the country and Showing a marked advance m the conduct of fanning operations. whole, an additional area of not less than 90,000 acres had been brought under cultivation during the past year. The result was gratifying, as indicating a steady Increase ot industry andsetvHnent, simultaneously with the increase of population and alienation of the public estate. Various causes had contributed to diminish the sales of waste lauds dur mg the past few months; one principal cause was no doubt the higher price of money which had recently obtained. The estimated receipts for the nine months ending March 31st had not been realised by the sum of about L 40.000. Considerable progress had been made in' the construction of harbor works at Lyttelton, and the steam dredge authorised by the Council had been contracted for and was now ready for despatch from Glasgow. A careful survey of the harbor at Timaru was made by Mr Eliot, the engineer sent for from England. He (the Superintendent) hoped shortly to receive Sir John Goodes opinion and proposals, which ho was expected to forward after Mr Kliot’s return England. A survey of Lyttelton by Mr Eliot, with borings and all necessary information, would also be submitted to bun for his opinion as to the best design for a Graving Dock and Patent Slip. About fifty-three additional miles of railway had been opened for frame during the last nine months. The length of line open on the Ist of July, 1874. was about sixty miles. At the present time there are nearly 113 miles, so that it would be seen the length of line opened for traffic had i 6 ® 1 * . nearly doubled during nine months. 16 c ? urse °f a few months i l would be stdl further increased by the opening of an additional ninety-six miles, which, added to the length now open, would make a total of nearly 200 miles, more than about three times the mileage open in last July. He was glad to be able to announce that arrangements were being made, by means of a temporary bridge over the Kangitata, for the carrying of traffic to the south of that river, within four months from this time. Immigration to the Province bad been actively promoted during the past year, and notwithstanding the difficulties attending the arrival of a large number in the depth of winter they had hitherty been readily absorbed in the industries of the country. He was of opinion that it would be unwise to repeat the introduction of any considerable number at that season of the year. During the past year twenty-six immigrant ships arrived at Lyttelton, conveying 10 098 immigrant for the Province, of whom 1,120 were nominated in the Colony and joined their friends on arrival; and included jn the above number wer4 upwards of 1 700 mamed men with families, a arge proportion of whom were agricultural laborers from .the mi.ibmd and .southern count ms of England. The' of IS immigrants, with a tew exceptions had been readily and Rurally absorbed deS

had been built during the year at Waimate. Timaru, Ashburton, Southbridge, Akaroa, and Kangiora, and a depot for the accommodation of convalescent patients from the Quarantine Station had been erected on Quail Island. 129 cottages had been erected and placed under the control of the several Hoad Boards, besides several groups of sod huts in the southern part of the Province, He took that opportunity of expressing the satisfaction which it had given him to observe the generally suitable character of the immigrants who had arrived. He had also to express the obligation under which he felt to Mr Duncan, the agent, who represented the Province during the past year in the se lection of immigrants, and had cordially co-operated with the Agent-General for this purpose. The great influx of immigrants had made large demands upon the resources of the country for the support of hospitals and other public institutions, and for the maintenance of order. It had also in some instances made necessary an expendi ture in excess of appropriation. _ The necessity for increased expenditure for drainage and other sanitary purposes was itself on the attention of the governing bodies in centres of population, and their requirements would no doubt be carefully considered by the Council. The liberal provision made by the Council for education had produced most satisfactory results during the past year. The number of children attending district schools in the Province during the quarter ending 30th September, 1873, was 7,695, while the number attending during the quarter ending 30th September, 1874, was 10,136 —showing an increase of 2,441. The Council would be asked to make further liberal provision for the current year. A Bill to amend the Forest Ordinance would be ?übmitted io them. He concluded by referring to the tWttposed alteration of the Constitution of the Colony, detailing what the Assembly did in the matter last session, and saying it was impossible to discuss the matter properly until it was known how the Colonial Executive propose to give effect to the resolutions of the Assembly. He was convinced that any change in the Constitution would have to be such as would be deemed advisable to apply to the whole Colony. The Secretary of Public Works laid a statement onthe tabic to the effect that the railways yielded a profit of L 20,000 during the past nine months. ' •