PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3813, 14 May 1875, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, Mat 13. The Government, in answer to stated—(l). That in taking properties for rail? way purposes it would be done according to law, and occupiers would be dealt with not only fairly, but liberally, (2). The demand for accommodation at the Industrial School had become so urgent that the Government were compelled to enter into arrangements for enlarging the buildings without a vete ef the Council. Additions were now being earned out, and there was a sum of Ll.ooo on the Estimates for this object. The Government had no control over the numbers sent to the Institution; and children had been sent there in spite of remonstrances sent to the various magistrates. With regard to drainage and other sanitary matters, he did not know that anything special had been done, but this was work which could be carried on to a large extent by the inmates themselves, and tho overseers could see to the carrying out of the suggestions of the medical officers of the institu'lon *. He might say, in view of the removal from its present site of the institution at no very distant date, that it might be inadvisable to erect any permanent buildings, and the Council /S? U mL * sked for a vote for wooden buildings. If)* I he Government did not propose this session to introduce an Ordinance vesting the education reserves in trustees. They thought it undesirable to do so until, at all events, all the Crown grants had been issued; and then it would be a matter for consideration whether it would be better to vest these reserves in tnutees, or, as at present, with the Superintendent as Chairman of the Education Board. The matter Had not yet received the conside. ration of the Executive. (3). The St ment intended ;to take steps to have the bridge at Douglas’s Creek, near Hampdem re-erected It seemed that the material oi which the bridge had been built was found not to be suitable. It was proposed to take the badge down, and have it re erected. There wal f f 8 ““ °“ tbeEßtimates for its re erection, and it wa- expected that it would be compu ted in not W Tl,e Had not been able to get a surveyor to survey

the 6,ooo|acre deferred payment block on Glassford’s run. It was as well, however, that the block was not surveyed, as a sludge channel had yet to bo laid off, and it would be better to have the channel laid off before the survey was made: but, in a very short time, it was expected the District Surveyor would commence this work.

The answer to a motion by Mr Mandebs—that it was desirable the Government should state under what circumstances the exchange value of land frsm the Goldfields’ agricultural leases to deferred payment leases was fixed, and what amount of rent, paid under the former, was allowed to go to the purchase under the deferred payment clauses of the Act —was similisr to that given by the Waste Land Board on Wednesday, viz., that agricultural lessees could only be credited with three years’ rent towards purchase, no matter how long rent had been under agricultural lease. Mr M‘Kenzib gained nothing by his question re the missing|letter relating to the sale of a block of land at Moeraki in 1873 to Colonel Kitchener. The Provincial Solicitor’s reply that the letter had been sought for everywhere and could not he found provoked the questioner into ejaculating that it was “ very convenient,” and so brought to his feet the Provincial Secretary, who denied that there was any desire to withhold the document, which, after all, was merely a memo., but every possible search had failed to bring it to light.

The Arrowtown Waterworks and Clutha Board of Conservators Bills were read a first time.

In committee on the Harbor Boards Bill, Mr Haggitt’s amendment on clause 4, making the number of members eight instead of twelve, was carried by 24 to 12. On clause 5. the Provincial Solicitor’s motion to make the Boards chosen by the Provincial Council, Municipal Councils of Dunedin and Fort Chalmers, and the Harbor Board, was negatived by 21 to 10; and Mr Bastings’* amendment making the nomination by the Provincial Council and membership for two years, negatived by 23 to 6. Ultimately, on the Hon. Mr Reynolds’s motion, the(Conncil{by 19 by the nomination should be by the Superintendent, with the advice and consent of his Executive. To this was tacked on the following:—“ Two of the members to retire annually, until the first eight shall have been balloted out; afterwards, two to retire annually in order of seniority ; vacancies to be filled up in manner prescribed for first _ appointment; members balloted out to be eligible for re-appointment.” Matters having now got into wbat Mr M'Dbbmxd characterised as a fog, progress was reported.