PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3815, 17 May 1875, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Monday, May 17.

Petitions were presented from the inhabitants of Riverton praying for the establishment of a land office in that town; from Donald vl'Pherson j from the inhabitants of Waitahuna prayfor the opening of a road between Waipori and Waitahuna; from the inhabitants of Hyde praying for the opening of a common; from George praying for compensation for damages sustained by him in connection with the Port Chalmers refreshment rooms. In answer to questions the Government said: (I-) They were not aware that the new bridge across the north branch of the Otepopo was reported to be faultily constructed, but the engineer had been instructed to report upon it. !,•) -^® ura of money had been spent on the shag River, near Palmerston, in embanking it, which had been charged against the vote tor maintenance of the road a not unusual clrcumstancs. (3.) The railway survey from Palmerston to Clyde was completed with the exception of the part between Palmerston and Waihemo, which had been delayed through the bad weather, but would be com pleted within a week. The report of the survey between Waihemo and Clyde could be fuinished at any time ; but it was considered better to lay the report, as a whole, on the table. (4.) There would be no objection to laying on the table the report in reference to alleged ill-treatment of immigrants forwarded to Mount Ida, and correspondence connected therewith. (5.) Steps Werebeingtakentorepairtheroad mwrvu 16 North Road to Moeraki port, (b.) There was no objection to having section 51, block 4, North Harbor and Blueskin, reserved for a village site at Purakanui, surveyed into sections not exceeding an acre in extent, and offered for sale at an early date. That step had been in contemplation for some time, but the chief cause of delay was that it was exceedmgly desirable to first ascertain where the railway station would be, so that the street lines might be made to converge as much as possible on to the station.

The Goldfields Committee reported (1) on the petition of Jacob Lory, manager of the Surprise Water Race Company, who prayed for protection in the niatter of certain water rights that the petition be referred to the Government to inquire into the premises and to grant such relief as may be required. The committee also drew the attention of the Government to clause 10 of the petition, in which the want of a person who might be dealt with m. n i?' t . ters of this kind is referred to. ibe Private Petitions Committee reported (1) on the petition of Wm. Edwards, late of the evis ferry, who prayed for redress for losses alleged to have been sustained by the petitioner in respect to Nevis ferry—that they did not consuler the petitioner had anyTolaim for i tbe petition of A. H. Keene, who prayed to be reinstated in the list of authorised surveyors-that the petitioner has no ground of complaint that would/justifyjthe committee in aSSttlofLlSS” 06 betWßen Um A number of motions were quickly disposed KTf m ® tlon —affirming the desirathe t ne^ih nd l bein i g for settlements the neighborhood of Waikouaiti, and requesting lt?w erom - e + n^ to uT C f tain durin * the recess whether a suitable block can be secured, with a Lf ICW 1° lts bein £ declared into Hundreds and de !*F r « d .P»y“ en , fc sections next session, was earned without debate. The motion by Mr Daniel, affirming the expediency of a branch f w- fc u i and ? r a . nd surveys office being established at Riverton, was opposed by the Government on the ground of expense and b on-necessity, and on a division rejected by 13 to 6. Much amusement was caused by Mr Daniel turning round to Mr Lumsden and informing the House that it would have been well for the interests of Southland if that hon. member had never had . i ? C* ovel ‘ n *aent benches, off which he (Mr Daniel) would endeavor to turn him. On the House being moved into Committee Sr S t«? i at 4 Bastings moved, and Mr Wood seconded the following “In the opinion of this Council the financial proposals brought ; down are not i satisfactory, and the present distribution of Executive offices has not been found to be conducive to the proper mu !n lStra^ 10n a^a^rs of the Province. Ihe Council therefore requests the Government to re-consider their present position, with the view to better financial and administrative arrangements being arrived at.”