PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3835, 9 June 1875, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, June 8. The following Bills were read a third time, and passed:—Naseby Reserves Management, Otago Harbor Board Ordinance, 1874, Amendment, Invercargill Recreation Reserve Change, Municipal Corporations Amendment, Arrowtown Athenaeum, Queenstown Reserves Management. The Petitions Committee reported:—(l.) On the petition of A. H. Keene, that after taking the further evidence of Messrs J. T. Thomson, M'Kerrow, Pyke, and the petitioner, they unanimously, and without hesitation, agreed that it would be most inexpedient to allow the name of Mr Keene to be placed on thelist of authorised surveyors. (2.) Upon the petition the punt proprietors at Beaumont Ferry, who set forth that the construction of the bridge in the vicinity of their ferry would deprive them of their livelihood, that, after having considered the conditions applicable to the erection of the petitioners’ punt, as contained in the letter of the Provincial Secretary of Bth October, 1866, they were of opinion that the petitioners had no claim whatever for compensation. (3.) On the petition of James Stuart, who asked for favorable consideration for the construction by him of approaches, &c., to the ferry acr:ss the Kawarau at the Bannockburn, timt the petitioner was entitled to some consideration. They recommended that Ll5O should be given to him.

Mr Reid moved having taken into consideration His Honor’s Message No, 9, soliciting the ‘ concmrence of the Provincial Council in an application to the .Colonial Legislature for an amendment of the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872, to the effect that the area of land which may be disposed of on deferred payments during any year shall be extended from 30,000 to 100,000 acres,’ agrees 'with the recommendation therein contained, and respectfully requests His Honor to take the necessaiy steps to give effect thereto.” In doing so he would remind the Council that a similar resolution had been carried on several previous occasions, and he hoped it would have a better effect this time. It was quite clear that they were too much hampered by the existing limit to the area of land to be taken for deferred payments, and it was exceedingly desirable they should be in a position to place a sufficient area of land in the market. He wished to propose a slight addition to the motion, as follows:—“ And this Council further recommends that the wards ‘Not exceeding ten per cent, of the extent of the run,’ in the 16th and 17th lines of the said section be deleted.” As honourable members were doubtless aware, the 67th section was extremely guarded. In the first place there was provision that no greater extent than 5,000 acres in one run could be opened for deferred payments in any one year ; and there was another provision that no greater area than 10 per cent, of one tun could be opened in any one year. It appeared to him that the first restriction should be sufficient. Mr Kinross moved a further addition to the motion, with a view to enlarge the maximum area of the deferred payment sections from 200 acres to 320 acres. He withdrew the addition, however, with the intention of bringing it down as a separate resolution.—Mr STLean opposed and Mr Wilson supported the motion.—Mr Manders thought everyone had fully ascertained by this time the value of the deferred payments system.—Mr Fish as heartily believed in bona fide settlement as any member in the House, but,' as a commercial man, he could not but consider that if land were not paid for at once, it should be sold above the cash price. Instead oj this, it was got on deferred payment at 14s lOd, while settlers who were as bona fide had to pay £1 cash. He did not object to the system but to the price.* and threw out a note of warning as to increasing the quantity.—Mr Reeves would give the motion his hearty support.—Mr Haggitt said any Bill introduced on these resolutions would be rejected.—Mr M'Deemid supported the resolution. —Mr Reid said Mr Haggitt had referred to “ solemn engagements.” When he (Mr Reid) heard ’‘solemn engagements,” be looked suspicious. He did not know of solemn engagements in politics.—(Hear, hear,) The “solemn engagements” were to administer laws of the country legally, to the best advantage. The settlement of the country was being largely accomplished by the system. Mr Reid replied to Mr. Fish’s objection as to its being aloss to the country to sell it at less than cash once, that the capital of a country was its inhabitants and tneir wealth-producing power. It was no pandering to popular clamour and prejudice.—The motion was agreed to. Mr Reid, in moving the second reading of the Kaitangata Railway Bill, said its object was to enable a Company to construct a railway to the Kaitangata coalfields from the Main Southern Trunk Line, a distance of four miles. The Bill was guarded in the same way as the Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway Bill, and he believed every care was taken that the public interests should be served, while, at the same time, reasonable facilities were given to the company. Mr M'Glashan supported the Bill. Mr Allan did not intend to oppose the Bill, as he thought the Council should give saport to every company that came forward with a reasonable proposal to construct a railway line; but he would ask the hon, gentleman ftt the head of the Government whether he re-

cognisea me principle oi supporting all railway companies tnat came forward with reasonable schemes. If that were the case—and he supposed it was, seeing that the Government supported the proposal—he presumed that, when it was asked to give another company leave to bring in a Bill, that request would be granted. (Hear.) Mr Moody would like to know what arrangements were intended to be carried out with regard to those private companies making use of the Government lines of railway, Mr Eeid recognised the importance of the question asked by the honorable member for Moeraki (Mr Moody). As far as he was aware, no arrangement had been made with the Company as to the terms on which their traffic was to be conveyed over the main line, hut he had nn dnubf. if mr.nl/i k»

possible to make arrangements for the use, or rather the exchange, of trucks. He did not think any concession as to freight terms had been mado, but he believed, however, that an application had been made to the Colonial Government, but with what result he was not prepared to say. He thought no such special concessions should be made, for the reason that some of the coal mine proprietors at Kaitangata might thereby be placed in a much better position than coal mine owners twenty miles nearer to Dunedin. He wished to say that he did not oppose the principle of supporting all companies coming forward with proposals to construct railways, but he approved of the principle of supporting companies proposing to construct railways which would promote the public interest. The Bill was read a second time. The following Bills were read a second time and considered in Committee Municipal Cor. poration Ordinance Amendment Bill, Arrowtown Athenaeum BUI, Queenstown Reserves Management Bill, and Peninsula District Prevention Bill. ThefoUowing Bills were read a second and third time, and passed :—Riverton Athenaeum Reserves Management Bill, Dog Nuisance Ordmance, 1872. Amendment Bill, and InvercargUl Public Offices Bill. Leave was granted to Mr Bastings to introduce a Bill to be intituled the Outram and Greytown Branch Railway Company (Limited)

Ordinance, 1875; and to Mr Moody, bring in a B ; U to be intituled the Moerakr .Harpo* Board Ordinance, 1876. Mr Reid moved—-“ That an address bo P re * sented to his Honor the Super’ntendent recommending that section 1. block XIV., Ki.nj' ston, be set anait ps a site for education.** buildingsanti ako, “That an address be presented to bis Honor the Superintendent, recommending that aU that area ©f land, being section 217, Forest Hill Hundred (boundaries given), be set apaii as a site for educational buildings,” both of which were agreed to. Mr |Danibl moved—“ That the petition of settlers of Longwood and inhabitants of Western district be referred to the Government for their consideration. Agreed to. The House adjourned at 10.30 p.m, till 2 p.m. to-day.

The word used by Mr Fish (in the course of the debate on Mr De Lautours motion yesterday, and to which exception was taken by Mr Speaker was “impure, and not “ unworthy,” as stated in our report. Mr DeLautour’s motion was carried by 16 against 14.

Wednesday, June 9, The Private Petitions Committee reported (1) on the petition of George Dodson that the petitioner nad reasonable grounds for holding the Port Chalmers refreshment rooms : and the Committee were led to believe that he would have surrendered possession when called upon to do so and upon valuation being tendered to him; that he had suffered loss from the forcible removal of his stock and fixtures, wherefore they recommended that LSOO should bq paid him as compensation. (2.) On the petition of Richard Quin, who prayed for full retiring allowance as a police constable —that L9O should be given to the petitioner. Message No. 14 submitted for the consideration of the Provincial Council the desirability of setting apart the following blocks of land for settlement on deferred payments, viz., Lyndhurst Hundred, 11,690 acres; Forest Hill Hundred, 7,000 acres; New River Hundred, 740 acres; Oreti Hundred, 10,000 acres, and Run 214, 370 acres. The Outram to Greytown Branch Railway Bill came to an untimely end this afternoon. After the second reading had been moved by Mr Bastings, and the debate opened by Mr Reid, the Speakeb intimated that the Bill could not be read a second time. Mr Haqgitt had drawn his attention to the fact that it was contemplated by the Ordinance to take lands compulsorily, and the Bill would therefore have to go before the Committee of Reference. Mr Bastings then withdrew the Bill, and stated that he would at once get leave to introduce a new Bill