PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3842, 17 June 1875, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, J une 16, When the Council went into Committee on the Peninsula and Ocean Beach railway, Mi Git/ les put it to the hon. members whether the company should be allowed to bring their terminus into the he*art of Dunedin—to interrupt, in fact, the traffic from the wharves. In the course of ten or fifteen years the land that it was proposed that this line should be constructed over would be required for general public interests, and therefore the power to construct this Peninsula line should not be given. The company should construct the line to the nearest station on the main line, which would be Kensington or Caversham. It was said, if the land were required for the main line two or three years hence, “ Oh, we have power to move the company’s linebut the Government could not move them without paying expenses and buying the railway.. If the Council would simply pass a portion of the Bill, stating the desirability of the line’s being constructed, and leaving to the Assembly to decide as to the details, then it would puss without opposition. According to the Provincial Solicitor, they must go to the General Assembly for powers, and therefore it was a mere sham to consider all the provisions of the Bill. The Provincial Solicitor remarked that the company did not require to go to the Battray street jetty, but simply wished to lay their rails as far as. the junction. He advocated the construction of a double line along the reclaimed land. Mr Tolmie said t e whole affnir was a bungle, and moved “That the chairman report progress and obtain leave to sit again,’’ which was carried by If to 9. The Immigration and British Agent Bill No. 2, Otago Gold Bonus Bill, Invercargill Town Hall Site Bill, and Balclutha Deserves Management bill were read a third time. On the Port Chalmers teamen’s Institute Bill, the PfeoviNciAL Solicitor said it was to give over L 2,000 towards an institute at Port Chalmers, and ho- suggested that the Mechanics’ Institute and the Seamen’s Institute, should be amalgamated, so that they might have one flourishing institution. The land proposed to be given to the Seamen’s Institute, was one of the most valuable sites about the Port, and the building upon it, if now erected, would probably cost from L 1,500 and L 2.000. The Council should insist, if they gave the land and building required, that there should be only one institute at the Port. After debate, the second reading of the Bill was carried by 21 to 5. The Private Petitions Committee reported on the petition of William Latham, which asked for inquiry into 'he circumstances connected with his appointment and dismissal as toll-keeper at Pleasant Valley, that they thought it inadvisable again to open up the case; on the petition of William Hayes, contractor, that he is entitled to the payment of L 159, being at the rate of Ll2 10s per week from January 2 to April 1. Mr T. lmie moved—“ That LI,OOO be placed on the Supplementary Estimates with the view of offering bonuses for the destruction of rabbits in the Province.” If the Crown tenants did hot take the matter in hand the Government should do so for the sake of the Crown lands. —Messrs Wilson and Daniel and the Provinoial Solicitor opposed the motion; and the Provincial Secretary said a bonus would be paid in proportion to the number of skins prepared for exportation. The motion was lost by 13 to 14.

Mr Sumpter’s motion for L3OO for the following purposes, viz.Making road leading from Omarama to M‘Kenzie Country and Lake Ohau passable, and for the erection of a footbridge across the Ahurixi River was carried by 12 to 10; but that Ll5O be paid to the Oamaru Cricket Club as compensation for loss of that piece of ground taken for school purposes, was, on the Provincial Secretary's suggestion that it should be brought before the Education Board, withdrawn. On Mr Tur.TON’s motion “That the salaries or remuneration to the sergeant-major sergeants, constables, and detectives by (id each per diem”—the Provincial Secretary pointed out that it would be a most pernicious practice for the Council to step in between the heads of departments and officers. Members should be careful about making comments with regard to public officers, especially those who were brought into contact with the general public in the way the police were. The remarks made by the honorable member on the previous evening had been very much taken to heart by the officers of the force. He hoped this matter would bo allowed to rest, and did not think any dissatisfaction could exist with reference to the present salaries, unless it was stirred up by such motions. Mr Haggitt said he had found, with horror, that the remarks of the hon. member (Mr Turlon) on the previous evening had been fully reported, and that it had gone forth to the public that the head cf the- Police Department, who received LooO a year, was paid LSOO a year too much. As Crown Prosecutor, he (Mr Haggitt) was brought much more into contact with the gentleman at the head of the police force than any other member could possibly be and from bis experience he could say that that g6nt*6niQiTi s duties were most ably pox*fojin.ecl and that he was most ably assisted by his subinspector.—(Hear, hear.) He was convinced that the police force was better conducted at present than at any previous period. MrTuuxoN said the matter under discussion on the previous even ng was whether- or not they should give Mr Conyers L9OO a year,.and comparisons were drawn with other officers. It was said that the Commissioner of Police got only L 550 and he men ly suggested whether he did not get LoCO too much. The motion was lost on lb' voices.

The sum of L4O was voted to George Daniels latewardsman in the Hospital; Id GO to J. and N. Campbell, for trouble and expense connected with their tenders for the Southland light railways; Ll5O to ex-eonstahle Wm. Rooney; L 250 to Mrs Hawthorne; LIOO to be spent in painting a portrait of the late Judge Wilson Gray —on the motion of Mr Armstrong ; L2O to T. Jones, messenger to the Council, for extra labor entaMed on bim du.ing t ! e alterations iu the Hall and his general attention to members. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary it was resolved “ That this Council is of opinion ♦ ur i, 18 hi « hl y expedient to encourage the estamunuieDt of a paper manufactory within e Broviuce, and with this view rocr.mn ends the Government to offer a bonus of LI ,300, ont ke proper initiation of such an in--BU(* conditions as the Government may approve.” “That tbU°p NCIA n s^cb ®aby in moving ibat tbia Council concurs in the proposal

contained in Message No. 17, and respectfully requests that his Honor will proceed with the construction of a line of railway from Lawrence to Beaumont out of revenue or loan,” observed that the Government came to the conclusion that the line to the interior, by way of Teviot, was most within the means of the Province to construct. While they recognised that the line from Palmerston to Clyde was the one that would open up the greatest extent of i land, at the same time they could rot overlook the fact that the estimated cost of the line was so great as to place it beyond the reach of the Province to give effect to it. If this were carried, it was intended that the line should be placed in the same category as those already agreed to. Mr M‘Kenzie moved an addition to the schedule—“ From Wayne’s to Waihemo,” He thought there could be no doubt that the best way of reaching the interior by railway was by means of a line from Palmerston to Clyde. Although this line might be expensive at first, it would be the cheapest in the end, as it would open up no less than three million acres of land. After several other amendments had been proposed, it was agreed to adjourn the debate. The following Bills were renorted with 'amendments : Town and Country Police Ordinance, 1862, Amendment Bill ; Roxburgh Waterworks Empowering Bill, Invercargill Town Hall Site Bill, Outram and Grcytown Railway Bill. The following Bills were read a second time : —Port Chalmers Seamen’s Institute Bill, Oamaru Rifle Range Reserve Management Bill.