PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 294, 21 May 1875, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, May 20. The Speaker took the chair at 6 p.m. MESSAGE. The Speaker announced that he had received a message from his Honor the Superintendent intimating that he had assented on behalf of his Excellency the Governor to the Road Boards Advances Ordinance and the Imprest Supply Ordinance, 1875. fencing ordinance. The report of the committee on the Fencing Ordinance, 1875, was brought up, recommending that the committee be discharged and the Bill withdrawn, and that a fresh Bill be introduced. The report was received. privilege. Mr Jebson rose to ask if the hon member for Christchurch had supplied himself with a copy of the deed referred to by him. As several members of the House were of opinion that the matter was in an unsatisfactory state, he would read an extract from the deed of revocation, which he hoped would be satisfactory. He was sorry that the hon member for Christchurch (Dr Turnbull) was not in his place. He might say it was dated September, 1873. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. The Provincial Secretary said that as regarded the question of the hon member for Geraldine (Dr Hayner), he might say that Timaru had been proclaimed under the Weights and Measures Ordinance, and Mr Ottywell had been written to in June, 1874, for a standard, but nothing had been done in it further. CHRISTCHURCH AND TIMARU HOSPITALS. Dr Rayner withdrew the following question—To ask the Government if they have any objection in allowing the medical officers of the Christchurch and Timaru Hospitals to receive pupils as hospital dressers,"

THE CA NTEEBI7RY RAILWAYS. Mr Andrews asked if the Government are aware that a dispute has arisen between the engine drivers on the Canterbury railways and the Railway Engineer. If so, what course was adopted to meet the apparent difficulties ; and if the Government’s consent to the course pursued was given, and what steps have been taken that a recurrence or greater difficulty shall not take place. His intention in bringing forward this motion was to allay any injurious excitement or strike amongst workmen, which might take place. A certain code had been issued by the Railway Engineer which was objected to by the m-n, and they had asked through their foreman why a change had been made in the original state of things. This had not been courteously answered by the Railway Engineer, and the men had all struck, when the engineer came to them and compromised matters with them. He thought this was a matter which should be brought before the House. The Secretary for Public Works thought the hon member had gone rather further in this matter than he was entitled to. He might say that the Government were aware of the dispute having arisen between the engineer and the engine drivers, which was settled. The late Government, he might say, consented to the course pursued. He might say generally in reply to the hon member’s question, that he thought to go into any detailed explanation would be subversive of good discipline in the public service, and that the matter was one which should be left to be settled by the head of the department. [Hear, hear ] ROADS ON NATIVE RESERVE. Mr Isaac Wilson moved that the House go into committee to consider the following resolution: —“That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place on the supplementary estimates the sum of one thousand pounds (£1000) for the formation of roads on the native reserve at Kaiapoi,” Mr Dixon seconded the motion. The Secretary for Public Works said that the Government could not accede to this motion. They certainly could not agree to the expenditure of a large sum of money on land, the property of which was not even vested in the Superintendent. He would suggest that the hon member would withdraw the motion. Mr Wilson was quite prepared to leave the matter in the hands of the Government to spend any sum they might think necessary, but he would like to see the amount placed upon the estimates. The motion was negatived on the voices. ALIENATION OF RAILWAYS, &C. Mr Jebson moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council no steps should be taken or negotiations entered into by the Government for the disposal or alienation of harbors, railways, works, and other property belonging to the Province, without fiist consulting this Council and obtaining its consent to the same.” Mr R. Turnbull seconded the motion pro for via. After some discussion, in which Messrs Montgomery, Dixon, Buckley, and W. B. Tosswill took part, The Secretary for Public Works said that the Government had no intention of disposing of the railways of the province until the consent of the Provincial Council had first been obtained. [Hear, hear.J Mr Jebson, on this understanding, would withdraw the motion. The motion was withdrawn by leave. EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION. Mr Montgomery moved items making up the amount required for education should be printed in a schedule, in order that the Council when in committe of supply, may vote each item separately if such course be deemed expedient.” The Provincial Secretary moved that all the words after the word “ schedule ” be omitted. After some discussion, The Provincial Secretary obtained leave to withdraw his amendment. Mr Jebson then moved—“ That the word “ education ” should be struck out, and the words “ school buildings ” inserted in lieu thereof.” Mr R. Turnbull seconded the amendment The amendment proposed by Mr Jebson was agreed to. The motion as amended was then put and declared to be negatived on the voices, Mr Montgomery called for a division, which took place as follows ; Ayes 7 Noes 23 Majority against the motion ... 16 The motion was therefore negatived. HOURS OP SITTING. Sir Cracroft Wilson moved—" That this Council will, for the rest of the session, sit on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, at 3 o’clock p.m,, adjourning from 6 to 7.30 p.m., and will sit on Friday as usual. Mr J. W. White (Timaru) moved, as an amendment —“ That the Council sit on Friday at the same hours as other days. After some discussion the question was then put and declared to be negatived. Mr White called for a division, which took place as follows : Ayes 12 Noes 18 Majority against the amendment 6 The amendment was therefore negatived. The original motion was then put with the addition of the words “after to morrow.” Mr I. Wilson moved as a further amendment, that that the figures 30 be struck out after 7, so as to read “ adjourning at 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.” The amendment was agreed to on the voices. The motion, as amended, was then put and declared to be carried. Mr Montgomery demanded a division, which took place as follows : Ayes 19 Noes 10 Majority in favor of resolution 9 The motion was therefore agreed to. RAILWAY TOLLS AND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE. The second reading of this Bill was made an order of the day for Tuesday next. PUBLIC LIBRARIES ORDINANCE, 1876. The Provincial Secretary moved the second reading of this Ordinance. The motion was agreed to on the voices, and the House went into committee upon the Bill. In committee, the Bill, with some slight alterations, passed through and was reported to the House. The third reading was fixed for next sitting day.

COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY. Mr J. N. Tosswill said, before the House went into committee of supply, he should wish to point out a fact which might affect the railway estimates very considerably. At the beginning of the present session, the late Secretary for Public Works made a statement in which he estimated the probable loss upon the Malvern Branch Railway for the four months ending the 31st March last, at £2l 14s 9d; and upon the Rangiora-Cust line for the same period, at £162 Is 8d; making for the two lines an estimated deficiency of £lB3 16s sd; or, if junction and management charges were added, a total estimated deficiency of £l4ll Is 2d, These figures were, however, as the late secretary distinctly stated at the time, only estimates, as it was then impossible to obtain reliable data, and with a view to testing them be (Mr J. Tosswill) had a few nights back moved for a return showing the actual result of the working of the two lines. The return was now upon the table, and showed that upon the Malvern line, instead of an estimated loss of £2l 14s 9d, there was an actual profit of £139 10s 3d; while upon the Ran-giora-Cust line, instead of an estimated loss of £162 Is Bd, there was an actual profit of £2B 16s Id, making for the two lines, instead of an estimated loss of £lB3 16s sd, a profit of £l6B 6s 4d of receipts above working expenses, while if junction and management and engineering charges were added the estimated loss of £l4ll Is 2d, was reduced to an actual loss of £ll2O 13s lOd; and here he might point out that these management and engineering charges were calculated upon a mileage basis, which was particularly unfair to the branch lines, as a mile upon the Malvern line for instance was charged with the same amount as a mile upon the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway. The proper plan in his opinion would be to estimate these amounts at per train mile, or in proportion to the goods and passengers carried. But in any case the figures he had read were peculiarly satisfactory, as they proved conclusively that there was a reasonable hope that the various branch lines and extensions would at any rate pay working expenses, and a considerable proportion of junction and management charges also. He would now proceed to apply these figures to the estimates before the House. The railway estimates showed an estimated profit of £12,613 18s lid; but as 5 per cent, of the gross earnings had to be set aside for the renewal fund, the actual estimated profit, as the Provincial Secretary told the House in his statement, was £4460 18s lid. This very small margin of profit the hon member accounted for by two reasons, one of which was that the branch lines and extensions were estimated to produce a direct loss of £12,544. But now arose an allimportant question, namely, upon what data was this loss calculated 7 It could not have been calculated upon the actual results cf the working Jof the Malvern and Oxford lines, as set forth in the return now on the table, for that return was but three days old, and in the absence of any other information it must have been of necessity based upon the same estimate from which the late Secretary for Public Works took his figures. But that estimate, as he had shown, was far below the actual results, and hence it followed as a matter of course there were the very best reasons for inferring that the estimate "of a loss upon the branch lines and extensions (including junction and management charges of £12,644) largely exceeded what would actually be the case. Without going into a mass of figures he might say that he had worked the sum out and found it might make a difference of from £2OOO to £3OO0 —that is to say, that instead of an estimated profit of £4460 18s lid, there were, if his view was correct, good grounds for calculating upon a profit of at least £6500 or £7500. In the face of the fact that the Government intended to bring in a Bill to increase the rates now charged upon imported goods, this was a matter of considerable importance. They were, he knew, sincerely anxious to get at the actual truth in this as in other matters, and he had thought it his duty to bring the information afforded by the return under the notice of the House. The House then went into committee of supply. The following votes were proposed—Class 6—Hospitals, £Blls. Mr Knight moved that the item “ Honorarium to visiting physicians and surgeons, £300,” be struck out. The amendment was negatived on the voices. The item passed as printed, Claes 7 —Lunatic Asylum, £8396 6s 6d. On this item being put, Mr Higgins moved the reduction of the sum by £B6l. After considerable discussion, the item passed as printed. Progress was then reported, with leave to sit next day. Notices of motion having been given, the Council adjourned at 12.25 to noon this day. Friday, May 21st. The Speaker took the chair at noon. LYTTELTON ORPHANAGE. Mr Potts asked the Secretary for Public Works if he would lay on the table a return showing the total cost of the Orphanage buildings in Lyttelton, including expenditure for buildings and alterations, water supply, and drainage works. He thought it was most desirable that the public should know what had been spent. The Secretary for Public Works said the required information should be furnished next sitting day. ROAD DIVERSIONS. Mr Westenba asked the Secretary for Public Works when the Road Diversons, recommended by the Eakaia Road Board, are likely to be made. The Secretary for Public Works replied that his predecessor gave instructions to have the necessary surveys made, and that the surveys had not been made ; indeed, one of the applications lodged at the Survey Department had been mislaid, and appeared to be lost. No blame attached to the late Government, but the present Government would endeavour to get a Bill passed next session. reserves. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary the Council resolved itself into committee to consider the reserves made by his Honor the Superintendent since the last session of the Council. Some time having been spent in committee, the chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Friday next. waste lands sold. Mr W. B. Tosswill moved—“ That a return be laid on the table showing the number

of acres of waste lands sold during the past jear in continuation of returns already laid on the table.” The motion was agreed to; FENCING ORDINANCE 1875. Sir Cracropt Wilson moved—“ That the .Select Committee on the Fencing Ordinance, 1875, be discharged.” The motion was agreed to. HOSPITAL DRESSERS. Dr Rayner obtained leave to postpone the following until Tuesday next —“ That the Government grant permission to the resident surgeon of the Christchurch, and the surgeon of the Timaru Hospitals to receive pupils as hospital dressers, upon payment of fees subject to the approval of the Government,” INFECTED SHEEP. Mr Harper moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council it is necessary that all persons owning sheep which were declared infected by the chief inspector, within the meaning of the Ordinance only, and in whose flocks no disease has now appeared should, on the inspection of their flocks, be declared free from scab, aud the sheep released from quarantine.” He said that a number of sheepowners who had been gazetted had taken legal advice, and they had been told that Mr Horniman’s sheep not having been declared scabby until after they had left the yards, they (the sheep owners) were not liable, as the clause of the Ordinance did not allow of retrospective action. He was informed that several of the sheep owners intended to club together in order to test the question, but he hoped that the resolution he had made would be acceded to, and the clean sheep released, and litigation avoided. Mr H. P. Gray said he would second the motion for the purpose of moving an amendment. [Laughter. | The Speaker —The hon member cannot do that. Mr Dixon seconded the motion. Mr Higgins remarked that the resolution was flying in the face of the law. The Provincial Secretary said that although they might sympathise with those who had suffered, as stated by the hon member, that was no reason why they should endeavour to upset a law by resolution. He would recommend the hon member to refer the matter to the “ Sheep Committee,” who could examine into it, and if they thought necessary, bring in a Bill to remedy the ill complained of. Mr Harper declined to withdraw the resolution, and contended that the Sheep Inspector’s had made invidious distinctions both near and outside of Christchurch. The motion was negatived on the voices. CASE OF JOHN GLYNAN. Mr Pilliett moved —“ That a committee be appointed to inquire into the case of John Glynan re an alleged wrongful survey of section N 0.4140, near Akaroa; such committee to consist of Messrs Westenra, J. N. Tosswill, J. W. White, Montgomery, the Hon G. Buckley, and the Mover, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report in a fortnight from date of motion. The motion was agreed to. A ballot for the committee was called for with the following result —Messrs Westenra, J. N. Toswill, Buckley, Montgomery, Dixon, and the mover, DOYLESTON LIBRARY. Mr Harper, for Mr Bluett, moved —“ That a committee be appointed to inquire into the complaints made by certain persons living at Doyleston, in the Ellesmere district, respecting the library in that portion of the district; such committee to consist of Messrs Harper, Walker, Westenra, Pilliett, Maskell, and the mover, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report in ten days.” The motion was agreed to. PETITION OF H. N, NALDER. Mr Jebson moved that the House go into committee to consider the following motion —“That this House agrees with the recommendation contained in the report of the committee appointed to consider the petition of Mr H. N. Nalder.” [Left Sitting.]