Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1800, 13 May 1874, Page 2

We select from the reports of the Nelson Colonist such items of the proceedings of the Provincial Council as are likely to interest our readers. The Estimates for the, financial year put down the probable revenue at £70,950 ;- and the proposed expenditure at something near this amount, but, we have not time to " totn©

them up," the lump sum not being stated. But we discover that an increase of the the salaries of the Executive and other officials is proposed^ Under the head 'of. Public Works web note '"'the following items :— Road, Amuri to Saddle, £800 ; road, from Black's Point to head of Murray Creek, £200 ; Inangahua. Landing to Lyell, £100.; track from Lyell-toMoki-nui, £150 ; approaches to Lyell punt, £100 ; road from Hatter's Tdrrace to Owen's Look-out, £300 ; road to Gorgetown, Boatman's, £250 ; protective works, Reefton, £200 ; dray road, Coal Creek, £1600 ; road to Bell Hill, £150 ; bridge to Noble's, £20 ; road from Totara Flat to Granville, £700. Contributions to the Goldfields Local Revenue Boards are thus put down,:— Buller, £480; Charleston, £700; Inangahua, £900; Ahaura, £2000; Lyell, £320 ; Cobden, £200. On the 7th instant, Mr Ivess presented petitions from John Williams, Fern Flat, Inangahua, asking for £463 as compensation for a road made through his property, and from Ihe residents of Reefton and the surrounding districts, asking that the bridge rtver the Inangahua at- Reef ton Repurchased, and opened to the public free of toll. On the Bth, the Provincial Secretary, in reply to a question from Mr Kt-rr, stated that it wa3 the intention of the Government to proceed with the continuation of the road in the Buller Valley between the Grip and Hope. Mr Corbett a&ked the Provincial Secretary, " Whether that portion of the sum accruing to Road Boards, and reserved for expenditure on the South- West Gold-fields, under ' Payment to Provinces Act, 1872,' has been expended, and, if so, on what works V The Provincial Secretary said that part of the money had been expended on the road from Charleston to Addison's Flat, and another portion on the road to. Cape Foulwind. There was a balance of £10 not expended. Mr Donne was to move last night— "That in order to restore the efficiency of the Nelson Provincial Council as a representative institution, it is the opinion of this Council 'The Executive Government Act, 1871,' under which certain members of this Council hold certain offices, should be repealed, and other provisions made in lieu thereof, and that leave be given the mover to introduce a Bill to give effect to that ohject." It would seem, therefore, that another battle upon the question of responsible government is likely to occur.