WESTLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1803, 23 May 1874, Page 2

WESTLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

TfIUESDAY,/li'lAX 21;' COMMITTEE REPORTS. Mr Lahman brought |up the report of the Committee on the petition for a road at Paroa, and the prayer was favorably reported on. The same member also brought up a report, on the petition from miners .on 4he^.,Sou.th .Beach, , praying that ;_in . laying but the proposed railways between Hokitika and .Greymouth, their interests should be conserved. The report suggested -that the snrvey ore should ; be instructed to that effect when the survey took place. ;. , ;. r I Mr Lahman also brought up a report on the .peti^on of Messrs Cheffings and Whitten, recommending that the prayer of their petitipn be granted, that live years protection for tn'e Teremakau ferry should be granted,, and that the rate of tolls should be raised. CHAIBMAN OP COMMITTEES. Mr Lahman, before, going on with the business on the Order Paper, obtained leave to . move tha^ a Chairman of Comjmtitees should bu appninted. On this he moved that Mr T«,>dd should be appointei Chairman of Ci-moiittees. All would agree that they could not make &. better choice, and the experience that that gentleman had gained in the civic chair, would enable him to discharge the duties most satisfactorily. : Mr Todd briefly declined the honor. Mr Houlahan then moved than Mr Lahman be appointed. When he occupied the. chair on a former occasion he filled the position in a manner creditable alike to himself and the Council. " ■ Me iCuming.aeconded the motion, which was car Tied.v, , : .< ■:■.-. ; - ;- I Mr Lahman said it was: with great re- ; luctancH thai he. accemed thp f honqr, as he was thereby debarred. from taking part in the discussion of bills in Committee, in which he took a deep interest. : ' :V He had specially' refrained from speaking on the. Education Act, thinkiug. that he could say; what, he,;;wished. to. say. iv: Committee.; Nevertheless, in deferenc|, ta the Council,' he. would accept the position, and thanked ' them for having proposed bini. . THB AEAHUR4 BKIDaB. Mr Seddon asked hiajHoner—" Whether he intends to call for tenders for the com-. I pletion of the Arahura dridge, and, if his ] answer be in the affirmative^ when 1 " He stated that his reasons for. wishing information was that the bridge waa old and . decayed, and at the last flood was nearly [ carried away. At that time the late pro1. prietor had the material for ' repairing it . ready, and since then had \ been asked to, make an offer to complete what was re-| quired,, - He (Mr- Seddon) thought > that! was the speediest way of having the work done, and it, was wanted speedily. , The Superintendent said, it, was his in-, ten tion to dall for tenders ; the specifications were nearly prepared, as, as soon as the Provincial funds would admit, he ; would call for tenders. He also drew the, attention of the Council that there was a 1 lar^e amount of work on hand, which it j, was impossible to go on with all at once. 5 Mr Seddon moved— "That a Select: . Committee be appointed, consisting of Mr. l Speaker, Messrs Wickes, Kobinson ' C inning, Guinness, and the mover, to I enquire into the working of the .Westland; j Waste Land Acts, with a view to, ascer--1 tain what amendments, if any, are neces- -- -oalry-in *ho«o-Aots_^.i»_report,nexfc.Wjeek." 5 Mr Lahman seconded the motion pro • . forma, in order. to invite discussion, rather; than with any idea that the amendment j was necessary, , v Mr Cuming thought the Act a3 nearly, complete as that of any. other Province in ■ . the Colony. He expressed hU high ; qpinion of the, genera} principles of the; Act, and the ability that MrHoos had; shown in framing the measure of > 1870. < There were, however, clauae3 in it pro-! viding for setting apart blocks.of laud for ' special settlements, which had never been, carried into effect, though they had been j gazetted a year ago. He said he should ': support the resolution. i Mr Tood also thought the Committee; necessary, for he considered, for the ad- ' , yancement of the Province, that every i inducement should be offered to the! working: man to settle on his, hundred' acres, in preference to him with 2000 or » 3000 acres. 1 The Superintendent would Bupportthei inquiry. He explained what had been; dune in. the matter of special settlements, : and said that it had been his endeavor, [ ' sines he had been in office, to get the Waste Lands Board to give effect to at least one experimental block, and if this • succeeded, more might follow. He reminded members that in their proposed loan, they would have to giye. security! over, the waste lands, and. that it; was not; their interest to depreciate its value by any meaps. In the special settlements in Wellington, the price of the l^nd was SJOd, and the term of payment five : years, so , they were not so liberal aa they were here. . :.-.,■■ THE EDUCATION BELI. Mr Honlahan moved— " That the Education Bill.be. referred to a Select Committee, consisting of Mr Speaker, Messrs Cuming, Dungan, Wickes, Canavan, Robinson, and the mover." •' ,v. Mr Lahman pointed out that this would be rescinding a previous resolution of the Council, referring the bill to a Committee of the whole.,: ■-.■.; ■.-;-.-.. ■: \■ : The Speaker; agreed in the objection, and the motion lapsed. Mr Cuming moved— "That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to bring under., the notice pf the General Government the great necessity of having a contract survey made of the Mikonui water-race, and impressing upon them the urgent necessity of getting this work carried out by the Colonial Survey Department a.s early as possible. He stated that Mr Tribe, member for the Totara district, had been told by the Minister of Public Works, that if the Council proposed such a resolution, Government surveyors should carry out the work. Mr Seddon seconded the resolution. His Honor suggested the withdrawal of the motion, otherwise it might interfere wish the propose^ proposals, and said that the (government already possessed complete surveys, v?hich had been thoroughly tested, and unquestionably correct.''He gave his reasons for wishiDg withdrawal, at length, After hearing the explanation, Messrs Dungan and M'Gaffin expressed their hope that the motion would be withdrawn, which Mr Cuming with the con 1 sent of the Council agreed to. The Council, adjourned till Tuesday next.";'! ....!.'; .'""'■■■':■■■■ ■■■"';-■';'-'- ' ,','.' ... (For. remainder of News t m&thpage,) I