PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 105, 10 April 1863, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, April 1. Reply to his Honor's Address. Mr. Ormond in seconding the reply, would make a lew explanations with regard to the address. The first clauses were congratulatory, then came one in reference to the establishment of a Mounted Constabulary Force, for the attainment of which some of the settlers bad interested themselves, and he hoped their exertions would he backed up by the Council. Then it was proposed to borrow £30,000 for the purchase of land, which sum they thought would be amply sufficient for the purpose, and he thought would be enough to carry them on till some return was had from the land so purchased. Another £30,000 was proposed to be borrowed for the purposes of Emigration, making of Itoads, &c., and by the consent of his colleagues, he would name some particulars as to how they proposed to appropriate that sum. First, <£12,000 were proposed to be devoted to Emigration; £IO,OOO for trunk lines of Hoad ; £4,000 for the accommodation for the Constabulary Force ; and the remaining £4,000 for Harbour accommodation. To begin with the last item first, —he might state that all they intended to do was to give requisite wharfage accommodation, which was in accordance with the wishes of several of the mercantile community. It would be necessary also, to provide barrack accommodation for the Mounted Police, and to establish posts in various parts of the country, which would require some outlay. He thought the Council would agree with him when he said it was most essential to their interests to bring population to the

Province ; we were standing still at present from want of it. He not would do as they did in Wellington, get people out without making provision for them previously. It would be to their interest to bring out a class of persons calculated to people the lands of the Province, and he thought a certain number of Germans might be introduced with advantage both to themselves and the Province. They did not ask the Council to bind themselves to any particular system of emigration, but only to agree to the general principles of what had been laid down. All they wanted was to bring people out, and to set apart land available fur their location, it might be on the principle of deferred payments. ° The concluding item he had mentioned was the Roads. The Superintendent in his explanation, had agreed to the opening up of trunk lines, and he supposed it would include roads to districts whereon they intended to locate people. He saw no other way by which they could obtain money from the money-lender than by giving security by the land. As they had no other course, they must give this security, or abandon the scheme. With regard to the leasing of those lands already in their possession, be thought it would be unwise to give pre-emptive right, except where improvements had been made. They miubt induce holders to give up their lands by 'offering better terms to them. The subject of German immigration was merely thrown out as a suggestion ; but were they to introduce Germans, he thought they would prove an advantage to the settlement, and develope resources which our own people would not. But it would be for the Council to decide the various points in the matter of immigration. Mr. Ormond then referred to the subject of education, saying that in case of the acquisition of land from the Natives, they mioht set aside a certain per centage for educational purposes. There were some portions of the address which, if not explained, might lead to the idea that the Government were going to great expense ; one in particular, that of the main thoroughfares through the country. All they wanted to do was to keep the necessity of these lines being opened before the General Government, so that this Province might have the full benefit of its natural position in the island. In conclusion, he hoped the Council would endorse the reply moved by the member for Te Aute.

Mr. Colknso said he was not sorry that the member for Poraugahau had entered into an explanation of a portion of the address, otherwise some assertions in the reply might have been speedily got rid of. In speaking that day he had no desire to impede the work of the Government, nor was it with a determination to oppose them ; he disapproved of the general principles contained in the address, and he was sorry to see the day when a Superintendent dared to come to that Council and ask them to endorse a loan. There was a heavy claim hanging over their heads for the loan contracted by the old Province, but the Superintendent said nothing of a loan to meet the ciemands of the Wellington Government, and which, if demanded, the Province would find great difficulty in meeting. With this loan, should it pass, the province would be in debt A 100,000. He could not supportany loan in the present position of the Province, not even fur the purchase of native lands unless he knew what land was to be acquired. The only land he knew of worth buying was on the banks of the Wairoa, at the Table Cape, and the Ahuriri plains. If they borrowed money for the purchase of land, irrespective of the quality and situation, he believed the natives would only sell the worst portions, and if they even offered the best, it was a question whether they could be bought so as to be resold to advantage. Connected with desire to increase immigration, how was it when the first Superintendent brought people here? Why, when the work was done, they ail went away. How was it that people had been leaving the Province lately, and were still doing so ? Because there was no attraction for them to remain here. If they offered attraction, there would be no need of an extensive emigration scheme. What people wanted when leaving the mother country was security of life and property, cheap land, good roads, freedom from taxation, &c. But these were not to he found in Hawke’s Bay. The necessity of a mounted police force, so strongly urged by the Government, was a proof that property was far from being secure ; and he did not know of an acre of land fit for agricultural purposes that could be obtained within a reasonable distance of the port. With reference to loans, the proper way to view it was to act as if they wanted to borrow money individually. It would be no difficult matter to get the money, but how was it to be repaid ? The Government should have told them how

the money was to he repaid. (Mr. Colenso argued the subject at greater length in an able speech, altogether condemning the policy of the Government, but we are unable at present to afford space for it in full.) Ur, Hitchings also spoke on the subject, approving of the general principles of the address, but condemning the scheme for immigration. The house divided with the following result, on the question of the reply being put: Ayes', 11 —Messrs. McLean, Ormond, Bussell, Smith, Fitzgerald, Carter, Hitchings, Curling, Tuke, Rhodes, Kennedy. Noes, 3 —Messrs. Colenso, Tiffen, Dolbel.