RESOLUTION

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 186, 5 August 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

RESOLUTION

Of the Provincial Council of Haicke's Pay, in respect of the ?Allocation of their share of the £3,000,000 loan. The Provincial Council of Hawke’s |Bay, ’in’ responding to the desire expressed bj the Superintendent in the speech with which he opened the business of tin's session—that their 'co-operation and assistance should bo Riven in pressing upon the consideration of the Government the importance of taking immediate steps to secure the Province and to the Northern Island generally the very great advantages that would accrue from the expenditure of that part of the Three Million Loan which has been allocated by the General Assembly for purposes of colonization and settlement in Hawke’s Bay—beg to assure His [Honor of their desire to a Hard him the most earnest support in their power, and with this view the following Memorandum or ‘.Resolution is agreed to as a statement of its opinion upon this question, and the Superintendent is hereby requested to urge upon (he General Government the attending to the views contained therein. The Council before proceeding to shew the interests that w:ll be promoted by the carrving",out the scheme of colonization and settlement in Hawke’s Bay, desire to refer to statements contained in the speech of the Superintendent of M ellington (Hr. Fcatherston). That gentleman (herein informs the Provincial Council of that Province, that ho had proposed to the General Government a plan under which the share of the Loan located to Wellington should be expended under the administration of the Provincial Authorities. That he had received authority in place ol carrying out the scheme of colonization by military settlements as proposed in the Government scheme, that the Immigrants should be introduced from the Homo Country who should obtain grants of land in districts indicated by him, which should be paid for at a future time, and that these Immigrants should be employed in forming Main Trunk lines of Roads connecting different districts and provinces with each other. Ho especially pointed out the importance of connecting the Districts of Wairarapa and Manawatu in Wellington Province with the District of Euataniwha in the Province of Hawke’s Bay ; and showed that with the exception of some 50 miles, lines of road had already been made by the respective Provinces, and that the formation of a road of apout 50 miles in length, chiefly through forest land, would complete a connected Trunk line of Eoad ol some 200 miles in length, through the interior of that part of the Island loading from the chief town ol the one Province to that of the other. His Honor also informed the Council that the General Government had replied to the proposal made by him, and had expressed their willingness to allow the scheme of colonization be had proposed to be carried out under the direction of the Provincial Authorities, and had authorized,.him to commence the various important public works he had proposed to them. The Council have drawn at such length 'from the statements made by the Superintendent of "Wellington, as they embody to a [very; great extent their own opinions, and they have the satisfaction of knowing, that as assent has been giver, by the General Government to the proposals therein mentioned in the case of the Wellington Province, they are not likely to be refused to Hawke’s Bay. The Council will now point out the different public works in the Province of Hawke’s Bay which are in its opinion fair charges upon the £90,000 which is allocated to the Province for purposes of settlement. The Council believe that the object of the Assembly in dcvoting’such large sums to this purpose in the various provinces in the Northern Island was to open up the country by means of military roads, as well as for, or rather in connection with, the settlement ; (of j the country by a European population. The two great works of this nature which are called for in this Province arc the construction of the great Trunk line of Eoad connecting Hawke’s.Bay with the Taupo District, and thence by the Waikato Military Settlement to Auckland, and the completion of the Main Trunk line South by the formation of our share of 50 miles of road through the forest known as the Tamakij.Bush,

and which has been already referred to in the quotation from the speech of tho Superintendent of Wellington. The importance of the works indicated, tho Council feel need not be dwelt on. Tho Ministers must be thoroughly alive to the immense military advantages which would be derived from them, and the necessity which exists for their construction before any successful efforts can bo made for the civilization of the natives in the interior, and the making them amenable to the law. Before leaving this subject tho Council would desire to point out that tho Province has already from Provincial fundsj during past years done a great deal towards forming those parts of the Trunk lines indicated which lie within the Province. That a good road exists for a distance of miles on tho great South Trunk line, and that the great Northern Road has had large sums spent upon it and is for a distance of miles a good summer road for drays, and at all times open for horse traffic. The completion of th apportion of the South road which lies between the Wairarapa open country and the Euataniwha Plains, would form a continuous line of road of 200 miles in length, fit for any kind of traffic, and connecting the ports of Wellington and Napier with each it her. The extension of the Great Northern Road would open up for settlement the largo districts in the centre of tho island, and enable the stockowners of Hawke’s Bay to supply tho Military Settlements on the Waikato, and the Province of Auckland, with live stock, to the material benefit of both. The'f.Council, having indicated the Public Works which they recommend should be constructed in the Province with the funds allocated by the Parliament of New Zealand for that purpose, fjwill now proceed to express their views as to the most beneficial mode of appropriating the sum of £30,000 devoted to purposes of colonization. Thc'Council desire to express their strong opinion, that little permanent benefit would accrue to the Colony or the Province by the introduction of a large body of what are termed Military Settlers. In place thereof they would suggest that tho real object tho Colony has in view would he more successfully met by introducing from the home country a class of settlers accustomed to agricultural pursuits, who, bringing with them wives and families, would become permanent settlers, and, by peopling the country, would effect the result aimed at in a more certain and prosperous manner. The Council would therefore suggest that the immigration for this purpose should be conducted under the charge of an officer, who might be nominated by the-Province and approved by his Excellency’s Government, and who, by judicious selection in the United Kingdom, might send out and people theTrovince with a class of valuable settlers. Tho Council think that it would not bo requisite to offer a free grant of land to intending immigrants, and agree with the Superintendent of Wellington in thinking that a good class of men could be found eager themselves of the chance of settlement in the Colony afforded bv a free passage being found them, and that it would be belter to give them their land subject to the payment of a certain price for it at a future period. As this course has been approved in the case of the Province of Wellington, the Council hope a similar deviation may be permitted in the General G overnment scheme in tho case of their own Province. It is unnecessary 'perhaps to state that tho Council concludes that the public works which they have recommended should be carried out would be formed by the Immigrants, who should in theirjopinion bo located in tho districts in which those works are to be prosecuted, and in all cases allow of it upon tho actual lines of road. The men should in the opinion of the Council be allowed to work upon the iroads at the usual daily rate of pay current in the Province on such days as they may desire and bo able to spare from the occupations necessarily attendant upon their settlement in a new country. The pay they would receive for the time they could devote to road making would it is believed be sufficient to keep them and their families during the period that must necessarily elapse before their settlement can become selfsupporting. Tho Council have expressed their opinion upon the very important interests that appear to them connected with the outlay of the large sum allocated to the Province of Hawke’s Bay by tho General Assembly for purposes of colonization and settlement; and although they have offered their advice as to the manner in 'which the scheme should be conducted, they have done so in the hope of assisting rather than of obstructing the plans of the General Government. The Council has only, in addition, to add that they feel assured the Superintendent will place their views before tho Government in such manner as will prove most conducive to the attainment of the ends they have proposed, and which they believe to bo of incalculable advantage to the future interests and progress of the Province.