THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 278, 14 June 1865, Page 2

THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

The Council assembled according to adjournment, yesterday (Tuesday) at 3 p.m. We are enabled by. .the courtesy of his honotJbe Superintendent to give a report of bis opening address, but in consequence of the illness of apportion of our staff, we find it quite impossible to get our report of the fitting ready for the present issue of our journal, we must therefore crave the indulgence of our readers until our next. The following was the Superintendent’s opening address j

Mr. Speaker and.. Gentlemen of the Provincial Council,: —- ft -if trust 1 no inconvenience has been experienced by members in consequence of my having been-absent on the 6tb, the day appointed by Proclamation for the meeting of Council. The disturbed state of the native tribes in Abe.north east portion of the Province rendered it necessary that I should visit Poverty Bay and the East Cape with the least possible delays' 7 " f The visit has resulted in securing the cooperation : of-influential chiefs to support the Government in maintaining order, and resisting the encroachment of the bau hau fanatics. Some have already taken the oath of allegiance to her Majesty and many more declare their intention of following their example. , . A great deal, however, has yet to be accomplished before the country lying on our eastern frontier can be regarded as in a settled state, r • The close connection between those tribes, and the natives of Hawke’s Bay, is such that any relation affecting peace, or war, established with one, would be equally applicable to the whole of the tribes inhabiting the eastern portion of the Island. The serious aspect which the native question has assumed in consequence of the hau hau fanaticism, has very much increased the difficulty of meeting the dangers to which the Province is. exposed. At a most critical junction immediately after the murder of the Rev. Mr. Volkner, when the lives of the European inhabitants of Poverty Bay, and other places, were in danger, aud when large bodies of the natives who had been hitherto neutral, were rapidly yielding to the fanaticism of the Pai Marire, was requested by the Hon. the Colonial Secretary to undertake the agency of the General Government on the East Coast, and a steamer and other means were placed at my disposal to meet such emergencies as might from time to time arise.

I accepted this duty from a conviction that I should not only be farthering the material interest of Hawke’s Bay, but also those of the Colony are large, and I am glad to be able to inform you that the various measures adopted have been attended with greater success than I myself anticipated when I undertook the duties.

I have to acknowledge the cordial support received from Mr. Weld, to whom I feel personally grateful for the interest taken by his Government in the affairs of this Province at a time when an outbreak on the East Coast appeared so imminent.

I should fail in ray duty to the chiefs of the Wairoa and Table Cape did I neglect to ask for to pass them a vote of thanks for the active and zealous part they took in checking in the most determined manner tbe threatening advances made upon their district by the hau bans. It is certainly due t > those chiefs, that it should be publicly known that their conduct on the occasion referred to, is iully appreciated by the representatives of the people of this Province. In closing the last session of the Council I expressed the hope that additional tracts of land would be acquired by purchase from the natives. This expectation has been in a great measure realized by the purchase of some valuable lands at the' Wairoa. Nuhaka an I Table Cape, those districts are well adapted for the location of an agricultural population, a class much required in this Province.

The planting of European settlements at the north end of Hawke’s Bay has always been contemplated by me as an object of the greatest importance, and as the best means of ensuring stability, and advancement. ’ Measures will be submitted to our con sideration for tbe administration of all those lands, recently acquired from the natives, based upon a principle which will, I hope, afford encouragement to agricultural settlers. The system of guaranteed immigration continues to work satisfactorily. In fulfilment of the desire expressed by you during the last session, I have done all in my power to acquire for purposes of settlements the agricultural lands of the Ahuriri Plains. I regret to say that the disturbed state of the Northern Island during the last year, has made negociations of this kind extremely difficult and has interfered materially to prevent an earlier success in the direction desired by the Council. I have reason to believe that the Ahuriri chiefs are now disposed to give over, upon lease tothe Government considerable blocks of the most valuable portions of the plain for settlement.

The negotiations for the block situate between the Pakiaka Bush and. the Township of Clive, are concluded, and the same tan at once be opened for settlement. I shall submit for your approval regulations under which those and other lands similarly acquired shall be disposed of. I should have preferred of course to.have treated with the natives, for the absolute, sale rather than the lease of these lands, but as I found them quite unprepared even to entertain that question, I concluded that the interests of the Province would be best served acquisition upon the only terms, which the native proprietors appeared willing to accede to.

In carrying out the arrangements entrusted to me for the defence of the Province, I have by the advice of my Executive agreed to set apart certain lands for the location of, Military Settlers, A petition applying for land. from several of the men employed in the Defence Force who were suddenly discharged when the general reduction of the Colonial Forces took place will be laid before you, and I should wish to have an expression of your views with reference to their application, I am happy to inform you that notwithstanding the various causes of depression that have existed in the Northern Island during the past year, the Provincial revenue has far exceeded the estimate formed of it, and that I have been enabled in consequence to provide for the acquisition of territory, and other undertakings which were intended to be disbursed out of the loan of £60,000, which has not, up to present advices been negociated.

A statement of this and other expenditure will be laid before you by which you will perceive that the disbursements have been in accordance with the votes, and expressed views of the Council.

I do not purpose, until after the meeting of the General Assembly, to lay detailed estimates of the revenue and expenditure for the current year before you, as it is probable that the financial affairs of the Colony may undergo revision that might alter or disturb any estimates now prepared. I shall, however, ask you to authorize by resolution an expenditure on the basis of the estimates of the past year for the period that will ensue before the close of.the'General Assembly. The question of the Wellington Debt still remains unsettled. I shall be glad to be guided by you as to any course which you may suggest for its adjustment. Some slight alterations are required in a few of the Provincial Acts, which will be submitted for your consideration. It affords me much pleasure to be able to speak favorably of the exertions that are being made by the inhabitants in promoting education, the best evidence of this is the fact, that four new school houses have been erected during the past year, and another is in progres the usual grants in aid have been made by the Government towards those schools, and trained teachers are expected shortly from England. A review of the state of the Province for the past year affords ample ample proof of its steady advancement. Its exports, commerce, productions, and finances, indicate a sound and healthy condition, which there is every reason to believe will continue to extend and develop itself.