NOTICES OF MOTION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 279, 16 June 1865, Page 3

NOTICES OF MOTION.

- THURSDAY, JUNE 15. Mr. M’Lean ; That this Council hereby authorise His Honor the Superintendent to carry on the expenditure of the province at the rate set forth in the estimates for the year end : ng3oth June, ISBS, until the adjourned meeting of this Council shall take place, provided that such adjourned meeting be held not more than two weeks after the approaching session of the General Assembly. It being also understood that any necessary public works, the execution of ■which is urgently called for, shall be proceeded with by the Executive at their discretion. Major Lambert:—

That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to lay before the Council all the correspondence that has passed between the General Government and himself, relative to his being appointed as the officer to lay informations against persons illegally occupying native land. Mr. Colenso .• — That this Council considers it to be highly necessary to the welfare of the Province, that iis Government should bo legally administered ; and therefore that His Honor the Superintendent be respectfully reminded to constitute his Executive Council in strict accordance with the Executive Act. FRIDAY, 16th JUNE. Major Lambert. That His Honor the Superintendent be requested to state what steps have been taken to cause the Revising Officer to hold his sittings at various places up the country—His Honor, at the last meeting of this Council having undertaken to take steps that would cause it to be effected. That this Council request the Superintendent to place the sum of £3OO upon the Estimates for the completion of the road from Napier to the township of Hampden. Mr Stuart.: —

That advertisement be inserted in the provincial Gazette, as well as in the two newspapers of Hawke's Bay, to the effect that all lessees of Maori runs will be liable to prosecution: and that, in the extent of the Government being able to treat with the natives for the acquisition of such land, either by lease or purchase, no respect will be paid to,>: or compensation allowed for, any alleged lease now existing. Mr M’Lean : That the Council are of opinion that all lands in the Ahuriri Plains, acquired for settlement upon lease, shall be disposed of in the following manner:— Each block shall, as soon as possible after its acquisition, be laid off in sections. These sections shall, after due notice, be leased by public auction for a period of years from the date of the lease from the natives : the upset rate of rent per annum of each section shall bo not less than twenty-five per cent higher than the rate paid for the same to the native proprietors. The rent for the first year of the lease shall be paid to the auctioneer on the fall of the hammer. The rent for the remaining years of the lease shall be paid half-yearly on In addition to the rent, the lessee of each section shall pay, on the fall of the hammer, a sum calculated at the rate of ten shillings for each acre contained within; his section; the same to be expended for purposes of drainage, and for the formation of bye-roads within (he block.

Theleaseholderofeachseetion shall be compelled by tiie terms of his lease to fence in his section within twelve months from the date thereof, and to cultivate at least one-tenth of it within the same period. Any leaseholder failing to comply with either of these conditions shall forfeit his lease, which shall then bo again put up to auction and disposed of as before sot forth : Provided that in such case the second lessee shall in addition to the one year’s rent payable in advance, be liable also for one half of the cost of any sufficient dividing fence that may have been erected by an adjoining leaseholder. The Provincial Government shall give an undertaking that in case of the lands, or any part thereof, contained in any block disposed of under these conditions becoming the property of the Government, that a pre-emtire right of purchase of the land contained in his lease should be given to such leaseholder, such pre-emptive right to be subject to the payment of a valuation to be fixed by arbitration (in the usual manner), and such valuation not to include any improvements that may have been effected by the leaseholder: Provided that any such premise of pro-emtive right as aforesaid given to any leaseholder who may forfeit his lease shall be null and void. Mr Buchanan:— 1. That this Council is of opinion that the special welfare ol this Province, and the general interests of the colony are retarded and injured through the noa-enforcement of the law contained in the Land Purchase Ordinance 1846. Firstly by reason of the occupation of Europeans, in contravention of that Ordinance, for pastoral purposes only, of the native lands best suited for agriculture by fertility and proximity to port and to market, the possibility of acquiring the said lands by purchase for legitimate settlement, is entirely frustrated, and the growth and concentration of population prevented. Secondly, by this disregard and scorn of British law engendered and fostered in the breasts of the Maori population, by the knowledge they possess of the impunity with which the Ordinance in question is openly broken by British subjects of European ext ruction, who alone are affected by its provisions. Thirdly, by this lasity of adminstration governmental approval of the system is assumed, whereby out of the regularly accruing, large, and certain income paid to the Maories for the illegal rental of these lands, most important aid in money (well understood to be given in fixed contributions) has been afforded to the rebel tribes. Whilst therefore, a lavish expenditure for the suppression of the war has to bo borne, both by the colonist and by the British public, violators of the law in our midst are supplying means of greater moment even than men, to protract the struggle, and to nullify the effect that ought to result from the blood spilt and the treasure spent. Fourthly, by the discontent and dissatisiaction felt by* the great body of our white population who respect and abide by the law, at witnessing the ease with which advantages to their detriment are sesured by a mere fraction of the community who do neither.

2. -Chat, in the opinion of this Council it is highly necesrary that steps be at once taken to put the Native Laud Purchase Ordinance 1546 in force.

3. That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to forward a copy of these resolutions to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, for such action as to his Excellency the Governor’s responsible adviser may seem fit. Mr Richardson— To ask the Government if, considering the dangerous proximity of alarge body of hau-haufanatics some protection has not been afforded to the settlers in Petaue and its immediate neighborhood, and also if it is the intention of the Government to erect any Stockade or place of refuge, or, otherwise, encamp a small body of men in some central position, so as to form a rallyingpoint in the event of any unforeseen collision.

Mr Colenso (as an amendment) — That a Select Committee bo appointed to consider these resolutions, with power to alter the same : the said committee to consist of Messrs Rhodes, Tifien, Buchanan, and Colenso. Mr Colenso— To ask the Government whether it is their intention to introduce a Publican’s Licensing Amendment Ordinance during this session. TUESDAY JUNE 20. Mr Buchanan— That the correspondence relative to the Ahuriri Plains referred to in a marginal nof e to the report on the matter brought up last session, and the papers on the same subject laid on the table of the Council on the 14th iust., be printed. Mr Stuart— For leave to ask the Superintendent when and where the public weigli-bridge is to be erected. Mr Stuart— For leave to ask the Superintendent whether he received any emolument, cither directly er in. directly, for acting for the General Government as the agent with the natives on the East Coast. Mr Bichardson— That the petition of the inhabitants of the Western Side of Harbor be considered on Tuesday, the 20th day of June, 1865. Mr Buchanan— That this Council considers unnecessary delay in the issue of new writs to supply vacancies in its numbers to be an infringement as well of its privileges as of the statute rights of the constituencies, and to be a direct violation of the 12th clause of the New Zealand Constitution Act.