Provincial Council.
TUESDAY, 26th SEPTEMBER, 1865. The Council met at three o’clock, pursuant to adjournment. Present,-—The Speaker, (Major Lambert,) M'Lean, Ormond, Rhodes, Kennedy, "Wilkinson, Curling, Edwards, Buchanan, Tuke and Tiffen. Absent,—- Messrs. Colenso, Richardson, Dolbel, and Stuart. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. ESTIMATES. Mr Wilkinson asked the Superintendent if the Government would be fully prepared for the consideration of the Estimates on Thursday next. He asked because when the Estimates were gone into so early, additions very frequently had to be made at a later date. Mr M'Lean replied that the Government would be fully,prepared for the consideration of the Estimates at that date. boundaries. Mr Buchanan asked the Superintendent if Lithe boundaries of the newly acquired land in ;<the Northern Districts of the Province, as given in the General and Provincial Gqvern- . ment Gazettes, were correct? and who were the officers responsible for their correctness? He did not think it necessary to put a formal notice on the paper on that subject. Mr M'Lean said that the boundaries were different in the General and Provincial Gazettes. In the Provincial Gazette the land specified was all in the Province of Hawke’s Bay; while those in the General Government Gazette might include some land ia the Province of Auckland. Mr Buchanan said that was not what he had referred to. He would read part of the description of the boundaries from the Ga zette :■ — Nnhaka Block—lo,ooo acres.—Commencing at the mouth of the Nnhaka River, and follows the course of that river to latitude 39° South, being the Northern boundary of the Province of Hawke’s Bay; thence following that meridian in an easterly direction. —He was one of those who held the oldfashioned belief that a meridian extended north and south, and not east and west. (Laughter.) ADJOURNMENT. Mr M'Lean said that the Estimates, which would.be laid on the table the day after tomorrow, would be found to be very much the sanies’s'those passed last year. The principal difference would be caused by the newly-settled which would require 1 police, court-houses, &c. The ordinary expenditure would be* very similar to what it was last year—the principal difference being in the public works. Some delay had been occasioned by the absence of himself and Mr Ormond in Wellington, .but the estimates would be- prepared with- as little delay as possible. He would now moveThat this Councildo now adjourn until to-mor-row (Wednesday) at the usual hour. Mr Wilkinson seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Council adjourned accordingly, at BAS p.m., until 27th September, p.m. WEDNESDAY, 27th SEPTEMBER. The Council met at three o’clock, pursuant to adjourn meat. Present,—The Speaker, Messrs. M'Lean, Ormond, Rhodes, Kennedy,. Wilkinson, Edwards, Buchanan, Dolbel, Tuke, Richardson, and Tiffen. Absent;—Messrs. Colenso, Curling, and Stuart; i t Cj . \ The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. lAPKE3 BELATTVE TO DESIGNATION OE PEOYINCIAXi ENGINEER AND PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR. . Mr Buchanan moved—--1 That there be laid upon the table of this Council a copy of all correspondence and minutes of the Executive Council, in regarthto the resignation of their offices; by: the Provincial Solicitor and by the Provincial Engineer, and to their resumption of their duties. —ln placing that motion upon the paper he would state that, in,bis.. opinion, it was very desirable that the public should be informed
as to the reasons which induced two of the most important officers in the service of the Government to resign, and afterwards to resume their offices. It was the common re port out of doors that such had been the case, and he wished to know if it was authentic. If it was, there must certainly be some correspondence on the subject, which he should wish to see laid on the table. Mr M'Lean said that there was no correspondence whatever on the subject. It could not be laid on the table, as it did not exist. Mr Edwards would second the motion. He considered that the explanation which had been given was not all satisfactory. If those officers had resigned, their resignations would certainly have teen sent in in writing. Mr Buchanan said that the bald explanation which they had just heard disclosed a most unprecedented state of affairs. Two public officers had resigned, and there was no correspondence, no papers, on the subject. It was a specimen of the loose, the miserable manner in wiiich the government of Hawke’s Buy was conducted (hear, hear.) They were shading themselves from the face of day, and carefully burking all correspondence which might throw discredit upon them. He could only characterise the answer they had given as a simple evasion of the truth (hear, hear.) They had not dared to deny that those officers had resigned; and he would not credit their statement that there were no documents. He would leave the public to judge (hear, hear.) The Speaker then put the question. Mr Ormond objected. It was no use to put a motion to the House that certain papers should be laid on the table when there were no such papers. They did not possess a line of correspondence on the subject. The Government, however, would not vote against the motion, as it would be useless.
Mr Buchanan explained that he did not consider that it would be much different for the Government to assure him iu writing than by word of mouth. The Speaker ruled that the question should be put. A division being called for, the House divided with the following result:— Ayes (2) —Messrs Buchanan and Edwards. Noes (9) —Messrs Kennedy, Richardson, M‘Lean. Dolbel, Ormond, Rhodes; Tiffen, Tuke, and Wilkinson. ESTIMATES. Mr M‘Lean said that yesterday he had promised to lay before them the Estimate of Ways and Means to-day, and now he fulfilled his promise. They would remember that last session the reason frhy the Estimates were deferred until after the meeting of the General Assembly was that the General Government contemplated making sundry alterations in the financial relations with the Provinces, and that therefore they would most likely have been constructed on an incorrect basis. Such had been the case, for the General Government bad encroached considerably on the Revenues of the Provinces. He could not better, illustrate this than by comparing the first item in the Estimates lor the last year and those he uow laid before them. In the last Estimates this item was ,£5,500; in the present, <£3,500. The other items would sufficiently explain themselves. The other copies of the Estimates would be prepared as soon as possible, that each member might be placed in possession of a copy. He would move, That this. Council do resolve itself into Committee of Supply. Mr Ormond said that as the Chairman of Committees was absent on account of the weather, they bad better appoint a temporary one for that day. He would move that the member for Clive (Mr Rhodes) be appointed Chairman of Committees pro tem. Agreed to. . Air MTjEan’s motion was then put and carried, and tbe House went into Committee accordingly. Mr M‘Lean. moved that the Chairman report progress, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.—“ Agreed to. ADJOURNMENT. Mr M'Lean moved that the Council do adjourn till to-morrow, at the usual hour. Agreed to, and Council adjourned accordingly, at 335 p.m., till this,day at 3 p.m.
NOTICES OF MOTION. THURSDAY, 28th SEPTEMBER. Mr M'Lean to moveFor leave to bring in a-Bill to revise the present Electoral Districts of - the Province, and make other provision in respect of the same. Mr M'Lean to move— That this Council do resolve itself into Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates. Mr Buchanan to move — That a Return showing the amount of the Treasury Balances, with their bankers, of the Provincial Government of Hawke’s Bay, and whether debtor or creditor, on the lost day of each month of the present year, be laid on the table of this Council. Mr Buchanan to move—lhat his Honor the Superintendent be requested to furnish a Return of all Supplies purchased for Provincial Service (describing the same as accurately as a brief general designation will allow) and of all work#-effected for the same, other than those under contract by public advertisement, during the twelve months ended 30th August, 1865. That the names of the persons so favored with orders be furnished, and the accounts paid oh each separate order shown, and that the proper officer responsible for such expenditure give an epitome of his reas in each instance, for departing from the general rule, whereby resort topublio competition ia supposed to be imperative. Mr Buchanan to move— That a return exhibiting the entire aggregate cost to the public of the lands in the Northern District of the Province over which the Native title has recently been extinguished be prepared, shewing in columns as follows : 1-—The prices, as expressed in the deeds. 2.—The expenditure, in the shape of ail other than direct payments in money B.—The cos: of surveys, both preliminary and on subdivision for sale. A—The average of each class of land, as classified by the Government. B.—The cost, per acre, inclusive of every expense.
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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 310, 28 September 1865, Page 1
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1,520Provincial Council. Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 310, 28 September 1865, Page 1
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