Provincial Council of Hawke's Bay.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 427, 8 October 1866, Page 2

Provincial Council of Hawke's Bay.

THURSDAY, 4m OCT OB hit. Tub Council met, pursuant to adjournment, at three pan. .Present,—The Speaker, and Me*sis M‘Lean, Ormond, Colenso, Kennedy, 3 3d wards, Do! be!, Locke, Rhodes, Elchardson, Take, TiEsn, and Weston, I’KTIj TOxT* , Wr RiCHABDgosr presented a petition front the Rev. L. Kcigmcr, staling that as the education ci half-caste and It aori children was bring,ru r.'ooted iu this Province, the petitioner was desirous oi opening a school for them, and soliciting aid from the Government; and moved that it be read. Agreed to, and petition read accordingly. Mr Eicjiaedsox moved that tiro petition be received. Mr Coiexso considered that, the petition was out ot order. It was more than an indirect appeal for a grant ot money. Tho petition referred to (lie action of the Government in Auckland and "Wellington, but it must bo remembered that this action was taken by tlio General and not the Provincial Government, The General Assembly were generally very liberal in these matters. Mr WxljKinsox thought there need not bo any objection to receiving the petition. It did'not necessarily imply a request lor a grant. Mr Kicjiabdson did not consider the petition out of order. * Mr Tiitex did not think that a request for a grant of money could be much more direct. He thought the petition was certainly out of order. Tee Speaker said that he considered tho petition contrary to the Colli Standing Order, and he, therefore, ruled that it was out of order. THE ESTIMATES. Mr W ILKIXSOX said ho believed he was out of order, but he wished to ask the Government when the Estimates would be placed in the hands of members, llis Honor had given notice to move tp-mcrrow that the House should go into Commit-

tee of Supply to consider the Estimates, and ho thought it important that members should have the papers placed in their hands as early as possible. His Honor said that the Estimates would be placed in their hands during the present sitting. RESERVES IE THE TOWN OB' NAPIER, Mr M‘Lban, pursuant to notice, moved— Bor leave to bring in a Bill to authorise the disposal of certain Reserves of the Town of Napier. —There were certain reserves in the Town of Napier over which the Superintendent had no power, end which were not contributing anything to the revenue. The Government considered that the Superintendent should have power over them, and had prepared a bill to that effect, i Leave granted. Mr M‘Lean moved that the bill be read a first time. Mr Tiffen seconded the motion.Mr Wilkinson objected to giving the Government too much power. They should give exact particulars of what they wished to do with these reserves before they asked the Council for more powers to deal with them. His ITonos would he very happy to make any explanation at the proper time—namely, at the second reading of the bill. Mr Colenso said that if the Bill was to be read a second time to morrow, it should bo in the hands of members to-day. Mr Edwards said that this was an important • natter, and that it would be much more businesshko to defer the second reading till next sitting day but one. Bill read a first lime, and its second reading made an order of the day for next sitting day but one. ROAD DEVIATION. Mr M'Lean, pursuant to notice, moved— For leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of deviatin'* Ilia ro iu leadin'' iVjm Teuuysoii-street to suburban section Iso. 43, Town of Napier. Leave being granted, Mr M‘Lean moved that the Bid be read a first time, which was agreed to, end Bill read accordingly. ADJOURNMENT, Mr At‘Lean moved that the Council do now adjourn till the usual silling hour to morrow. Agreed to, and Council adjourned accordingly, at 4. p.m. FRIDAY, otu OCTOBER. The Council met at three p.m., pursuant to adjournment. Present, —All the members except the Speaker. ELECTION OF SPEAKER PRO TEM. His Honor said that the Speaker wasuaable to attend, and. that in his absence they would have to choose one of their number to fill ids uiace, Ho proposed that Mr Tiffen do take the chair in the absence of the Speaker. Agreed to, and Mr Tiffen took the chair. REVISION OF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS. Mr M’Liun, pursuant to notice, moved Tor leave t-> bring in a Bill to revise and alter certain of the i ri.-sai, eloetir.il districts, returning members to the Xhovmciai Council, and to make other provision iu respect of too same. —He had found that the Bill would not be printed in tinio to be placed in members’ hands to-day ; therefore ho would reserve the second reading till it had been some time before them. Mr Colenso said that the Government had, two years ago, passed a Bill iu reference to this’sub-i'.-ef, which had not become law. He believed the reason it had not received the Governor’s assent "T 5 because it was contrary to tho Constitution ict. They should be cautious to have nothing in ‘•■is one contrary to that Act, or it would certainly inert the fate of its predecessor, as the Constitutor Act was rigidly adhered to by tho General Government. It tve granted; bill read a first time; and its second reading mads an order of the day for Monday. HARBOR RESERVES. Mr 31‘Lean, pursuant to notice, moved— Tor leave to bring in a Bill for administering Harbor Reserves. Mr Colenso Imped that if this Bill was of anv importance it would not be read a second time until Tuesday, as the members would not have sufficient time to consider it. Leave being granted, Air M : Lean moved that the L’ii! bo road a first time, which was agreed to, and Bill read a first time accordingly. IMPROVING WAIROA HARBOR. Mr Dolbel, pursuant to notice, asked the Government— What steps they intend to take in reference to the improvement of the Wairoa harbor ? His Honor said he believed that it was impossible to make a good harbor of the Wairoa river. In this opinion he was supported by Air Cadell, the first explorer of tho Murray river, and fay Air Balfour, Alarine Surveyor. The opinion of these gentlemen was, that nothing could be done with the mouth of a river which was so exposed to the S.W. gales, and that to attempt to improve it would only bo lay out money to loss. Air Balfour would shortly come here to inspect tho Hapier harbor and Wairoa river, and would then report upon the subject. ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE WAIROA RIVER. Air Dolbel, pursuant to notice, asked tho Government — Why the attempt to open the Wairoa harbor was unsuccessful, and whether it was done under the direction of the it ovincial Engineer ? His Honor said that the Provincial Engineer bad nothing to do with the attempt; it was carried out under his own (Air M'Lean’s) directions. The month of the river was opened, but shortly after closed again. There were two defects in the entrance. One was the largo bluff, which, when the vessels were partly in, intercepted the wind and the other, a large mud bank just inside. The mud bank would have to be removed, but tho other obstacle could not be done away with, WAXTAHA BRIDGE. Air Dolbel, pursuant to notice, asked the Government— Whether they hare ordered the wire bridge for the Waitbe Engineer in

His Hokob said that tho sum of £7O had been placed upon tho Estimates at a former session of the Council, for a bridge over the Waitaha, but the Provincial Engineer had stated that it wou’d require an iron bridge of 110 feet span, which would cost £2OO. The Waitaha was very easily crossed except in time of heavy floods/ end ha considered that there were many streams in the Province in greater need of a bridge than this one. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The Council then went into Committee of Supply proforma. The first item of the Estimates was read, and tho Chairman reported progress, and asked leave to sit again on next sitting day. * ADJOURNMENT. On the motion of Mr Ormond, the Council then adjourned till 3 p.m. on Monday, Bth insfc.