Provincial Council of Hawke's Day.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 428, 11 October 1866, Page 3

Provincial Council of Hawke's Day.

MONDAY, Sxn OCTOBER. The Council met at 3 p.m., pursuant to adjournment. Present—all the members except Mr Rich-ard-on. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. pursue PARK AND BOTANICAL GARDENS, Mr M'Lean, pursuant to notice, moved Tor leave to bring in a bill to authorise the Suporintcn--deut to lease land, iree of charge or reut, for a puulio parx -or botanical garden. Mr Wilkinson wished to know how. this -ochemo was to be carried ont. His Honor said that the Government had not yet decided, but would use the best means iu their power. Mr Colenso asked where the laud proposed to bo granted was situated. His Honor said it was near Tareha'a bridge. Mr Colenso asked whether the fund belonged to the Government or was leased. His Honor said that it was leased. Hie motion was then put and leave granted. Mr M’Lean moved that the bill be read a first lime. Agreed to, and the bill read a first time ac■corui.igly. Mr hi’Lean gave notice that he would move .that the bdl be read a second lime on a Wednesday. grant to agricultural society, Mr M’Lkan, pursuant to notice, moved— For leave to bring in, a bill to authorise the Superintendent to lease laud, ireo of charge or rent, for the iiawho’s Bay Agricultural Society. —The land it was proposed to grant was immedi. utcly adjoining the land, proposed to be sot apart for a park. 1 Mr Wilkinson wished to know how many .acres there were iu this piece of laud. His Honor could not at the moment say how many acres it consisted of.

Mr Colenso said that iu opening the Council the member for Clive had said that the duration ot the smsion would umst likely not exceed Two or three days. The best way to deal with these bills, if it was wished to save time would be to allow the discussion to take place on the first reading. It would not bo in accordance with their usual rule, but it would save time. He wished to know wuat this Agricultural Society was, _ That sued a society existed he kuew, from occasionally seeing its name in the papers but who were me members? dhe report of the last meeting (published in the ‘ Times 1 0 f day) .showed that four had been elected to form a committee. Was it ou the application of these lour? There were four bias for consideration this session on very similar subjects Why was this ? Such matters as these were usuallv left to the incoming Government, by one so near its end as the present one was. Perhaps their reason for making the fi o grants at the close of their career was to gain favor with the public, and so To secure lueir seats in the next Coucleii. Mr OaaoND said that he did not see that the bills wouid pats through the house any’ quicker for being discussed on the first reading instead of the second. The bills liad not yet come from the primer, and members should have them in their Raima while they were being ducus.-ed. He considered Uiac the bills would be discussed a second time on tho motion for the second xeading in addition to the first discussion. Ale Wilkinson thought an explanation was needed as to who the Agricultural Socieiy couBisted ot. He believed, Horn advertisements ho Lad seen, that there were two iu the province. Mr -tailodes would state, for the satisfaction ol members, that the members of the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural Society, to which the grant was intended to be made, exceeded, one hundred. There was aiso a branch society at Waipukurau. An Agricultural {Society comprehended more than the bieeuiug of sheep and cattle, and the laud proposed to be granted was in the heart of the best agricultural district in the province. In about tureo years he expected thqt the country there Would be occupied by small farms, aud then the legitimate objeets of au Agricultural {Society could be properly carried out. There would be exhibitions oi grain, ploughing matches, &c. j but if this land was not granted, me want of it would be jgreatly felt.

On the motion of Mr M‘Lean the bill was read a first time. He then gave notice that ho would more its second reading on Wednesday. LEASING-OF LAND TO JOCKEY CLUB. Mr M'Lean, pursuant to notice, moved— For leave to bring in a bill to authorise the Superintendent to lease section No. 2, Papakura, to the Hawke’s Bay ■Jockey Club. —An application had been made for this piece of land to the Government by the Jockey Club, who considered it very necessary that a race-course should be provided.for the amusement of the public; and he (Mr M‘L.) had, therefore, brought that motion before the Council. Oa the motion being seconded, the Speaker said that it was'customary for a member to rise when he seconded a motion. The members of the Council were getting into very loose habits. Mr Colenso said the member for Porangahau had said that to discuss bills on their first reading would le®l to a second discussion on the second reading. Ho might himself say that any objections he might urge against a bill on its first reading, he would certainly not repeat on the second’ As to the bill which the Government now sought So bring in, ho could not bring himself for a single moment to consent to it. The Government had been asked to give a piece of laud to a Jockey Club. 'Why to a Jockey Club ? What had the Government to do with one if it existed ? Of all clubs or public bodies who might ask for a grant of land such a request would go down with least grace from a Jockey Club. Recently a petition was brought before the Council, with the laudable object of which no doubt every member coincided ; yet it was almost unanimously refused —and why ? Because it was more than an indirect request for a grant of money, which was contrary to the standing rules and orders. This was brought forward in a different manner, but it was for a grant for a widely different purpose. The land which it was proposed to grant was 92 acres in extent, and would cost the Province £ioo par annum to lease from the natives. He should prefer to see Crown Laud granted than native land, which was such an annual expense to the Government. The fact wa?, the Government could not afford it. lie ( Mr C.) would not give laud to the Jockey Club, if there was one, connected with the Derby at home. He would put the question —What good had ever been done, what advantage had ever arisen, or would arise from a Jockey Club ? Ho would not go so far as to endorse the opinion of the Dean of Carlisle, that, racing was a curse, but it was rarely if ever unattended with serious or fatal accidents. It required no stretch of imagination to suppose n religious body as the Wesley aus, or those termed Quakers, asking for a grant of land on which to build a chapel, would the Government grant that request? Certainly not. Why then grant land to a Jockey Club ? He could not get over the association of ideat connected with the term Jockey C'lab. To his mind it always suggested thimble-rig. [No, no.] He knew very well from the public prints how such matters were managed at home. Such a grant as tins would not be made in any other Province in New Zealand. [Mr Ormond : it has been done in every other Province.] He would take the hon. member at his word. Would lie mention one? [Mr Ormond : Auckland.] In Auckland the I’acccourse which had been granted by the Government was in the Waikato country ; it was net a valuable piece of land near the town as this proposed grant was. Ho would ask if the idea of such a grant as this would be tolerated in Auckland ? The member opposite knew it would not. Again the Waikato race-course was, as much as anything, an inducement, a bait, for military settlers. Jf t ins land were granted the publicans of Hawke’s Bay may, with propriety, equal to that of the Jockey Club, ask for a similar grant of the best land, centrally situated, for a skittle-alley and bowling-grown. The Government could not consistently refuse the one after granting the other. He trusted that the Government would consider the matter a little more deeply than they appeared to have done. Supposing that this was a colony of the time of George HI, instead of Victoria, what would the people of that day have asked for? They wou.d have petitioned the Government to set apart a piece of land for a prize-ring. If it had been people from the West of England, from-whence he [Mr C.] came, they would have wanted a nice piece of ground at Greenmeadovvs for the practice of wrestling--the most manly sport of the three. Why should the Jockey Club be more favored than any other club ? Supposing the Rifle Volunteers were te form a club, and petition lor a piece of land for rifle practice, would such grant be made ? If the Government had already made a grant equal to £2OO per annum for the lowest of English sports and pastimes. [No, no.] They should surely act with equal liberality to higher ones. He did not intend to go over this ground agaiu on the second reading ; he would then do no more than oppose the bill. He had seen former races here, and had experience that they were iu every respect injurious toj the interests of the Province, lie was well aware of the old cry iu England that racing improved the breed of horses. To that he would reply that it improved them in no other way than that of making them win the paltry prize, and that the only interests it served were those of the black-leg. He supposed that this grant was to extend to the full term of the lease, years. If so, long before that time the Province ..would feel the need of the money. The Government might give them the benefit of it in a much better way than that proposed. It was absurd to lease a piece of land to a Club that would only want to use it on three days of the year. They might have leased it to another party with the proviso that the Jockey Club should have the use of it for three days each year, or such time previous to the three days as might be sufficient to put it iu £eOT was an extravagant price to pay for three days animuse. meat. Por that sum they might purchase the best Punch and J udy show in the Australian Colonies, which might give amusement to all the children of Napier, not tor three days only, but for all the year round. Mr Wilkinson hoped that the Government had taken precautions that the purpose of the i grant should be properly carried out t because it

■was one that was very liable to be abused. With reference to the remar ks of the member for the town, he considered that any attempt to put a stop to racing would be utterly futile. It was a habit of an Englishman—one whum seemed to cling to him wherever he went.

Mr Nswroy said that the member for Napier had spoken of the grant as if it had been like the one to the Agricultural Society, “without rent or charge.” He did not tee that the Government need lose anything by this lease. They might make theJoekey Club pay equal to their expenses, and the Jockey Club might, recoup the money by leasing it themselves nearly, the whole of the year. Mr lirosN had never seen any good come from racing yet. Its principal feature, was the whole of Napier being drunk for three days, and he thought £l5O was rather a large sum for a Government to expend 'annually to secure to the people three days’ intoxication. He hoped that every member would vote iu accordance with Iris convictions of the good or evil such a measure would do. If it passed the Council he hoped that the Government would take care to have the land placed in the hands of trustees. Mr Obxcosd said that ho ha t not previously had an opportunity ot saying that the Government were in a measure bound to the step they had taken. When the Government were negociating for the lease of the plains, the natives wished to reserve this piece of land because they had promised the use of it to the Jockey Club, and only allowed it to be leased on condition of the insertion of a clause that the Club should be allowed to have it for the purpose of racing. It would be seen tbar if this was not done the Government would have broken faith with the natives. When this arrangement was made the Government had no idea of the opposition they had met with from the Council on this subject. If members had been content to have waited for the second rcading ol the bill, they would have found that the Government would lose nothing by the measure. He did not think the public of Napier would agree with what the member lor Napier had said about the best of English sports. lie (ilr O.j.believccl that they derived more enjoyment and amusement trom them than from anything else during the year. With the single exception of Hawke’s Hay every Province in Now Zealand had granted land for racing. He might men; ion Wolliagton, where there was the Wairarapa racecourse, and the Wanganui racecourse, a great deal nearer to the town tiuui tiio one at ZvlocUice.

Mr WEsroif thought tho member for Napier Jiad greatly exaggerated tne evils arising from racing. He would add that both in Great, Britain and the Australian Colonics grants of laud hud been made to Jockey Clubs. Mr Edwauds thought that tho Government should show tho agreement they had made with the natives, and also who were the members of the Jockey Club. Mr .Rhodes thought tho names of the members of the Jockey Club could be easily obtained. The member for Te Auto had said ’That tho effect of the races was to make Napier drunk for throe days. It was a strange thing that that member had always hitherto permitted them to be held upon his own freehold, and had always supported them by every means in Ins power while they were causing so much wickedness. It was evident that he did not speak from his heart. There was something behind, which, not unlikely, was vexation at not having them at his place anv longer. As to drunkenness, there were certainly drunken people to bo seen at tho races, as they might be seen in the street; and he had seen a drunken man in church ; but it was nothing like what the member for To Aute bad describe!! it to bo. It was evident to anyone who had had any experience in riding, that a little of the blood in a horse made a vast difference in him, and a person could ride 30 miles on a horse of that kind, without being so much shaken as he would be in riding a hack a dozen miles. The breed ot horses all along the East Coast greatly needed improvement, Mr Gole.vso wished to know what arrangement the Government intended to make with the Club about the land.

His Hosoa said lliat the interest of tlie lease would be vested in who might ov might not belong to the Jockey Club, lie could not understand the reason oi the opposition of members to making provision lor tins manly sport. It was this truly English sport that had formed the soldiers of the Pcifiiisuia, Ho would like it to be shown that good old English feelings did not degenerate in the .British colonies. The mem her for the town had said that in Auckland a race course near the town would not be tolerated. He (Hr M'Hean) Injd heard some of the most influential men in Auckland say that the omission of a race course near the town was a great oversight. He would now repeat his motion,— “ i'or°lcave to bring in a bill to authorise the Superintendent to lease Section JSo. 2, Bapakura, to the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club.” Heave being granted, the bill was read a first time, and its second reading made an order of the day for Wednesday.