PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 681, 13 May 1869, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

TUESDAY, MAT 11, 1869. The Speaker took the chair at 3 o'clock Present—Messrs A'Deane, Buchanan, Carlyon, Dolbel, Ferard, Kennedy, Lambert, M'Leaxi, Ormond, Parsons, Rhodes, ' Sutton, Tanner, Weston, Wood. *. PAPERS. * The Speaker laid on the table the Abstracts of Recept and Expenditure for the quarters ending. 30th September, 31st December, 18G8, and 31st March 1869. His Honor laid on the table the following papers: —Report on Roads and Bridges by the Provincial Engineer; Report on Surveys; Jailer's Report; Police Inspector's Report; Harbor Master" and Pilot's Report; arid Provincial Surgeon's Report. PETITION. Mr Rhodes presented a petition from Mr R. Jeffares, publican, of Olive, praying that a portion of his license foe might be remitted, as the diversion of the road had drawn all the traffic away from the township, The petition was also signed by 20 inhabitants of Olive, who confirmed the statements it: contained. The petition was read. On the motion of Mr Rhodes, that the petition be received, Mr Ferard said he considered it out of order, as it in effect asked for a grant of money.

The Speaker could not consider that the petition came under this disqualification. Mr Eerard decidedly objected to recei vmg the petition. Where there were travellers, and consequently need for a house of accommodation, there might be an excuse for an application of this kind; but the only ground of application in this case was that the business did not pay. A person might open a public-house at Onepoto and make a similar application on the same ground. Mr A 'Deane thought that— taking into consideration the altered circum stances of business ot Clive—there was some show of reason for the application. Mr Carlyon objected to thus dealing out the money before the Council knew what they had. Mr Rhodes said that he intended if the petition were received, to give notice for its consideration in Committee of Supply.The petition was then received. PROVINCIAL FINANCES.

Mr M'Lean, pursuant to notice, moved — That a select committee be appointed to examine into and report upon the state of the Provincial finances ; and, further, to report what departmental or other changes can be effected to reduce the Provincial expenditure. Such committee to consist of Messrs. Tanner, A'Deanc, Buchanan, Parsons, Locke, Perard, Ormond, Carlyon, and the mover. Mr Tanner observed his own name on the proposed committee, and though he was "rilling to afford the Government every possible asistance, yet a great deal was involved in the matters before them. He thought that as office had its sweets, it had also its responsibilities, and he should first have liked to see the Government; bring down a financial scheme. After that he would be happy to assist them; but was certainly not prepared to undertake the responsibility in the first instance. It was one of the duties of the Executive, and for which they were the best qualified, as knowing so much better than the rest of the Council, what the position of the Province was. He did not wish to refer to a disagreeable subject; but had no doubt the present action of the Government was owing to the reception

their former schemes had met with; when after they had proposed reductions in the salaries, a committee appointed by the Council altered them back to their original amount, v. Mr Ferard would correct an inaccuracy, ife believed that as a member of that Committee he was correct in saying that they exercised their judgement—which the Government had not done, in reducing them indiscriminately—and altered a few back. The other alterations were made in Committee of the whole house. Mr Tanner continued :—He bebelieved the final result was that more was voted than the original estimate. Yet, he submitted that it was the duty of the Government to bring down a scheme to the Coun-. cil, and he would then help them if called upon. Mr A'Dsane could not see the force of die objection, and thought the committee a step in the right direction. He observed the names of leading member* of the Government on the committee, who could give any information required. Mr Ferard really thought that before a committee was moved for, a .statement of the finances should be laid before the Council. It was for the Government to suggest in the first place a rational scheme for the consideration of the Council. The motion was also unfair-—unfair to those members excluded from the committee, as it gave the others an advantage over them. Lt was a question in which every member had an equal interest, and the motion seemed to him to be part of an unfair scheme to evade the regular constitution of the Council. Lieut.-Col. Lambert went greatly with the member who had last spoken. The committee was to consist of eleven members, including two of the Government—a majority of the Council—the others being ignored. [N~o.] He maintained that the rest of the Council was ignored. The accounts should have been ready before this—he, for one, had not the slightest conception of how matters stood. He believed that the necessary reductions had better be made openly in the House than in a select committee. He would certainly vote against the motion. Mr Hhodes said the only motive of the Government was to facilitate b;isiness. Session after session the estimates had been returned by the Council, reversed, or referred to a committee ; and last session the Government at reduction was a failure, and much public time was wasted, as well as much acrimony exhibited. The proposed plan might save many days' discussion; for even if the Government framed estimates and sent them down, they would most likely be referred to a committee. The motion was carried on the following division :—Ayes : Messrs. A'Deane, Carlyon, Dolbel, Kennedy, M'Lean, Ormond, Parsons, Rhodes, Sutton, Wood—lo. Noes : Messrs. Buchanan, Ferard, Tanner, and Lambert—s. MR BODDINGTON'S PETITION. Mr Rhodes said he had been advised by the Provincial Solicitor to defer this motion till the proceedings in the Supreme Court were concluded. He therefore asked the leave of the Council to postpone it to this day week.—Leave granted. LAND GRANT TO MR W. R. RUSSELL. Mr Carlyon applied for leave to postpone the following motion standing in his name till Friday : That this Council will express their opinion in the form of a resolution, as to the policy of the lute Act passed by the General Assembly, granting 800 acres of land to Win. Russell Russell, Esq. Leave granted. ADDRESS TO THE PRINCE. Mr Rhodes laid on the table the draft of an address to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, which was read. Mr Ferard hoped the Council would be merciful, and spare the Duke the infliction of the address. The Council then adjourned.

WEDNESDAY,, MAY 12, 1869. The Council met at 3p m. Present —The Speaker and all the members except Col. Whitmore. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

WASTE LAND REGULATION. Mi Ormond, pursxiant to notice, moved— That a select Committee to consist of Messrs Carlyon, Tanner, Dolbel, Kennedy, Lambert. A'Deane, and the mover, be appointed to report upon the working of the "Hawke's Bay Waste Lands Regulation Amendment Act, 1865," and what alterations, if any, are requisite in the said Ast. Report to be brought up on Tuesday next. -—This course was rendered necessary by the altered state of things since the Act of 1865. It was now found that the Act would not work, the prices being so high as virtually to lock up the Provincial estate, and it had therefore been thought proper to ask the opinion of the Council on the subject. Mr Buchanan, in seconding the motion, said he considered this a very fit and proper «tep. At the time that Act was passing through the Council he warned the Grcern inent that they would never sell their land at the price, Agreed to. PETITION. Mr Rhodes presented a petition from 25 householders and residents of Olive praying for a grant of land at West Olive, on which to erect a school.—Read and received. SHEEP AND SCAB CONSOLIDATION. Mr M'Lean obtained leave to postpone his motion for the second reading of this Act, as it was not yet printed. QUESTIONS. Mr Ferard thought hewassli htly out of order, but he wished to ask if there was at present any Inspector of Schools, and, if so, if any report had been furnished by him. His Honor said that there was such an officer, and that he could be called upon for such a report. Mr Ferard asked if the address of the Council to her Majesty had ever been acknowledged. His Honor said that it had been acknowledged in a general way, in a reply to all the addresses from New Zealand. ADDRESS TO THE PRINCE. Mr Rhodes said that, as the business of the day was disposed of, he thought the Council might as well take into consideration the draft address to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, and he would therefore move the suspension of Standing Order No, 27. Mr Ferard said that if so constant a practice was made of suspending the Standing Rules and Orders, the Government had better get rid of them altogether. These rules were for the protection of the Council, and he must oppose their continual suspension. Mr Rhodes said he had merely endeavored to initiate a little business, and considered that though it might be in a somewhat irregular manner, it was better than doing no business at all. The Standing Order was then suspended. Mr Rhodes moved that the address be adopted. Mr Ferard would oppose the motion for several reasons. There was no reason why we should intrude ourselves upon his Royal Highness, or trouble him with our addresses. If our former address was not considered worth an answer, it was necessary for us to send this one. He would oppose this motion for the Prince's sake and ours. Mr Weston asked if the address would be engrossed and illuminated, or sioiply written on a sheet of foolsr csp. Mr Buchanan thought a suitable pendant to the motion before the Council would be to move that a deputation be appointed to present the address. He could not see its necessity. New Zealand, in her present unfortunate position, had already done her best to welcorae the Prince. Mr M'Lean thought that if we did not send an address we should form an exception to all other parts of New Zealand—even the newlyformed County of Westland and the little Province of Marlborough had sent their addresses—and the Prince had said that in the eyes of the Queen no part of her dominions was small or insignificant. Mr Tanner had no sympathy with the idea that we should not send an address lest we might trouble the

Prince, for lie considered to receive and answer addresses was one of the duties of his position. The expense he supposed would be about £lO, and while we were supposed to be living under the protection of the British flag—though what advantage we derived from that protection he could not say—-we should not grudge that amount to testify to our loyalty. Mr Locke said that if it would cost anything like <£lo, he would certainly go against it. Mr Rhodes thought a sheet of parchment mighfc be pm*chased, and the address engrossed for a guinea. Lieut.-Col. Lambert : Will the hon. member guarantee it for a guinea ? Mr Rhodes would guarantee that it should not be sent if it would cost more than a guinea. On the motion being put, Mr Buchanan suggested that the House should first go" into committee on the Address; but the Speaker said his only course was to put the motion. The motion for the adoption was then assented to, Mr Buchanan re. marking thao he hoped the address would not be forwarded with its bad grammar uncorrected. PETITION. Mr Sutton presented a petition from 5 butchers, requesting such an alteration in the Slaughter-house Act as would place them on equal terms with the Boiling-down Company.—The petition was read and received, and the Council adjourned till 3 p.m. this day.

NOTICES OF MOTION.

THURSDAY, 13th MAY.

Mr M'Lean to move--For leave to bring in a bill to authorise the leasing of the lighthouse reserve. Mr Rhodes to move— That the Report of the Education Commission he taken into consideration. Mr Ferard to move That the petition of Edward Boddington be printed. Mr Ferard to move—« That the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Provincial Council dur-iug Session 13, as printed, are untrustworthy, and nqt recognised by this Council as authoritative. Mr Rhodes to move — That the Petition of the inhabitants of Clive for a school reserve be taken into consideration. Mr Ferard to move—That the Provincial Engineer's Report on Roads, the Report of the Provincial Surveyor, and the Harbor Master's Report be priuted. FRIDAY, 14th MAY. Mr Sutton to move— That the Government will lay upon the table of this, hQUsp. a Return, of all the fees paid by the Hawke's Bay Boiling Down Company under the Slaughter-house Act, and copy of any license issued by the Inspector of Slaughter-houses to that company.