Provincial Council.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 794, 9 June 1870, Page 2

Provincial Council.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1870, The Council met at the usual hour, and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Sutton, in pursuance of notice, moved— Eor leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the Education Hates, Act 18G8. —The bill contained nothing more than the matter necessary to repeal the existing Act. —Mr Newton seconded the motion fro format. —Bill introduced, read a first time, ordered to be printed, and second reading made an order for next sitting day. Mr Dolbel, in pursuance of notice, moved— That this Council tender their sympathy to the unfortunate settlers of the Mohaka district, whose property has been destroyed and themselves driven from their homes by the raid committed by Te Kooti. That the said suiferers, being British subjects and loyal settlers, considered themselves under the protection of. a British Government, and have petitioned the General Government for assistance to return to their land. That this Council express their sincere regret that the petition of the petitioners has not received that favorable consideration of the General Assembly which the petitioners had hoped for. That the members of the General Assembly representing the Province of Hawke's Bay be entrusted with a copy of these resolutions, representing the views of this Council, with a hope that.by their exertions they will receive that favorable consideration from the General Assembly to which I they are entitled.

—Colonel Lambebt seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr Oemond, in pursuance of notice, moved— That the Provincial Council request the Superintendent to recommend that the sum of £934 2s 9d be granted to meet the unauthorised expenditure from the Ist July, 1869, to the 30th April, 1870, out of the "Loan Appropriation Amendment Act, 1808." —lt was necessary for him to apply to the Council to legalise this expenditure, which, as he had already explained, was incurred before he took office. The amounts were fully set forth in a further resolution. The first item, £395 10s for the Whareama Block, had been already approved of by the Council. The £4O for the land in the V\ aipureku Block had been more than returned by the sale of the land. The £498 for roads —about which he had addressed a circular to the members—was also incurred before he took ofSoe. The form in which he put these resolutions was the ono which he had been advised was the correct one.—Mr Febard would like to know if the £471 for the Porat'gahau road was in addition to the £SOO voted. He thought these resolutions should be considered in committee.—Colonel Lambert was always opposed to unauthorised expenditure, and the amount spent on the road from Waitangi to Porangahau was rather serious. In answer to a letter from his Honor, he had certainly recommended the payment of the amounts to the people who had been so long waiting for their money. It appeared to have been the fault of the late Government, and it was a most unhealthy state of affairs when Government officials held such large sums., and were so long in rendering their accounts.—Mr Buchanan said that so far as he understood, this, with the exception the item of £4O, was only to formally sanction expenditure already assented to by the Council. The assent of members was given last session to the purchase of the Whare-o-Maruenui Block. No new questions had been raised. He should vote for this motion.—Mr Ormond would explain what little had been left by the last speaker. All these items were known to the Council last session. The road expen diture was incurred before he (Mr O.) took office, and it was a long thr.e before he could get the accounts. The money fjr the Waipureku Block was paid by the late Superintendent, but he must bring it down in the same category as the other unauthorised expenditure. He had no objection to bring these items before a committee of supply.—Agreed to.

Mr Okmond, in pursuance of notice, moved—

That tlie Provincial Council request the Superintendent to recommend that the sum of £215 17s UJ be granted to meet the unauthorised expenditure from the Ist July, ISC9, to the 30th April, 1870.

—The Council would remember that in his financial statement he had stated the amount of unauthorised expenditure at £129 ; but in the present resolution it would be seen to be £215. The explanation of this was simple. The £129 was the whole amount as it appeared under the different heads of expenditure; but this had special reference to items. In the first item, the Harbor Department, provision had been made for an AssistantPilot at a salary of £l5O. This had been found unnecessary, but an additional boatman at £l2O had been employed, and £25 had been devoted to clerical assistance to the Harbor-master. It was necessary to place these items on the account of unauthorised expenditure. He had already explained that in the Survey Department he had been unable to obtain a professional man without making travelling allowance. This accounted for the item of £62. The £5 in the Police Department was owing to the promotion of an efficient officer to the position of Sergeant, on the recommendation of the Inspector, which involved a slight increase in pay. The explanation of the Charitable Aid item, £3O, was that the Board at the beginning of the year had a balance of £SO, which they did not know had to be refunded to the Government, and had applied their funds under the impression that this amount was at their disposal. This was the whole of the unauthorised expenditure since he became Superintendent.—Mr Febabd still thought all this should be considered in committee, to allow members a chance of speaking again and again.—Colonel Lam beet said this was the first time he had listened with pleasure to an explanation of unauthorised expenditure. He hoped that in future it might be still lees than on this occasion.—Agreed to.

Mr Osmond then moved the following resolutions:—

Whereas the "Provincial Audit Act, 1866" provides that unless an address to the Superintendent to send to the Council a recommendation to grant a sum of money suflicient to meet the unauthorised expenditure, shall be passed by a majority of the entire number of the members of the Provincial Council, the Provincial Auditor shall commence suits in the Supreme Court to recover the penalties recoverable under the said Act, fur signing and issuing special orders for the issue of money without appropriation. And whereas it is necessary to release the Superintendent from the penalties to which he is liable for such unauthorised expenditure, the Council requests the Superintendent to submit to Council a recommendation to grant sum of money sufficient to meet the said unauthorised expenditure.

The Superintendent requests the Provincial Council to grant the sum of £934) 2s 9d to meet unauthorised expenditure from the Ist July, 1869, to the 30th April, 1870, out of the " Loan Appropriation Act, 1868," for £28,000; the same unauthorised expenditure having been incurred on account of the services hereinafter mentioned:—

NATIVE LAND PURCHASES. £ s d Whare-o-Maraenui Block 395 10 0 Waipureku Block 40 0 0 435 10 0 ROADS. Waitangi to Porangahau 471 14 1 Middle Road 26 18 1 498 12 9 Total £934 2 9 The Superintendent requests the Provincial Council to grant the sum of £215 17s 9d to meet the unauthorised expenditure from the Ist July, 1869, to the 30th April, 1870, the same unauthorised expenditure having been incurred on apcount of the services hereinafter mentioned:— £ s d Harbor Department 118 12 7 Survey Department 62 5 2 Police Department 5 00 Charitable Aid 30 0 0 £215 17 9 —Agreed to. Colonel Lambeet, pursuant to notice j moved —

That his Honor the Superintendent be pleased to inform Council what is intended to be done with the timber lately placed at the crossing of the Tuki Tuki river, between Mr Harding's run and WaU pukurau, and if he is aware that the timber has been useless for the purpose intended, and that the pub-* lie canuot cross the river without trespassing upon the freehold of Mr Harding.

—Two years ago the people in the neighborhood, hearing of the intended breakwater, protested against it, and requested Superintendent to prevent its erection, In spite of their protest it had been built, and the result was that the ford had been made impassable. The river had been made so deep at the spot that the people could not cross, and were forced to tres* pass on Mr Harding's freehold. He had ! not heard of that gentleman making any serious objection j nevertheless it was an objectionable thing. The Province would now have to go to great expense in removing this erection, and he would like to know if any use could be made of the timber. This bore out his opinion, expressd the other day, that the Superintendent should personally travel over the country , and inspect roads and bridges. Profes* sional men might be very energetic without being competent, and might in tion bo very self-willed. If the gentienien in the neighborhood had been consulted the useless expense would have been prevented ; and if advantage was now taken of their knowledge of the river, a good crossing might yet be made.—His Hqurau said he had been unable to bring this motion under the notice of the Provincial Engineer, that gentleman having left town, From his own knowledge he could substantiate the remarks of the mover, and regretted the construction of the breakwater as much as he could do. He would inquire of the Provincial Engineer whether any use could be made of the timber.-?-Agreed to.

Mr Buchanan brought up the Report of the Select Committee on the Com.puN aory Land Taking Regulations, which was read. The Regulations also passed tbeir first reading, were ordered to be printed, and the second reading was fixed for Wednesday. The second reading of the Appropria* tion Act was postponed to the next sittingday but one. The Council went into Committee on the Division of Roada Act, which was amended and reported to the Speaker. The third reading was ordered for nex v t sitting-day, The Commitee on the Botanical Reserve Bill was further postponed to next sittingday but one. The adjourned debate on the School Act was further adjourned to. Wednesday. The Council went into Committee oB Supply. Mr Dolbel moved for a sum of £ls as, a grant-in-aid to form twelve chains of Hyderabad-road.—Mr Tanneb wished;%

know if all available money was voted If so, they would be voting money which did not exist. —Mr Dolbel was ashamed i-f the Shakespeare-road member, Mr Sutton, who had on a previous occasion opposed thi3 item. This road had been laid out ever since the Province had been settled, and people who had bought land at Onepolo under the impression that it "would be a main road had either to go over a very steep hill or wade in water up to their necks. —Mr Sutton objected to the grant because it would be sirnply money thrown away.—Mr Kennedy said there was already an appropriation for the gr-ant-in-aid. It would simplify the question if the principle on which these were granted was explained. Did they not apply to town as well as country ?—Mr Ferard said if they did not he would move the re-committal of the item, to alter to " Grants in aid of Roads in Town and Country."—Mr Ormond said the *' trunk road from the Port to the town was kept in order by the toll-bar returns, and the remainder of the town roads were kept in repair by prison labor. By the estimate of the Jailer more than £7OO was spent in this way ; and this was his reason for saying he looked upon the grants-in-aid as being specially intended for roads. It would not be advisable to employ prsonlaboronthe Hyderabad-road, as it was so far distant from the Jail. Tho estimated revenue was entirely provided for ; but he had no doubt the small sum asked for could be found, if necessary,— his only dread was, that if it was carried there would be a shower of similar applications.—Mr Newton was in a dilemma. Ue objected, on principle, to re-open-ing the estimates, and he considered it would be hard on the applicants to refuse the small sum sought to be obtained, especially as they had bought their land years ago on the understanding that this road would be made, it having been the first laid out in Napier.—Mr CAiiLTON remembered a meeting, years ago, about this same road, when it was shown that the reason the road was not made was that some of the proprietors of the land would not allow their property to be interfered with. This road was laid out fist, but Shakespeare-road and Miltonroad had not then been pi mned, and it was never contemplated to have three roads from the port. The road was certainly not required now, and the spot was a quiet and convenient one for bathing and fishing.—Mr Ferard thought the fact that prison labor could not be employed for this work was an additional reason for the grant being made. lie would vote for the item; but should also move the re-committal of the item grants-in-aid, in order to reduce it by the amount of this vote. —Col. Lambert suggested that the member for Mohska should withdraw his motion. —Mr Tiefen said this road would enable drays to avoid the hill. Heavilyladen drays often came to a stand still and had to borrow horses to cross the hill in Shakespeare-road. —Captain Rtjssell was surprised at the paltry sum applied for. If it were not out of order he should have moved its increase to £l5O, but as it was he should vote against it.—Mr Kinross should support the member for Mohaka. The land at Onepoto was sold at high prices a year before the rest of the town, in cousequence of the supposition that this road was to be made.—Mr Tanner hoped tho question would be fought out on this item. If it was carried he should vote for all the rest, even for tho member for Waipukurau's motion about finger posts.—Mr Carlyon said if he was Superintendent, rather than have such a discussion he would pay the money out of his own pocket. [Hear, hear.] —Mr Oemond saw that the opinion of the Council was in favor of the grant. If the member for Mohaka would withdraw his motion, he •would pay this sum from the vote for withdrawn.

Mr A'Deane, in moving for a sum to be placed on the estimates for the repair of the road between Hampden and Mangatarata, said his motion had come up at an unfortunate time. This road led to one of the finest parts of the Province, and was now almost impassable. No great expenditure was called for—a few culverts, and a little drainage were all that was required.—Col. Lambert asked if tiie bridge which had b m burnt down had been rebuilt.— Mr Carlton said this was the main public road to Buatanhvha, leading to two towns. A great deal of money had been spent on the line, but a large portion of this had been devoted to building a Jarge and expensive bridge, which had

since been burnt down—it was supposed by the laborers employed on the road. They had been smoking, the fern had taken fire, and the bridge had gone. It was not asked that the bridge should be re-built; present purposes would be answered by a deviation of the road, and, this being so very exceptional a case, he should support the motion —Mr Tiefen said that £4OO or £SOO would be required, and he would oppose the item. There was a splendid road by Waipawa—nearly a dead level.—Colonel Lambert thought the estimate of the last speaker below the mark. This expenditure was unnecessary, as all the wool from the plains came by way of Waipawa.—Mr Tanner said this last statement was correct, but it was no argument. The wool was sent by way of Waipawa because the other road was impassable. If the road was open there would be plenty of traffic upon it, as all the wool from the northern portions of the plains would be sent that way. He should not, however, support the motion, on the ground that no money was available. — Negatived on a division. Colonel Lambert asked the leave of the Council to withdraw his motion relating to finger posts and lamps for the Great South Road. They would no doubt be very useful, but there seemed to be no funds for the purpose, and he had no doubt his motion had answered the purpose for which it was placed upon the paper.— Withdrawn.

We are compelled to hold over the remainder of the detailed report of this day's proceedings. The Council proceeded with tho postponed items of Supply. Great discussion took place as to the probable effect of elevating the road from Meanee to the Little Bush, for which purpose £2OO had been placed on the estimates j and the Council being generally of opinion that the experiment would be both expensive and dangerous, the item was negatived on a division. The item of £2OO for strength ening the Patangata Bridge was passed. Mr Buchanan asked the Snperintendent if he intended introducing a Representation Amendment Act.—His Honor replied that the subject was one which required great care. He had not had time to prepare such a measure, and thought tho matter might be left with advantage to the next Council. The Impounding Act passed its second reading, and was partially considered in committee. The Council also ;sat a long time in committee on the Licensing Act, which sustained several modifications. The Clyde Hall Bill and the Sheep Bill were also passed through committee and reported to the Speaker, and the Council adjourned shortly after 10 p.m.