PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1033, 3 June 1871, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1871. The Council met at 3 p m. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Reports. Mr Sutton brought up the report of the Select Committee on Mr Stark's case. The Committee confirmed the action of the Provincial Engineer. Lieut.-Col. Lambert brought up the report of the Select Committee on roads. It recommended the repeal of an Act of the Assembly limiting the right of the Government to take land tor roads, as unless the law in this respect was altered, a great deal of property in the inteiior would be inaccessible Grant to Captain Carter. The recommendation of the Select Committee, that £IOO should be granted to Captain Carter, was confirmed by the Council, being again warmly opposed by Mr Sutton. Grant to Aihenceum. Mr Sutton's motion that the Superintendent be indemnified for a grant of £SO in aid of this institution, was carried. Artesian Well. Mr Kennedy moved, that in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that the Superintendent be requested to obtain from the proper authorities representing Crown Lands, liberty for the promoters of the Aitesian Well, now sinking for a supply of water in the Town of Napier, to lay pipes across and along Public Roads, subject to proper regulations Agreed to. Mr Alley's Petition. Captain Russell moved that the petition of Mr Henry Alley be considered, and that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to take means to obtain a remittal of the penalty. Agreed to, after some discussion, on a division. Dog Nuisance Bill. The opinion of the Provincial Solicitor on this Bill was then read. He considered that certain clauses were inconsistent with each other, and that a portion of its provisions was opposed to an Act of the General Assembly. With these exceptions, the Bill met with his approval. Sheep Bill. The Council went into Committee on the Sheep Bill. Great discussion took place on Clause 20, giving the Inspector power to take such measures as he might think fit on the discovery of a diseased flock. Mr Buchanan, in particular, spoke strongly against the large and arbitrary powers thus conferred upon the Inspector, who, he said, would in many cases not be so well qualified as the owner of the sheep, to know what course to pursue* Grammar School Bill. This Bill was read a third time and passed. At a late hour the Council adjourned until 11 a.m. to-day.

A P.«mahaka resident, who very frequently traverses the Blue Mountain range, informs us (Bruce Heral<i) that froui the* Beaumont to the Waipani. all over the Blue Mountain range wild nigs i are to be f«<und in thousands, and although tiny are being shut down extensively, and their carcases left to rot, there ap peals to b 8 no diminution in their uum* ber. However, to make the most of these bad tenant of the bush, who he informs us are first rate ploughers of the .ground —although some are of opinion that like goats nothing will grow after them—he is in the habit of taking clover seed with him on his travels, and scattering it in their burrows. Thus a large breadth of clover is rapidly spreading nil around, where before nothing but fern and rank vegetation existed. Last winter they defended to the low ground at the J Dalvey siation homestead, and saved the | owner the trouble of lifting a plot of potatoes by rooting them out in a most scientific maunner, and of course swallowing the proceeds. It is only two years since wild pigs were observed to cross the mountains to the Pomahaka side, so that with such past and prospective iucrease in the future, we would suggest j that a ham and bacon-curing factory might, with advantage to the district and province at large, be at once established iu the vicinity of Tapanui.