PAPAKURA BLOCKS

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 76, 15 June 1868, Page 143

PAPAKURA BLOCKS

Mr SUTTON moved— ' ! _. That a return be laid on. the table of all; lands included in the Papakura Slock which have been sold and paid for. Also, those portions which have been applied tor, but purchase not completed; and any lands - which may not have been applied for, shewing the rate per acre at which each section was for sale. .

—A return had been laid on the table, but not so complete as the one asked for. His reason for calling for this return wa9 that a .general impression. prevailed that the Government had been losers to a considerable extent by the Papakura Block; although it was provided In the’ Act that the sections should not bo sold below their cost price. He observed that about six of the sections had no price marked against them.. . .

Mr WOOD seconded the motion.

Mr BUCHANAN said that the Government should have published the return in the shape asked-for by the Council. His HONOIi said .that the return wa9 as complete as the Government could make it. Some of the sections had not yet been valued.. ...

Major LAMBE RT would recommend the member for Napier to. act in a direct manner. He had no faith in the manner in which the Govemment.would manoeuvre when asked a question they did not wish to answer. Let the member for Napier put a question, asking at once whether they were gainers or lowers by the transaction. .-..,, , ■ The motion .was then pub and agreed to. PILOTAGE. Major LAMBERT moved— That, with as little delay as posssible, his Honor the Superintendent will cause to he kid on the table a return of all vessels brought into the harbor or berthed at the anchorage ontside, by the Pilot, from the Ist of December 1867, to the 31st of May 1868, showing their tonnage and the harbor dues received.

—His object was to see if the duties of the establishment were sufficient to require both a harbor-master and assistant. For his own part, he did not think they were.

;Mr KENNEDY said that the infonnation would be laid on the table. He considered that a good man to assist the harbor master, was. actually required, and the whole of the establishment were fully em ployed at all times. Agreed to. TE.ATJTE SCHOOL PROPERTY.

Major LAMBERT moved— That his Honor the Superintendent will be pleased to cause to be laid on the table any correspondence that may have been received from Ete-trustees ofthe Te Aute school property, that the Council may be in a position to take into consideration any pecuniary assistance that may be expected from that source before the Bill for an Educatioual tax, about to be brought before the Council, is considered.

—He must again call the attention of the Council to the Te Aute School Trust. He hoped the Superintendent would take means to ascertain what the Governmenthad a right to expect from that quarter. If the trustees could be set aside for not

fulfilling the terms of the trust, it would be an immense gain to the Province.

Mr ORMOND would give an explanation of wliat had been done since last session. The Council then passed a resolution authorizing the Superintendent to make inquiries into the matter. The Superintendent w« ote to one of the trustees, the Bishop of Wellington, on the subject. Nearly two-thirds (4,000 acres), of the land had been-given by the Government for the education of natives and Europeans, while ; the remainder (3,000 acres) had been given by the natives, for the education of their own people. The bishop said that the estate would be in a position next year to yield £I,OOO per annum j which would be devoted to the education of both raoes; hut gave no intimation that the trustees had any intention of handing any portion of it over to the Provincial Government. In the House, of .Representatives last session he (Mr O.) had raised the whole question of these reserves, and a committee was appointed to inquire into the matter, but the information they obtained was very meagre. The whole question would, however, be fully gone into next session. The. Bishop of Wellington had shown that the Te' Aute property had been better :managed. and more. carefully nursed than any.' other, trust. ' As an instance, ho might mention that one of these: reserves,: comprising. about one-third of the Town of Wanganui, estimated to be worth -£IO,OOO. per'annum, Was. bringing in only £l5O- per annum, and had still seven years to run at that rate. He might haye hisrowmnpimon. on the, proper appli-cation-of the trust,-: but did hot .think the inclined to remove the present trustees, ; or that the Provincial Government ,stood any Chance of getting the money into their, disposal. : Mr . BUCHANAN said .that, by the deed the. native, gift syas for the benefifc of the native :race, and.not restricted, to educatibnal purpofles, so that there w;as nothing thereto i prevent them from, dividing;,the proceeds.:annually among sthemselves ; if theywere so disposed. - He quite agreed with membart lqr; Porangahau that there Hprospeot; of 4hb; Goverriment : getting- any ; of the ; proceeds The only way;by jwhioh; the, could be reached* was tliro.ugh the Supreme Court. Major- LAMBERIV conßidered thatthe bhei of .great moment; . By .bringing'jpress.iwe ; to bear; they.migbt get 'honSaf^^is^-present^'' I ;^;.,'. Agreed to. . '>7.u