Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 632, 27 November 1858, Page 4

Provincial Council.

Tuesday, Nov. 23. The Council met at 5 p.m. Present—the Speaker, Messrs. Blakiston, Cass, Dobbs, Fooks, Fyfe, Harman, Potts, Higgina, Miln, Ross, Templer, Packer, Thomson, Duncan, Ollivier, and White. After prayers, the minutes of the preceding meeting being read, Mr. Ollitibb laid on table.the following papers:'— . ' Offers of contract for a tunnel through the Port HilL Report on the navigation of the Avon. Correspondence relative to the loan. Report on Felton'a Ferry on the North-road. On the motion of Mr. Ollivier the Public Hospital Endowment Bill was brought in and read a first time; "and ordered to be printed. Mr. Ollivjeb then moved the following resolution:—" That- an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, praying that he will i take the necessary steps for ascertaining the cost of laying down an electric telegraph between Lyttelton; and Christchurch; and that provided the cost of such work is found not to exceed £1500, this Council authorises the expenditure of that amount."

On this question a division was taken-* Ayes: Messrs. Blakiston, Cass, Fooks, Fyfe, Potts, Ollivier, Packer, and Templer—B. Noes: Messrs. Dobbs, Harraan, Biggins, Miln, Ross, Thomson, and White—7. The Council then went into Committee on the Cathedral Square Bill. The Ist, 2nd, ana 3rd clauses were passed, with amendments; the4th clause was postponed and progress reported. The House resumed and went into Committee of Supply, when the following votes were takem—

Cathedral Square (award to College) £1200 „ „ Enclosing and planting 250 Building Schools ... 2220 This sum to be appropriated to the various denominations according to the number of «cholars educated in the schools.

The votes for public works were then gone into, and the sums set down on the estimates for Lyttelton, Christchurch, and Kaiapoi were passed.

Progress reported, and the remainder of no

tices of motion being postponed, the Council adjourned till Wednesday.

Wednesdat, Nov. 24. The Council met at 5 p.m. - Present, the Speaker, Messrs. Cass, Dofrbs, Hartnan, Fyfe, Fooks. Blakiston, Packer, Harman, XMlivier, Templer, White, Davis, Hall, and Potts. After prayers, the minutes of the preceding meeting being read, Mr. Packer asked that the Council should be furnished with a statement of all the; men employed in carrying on the roads and other public works, excepting mechanics. Mr. Ollivier replied that it was impossible to furnish the information asked for. The house then went into committee on the Cathedral Square Bill. Clause 2 was reconsidered and amended. Clause 4, with amendments, and the preamble were passed, and the bill reported and adopted. The Public Hospital Bill was then read a second time. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The Council then went into committee to consider the estimates. The first item was the Public Works Department, Salaries and Contingencies, which.were passed as follows :— Provincial Engineer ... ... '"...'£4so Forage ... ... ... ... ... 50 Surveyor and Draughtsman ... ... 300 Clerk to the Works (including forage) 250 Foreman of the Works (including travelling expenses) ... ... 180 District Overseers, viz., Akaroa, Kaiapoi, Timaru ... ... ... 300 Roads and Drainage Surveys ... 600 Office Clerk and Storekeeper ... 130 Total £2260 The following items of public works were then taken :— - W' Akaroa—Jetty J% .-? - '';-' ' .-' £800 Beach Road to Cemetery /??"- i-x 300 Roads on the Peninsula - • - .900 On the last vote an amendment was proposed by Mr. White to substitute £1450 for £900 as proposed. After .'discussion at considerable length the question was put to a division, when there appeared— "' -^, • . for the amendment^Mewrss^^fTiiiHaflCnan, i^jf{j^l^9f(ißoa, > Teq)pler, and White—6. < Agftln^-^Heieit^powen, Cms, Dobb«,lFoo4s, !Fyfe, Ollivier-^—6. "" '"■"'.,**' "V, ,y -

The votes being equal, the Chairman.gave Tiis casting vote against the Amendment, whichVas accordingly-lost.. ' ' . " Mr. Thomson proposed £ second amendment, to substitute for the vote of £900, the sum of £1250, to be expended, on the following works, the same "as those proposed by Mr.'White, but slightly reduced:— Head of the Bay to Akaroa- - T - -'' £350 Purau line to Pigeon Bay *u,U, - 150^. „"' -* „ to Okain's line on the ? "" ridge - '- - - ifwU 150.,^ Piraki line from, French Farm over-,-, the Range « -• - - 150 Barry's Bay line by Eaituna -rigjv-a^ 350-*' Improvement of line from PigeQU, *"'* Bay- to head of Akaroa Harbour 100. V ■'.-•.■ ' ..a\» KivM, .■■"-?— ,f = T0ta1...:.;.!. £1250 The amendmenti^ing-putifhe committee divided, when there appeared, , „ r Fo« the Anß»i>ilEx*^-Messfs. J)*fjs, Fyfe, Harjaan, Fo^ts, Templar, Thomson, White—7. Against—Messrs: Bowen, CaM,l)pbTß,Fooks, and Ollivier—s. • *■ — -.

The amendment was accordingly carried. The next votes were carried without discus•ion. . .'■.' \' ' ! Timaru moorings " ..." - ..: £200 v streets ... ... 100 MAIN BOADS. Metalling from Christchurch to Wai- £ makariri ' 4000 New Pnnt at Ferry 600 Bridge over Waimakariri 6000 Road across island at Kaiapoi, with branch to Ferry 1500 Metalling from Kaiapoi to Ashley ... 3000 Repairs of road from Ferry to Ferry 100 Culvert at Papanui Bridge 420 At this point progress was reported. Mr. White having given -notice of the following motion withdrew it, the Government having promised to undertake the expenditure specified. " That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the'estimates the following- bums not exceeding— "For a public pound in Akaroa ... £ 30 & Ditches and culverts in BalgUeri-st 200 4» Enclosing reserves for Court-house and Lock-up 40 \* Forming road up Aylmer's Valley ... 100 t, Bridge over Brace's Creek 140."; \ Mr. White moved that the petition of Mr. Wm: Weston, of Akaroa, be referred to a select committee to consist of Messrs. Cass, Dobbs, Thomson, Blakiston, the Provincial Secretary and the mover. Agreed to. After notices of motion being given the Council adjourned till Thursday.

Thcrsday, Nov. 25. The Council met at 5 p.m. Present—the Speaker, Messrs. OUivier, Cass, Duncan, Dobbs, Fooks, Templer, Blakiston, Potts, Harman, Ward, Cookson, Hall; Thomson, Packer, Davis, White, and Miln. Prayers being read and the minutes of the preceding meeting recited, The Cathedral Square bill -was read a third time and passed. PUBLIC HOSPITAL BILL. The Council went into committee to consider this bill, the clauses of which, with very slight amendments, were passed seriatim, and the bill reported. COMMUTE OP SUPPLT. The consideration of the estimates was then proceeded with, and the following votes were taken. Bangiora direct road, Rangiora end £1500

» »• „ Kaiapoi to Rangiora Bush... ... ... ... 2355 On this vote Mr. Wabd asked whether there were not other obstacles to the formation of this road besides engineering difficulties. He referred to the circumstance of the road as laid out paa-

sing in one part over private property in the possession of an absentee whose permission had not been obtained. He wished to know what steps the Government would take to get over this obstacle to the formation of such an important work.

Mr. Ollivier said the Government was aware of the difficulties referred to, but saw their way to overcome them. Considering the great importance of the work, they felt bound to proceed with it obstacle or no obstacle; it was confidently believed that the owner of the property in question was ready to meet the desires of the public in the matter; and he had no doubt that the road would be proceeded with without the least delay: the Government had in a manner put it out of their power to avoid proceeding with the work.

Mr. Hall said this road was in much the same case as the Lyttelton direct road; each had been promised and delayed, and with the same excuse. He would suggest that the Council should make use of the powers which it possessed for the diversion of roads, even though the complete power was not yet granted. There were two requisites; one the power to take land belonging to private individuals for the formation of a' road, the other to dispose of road reserves previously made. The former he believed the Council already possessed, and the latter would be-given as soon as a late Act of the General Assembly which had been reserved for the Imperial assent should come into ope; at ion. The two roads he referred to had been stopped for want of a law on the. subject, notwithstanding their importance : he would therefore urge the Government either to make .sure that they could proceed with the works at once, or to bring in a bill to the extent of the power which they possessed before the session closed.

Mr. Dobbs spoke to the' advantage that the Rangiora road would be, not only to the district, but to the whole province by opening up a large tract of land for sale, the proceeds of which would enrich the Treasury to" double or treble the amount spent upon it. 'v- ■

After some further conversation ifce vote was passed. ' ",' -

SOUTH ROAD, \ Metalling from Hagley park to the. 4th mile - - - - ~ -;-' . .£825 Road to the Waitangi and dray track to the Mackenzie country,-; - 1500 Mr. Cabs explained that the greater portion of this sum would be expended on the line between Timaru and the Waitangi.. 1 Lower Lincoln road, metalling to sth £ mile - - - - - - 700 Culvert and.bridge overfHeathcote - 300 Draining, filling up gravel-pit, and continuation of works - - 800 ~Hoon Hay road, forming & metalling 1000 Fendall Town road - ... iooo Bridge over the Avon - 200 Ohoko Bush road - 450 South Christchurch road-- - 250 Papanui and Harewood road, partial forming and metalling - • 1200 ' East Christchurch road, south of Avon river - - -, -, 400 Another Vote proposed £600 for preliminary engineering and surveys. Messrs. Thomson and Hall objected to the grant being made in this place, as leading to the employment of the -Provincial Engineer-; in surveying and the discovery of country instead of on his more necessary business of road making.' It was suggested that if preliminary surveys were necessary, a special appointment of a surveyor should be made on the public works staff for the purpose. The vote was then withdrawn. Bridle path from Latter's spur to Governor^ Bay road - -, - £500 On" this vote Mr. Potts proposed *n increase to £1000. A good road in this direction, he said, would have the effect of benefiting not only the inhabitants of the Governor's Bay district in their communication with Christchurch, but also the inhabitants of the "South Christchurch district, who would make use of such a road for the purpose of transacting business in port. Mr. Oluvier stated that a very accurate report had been made on this road by the Provincial Engineer and Mr. Cridland, which he read. It was to the effect that £500 would be amply sufficient for the formation of a bridle-path on the reserve for a cart road with an easy incline. To make.a cart road would require about £5000, and. unless this sum was spent it would be useless to spend more than the £500. Messrs. Thomson, Dobbs, Cabs, and others spoke to the motion, and Mr. Potts, on the above representation, expressed his willingness , to withdraw the amendment. The vote was then passed as proposed. Setting out road from Cashmere to Bush at top of Port Hills - - £200 Forming and metalling from Heathcote Ferry to Lyttelton including repairs of tank on bridle-path - 550 This vote had been formerly placed at £2000 for the road from the Ferry to Coppel's cottage, but was reduced by the Public Works Committee to £200, and in Committee of Supply was increased again to the above amount, but made to include repairs to the Bridle-path which it was promised should be performed mainly by the employment of one or more labourers conI stantly to attend to the road.

Widening and metalling Ferry-road £4000 Works on Hills-road - - _ 392 Bridge over Heathcote towards ' Cashmere - -.', - -150 Clearing & staking out Heathcote • . 250 Improvement of Avon navigation - 500 On this last item, Mr. Ollivier read the report of the Provincial Engineer on the best means of effecting the improvements in question, from which it appeared that the chief obstruction to the river was at the head of the last reach before entering the lagoon, where there was a bar on which there was but 3 feet 6 inches of water at high tide; to avoid this a new channel was recommended to be cut 18 feet wide and 5 feet deep. But there were other obstructions, in the nature of shallows on which there was but 18 inches water at low water}'these could not be improved; hence it was not likely that any vessel could come up drawing more than 3 feet of water, and that only at three-quarters flood. Mr. Hakman spoke to the value and accuracy

of the survey and plans of the river as made by Capt Browning, and in' answer to some remarks from Messrs. Cookson and Hall, as to the cutting mentioned being too narrow, said that some other portions of the stream were not wider than 1$ feet, so that it would be needless to make the cutting of greater dimensions. The result after all would be only to give the river a trial which might fail at last. ,"'-'- The vote was then passed. ' • N,. < Current repairs of roads - . £\Qfo Arterial drainage, Rangiora swamp 500^" ' Lincoln swamp - sqq ■• : Fapanui swamp- - - - L 1000 Clearing Avon - 50q Including also £50 for keeping open lake Ellesxnere, according to a report on that subject sent in by Mr. Bray. In answer to a question from Mr. Miln, Mr Ollivier said the formation.of the road and bridge over the Halswell on the Lincoln line could not be proceeded with at present, inasmuch as a part of the ground over which it passed was in private hands : he believed however that the tenant would not object to giving a right of way until the question could be settled, in which case a temporary bridge could be constructed over the stream, which was there very narrow, for a sum of about £50, which could be taken out of the sum of £800 set apart by a former vote for the continuation of works on this road. • ■■ ,

Government buildings, completion of works already undertaken - £2713 Fittings, &c. - --_-- - 150 Immigration'and Police Barracks -- This vote had been £1000, but MiThali, moved an addition of £200,' for the purpose of making further' improvements" to the barracks in the shape of a room for a .married constable or other officer who should have the charge of the buildings. This additional vote was agreed to. - j - Mr. Ward asked for information about the barracks in Lyttelton. One building was insufficient, and-would continue to be so, for, there seemed no means possible to avoid housing the whole shipful of- immigrants for one night at least in Lyttelton. He wished to know whe-. ther the Government looked to the use of the Town Hall as at present, for in that case it would be necessary to make some other provision for public purposes. Mr. Ollivier said arrangements would, bemade to send 'the'immigrants round to Christchurch as soon as possible after landing. Thiswould be done if possible in every case by em-' ploying the steamer, as had been done that very day. If it should not be practicable to do this the first day after landing, arrangements might' be made for a'portion of the immigrants to remain on board for a couple of days or so after the ship's arrival. ■ ' -.

Fainting, sweeping, &c., Govt. offices £450 ~ Suraner Road - .- - - - - This sum, it was stated, was already spent Gratuity to Messrs. Wheeler and Nurse the mail carriers for losses incurred by them in the performance of their contract, owing to the condition of the roads during the past winter, £50. A large vote of £5,800 was then proposed for proceeding with the Government Buildings in Christchurch, according'tQ^the plan laid on the 'table and the report of the architects. , Mr. Davis objected to the expenditure of solarge a sum. ] ' On a division Mr.. Davis's name appeared alone against the vote, which was carried. Clock Tower -. .'- , -. . - " - £80a Mr. Ollivier said this formed: a principal feature in the design of the buildings. It was to be of iron, and made ornamental. The design would be transmitted to the agent in England, and he would be instructed to procure ii. , Mr. Davis objected also, to the expenditure of money on this item/when necessary works werestill left undone. This item was ithe last on the list. Mr. Ollivier stated that the gross total of-money voted was, as nearly as he cowld reckon, without looking closely through' the paper*, £106,000,, against a revenue of £112,000. The former Mum included £15,000 for immigration. Progress was then reported, the Council returned; notices of motion were given, and the Council adjourned till Tuesday.