New Zealand Parliament.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 142, 31 October 1868, Page 5

New Zealand Parliament.

HOTW ; OF REPHESENTATIYEB. (FEOIF HANSAED.)‘ Awdtere Shearing' Reserve Bill. Ok the sth October, Captain Kenny, in. moying the second reading of this Bill, said he had been requested to take charge of it, having had the honor of presenting a petition to the House, setting forth the par-and-he would shortly state the circumstances under which it was introduced. At the time when the present province of Marlborough formed a portion of the Province of Nelson, 12,000 acres were set apart for shearing purposes, and, in consequence of a large portion of the Awatere valley being without roads, the country taken up by runholders was of so unapproachable a nature that they were obliged to drive their sheep down to this reserve for shearing, and this having been set apart for that, purpose, a vested interest was formed which had been in some measure infringed. The Provincial Council of Marlborough passed a Bill last session authorising the Superintendent to lease, among other reserves, this one, and a petition was presented to the House thereupon, and a report on that petition was made by the Select Committee, and he therefore felt justified in asking the House, in accordance with that report, to pass this Bill, which had been sent down by the Legislative Council for the concurrence of the House ; for it was a case in which manifest injustice had been done. The House having already had the facts placed before it, he thought he need not take up further time. Mr. Bunny should like to know a little more about this matter, for there was very little information before the House as to the Bill, and it appeared to him contrary to the rule guiding the House not to legislate in opposition to the views of a Provincial Council, as, from what he gathered from the remarks of the honorable member, it appeared to him likely that they would be acting adverse to the views of the Provincial Council of Marlborough, and he would therefore move the postponement of the second reading. Mr. Beandok seconded the amendment. Mr. Ceaceofx Wilson, C. 8., said that really this matter was so well known that he trusted no opposition would be made to the second reading, and he could state this the more readily as he had the honor of being Chairman of the Committee appointed to go fully into the matter, and it had. been attempted for three years to effect it. Mr. Mervyn thought if the honourable member for Wairau had any objection to the Bill being passed, he would have ample opportunity on the third reading of doing so, and he trusted, therefore, the House would agree-to the second reading.

The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Tuesday. On October 6th, Mr. Eyes brought up report of the Waste Lands Committee on the Waste Lands of Marlborough Reserves Bill, and moved that it be conMitted for next sitting day. On the /following day the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Case of Marlborough.

On October 6th, while in Committee of Supply, the Hon. J. Hall introduced the further financial proposals of the Government, in the course of which he said:— “ Southland and certain other Provinces are in great danger, if held strictly to the letter of existing arrangements, of. being quite unable to maintain the necessary services of ithe (Provincial Government. This is particularly the case with Southland.' Marlborough will be in a position of diffi-culty-;and Taranaki will absolutely-require some kxnd of temporary assistance, * * *. The of Marlborough * ,it is estimated, will, after deducting her interest, sinking fund,-and provincial charges, receive during the current financial year, to maintain, 'its Provincial Government, including j police,. gaols,; sand-harbour establishments, the sum oL£24oi7B.i7cL :: Ibis obyious ; that some extraordinaryprovision isindi&pensabie in this case. I am assured'by the provincial auth‘6ntie§, ; ,that the leave-a - sufficient sum to > provide - for all t in-; anagaols, but that 1 ‘ rid' 'cofisideidble ‘amount 1 Felaiuaiy ; jneit iiw% *®raP9Wr.?i|few9s?»order: toiaavert-a collapse of fhn [machinery of in * this l Province, - that-‘ the* should adthbiißo the’ Governffibkt' to' make X temporary" advance to the provincial authorities? to enablefthem to -maintain their absolutely .necessary' establishments »Until February. As ! the fund? passes-thrbugh thb hands of' thb; can recoup itself so"advanced.- I may ;state, 'however,' that' the provincial, .debt of Marlborough and

Taranaki is so small, that ,even if the sum required, to...assist.in carrying.on their Government, during the present financial year should eventually have to he added to that debt, the Provinces in question would still be' in a more favourable position than most others. I think, however, in the case of Marlborough, the advance will only be a temporary one, which we shall be able torepay ourselves in the manner 1 have •described. The third case in which we apprehend some special provision is required is that of the Province of Taranaki. According to the best estimate we can form, this Province, after deducting from the consolidated revenue its interest, sinking fund, and provincial charges, will receive, during the current financial year, the huge suin of £3O. This is a case of peculiar difficulty. The harbour, gaol, and police' establishments in this Province must be kept up ; and we have no alternative but to ask the House to allow us, if funds for this purpose should not otherwise be forthcoming, to advance such a sum as may be absolutely necessary for keeping up those establishments until Parliament meets again; and even if] at the end of the year, these advances should have to be added to the debt of Taranaki, it will still be largely below the average of indebtedness of other Provinces of the Colony. I am aware that these proposals to meet special provincial embarrassments are open to criticism on general; they are, however, in our opinion, the only practicable provision for a case of peculiar difficulty. The only other alternative is for this Legislature to take the responsibility of saying that the necessary machinery for the protection of life and property in some parts of the Colony may, so far as it is concerned, be allowed to lapse altogether.”