Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 38, 18 April 1866, Page 3

Message No. 9 enclosed the report of Mr. W. Lightband, of the gold-fields of the Little Grey. Message No. 10 euclosed Estimates of the expenditure of the current year. The amount was stated to be approximate, as the gold-field expenditure^ could not be arrived at Avith any certainty. The principal items are as follow :— Superintendent's Establishment, 1,-26M. ; Contingencies, 35/.; Solicitor's Department, 250/.; Treasurer's Department, 15C7. ; Contingencies, 10/.; Auditor's Department, 200/.; Crown Lands Department, 600/.; Survey Department, 1,255/.; Engineers Department, 850/.; Provincial Council, omitted; Gaol, 1,294/.; Police, 3,199/.; South-west Gold-fields, 5,949/.; Collingwood Goldiields, 30/.; Meteorological, 60/.; Medical, 1,940/.; Harbor Department, 1,779/. 155.; Scab Inspectors, 310/. ; Interest on Debentures, 2,356/. 12s. 10d.; Waterworks Debentures ditto, I,C>OO/ ; Sinking Fund on Provincial Loan, 5,0 0/.; Education, 5,245/.; Miscellaneous, 3,000/. ; Sundries, 3,751/.; Public Works iind Purposes, 22,122/.; West Coast Itoads, 12,000/. approximately; Local, 2,200/. The Estimate of the probable revenue of the Province ot Nelson for the year commencing Ist April, 1866, and ending 31st March, 1867. Balance in Treasury, 5,799/ 3s. 3d. ; customs — Nelson and Grey, 22,000/ ; gold duty — Grey and other districts, 20,000/ ; gold-field's revenue, 6,000/ ; publican's _ licenses, 1,500: auctioneer's licenses, IGo/; education rate, 1,700/; scab act, 900/; pilotage, 2,000/; wharf rent, 860/; incidentals, 2.000/; proportion of interest aud exchange on provincial debt to be paid by Marlborough, C35/ 11s. 4d.; proportion of General Government debt to be paid by Marlborough, 3.539/ 9s. 4d.; land revenue (exclusive of debt to General Government), 10,000/; waterworks — amount advanced from provincial revenue, 490/ 6s. ocl. Total, 77,587/ 10s. 4d. Message Ts T o. 11, enclosed a request from the police constables, for an increase ot the present rate of payment. Mr Kingdon moved that a select committee, consisting of the Provincial Secretary, Provincial Solicitor, Messrs. Curtis, M'Mahon, Gibbs, Akersten.and the mover, be appointed to consider the petition of Batty, to-morrow. ORDERS OF THE DAY. Mr. Akersten moved, " That a select committee be appointed to prepare a bill to license watermen and ballast getters in the port of Nelson ; such committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr. Burn, Mr. Simmonds, Mr. Parker. Mr. Kingdon, and the mover." He thought the boats should be under the management of competent men, which would render life more secure, and give greater confidence to the public. There was no reason why the ballast should not be measured and weighed as at home. Such an arrangement was of equal importance with the Hackney Carriages Act, and he trusted the Council would adopt his views on the matter. Mr. Kingdon seconded. The Provincial Solicitor could not agree with the mover as to the necessity of legislative interference in the matter, which he thought would give a monopoly to two or three persons. He thought the smallness of the trade, the well-provided state of the steamers as to boats, and the fact that they came to one or other of the wharves, rendered a change in the existing system unnecessary. Over legislation was as bad as no legislation at all. Surely captains were able to make satisfactory bargains in reference to their ballast. Mr. M'Mahon proposed, and Mr. Dodson seconded, a verbal amendment to the effect that the committee consider the propriety of preparing a bill for the purnose. Mr. Akersten replied, saying that his anxiety arose from having witnessed the incompetency of boatmen, and the risking of the lives of passengers. As business increased, the boat traffic would increase also, and it was the. duty of the Council to protect the public as much as in the case of hackney carriages. Half the boats employed were not fit for heavy weather, and the temptations to employ bad aud boats Avere daily increasing, and the Council should interfere. He contended that legislation was needed to prevent tie frequent disputes between the ballast men and the captains; the latter frequently refusing to pay for more than 20 for 25 tons, and going to sea with an insufficient quantity, and with vessels so badly trimmed as to be unable to stand a stiff breeze. If legislation was necessary in the old^ country, it w.as equally so in this. The cost of weighing lighters was trifling, arid the weight could be ascertained to lulf a ten. The license fees would cover all the cost of carrying out the new enactment. The motion was carried. The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of the Electoral Districts' bill, giving two members for the Grey and one for the Buller. Mr. F. Kelling seconded. Motion carried. On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor the House went into committee, Mr. Kingdon in the chair, to consider the bill. Some verbal amendments were make in it, it was reported as amended and passed, and the House resumed. The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of the Public Works bill. Mr. Redwood seconded. A discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Sparrow, Gibbs, Dodson, and Baigent took part, after which the bill was read a second time. On the Provincial Solicitor moving that the House go into committtee on the bill, a strong feeling was expressed that members had not had sufficient time to examine its details. On the motion of Mr. Baigent, seconded ly Mr. M'Mahon, it was resolved that further consideration ■of the bill be postponed till the following day. Mr. M'Mahon, by the request of Mr. Parker, .uioved, " That his Honor the Superintendent be re-