The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Wednesday, July 18.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 166, 18 July 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Wednesday, July 18.

The Speaker took the chair at 5 o'clock; all the members being present except Messrs Parker, Baigeut, Thompson, and Beitt. Mr Pitt brought up the ad interim report of the select committee appointed to consider and report upon the best means of securing the speedy development of the Buller and other ooal-fields in this province, which was read and laid on the table. Mr Wastney presented a petition signed by a large number of ratepayers in Suburban North, asking for a vote of money towards the repair of roads in that district damaged by the late floods, which was read and laid on the table. Mr Burn moved the adoption of the report of the select committee appointed to take into consideration Message No. 4, and paragraph No. 3, of his Honor the Superintendent's address, which was put and carried. Mr Burn said, in reference to the motion standing in his name, that in the opinion of the Council, in order to facilitate the development of the coal-fields in proximity to the city of Nelson, a bonus at the rate of ss. per ton be paid to any individual or company, raising good steam coal from any mine situated on this side of Cape Farewell, on his or their giving proof of such coal having been landed at the port of Nelson : Provided always, that such bonus shall not exceed £500 in any one halfyear, commencing with the six months ending 31st December, 1867; that the sum total shall not exceed £2,000; and that in case such bonus shall be claimed by more than one party, it shall be divided proportionally to the quantity of coal raised in the half-year by each respectively — that he had discovered that there was no probability that the Coal-fields Committee would report this session, but the ad interim report which had just been brought up and laid on the table, gave expression to some of the vi«ws embodied in his motion ; and he therefore asked leave to postpone, the motion before the house until after the discussion on the ad interim report, which was put and carried. Mr Donne's motion, seconded by Mr Dreyer, that his Houor the Superintendent be requested to place a sum of £100 upon the Estimates, as a reward for the discovery of a practicable track from Brighton to the Little Grey, was put and carried. Mr Gibbs moved, and Mr Sparrow seconded, that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the Estimates the sum of £20. for the purpose of clearing certain dangerous snags, and repairing the beacons at the entrance of the Aorere river, which was agreed to. Mr Donne asked the Provincial Secretary whether it is the intention of the

Government to survey aud offer for sale the land in the towns of Brighton, and Charleston, aud if so, when ? The Provincial Secretary replied thai, surveys of these townships were being made, or were completed, but the Government had not decided whether they should put up the laud for sale or not. Mr Donne asked the Provincial Secretary whether any privilege or protection has been granted by the Government to any person or persons fur the construction of a tramway from Brigh'on to Woodpecker Buy ? * The Provin-.ial Secretary replied in the negative. Mr. H. Redwood moved, that a select committee be appointed to take into consideiatiou the memorial of certain inhabitants of Waimea-west, relative to the proposed site of bridge over the Waimea River ; such committee to consist of Mr. Simmonds, Mr. Sparrow, Mr. C. Kelling, Mr.- McMahoD, Mr. White, the Speaker, and the mover ; and added that he believed that it was the opinion of the Provincial Engineer that the site last chosen, was the best. The Provincial Secretary, on laying on the table a letter on the subject from the Provincial Engineer, said .that he believed that there was nothing in the memorial which was not met by the statements contained in that letter. The letter was read by the Clerk of the Council, and after reviewing the advantages attached to both sites, decided in favor of that on the Appleby line of road. Mr McMahon thought the wants of the inhabitants of Waimea-west and Wainieasouth should be considered, and that every facility should be afforded the committee for ascertaining which site was preferable. The motion was carried, Mr M'Mahon moved that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the Estimates ths sum of £120, for the purpose of erecting a storehouse at the Motueka jetty, and explained that the storehouse would be let to the highest bidder, and the rent would pay for the repairs of the jetty. Mr Akersten approved of the motion, believing that the work would be a productive one, and was very much required, as goods, &c, were frequently allowed to remain on the jetty for days and weeks together. The motion was carried. On the motion of Mr F. Kelling, the House resolved itself into Committee for the consideration of the Report of the Select Committee appointed to take into consideration the working of the Scab Act, Mr Donne in the chair. The report was put, paragraph by paragraph, and was adopted with the amendments. The House then resumed, and Mr Akersten moved that in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that a meat inspector for the city of Nelson should be appointed. The mover said that he wished to take the sense of the Council oa the propriety of such an appointment. After the panic which had been created by the alleged appearance of pleuro-pneumonia, he thought it would be generally admitted that such an officer would be veiy useful ; for although he believed that the established butchers sold very good meat, the hawkers occasionally sold bad, and the poorer classes were sometimes tempted by low prices to buy meat of inferior quality. The Provincial Secretary could have wished that the mover had given some idea of the probable duties of this officer. He considered there would be no benefit derived from inspecting meat anywhere else than in the slaughterhouses, and there was no power to create such an office. Mr Redwood opposed the motion, on the ground that such an appointment was not called for, as there were inspectors of

sheep aud cattle already, aud neither sheep nor cattle could be slaughtered for sale ia an improper state. The duty of the meat inspector in Australia was to see that the stock slaughtered at the abattoirs was healthy, and it was impossible that this . could be done up country, with wild cattle for instance. Mr White thought the office of inspector of meat might be combined with that of the chief inspector of Nelson. Mr Kingdon opposed the motion, and was of opinion that no one was qualified to fill such an office save a skilled veterinary surgeon. Mr Sparrow also opposed the motion; such a measure would necessitate the building a slaughter-house, for which he could discover no necessity. Mr Donne opposed, and Mr Gibbs supported the proposal. Mr McMahon, in support of the motion, stated that diseased sheep and cattle were brought into the city and slaughtered there, aud the health of the citizens, as proved by Dr Cusack, was thereby endangered. He contended that the Nelson Scab Inspector, with a small increase of salary, might examine the meat carts. Mr Pitt followed in support, but thought such duties would occupy the entire time of one officer, Mr Wastney approved of such a measure, and said that similar officers were appointed in even small towns in England. Mr F. Kelliug submitted that the Scab Act rendered such an appointment wholly unnecessary. A division took place, and the motion was carried by 10 to 7. On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor the Council then went into committee for the further consideration of the Estimates, commencing with the department, Public Works and Purposes. The first item for Government Buildings 900/, was raised to 1000/, on the motion of the Provincial Secretary. The next two items, office-keeper's house, fuel- shed, and stable 215/, gaol additions and alterations 450/, were carried without discusion. The item 1000/ for the Government wharf was, on the motion of the Provincial Secretary, increased to 2500/, in order to defray further improvements, faced with stone as recommended by the Harbor Improvement Committee. The next item, Queen's warehouse 500/, was passed. Boat-landing 200/ was increased to 248/ Bs. .The following items were all passed unaltered: — Swinging apparatus 220/, fire-engine, hose, and hose-reel 200/, hospital 5650/, buildings for lunatics and poor 100/, Pelorus-road repairs 50/, Maitai river-banks, protection of roads 50/, Maitai river-banks (to meet equivalent subscriptions) 50/, road to Quarantine dipping-ground, Stoke 150/, Haveu-road and Waimea-road to Gar-diner's-ford 500/, fencing Victory-square 100/, gravel-siftiug machine 150/, bridges maintenance, tarring, painting, &c. 300/. The next item 150/, for the road to Motueka Valley by Pigeon Valley, was, on the motion of Mr F. Kelling, increased to 250/, as was also the vote 500/, for the roads into Dovedale, on the motion of the Provincial Secretary, to 750/. V The follqwiug votes were then passed unaltered : — lloads between Wai-iti, Motueka Valley, Motupipi, Tadmor, and Wangapeka 350/, Waimea bridge 3800/, Waimea-west pound 30/, main south road,-. Wai-iti, to Hanraer Plains 1150/, Motueka \ jetty repairs 107/ 7s, Riwaka footbridge and Mill-road 120, road, Riwaka to Takaka 50/,. East Takaka . road and bridle-: track 115, cross road from East Takaka to Waitapu Junction 100/,! cross road, Clifton 251, Court-house and Lockup, Takaka 250, bridle-track, .Takaka to Collingwood 50/, Slate River bridge repairs 40/. . , r^ On the motion, of Mr Wigley, that the* 1 *? vote 2500/, for the Hurunui bridge, should

be increased to 3000/, a lengthy debate took place as to the liability of the Nelson Government to contribute a moiety of the whole expense of constructing this bridge, and the amendment was lost on division by 11 to 7. The following items, explorations 300/, compensation for land for roads 150Z, and losser public works 5001, were all carried. On the molion of Mr Bonne, that the chairman do report progress, which was carried by 9 to 8, the House resumed, and the motion of the Provincial Solicitor that the Council should again go into committee for the further consideration of the Westport and Charleston Railway Bill was lost by 12 to 6. The Council then adjourned, at twenty minutes to 10, until 5 o'clock to-day.