The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1868. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 143, 19 June 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1868. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, June 18. The Speaker took the chair at 5 o'clock. All the members were present except Mr F. Kelling. On Mr Wigley's motion, seconded by Mr Redwood, the Scab Bill was recommitted, in order to enable him to move the insertion of the following clause, after clause 17:—' All sheep in the District of Amuri shall^for the purposes of this Act, be deemed infected with scab which shall be known by the owner thereof to have mixed with other sheep so infected within three months previously,' which, he stated, was merely aa extract from the Canterbury Act, and would effectually define what were -and what were not scabby sheep. The motion was carried. An amendment to Clause 17, moved by Mr Gibbs, was, after some discussion, negatived, and the chairman having reported the inserted clause, the House resumed. Mr Wastney moved the adoption of the select committee on the existing state of the surveys of the province, which was seconded by Mr Burn, and, after some observations, partially in opposition, from Mr Parker, was carried by 19 to 3. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, the Cattle Trespass Bill, and Scab Bill were respectively read a third time, and passed. On Mr Bentley moving the adoption of the report of the Select Committee appointed to consider the petition of the occupiers of the Buller Quay Reserve, Mr Donne, seconded by MrjDreyer, moved as an amendment that the report be sent back to the committee, which was lost on.division by 17 to 5, and the original motion was. then cartied on the voices. The Council then went into committee, Mr Sinnnonds in the chair , for the further consideration of the Nelson, Cobden, and Westport Railway Resolutions commencing with No 4: — • That the entire line shall be completed within five years from the date of execution of contract for the same; and on completing it shall be the absolute properly of the company constructing it,' which was carried unanimously. Much discussion followed upon the consideration of the sth Resolution, which was ultimately amended so as to read thus: — ' That land not exceeding 5000 acres, as may be authorised by the Superintendent for each mile of railway constructed, shall he granted as each 20 miles of the line, beginning at either terminus, are completed; but the land on which the line is laid shall not be granted till the whole work has been completed.' The sth resolution, was carried, having been amended on the motion of Mr Home, in the following words: — 'That the proportion of land to be granted as each 20 miles of the line is finished, shall be so granted upon the certificate of the Company's Engineer, confirmed by the Superintendent, who shall first obtain the certificate of the Engineer-in-chief of the province.' Resolution No. 5, on an amendment by the Speaker, carried on division by 13 to 8, was pasßed in the following terms:—' That all private land required for the construction of the line shall be purchased by, and at the cost of the company; bat should the total sum required for such purchases exceed £20,000, the company shall be entitled to land scrip available over the whole of the province for two-thirds of the amount of such excess.' Resolution No. B:— 'That the Provincial Government shall have the right to make roads through any part of the lands granted to the company; such roads not to exceed one chain in width, and such right to be exercised within 14 years from the issue of grants,' 14 being substituted for 5 on the motion of Mr Burn was carried. The following Resolutions, Nos 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, were all passed unaltered, and read as follows: 9. That land required for sites of buildings for administrative and educational purposes, shall be conveyed to the Government free of cost. 10. That the guag«j of the Railway shall not be less than three feet six inches. 11. That no gradient on the line shall exceed one in sixty, without the sanction of the Superintendent. 12. That the line and stations shall be kept in working order for fourteen years from the completion of the line.

13. The Company shall have power to .alter, divert, raise, or lower any public thoroughfare, or cross the same upon a level ; provided that no gradient shall be more than one i» twenty-five. 14. That sufficient water frontage for the erection of wharves, piers, or jetties, at each or either of the termini, or on the Rivers Grey and Buller, shall be provided for the Company ; aud all land reclaimed from tideway by the Company, shall be granted to them, free of cost ; provided that the navigation of no harbor or river shall be impeded. No. 15 waa amended, and reads as follows : — That the sum of £20,000 shall be doposited ly the Company in a bank, in Nelson, in New Zealand, in the joint names of the Superintendent of Nelson and the Colonial Treasurer, in Nelson, on the execution of the agreement, which sum shall be returned, provided fifty miles at least of the Railway have been completed within two years from the execution of such agreement ; otherwise it shall be absolutely forfeited to the Provincial Government. No. 16 was also amended, and is thus worded: — ' That so long as the. land remains the property of the Company and unoccupied, it shall be on the same footing as crown land, so far as regards exemption from taxation, both general andlocal. No. 17. That all differences arising between the Provincial Government and the company shall be settled by arbitration or reference within the colony. No. 18 was amended and passed thus: — 'That in order to prevent delay, the Superintendent should have power to authorise the agent of the province, in London, to enter, within two years of the date of the passing of the Act of the General Assembly, into a definite contract on behalf of the;province without further reference to Council. No. 19: — 'That the foregoing resolutions be embodied in a bill to be submitted to the General Assembly at the approaching session,' waa passed unaltered. The House then resumed and again went into committee, Mr Parker in the chair, on the postponed items on the Estimates. In the department 'Scab Act,' the following salaries were passed: — Chief Inspector for Suburbs, Waimea, Motueka and Riwaka, 350/. : Deputy Inspectors — Nelson, 50/. ; Foxhill, 140?.; Amuri, 300£; Massacre Bay, 50/.; Marlborough (for 6 months), 100/.; Contingencies, 100/.; Dipping Tank and Sheep Yards, Foxhill, 150/. On the consideration of the item Dry Dock, Nelson Harbor, 17,000/., the figures having been struck out, Mr Wastney moved that the blank be filled up with 8000 Z., which was negatived. The Provincial Secretary then moved that the blank be filled up with 10,000/., which was put and carried on division by 14 to 6, Messrs Dreyer and Smith declining to vote. The item Government Wharf, repairs and improvements of Harbor 1000/., was, on the motion of the Provincial Secretary, increased to 3000/. A discussion arose on the item Cartbridge, Wai-iti, at Foxhill, 14007, which was increased to 2200/, for a composite bridge of wood and iron. The consideration ot the Supplementary Estimates then occupied the Council, and the following items were passed: — Brunner coalmine. 5000/; Purchase of land in front of police-station, 450/; Footbridges, Brook- street-valley, 100/; Cheviot Eoad Board, 300/; Motueka-valley Road Board, 200/; Exploring and cutting bridle-track, Waiagaro to Anatoki, 300/; Waterworks, 260/; Branch road, East Takaka, at Clifton, 100/; Halifaxstreet, to meet equivalent subscriptions, 300/; Stone-breaking machine, 200/; Staking channel, Richmond, 20/; Track to Rai-va,ley, 200/; Tracks between Razorback and Mokihinui, 5001; Improving road betweeu Nelson and Waimea, 1000/; Roads and Public Works, Collingwood goldfields, 300/; Riwaka-valley road, 50/; Exploring and cutting track to Mokihinui from Wangapeka horse-track, 15$; Compensation to Mr A. S. Dreyer, 70t; Cartbridge, Bridge-street, 1600/; Cemetery, Wai-au-ua, 50/; Reading-room, Moutere, to meet equivalent subscriptions, 30/; Altering and improving road over Moutere-hilJs, 650Z; Public Libraries, West Coast, to meet equivalent subscriptions, 200/; Trunk-road, Pigeon-valley to Dovedale, 150/; Horsebridge, Takaka, above Waingaro, 300/; Suburban-north, road-widening, 75/; Improving trunk road, Waimea (corners) 150/., Extension of trunk road up Motueka river towards the Dove, 250/. The item Commissioner on Provincial Expenditure on West Coast, 600/., was struck out. The Estimates were then reported as passed, and the House resumed. ' Some notices of motion having been given, the Council adjourned at 5 minutes past 11, until 11 o'clock this morning.