LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 141, 14 June 1872, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

; O The Council met at 5 o'clock. The

Provincial Solicitor moved, " That, in the opinion of this Council it is expedient that the Board having the control and management of the City of Nelson, should have power to borrow a sura not exceeding £4000, for the purpose of constructing a sewer in Waimeastreet, Nile-street West, Hardy-street and Bridge-street, in the said City; and should have power to levy a special rate upon the property contiguous to such streets benefitted by such outlay, to repay the money borrowed." It would be remembered that two years ago the Council had passed an Act authorising the Board of Works to borrow the sum of £4000 for the construction of a sewer in the streets mentioned in the resolution. That Board having now ceased to exist, the borrowing power had ceased also, but the Board had already entered into a contract for making the bricks for the sewer. An Act might, have been passed continuing the Board of Works, but then they would have no power to levy a special rate to meet the outlay, without which the work could not be carried out, as they were prevented from so doing by the Highways Act, 1871, which restricted the rates to be levied to a penny in the pound. It was, therefore, proposed to ask the General Assembly to pass an Act, conferring upon the new Board the same powers which the old one possessed, with the understanding that the work was not to be undertaken unless it should be proved to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that two- thirds of the owners, representing one-balf of the property liable to be specially rated, had consented to the same. He thought it should be left to the owners of the land to be rated, and not to the occupiers, as they had only a temporary interest in the property. The resolution was seconded by Mr. Collins and passed. — Mr. Gibbs moved, "That his Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to place on the "Appropriation Bill" the sum of £155, for the purpose of repaying to Mr. O'Conor the value of certain sections bought by him in Westport, upou his assigning all rights he may have acquired in respect of such sections." Mr. Wastney seconded the resolution. Mr. O'Conor wished to remark that he had not in the smallest degree altered his mind from the decision which he had first expressed of his willingness to place the land at the disposal of the Government for distribution among the losers by the floods. He would also say that • he did not do this in consequence of the threat held out that the Governor should be requested to withhold his signature from the Crown Grants; nor did he in any way admit that he had no right to make the purchase. He had another and a business reason for desiring to dispose of I the land in this way which he might take another opportunity of explaining. On the voices being taken, Mr. Donne's was the solitary "No," and at his demand a division was taken, when the whole of the Council, including himself, voted with the Ayes. — On the motion of Mr. Reid it, was resolved, after a long debate, "That his Honor the Superintendent be recommended to throw open for occupation, under business licenses, the landward portion of the reserve, known as the Colliery Reserve; and, in the exercise of his powers under the " Goldfields Act," to frame such regulations as may secure preferential and actual occupation by freeholders and business license-holders in Westport, who are, in consequence of the encroachments of the sea or river, desirous to remove to that portion of the reserve, and to erect buildings thereon. — That it is desirable that freeholders on the surveyed site of the township, whose holdings have been destroyed or depreciated in value by the encroachments of the river or sea, should be enabled to purchase freeholds in the upper part of the town as already surveyed, at a material reduction on the present upset price ; and that, to enable them to do so, his Honor the Superintendent be requested to include in the "Appropriation Bill " a sum equal to the purchase of fifty sections so situated. — That his Honor be respectfully requested to take such steps as may be necessary to obtain the Governor's assent to the cancelling of the reserve of thirteen acres which at present exists in the centre of the town, except such portions of it as may be required for public buildings, with a view to the land being placed at the disposal of the Waste Lands Board — That a copy of the report by the Committee appointed to inquire as to the position and condition of the Town 'of Westport, be forwarded by the Speaker to his Honor the Superintendent." — On the motion of the Provincial Secretary it was resolved, "That, in the opinion of this Council the Waste Lands Act should be amended, so as to give power to the Waste Lands Board to sell occupied land within townships on proclaimed goldfields, without the necessity of submitting such land to public competition ; and that should such power be given, the minimum price, should not be less than at the rate of ten pounds for the area comprised within a business |

site, viz., 40 perches." — Mr. Luckie moved " That his HoDor the Superintendent be respectfully requested 1o lake steps to aid the carrying on of the Collingwood coalmine, in anticipation of probable assistance in that direction from the General Government, »nd that for any money not exceeding £250 advanced for that object this Council will indemnify the Superintendent. A.t the present time there was a great scarcity of ' coal throughout the whole colony, for which all the Governments, both General aud Provincial, were to' blame, aod especially so that of Nelson for not fostering the ColliDgwood mine as i hey had been desired to do by the Council, which authorised them to pay a bonus of ss. per ton for all coal raised up to next July, but which they had ceased to do last January. The Secretary's report showed that £4000 had been spent upon developing and working this mine from which 3200 tons of coal had been taken. Dr. Hector's report was said to be most favorable, and as the General Goverrnent bad a large vote at their disposal for works of this kind, lie believed that there would be little difficulty in obtaining the sum proposed if the Provincial Government were to advance it. He had it on good authority that if they received this aid, the Company would at once recommence work and proceed with the drive at a lower level, which would enable them to get out the coal at a cheaper rate. Mr. Gibbs seconded the resolution, as he believed that the Company was a most deserving one, and was only now prevented, by the want of a little capital, from working the mine successfully, to its own advantage and that of the public. He thought there was every reason to hope that the General Government would assist in developing so valuable a mine as this was proved to be. The Provincial Treasurer was afraid they were relying too much upon the General Government for aid in this matter, as both he and the Superintendent had spoken to the Minister of Public Works in the matter, but could make no impression upon him, as he had staled that it was contrary to the plans of of the Government to assist in working mines. He believed that it was most desirable, and would be for the good of the province to have this mine in full working order'; but a discussion had already arisen in the Council on the question of aiding private Companies, and it was for them to say now whether they were willing to do so in this instance. Mr. Collins would not vote on this resolution, being himself pecuniarily interested in the mine, but he might say that he had spoken to Mr. Yogel on the matter, and had been told by him that the Government would be willing to assist if it could be shown that the mine was likely to answer, and he believed that, unless obstacles were thrown in the way by the Provincial Government, there would be no difficulty in obtaining General Government aid. The Provincial Solicitor said it was not the fault of the Government that they did not continue to pay the bonus. The Council had voted some £20,000 more than was at their disposal, and it followed that some of the votes could not be met. This not being of such immediate necessity as some of the public works, it was thought desirable to contract the expenditure in this direction rather than on some of the more pressing demands. Mr. F. Kelling- would support the resolution althaugh it was somewhat late in being brought forward. He thought, however, that they should be very careful how they fostered private Companies. The resolution was then agreed to unanimously. —On the motion of Mr. Donne, it was resolved, " That, if Mr. O'Conor be willing, as alleged, to surrender his rights to the sections at Westport. purchased by him on 4th June instant, this Council requests the Provincial Solicitor to forwith prepare a renunciation of all rights acquired by Mr. O'Conor to the said sections, in virtue of the payment of the said £155 by him to the receiver of Land Revenue, and that in the event of Mr. O'Conor forthwith executing a renunciation of all rights he may have acquired in respect of sections 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, and 472 in the town of Westport, by virtue of the payment of £155 by him in manner aforesaid, the Speaker be instructed not to act upon the resolution of Friday, 7th June instant, that an address be forwarded to his Excellency the Governor, praying him to refuse the issue of Crown Grants for the sections above enumerated." — Mr. Gibbs said that the report of the Doran's Reel Company Committee, which he, as chairman, had brought up on the previous day, contained a resolution which had not yet been proposed. Having expressed his dissent from it in Committee, he did not feel it incumbent upon him to move it. — The Council then adjourned until this morning.

This Day.

The Council met at 11 o'clock. — Mr. O'Conor moved, in a speech of some length, " That the resolution moved by the Provincial Solicitor, reflecting upon Mr.

O'Conor for the purchase of certain sections in Westport, be rescinded." Mr. Collins seconded the resolution, which went to a division with the following result : — Ayes, 2, Messrs. Collins and Gibbs. Noes 12, the Provincial Solicitor, the Provincial Secretary, the Provincial Treasurer, Messrs. Luckie, C. Kelling, F. Kelling, Donne, Guinness, Reid, Tarrant, Baigent, Wastney. — The Council was then prorogued by his Honor the Superintendent, who delivered the following speech : — Mr Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council — I have assented on behalf of his Excellency the Governor to the following Acts passed in your present Session : — No. 1. An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to Highways in the Province of Nelson. No. 2. An Act to provide for the making and maintaining of Eoads, Streets, and other Public Works in certain Towns. No. 3. An Act to make provision for the Management of Rivers in the Province of Nelson. No. .5. An Act to amend the Law relating to Publicans' Licenses. No. 8. An Act to regulate the Sale of Spirituous Liquors, Ale, Beer, Porter, aud Wine, in the Goldfields of the Province of Nelson. No. 9. An Act to Appropriate the Revenue of the Province of Nelson for the Year ending 3 1st March, 1873. I have reserved the following Acts for the signification of his Excellency's pleasure thereon: — No. 4. An Act to promote the construction of certain Public Works in the Province of Nelson. No. 6. An Act to amend an Act to determine the number of Members of the Provincial Council, and to appoint Electoral Districts in the Province of Nelson. No. 7. An Act to Repeal an Act to authorise the Superintendent to sell or lease certain Lands granted for Public Purposes, situated in the District of Amuri, in the Province of Nelson, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof. A Bill shall be prepared for the consideration of the General Assembly, to

enable me to carry into effect the resolutions you have agreed to in reference to the establishment of special settlements — by which I trust that the permanent occupation of the country may be efficiently promoted. A measure shall also be submitted to the General Assembly for the amendment of the Waste Lands Act, 1863, in accordance with your wishes. In the event of a measure for the consolidation and amendment of the existing Goldfields Acts being brought before Parliament, I will endeavor to give effect to your proposed amendment relative to the purchase of the freehold by lessees of agricultural land withiu the Goldfields. ' The Colonial Government having assented to my request for the construction .of a Water-race from Lake Hochstetter to Nelson Creek, I trust that this important work will be commenced without delay. I look upon the construction of a wooden tramway from the Brunner Coal mines to Cobden, in order to maintain and extend the existing coal trade until the proposed permanent railway to Greymouth can be commenced and completed, from Colonial funds, to be a work of urgent necessity, aud I shall use every exertion to secure its execution with the least possible delay. The report of your Select Committee upon the present condition of the Town of Westport, and the measures which you recommend for the maintenance of the town and for the relief to some extent of those of its inhabitants who have suffered by the ravages of the sea and the river shall receive my immediate attention, with a view to carry out your wishes as speedily as possible. Tour resolution in favor of the union of some of the small road districts, with a view to the establishment of Road Boards, having the control of larger funds, and in other respects better able to carry out the provisions of the " Highway Boards Empowering Act 1871," shall receive the early attention of the Executive Government. I now declare this Council prorogued. Oswald Curtis, Superintendent.