OTAGO PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 147, 6 May 1862, Page 5

OTAGO PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

5 Monday, sr:i May, 18H2. i - .The SPKAKKIi -took the e'l.iir at twenty nrimites after *iour, and read the usual form of prayer. . minutkb. The Clerk of the Council read the minutes ol last meeting, which were confirmed. STCAM POSTAL SIiIU'ICK. Mr. WALKER presented a petition from certain merchants, tradesmen, and others, in connection with the steam postal service. The same w.is received, and ordered to lie on the table-. Mr. W'ALKEII then moved the suspension of standing order No. 27, in order that the prayer of the petitioners might bj taken into consideration in Committee of Supply in connection with the steam postal service. KfOTICtIS OF MOTION. Mr. If ENWICK gave notice that to-morrow he would move that an address be presented to Kis Honor tho Superintendent, requesting His Honor to cause thi sum of £1500 to be placed on the Supplementary I'lstim.itea, to be expended on the extermination of thistles. Mr. WALKER gave notice that to-morrow he would ask whether the Government have any information as to the contract for Steam Postal Service, concluded by Mr. Ci-osbie Ward on behalf of the Government of New Zealand, with the amount of penalties for no n-performanee. AIvATORB DISTRICT. Mr. GILLIES, pursuant to notice, moved, That a-respectful address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, rcqiusting tlut the sum of £1000 be placed on the Estimates for a main road for opening up of the Akatore district. In speaking to the* question, the lion, member said that a portion of the district had been already- surveyed, and 'might be placed in the market "very shortly. He had to move that a sum be-placed on the estimates for the construe- " tion ofthis road, so that the Government might be in a position to expend money for opening up a road in that district ,whea it is brought into the market. Mr. DICK remarked that the subject of this motion had been under the consideration of the Government, and the Executive had discovered that there wore only twelve owners of property in the district, while tha entire quantity of land sold was only 570 acres. They had endeavored to institute iuquiries with regard to the land, and they found it was stated that there was scarcely any land available, and with the. knowledge ■which the Government at present possessed, it ■would be difficult for the Executive to support the motion.- Then, "a question arose as to the propriety of putting sums on the Estimates for roads to open up districts. There were many settled districts whose ■wants had not yet been supplied; and it became matter for serious consideration whether grants of money should be made in. this, direction until full justice had been done to'the older districts. Mr. CARGILL concurred with the hon. gentle- ™ man wlio represented the Government. So far as he personally understood the question, the Government,was disposed to render every assistance in the formation of branch lines of road in any district, on condition of the district contributing so much towards the expense ; but, to declare,a main road, and to vote monuy for constructing it in a district where land was 'not yet sold, would, he thought, be to commence in a wrong direction. He believed that, to adopt this motion, would be to admit a dangerous precedent. Mr. MARTIN" agreed with what had fallen from the last speaker, as there were several districts in the Province which possed higher claims to the consideration of the house. Mr. GILLIES, in reply, said, that in the district for" which he applied for this sum, was situated ■ a eoai field, which was taken a lvantago of by the the miners on-the Woolshcd diggings; and it was not only for. this district that the main road was required, but it was required as a road to the coal field, and also for the opening up of Tokomairiro plain. Five hundred ami seventy aci'es had been .sold in the district, and the settlers in that district had only one outlet through private property. The road was laid down in the maps as impracticable, and, at tho present time, it was simply by the sufloranee of private parties that the population had any outlet at all. ' .• The question was then- put and lost. mcssagu no._ 3. Mr. CARGILL brought up the report of the Committee <>n Message "So. 3, which was lahl on the table, and ordered to be printed, and its consideration made an order of the day for Wednesday next. " . . - "' HARIiaiC LOAN BILL.. Mr. M'GLASIIAX, in moving the second re.id--ing ofthis Bill, remarked that the principle of the' " measure had already been assented to by tlie General Government. The bill was accordingly forwarded a stage, aad the third reading made an order of the d.iy for "Wednesday next. PREVENTION OF SCAU. Mr. M'GLASiIAN laid on the table a draft bill fjr preventing the introduction of. scab into the Piovinee of Otago. The-bill was Ordered to be printed. 3ICRSAGC NO. 8. The following message was brought in from His Honor the Superintendent, and read by the Clerk of the Council:— " Superintendent's Office, '. "Dunedin, sth .May, ISG-2. " Tlub successful establishment of the gold " - fields of the province being now beyond dispute, and accompanied by the vastly increased pros- : pcrity of both town and country, we are naturally " " induced to revert to the recognition which has been hitherto only partially made of the services rendered to the community by the discovery of Mr. Gabriel .Reed. Mr. Reed unconditionally, and with a generous confidence, placed his discovery, at the disposal of Government; gratnit msly acted gffir several weeks in adjusting claims and settling -^^isputes, and subsequently at the request of the Government he prospected, without remuneration and with the single, desire to complete his work. Western Australia offers £5000 for a remunerative gold-field, and our neighboring provinces from £1000 to £2000. Mr. Reed has received only £500 for his discovery and multiplied services. The commends this subject to the faconsideration of the Coxincil, and ho feels the more interested in the result because he received ' and availed himself, without hesitation, on beHalf of the province, of the services of Mr. Reed, knowing that such an adequate recognition would be made as would leflect equal honor on the giver and receiver. (Signed) " J. Richardson', " Superintendent." Mr. DICK now moved" that His Honor the Superintendent be permitted to place the sum of £500 on the estimates as compensation to Mr. Gabrielßecd.

Mr. ItKVN(>M;t> feoonilvd. y> r. CARGILL had very groat plwuuro in supporting t!ir> mutinn. It appeared to him that the iimonnr, puid to Mr. Gabriel Itied hud been totuilv iiindoqimtu 10 tlu- importance ot tlie discover* which that gentleman hud placed before the public in a very handsome manner. He had not .the pleasure of personally knowing Mr. Reel, but t; iere was no question that the great services which he had rendered tv the community deserved consideration . After .1 few remarks from M.\ PATEU3OS', The question was put and carried. - message: no. 9, The following message was brought in and read by the Cleric of the Council: " Superintendent's Office, " Dui'cdm, sth May, ISG2. "The Superintendent forwards ■ « memorial, received from the inhabitants of the Clutlia district, -which he commends to the favorable consideration of tliu Council, the more especially us, up to the present moment, there has been no 1 outkiv whatever on th.il river, which is rupable ,of materially advancing, not only the interest ot the district, out of the Province generally. " (Signed) " J. Richardson, Superintendent. O.i the motion of Sir. DICK, the petition was ordered to be taken into consideration in Committee oi' Supply. SCAI! PREVENTION HIM.. Oii tlie motion of Mr. MGLASHAX, the second reading of this bill was made an order of the day for to-morrow. TOWN ■IIIiMiOYKSIEXT MIX. Mr.M'GLASHAN laid on the table a bill for promoting improvements in the City of Dunedin, and moved that it be read a first time. Mr. REYNOLDS seconded. Question put and carried. On the motion of Mr. M'GLASHAN, the bill was ordered to be printed, and the second reading made an order of the day for Wednesday next. JiDITCATiON, BILL. Mr. M'GLASiIAN, in moving the third reading of this bill, said there was so much unanimity manifested at the second reading, there was no necessity for him to offer any observations now. The bill was then read a third time and passed. ROADS HI LI.. This bill was read a third time and passed. TRESPASS BILL. " This bill was read a third time and passed. SUPPLY. On the motion of Mr. IHCKJ the Speaker left the chair,'and the House resolved itself into Con> mittee of Supply. Sundry items, as they appear in the Estimates, alraady published, were affirmed. Upon the consideration of a vote in furtherance of a Lunatic Asylum, Mr* DICK moved—That his Honor the Superintendent be recommended to place the Lunatic Asylum on the site laid out for a cattle market. The hon. membar understood that ;the Commissioner had surveyed the locality, and had reported it as being well adapted tor the purpose. t Question put and carried. When the erection of a Gaol, Supreme Court, , Post Office, and-Registry Department, were taken into consideration. Mr. DICiC moved, " That the Government be empowered to bring in a Bill.to raise a loan of £50,000 to be appropriated to the erection of a Supreme Court, gaol, post-oflSee, and registry office." Question put "and carried. On the consideration of the item of jEIOOO towards hospital additions, Mr. DICK read a letter addressed by the Provincial Surgeon to his Honor the Superintendent, wherein the writer described the multifarious duties devolving upon him in that capacity. He (Mr. Dick) thought that the Council might prudently apply itself to a consideration of the item; and might vote the Provincial Surgeon an increased salary. Mr. MAIITIN expressed an opinion that due notice should have been given by the hon. member before bringing this case, a second time, before tlie House. Mr." GILLIES could see no objection to the Council entertaining the question. The House ought to nse every precaution as to the.management of the Dunedin hospital, and no parsimony should be permitted to prevent the institution beinij conducted as efficiently as possible. Mr. DICK said he would not pross the subject to night, but he would mention that the sum of Jt'3Uo had been voted for temporary" medical assistance, and the only question now was whether tlie accumulated labors of the Provincial Surgeon were not sufficient to entitle that gentlemen to increased emoluments. Tlie hon. member - concluded by saying that he should recommend his Honor the Superintendent to augment the present salary of the Provincial Surgeon by an' . additional £100. The SPEAKER remarked that if the Provincial Surgeon had too much business on his hands', the most rational way of meeting the difficulty would be, instead of increasing the salary of the Provincial Surgeon, to. appoint an Assistant, and'subdivide the labor. Mr. CARGILL wished to see t!i3 Dunedin Hospital conducted in a state of undoubted efficiency. The subject then dropped. Upon £600 being proposed as an appropriation in aid of recreation grounds, Mr. CARGILL moved an amendment to the effect that the amount be £1,500. The hon. member expatiated upon the lavish expenditure of public money in the country districts and on the gold fields, and expressed an opinion that "poor Dunedin" was entitled to some consideration at the hands of the Government. Mr. GILLIES replied to the observations of the hon. member who had just spoken, and retorted the allusion made to the "lavish.expenditure" on the gold fields, by asserting that of the revenue raised in the Province of Otago, the city of Dunedin contributed only a veiy small moiety, while .a'very large portion of it was derived from the inland "districts. If the House would lay " down as a matter of principle, a better distribution of the funds of the Province, he would, be happy to go with the amendment. After a few remarks from Messrs. Cutten, M'Mnster?, and Martin, the amendment was pat from the Chnir, and carried. On "the item of Immigration being read, - , Mr. DICK said, as there was a report to be submitted to the House on Wednesday evening, he ' would ask leave to defer the consideration of this ■ subject until the report in question had been eni tertained and discussed. ; . Upon approaching the^item of Steam; Inter- , colonial, Coastal, and Inland, Mr. DICK remarked that the House had now ito take up Message 2Sb. 4 from his Honor the s Superintendent, and he would beg leave to_ submit this message for the mature consideration, of hon. members, with a request that the correspondence on the subject be read. j The Clerk of the Council then read aloud the 3 voluminous correspondence referred to.'. f Mr. WALKER wished to know if the corres- . pondence just read by the Clerk of the Council embodied all that had transpired, on the subject.

Mr DJCK lcplici, time nis all tint .»co »- pamed the mtiiMitie ot luslloiioi, but lie lu^ld m his hand a copr of the contiupt ontneii into with M'Mlck in, 1)1 cVuoijil and Compiny, wheremthe contntctore undertake to lay on the Aldiiiifa GrotnenburK, antl Onie ), tor £ 1,600 a month • le third jut able ia Dmiediii on ihe completio iof each moot* 's stivce, end uiil, i'»iii g to \n\ a peml'v of 30-. pur hour fur eveiy hour that t^e stcim israi\ bo behind tune, prowded the detention be not omisioned by- wiador weather, oriiiv otlier caiife over which the contractor can exwrise no possible contiol The lion number then r • >il the tender and the letter of Mr. Crosbie WarJ acjeptm^ it, as follows — (Copy) Mdbmine, lGth Apul, 1862 Sir, —We ha\e tht honoi to tcndei the stt, nu ships Aiding, trothe bu 5, jnd Omeo for the cone mcv oi the Zmliu I muls, for tl.s moath of Mw Juue, nd )nlv !■ ivin; I'oit O'liilmctt, Oti^o o l th° 17th of those months, at 2 o'clock p.m., for the sum of £ISSO sterling, one third payable at Dunedin, to our order on completion of each month's service. Should the steamer with the mails from Auckland' and othsr Northern Ports not arrive at Port Chalmers by H o'clock on the 17th, one steamer shall remain until its nrrival, but not later than 2 o'clock p.m., on the 18th. Should a steamer or boat come alongside, from any of the Southland ports with that Province's mail, oar steamer will stop aud receive them on board. . The English or foreign portions of the mail vail be transhipped by us to the P. and O. steamer in Hobson's Bay, but in the event of no mail steamer being.-ready, to receive them, the Melbourne Post Office authorities must take possession of them. Should one of the above named steamers not sail as before mentioned, we a;rree to pay yon 30^.,an hour, for every hour they are behind the time of sailing. .'••■'■■ ' The foresjoinc; agreement will not bs binding on us in case of accident to such one of the above named steamers as may be employed in ths service, or when prevented from prosecuting- their', voyage' from wind ■ or-wcuther, or any o*.her cause, ovsr whicii we have no control. ' We have, fee,