PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 304, 10 December 1862, Page 5

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

. TUESDAY, December 9th. . The Speaker took the chair soon after four o'clock, and the sitting was opened with prayer.

I'EIITION. ; .. Mr REYNOLDS presented a petition from merchants, professional men, and others resident in Uunedin, m favor of a subsidy to a mail service via

'*«■■ n«B«,,KOTI(!B9 0V MOTION. , Mr HARDY gave notice that, at the next sitting he would movetbat an address be presented' to the bupermtendent, requesting him to cause to be laid on tne table copies of any correspondence between #>c Provincial and the General Governments, with reference to the appointment of the Chief Commissioner £°^%V a Iteßidenf Magistrate. Mi-REYNOLDS gave notice to move that the petition just presented, be considered when the liouse goes into Committee on the Panama Mail Service. ,

„ ~,,- OAMAEU CONTRACTORS. Mr M'MASTER asked the Provincial Secretary to explain the reason why contractors in the town and district of Oaraaru have hitherto not been afforded an opportunity of tendering for, the execution of public works in either locality." The contractors Had not the -opportunity of tendering for public works : and they considered that this was unfair to themselves and costly to the Province, because, being on the spot, they could have done more cheaply some work 3in the neighbourhood than was possible in the case of contractors-from a distance. Tho Court Housesand the School, at Oaniaru, each involved considerable expenditure j but in neither case were the plans and specifications sent up in time to allow of the chance of contractors there getting in a tender More reeeutly, stables for the police were want<-d • but any one who wished to tender was compelled to go toDunedm to examine the specifications, which would not pay. seeing that the work was triflm°iJut as a result, a Dunedin contractor got £300, for what could have been done at halt the cost by a local man. All that was wanted was that there should be fair treatment in future.

The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY said that the Provincial Engineer took office only some six months ago, and subsequently to the tendering for the Court House and the School. As to the stables, the amount was only L2OB, and being so small a matter, the Engineer stated that he did not think it worth while to send up the plans. But the Government would see that proper time should be allowed in future for parties in any particular district tendering for public works there, . r Mr WALKER said he considered the honorable gentleman s explanation was eminently unsatisfactory, . .....

ou^| SPEAKER: The Honorable member is quite

TlT6o^B^ Bv^ rT^-, KI, NTING AND ADVERTISING. Mr REYNOLDS brought up the following report:— °

The Committee, consisting of Messrs Martin, Hardy, Tayler, Oswin, and £eyno!ds, appointed to enquire into the whole question of the Government Printing, reports that they have ascertained that the cost of printing ia now at the rate of £3,150 per annum; and while acknowledging the possibility of this amount being reduced by the establishment of a Government press, they do not bonsider that the saving would be sufficiently large to justify such an interference with private enterprise as the establishment of a Government Printing Department would be.

'S e cxv*™ of advertising ia at the rate of ±4200 per annum, which appears to the Committee to be very large, and capable of being reduced without inconvenience to the public service. The Committee are of opinion that, as a rule, Government advertisements should be inserted in a weekly paper, but that no necessity exists (unless in special cases) for advertising in the daily papers also. • " '» % Gomraitteß recognising the propriety of having all Government works done by contract, recommend_Hi3 Honor's Government to call for tenders for the Government advertisements, from the several weekly papers.

" William H. Reynolds, Chairman." He (Mr Reynolds) believed that in the event of a Government printing establishment being created the General Government would be glad to have its work done;in that establishment; and as nearly as he could estimate, the printing and advertising for both Governments, done in this Province, amounted to something between LB.OOO and L 9,000. As would be seen, the Committee did not, however, recommend a Government press at present. He believed that, as a recommendation from the Superintendent, the great expanse to the General Government of advertising the Electoral Roil, might be considerably reduced. As to the Land Department, the Committee found that one short advertisement as to applications for rural land, had cost Ll7 4s, as follows .—Daily Times, L 5 : Otaqo Witness, Lsj Daily Colonist, U 16s; Weekly Colonist L2Bs. The plan of advertising these applications had only recently been adopted by the aovermuenc; and he believed that previously everything was done satisfactorily by notice hung up in tile Land Office He would move that the report be read. Mr HARDY seconded the motion. After the reading, Mr REYNOLDS moved, and Mr TAYLER seconded, " That the report be adopted." Mr WALKERdecidedlyobjected to the motion, forit involved principles prej udicial to the proper transaction of the business of the Province. The cost of printing seemed to be at the rate of L 3.150 a year. Was the cost of producing the volume of Ordinances and that of Acts and Proceedings of the Council—both admirably prepared and got up—which had been very properly put into the hands of members, included in that sum.« -If so, he confessed he saw nothing in the amount of which complaint could be made. Mr REVNQLDd said that the whole cost of the Acts and Proceeding* was included; but only so much of that of the Ordinances as was iuvolved in the re-printing of a few of the Ordinances and binding the whole into a volume.

Mr WALK ER heartily concurred in the recommendation that a Government printing establishment should n6t be established. Competition was already very keen amongst printers; and if the Government acted iairly, he did not doubt that they would get their w,rk done cheaper than they could do it, especially seeing that a very considerable outlay would be required. He agreed with the opinion that L 2 200 a year was a very large amount for advertising ; and he knew that Government advertisements wore often not welt brought before the public, through being placed in some out-of-the-way corner of the papers: He knew, from his own experience, that it was possible to secure half a column of a daily paper for something like LlO a month; and he felt certain from 'observation, that the Government advertisements did not on an average exceed two columns at any one time. At the rate he had mentioned, two columns could be got for L4O a month or L4BO a year, or L 960 if all the advertisements were inserted in two papers. He believed that inserting Government advertisements in the weekly papers was° as a rule, simply useless. Those papers circulated in the country districts; and they were not at all read by men of business in town. He should decidedly oppose the motion.

Mr M'MASTER would like to know how the Government were toproceed with contractsforadvertisin<* The object of advertising was publicity j and one newspaper might have so small a circulation, that Is. an inch for an advertisement ia it might really be dear, as against 3s. an inch to another paper. He would recommend a plan which acted well in Victoria. Let all advertisements be confined to the Governmerit Gazette. Both papers would soon have to copy them; or if one did so, and the other did not, the one that did would have such advantage over the other as would force it into circulation, and the other would soon follow in the copyingl. Mr REYNOLDS said that if lie was the proprietor of a newspaper, he would take all Government advertisements for nothing, provided he had the right of being their only publisW; for he believed that it would pay by the increase of circulation that would be secured. He believed that some papers contracted with mercantile houses at per month, for advertising; but he very much doubted whether any woula do the same tbing for the Government. There was a proposition that tenders should be called for.for the insertion of the advertisements in one weekly and one daily paper; but the proprietors united, and there came & refusal to take the advertisements at al;, except at £1 a line. Mr WALKER believad it might be a solution of the difficulty if the advertisements were all inserted ia the Gazette, and it was loft to the papers to copy or otherwise notice them. By this means, due publicity would be obtained - without such great expense.

Mr GILLIES supported the adoption of the report. If it was made known that Government notices appeared regularly in one of the weekly papers, business men concerned would make a point of seeing that paper. He could confirm what Mr H'Master had said about Victoria.

Mr WALKER feared that the getting of the advertisements would in such a case 08 made a political matter; and when got, they might give a fictitious circulation and value to a paper which, without them, would die a natural death, because it was commercially wordless. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY said that the Government not long since resolved to put all advertisements into the Gazette, and to advertise in the newspapers an abstract, indicating: at least the nature of all the tenders called for. This appeared to Mm an improvement on the plan, now proposed. But the proprietors-- of the two papers combined—-told the Government sihafc they were not going to supply a stick w'.th which 10 break their ownjheads—-and that ;if tie Government put the advertisemehtsin the t'Oazette only, the abstract would not be advertised in the mwspapers at less than LI a line. This might have worked; itai. own ;qure, hut;the. Government did not feel justified; |ig ;:styicjtlj^ carrying * out ■{ the proposed plan, had since got a fair shares: ofthe advertisements ffeneral pubUcity was required; and thought it not tb;

wise and pound foolish; and until there was more competition, and a certainty that the newspaper propnetors would net combine, it might be better to a-1-vertise with them to some extent. If it was resolved to contest the matter with the papers, it was quite possiblethat in time they would, for their own advancement, give either an abstract or a. copy of all advertisements in the Gazette; but in the meantime die Government would suffer in the price of contract work. He could not approve of the to advertise only in one of the weekly papers. If it was worth while to risk ■ hi»h \. tenders for a time, let the advertisements appear only .in the Gazette; if not, it would be better to leave the* matter to a great extent optional with the Government.

Mr HARDY, in Committee, supported a recommendation that the advertisement should be inserted in the two weekly papers: but he was prepared now to vote for the report, if all his colleagues desired to adhere to it.

Mr M'MASTSR moved as an amendment— ' T^ at tne report be not adopted; but ■ that the Committee approve of the recommendation _of the Special Committee with regard to printing. In respect to advertising, however, it is of opinion that Government advertisements should be confined to the Government Gazette, ; but thatthe Ciovernment, at their discretion, should publish abstracts of their advertisements in the daily or weekly papers " The amendment was seconded. The PROVINCIAL. SECRETARY said that it the amendment was adopted, the House must be prepared for paying higher for works than hitherto—at least, for some time, for if the newspaper proprietors continued in the same mind as they were a few months ago, abstracts would not be allowed to appear in the papers at all. rr The, PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR would prefer a general recommendation that economy should be practised, and that it should be left to the Government to advertise as they thought necessary, on the best terms they could make. Mr RENNIE thought there would be danger of great loss if there was no greater publicity than that of the Gazette..

' Mr M'MASTER: Oh, the newspapers wont hold out long. .

Mr WALKER: They;are not so fond of one another as that. - '■

Mr REYNOLDS believed that the recommendation in the amendment would have been made by the committee, but for the difficulty when the plan was before tried.

Mr CARGILL thought that if the newspapers refused to insert the abstracts except upon some extraordinary terms, the best plau would be to refuse those terms. He did not believe that serious injury would be felt from not advertising in ; all the papers. Those who were looking after Government work would be sharp enough to look after the Gazette ; and the chance of any other person tendering beneficially because of lighting casually upon an advertisement in the newspapers, never seemed to him very great It would be well to make arrangements for as free a circulation of the Gazette as possible. It should be sent regularly to police stations and elsewhere. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY said that the Gazette was regularly sold by a bookseller in Dunedin.

The motion was. by consent, withdrawn, and the amendment was adopted. The House resumed; progress was reported; and the resolution of the Committee was confirmed.

THE DOG NUISANCE BILL. Mr HARDY brought up the report of the Committee on the Dog Nuisance Ordinance Amendment Bill.

The House went into Committee. Mr HARDY said that the report would scarcely be intelligible without the old Ordinance was read in connection with it. He might state briefly that the Committee recommended—That dogs should be registered in the district m which their owners resided; that a registration book should be kept; that the fee should be lowered to 5s ; that every registered dog should constantly wear round its neck proof of registration, and that each subsequent yearly registration should be marked on the ; that there should be a fine for every unregistered dog over six months old ; and that there should-brpower to destroy all dogs found at large upon any sheep run, or within any enclosed paddock containing sheep or cattle. The report was read by the CL ERK. Mr HARDY moved that it be adopted. Mr GFL LIES seconded the motion. MrCARGILL said that the Committee had sent up their report in a very extraordinary shape. It included all the details of a bill to which the House was asked to pledge itself by passing this resolution. The House might approve of the general principle of such a Bill, but there mu«t be details to be amended Mr HARDY said that the Provincial Solicitor was a member of the Commitsee, and it was understood that he would take the matter up. The PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR said that the Government would be glad to consider the whole question, but they could not pledge themselves to the draft now laid on the table. Mr GILLIES suggested a motion—"That the i House do request the Government to bring in a Bill | in accordance with the recommendations of the Cora- I mittee."

Mr TAYLER could not support the resolution. He greatly preferred a fee of 10s. to one of ss. He knew from station masters that many shepherds kept a large number of dogs that did almost as much misctiief as wild ones.

The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY felt that ss. was too low a fee, especially if the Government was to find a collar as proposed Mr HARDY said that many honorable members had no idea of the losses sustained by station masteis from the number of doga that got upon the runs. He had known an instance of as many as sixty sheep being destroyed in one night. After s^me fuH'ier conversation, The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY moved-- " That the Committee approve of an improved registration of dogs, and request that his Honor Ihe Superintendent will cause a bill to be introduced amending th c Ordinance of 861." This was agreed to ; and the House was resumed. BILLS READ A THIRD TIME. The following were read a third time and passed : — Town and Country Police Bill, Destitute Persons'Relif Bill. COHSIITT3E OF SUPPLY. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY gave notice that on Thursday he would move that the House go into Committee of Supply; but he afterwards said he remembered that he could nofc properly give the notice, as the Orders of the day had been entered upon. CATTLE BRANDING BILL. On the motion of the PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR, the Cattle Branding Bill was re-committed. He said he had considered the objections taken, and the suggestions made when the Bill was in committee on the previous evening; and he intended, in order to give effect to them, to move alterations in several clauses. The 4th clause referred to a single brand for each owner.- He proposed that each should be allowed to have brands ; that existing brands on cattle should be recorded; and that, after a certain date, a brand would be assigned to each owner, to be put upon all unregistered cattle coming into his possession.

The House went into Committee j the unconsidered clauses were considered and approved of, as altered, and the necessary alterations were then made in the previously-passed clauses- • The House resumed, and the PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR gave notice tor the third reading of the Bill at the next sitting. %

. : liTCEKSED PAWNBROKERS' BILL. The PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR moved the second reading of this Bill. It was founded mainly on the British Act referring toiihe same matter, and it had been recommended by the Commissioner of Police as a necessary measure. Many of them did not anticipate that in their day such a bill would hare been required in the Province; and it was to be regretted that it should be wanted, for such establishments as those of the pawnbroker were certainly not very advantageous to the industrious man,-and they were very fluently sources of vice,—gave occasion and opportunity to vicious propensities. It was necessary, however, thatthe trade of the pawnbroker should be regulated ; and it was to be hoped that5 the regulations to be introduced, which bad been long established in the home ; country, would have the effect of causing the trade in thi3 place to be conducted in a* proper manner. He would draw attention to the 13th clause, which, founded on a similar one in an Act of the Victorian Parliament, allowed as high a rate of interest as 80 per cent, to be charged. It would be for the House, in Committee, to consider this clause very carefully, and at the same time to see that the provisions of the Bill were such as would secure justice' to the' poor individuals who were necessitated to resort to the pawnbroker for assistance. ■■ ; - ; ; :■.

■■:, The Billwasread a second time. : ■ The House went into Committee ; and the clauses were agreed to without discussion. On the House resuming, the PROVINCrAL' SOLICITOR gave notice for the third reading of the bill at the next sitting. | LICENSED lIAWKERS' DILL. The PROVINCIAL SOLICITOR moved the ■ second reading of " A Bill" for Regula ing and Licens- | in? Hawkers and Pedlew." It was recommended by the Commissioner of Police as a measure '* which | would protect to a just extent the transactions of tradesmen, aud would enable the police more easily to trace articles of stolen property, which, as they could not be carried by a hawker beyond his district,would be Jess easily deported." The bill accordingly recommended the issuing of licenses for certain district's, and not available beyond them; and no doubt,' if passed, it would be attended with the effects anticipate 1 by the Commissioner of Police. The Bill wai read a*second time; and in Commit^ tee the clans s wese asrreed to without a question. The House resumed; and the PROVINCIAL

The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY said that honorable members did not seem inclined to 'remain that evening. There was at present simply a quorum (six); and he therefore movel that the House adjourn until /our o'clock on Wednesday (this day).. The House adjourned shortly after nine o'clock.