EVENING SITTING.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 105, 23 October 1863, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The Speaker took the Chair at 7 o'clock. NOTICE 0_- MOTION. Bv Ma Scott : " That the sum of L3OO be appropriated out of the suras voted this session for roads from the Otautau to the Five Rivers Plain in payment of an unauthorised expenditure of the above amount by the Riverton committee, and that this appropriation shall not be in future quoted as a precedent for any similar expenditure. SOTICB OS PBTIXIOU'. The, PROVINCIAL TREASURER gave notice that he would ask leavo to bring in to-morrow evening a Petition from the Council to the House of Representatives, on tne subject of the Bluff and Invercargill Railway. ! Mr TARLTOtf said that it was unnecessary to ask leave to bring in a Petition. - The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said that this was not a petition to, butjfrom. the Council, which made all the differaaet. ORDEKS 01 THp DAY. Mr COWAN moved— "That the Sheep Ordinance, 1862, . Amendment "Ordinance, j 1863, be read a second time." The Bill was to remedy some clerical errors. "■ Tne PROVINCIAL TREASURER seconded, and the BiU liaving- been read a second ; time, the House went into Committee thereon. Thereafter the Chairman reported the Ordinance passed as amended, and- certified. Mr COWAN moved, and the PROVINCIAL TREASURER seconded-—'' That the Bill be read a third time at Tt-^morfow morning's Bitting," which motion was earned. 'Y. The,PROVINCIAL TREASUREftirioved the House into Committee- on the Estimates; Mr M'KAY moved—" That the Estimates^ he recommitted for the further consideration of certain salaries." Mr ROGERS begged to second the motion; They were ' not -acquainted with Athe long dates of service which existed irianany. cases, ancl also as to whether tliey had 'i beteh^ wised during the past -year or not. Thus^itwaa difficult to define the value of the services rendered. He advocated a rise throughout the whole service. One office in • particular — die % draughtsman— ieg^iised t°- v he better paid. '••-"• -'' A, AAA: .-A:A-..:yA-S, Tbe PROVINCIAL TREASURER stated .that last year the draughtsmahvvasjpaidiSMo', and the assistant clerk £2^yy^yi^oixe^ ceived £20, wellYCarned, cal clerk, lie thought the "system of a rise

throughout the whole service, should notjl carried out. * Clerks should not hare tnia vance just because they, were 'clerks, ought to be paid according to skilled la^ and responsibility. ' To have an indiscti| nate increase, was to give some already «j| ciently w» 11 paid 'an unfair advantage o* others perhaps more skilled, who were 11114 paid. v i IN COMHITTKE. 5 .Mr M'KAY moved as an amendment, tlj the salary of the Accountant in the Tieaaii be raised to L 275. * - * <- 33 Mr .ROGERS seconded.^ ' , * <£ ' Mr WILSON spoke in favor of econ»ray, v 'Mr M*KAY thought' that they ought to | consistent in their rise; - If they interfered! all -with the Estimates, they should d-ifa consistently.' „"" * ' 4 f . : Mr WILSON thought there was very littlj responsibility on th,e shoulders of the Clerk* That felLto the Heads of Departments. ' , - The amendment tm being pat was lost. ,« 1 The'PROVINCIAXTREASURER moted] that the item Draftsman stand at L4BO. . <g| Mr M%AY moved as an amendment) thJa itjbe L525.^ The men under this head were to be considered not as mere clerks, but^froi the nature of their work" professional rrienjjf After the c amendment had 'been put, tfcj Chairman aaid the noes had it ;. and thereufH the House divided with the followu^ result: — y - ,J» ~ * .'jl Ayes, 3. , , Noes, 8. ~-5 - Messrs. Rogers Messrs: 1 Scott 7 '■% Jackson ' ■.' M«Nab * " 2; M-Kay (teller) .Cowan \ - ;) Stuart } Beaven ' Wibxm . «& « Howett-* "i*{ % . - , ' Chalmers (tetter/ Majority for the no s> 5. , aj The amendment was then declared lost. ,' Mr RQGERS tben moved a farther amend* ment that the' sum be L500.^ Upon being put, .the amendment wa»de» clared carried. . _ t 4lii the item Inspectors, Engineer's Depart mentHhe Provincial Treasurer moved that it stand as. printed. * ' " l ," % Mr M'KAY-moved an amendment-thani be'Lßoo. Their men had not only to. assist in calculations, but they required to be practical nrten as well. , ' * j Mr WILSON thought,] as there *ere also overseers in this.department, he did "not tet the use of inspectors "" J The PROVINCIAL TREASURER «g plained that the duties of overseer were quiu apait from those of Engineer;-' Some of tl» inspectors this year had shown thenrtelw* thoroughly competent men, -whom it would be a pity for the Government to lose. , 2 Mr ROGERS supported the motion, but did not see the force of the Provincial Trea* surer's remarks. ' \ - Mr WILSON proposed that the Estimate!, be sent back for reconstruction, after the fashion of the Otago Government. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER mentioned that the reason of nou*specification of the number of draughtsmen was on the priiK ciple of leaving,, the apportionment tojtbe head of the department' to a certain exttn^ according to capabilities. ' The' Kon*. member then alluded to hie services of Mr Inspector Finlayson. _ The amendment, on being put, was carried, In the item •• Engineer' Pablic Works,*; the PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved that it stand as printed.- " - '~ ''I Mr M'KAY moved anamendment that the I salary be L4OO, as an efficient man was re* I quired to look to railway bridges, viaduct*, jetties, &c.' *£~^.-' The House divided on the amendment, with the following result : — Ayes, 6 * Noes, 5 Messrs Cowan - Messrs Howcll ' Scott • Wilson , Jackson "M'Nab " \f Koge-ra Beaven . Stuart Chalmers (teller) M'Kay (teller) Majority for the Ayes, 1. The amendment was then declared carried. The CHAIRMAN then reported progress. ~_ Mr TARLTON said he was sorry to see the course pursued-by some of^the members,, who, without the slightest knowledge of the merits of the question, came and demanded increased expenditure. 'He did not? like td See particular men selected in this way for increased salaries. Many most worthy men had been overlooked. He thought the matter should have been left to the jGrovernment. IF they went on in tljis way, they would neverbe able to pay 20s in the pound. Mr' ROGERS said that so far, as bis motions, were concerned, he was independent of "tne opinion of individual when he was backed by the House— that is Ito say, the. majority. He wanted to establish a principle by which the salaries of Government officials, should be increased 25 per cent: Mr BEAVEN "approved of the system of the Government in endeavoring to economise in this matter. Generally It was the case that Government , wanted, to throwaway immense sums upon salaries', and that, the Opposition had to cut them' down. It was the reverse to-night (hear, hear), and he was glad to see the course Government had' t taken. ' , Mr WILSON thought that the last speaker 1 but onß (Mr Rogers) had bef n engaged as a special pleader for the civil service. , Mr ROGERS indignantly appealed to the Speaker, Was such an epithet to be applied in that House? Mr WILSON apologised, and explained that he was very anxious for economy. The House "then went into Committee, but i. resumed again on the motion of the PROVINCIAL TREASURER. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER then moved, and it was carried — *' That the hon. member for liivercargili Hundreds withdraw the expression he had made use of to Mr Rogers. ■* Mr WILSON then withdrew the'expression complained.of. - " * The House then went into Committee. IN CQafMTTTEE. ' - - ) The allocation of moneys on roads, was pro*, ceeded with * in the- course of, which the PROVINCIAL TREASURER «aid that as the Town Board had now the inestimable privilege of borrowing. Government proposed to lend them £1800 worth of metal for putting on the North Koad. Of course; it was not a gift. Mr BEAVEN said he dia riot see why such such emphasis should be laid upon the word giving. The Government of-Otago had givea t£55,000 to the town. -He thought they ought to get £3000, and moved an amendment to that effect. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said that two blacks did not make a white. He did not see the fun of giving £3000 to the. Town Board of InvercargiU, and receiving in return — mud. " - The amendment was lost. In the Harbor-Masters -Department, Mr BEAVEN moved as an amendmentr-" That ] the Harbor-Master's salary be £400 instead 7 ; of £300." 1 he amendment' was lost.*" " In the Stenm Service > Department, the PROVINCIAL TREASmtEßspokestronglr, in favor of procuring a tug fdr^thejprbvince. . Mr HO WELL supported the motion: but they must get a good one, not an old cast-off thing.- — l * „*•» '"' ' « * The PROVINCIAL TREASURER thought, the Committee should suggest thesum for an available tug. . \' ' ' Mr BEAVEN thought that if they get •' tug, she "should be employed only as a. tog/ and not as a coasting steamer. „It might be^ as well to eeta coasting^ steamer in addition. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER would object to a large sum being voted for a coast-ing-steamer. ; * - * * ? ..MrM'XAY r did not think -further heavy, sums should "be placed pn the estimates, un- t less thbre^was .a chance of 4 heavy xefeurn.

He thought theywere retherll^much fos? tering the tradp,* such as it was (No* no). He admitted the desirability of^^ having. a.wg, but he objected to°th'e expense. l-He thought- a re iy small Ytugi should be Yobtained,^ if any: I were— a powerful tug of a small size-rrsuch •s those that ; weht over the bar at Aberdeen. ThePROVINCIALTREASURERthought i that the hon.Y member was wandering away I from the ; spirit xlf the subject. It N was the L jttmtatio* Of the harbors of Southland that 'was to be looked to ; if not the plaoe would bo swamped.,.; yy <A\^,A,.A y.i' As. A/.-., Mr SCOTThadanohje^tio^ntothegovern- < ment becoming bwaers ; it might be herhaps* postbfcried for further consideration. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER would move that ; that item be, postponed to to-mor-; row niorning; ' ratbeir than • see the matter . hastily considered. ' Y ' ■ 'AAS.-y.S~, Mr WILSON spoke in *favor 'of a tug and \ coasting! steamer,' as likely to :lesseh thfe rate of dnsui^ncesi He (thought, however; the questi-oS'should^ Every pound jn theTrovince 'oUgh^to "be economised. - The -motion 'wafi Carried. ; Y . In regard /to the item 0^L206 for salmon, Yonder *ea*ng t of Mr J Wilson yiw^ be kept . i'64 daysT "bttt : lief chil nottsee where the Salmon could- be put w-ieh they' Were Tirought -ierel Y*v -■:.:■ ..aa y- Ay.r,y : yy ->.-.*■ ;••' ■ The PRP7SNCIAL TREASURER spoke strongly ihv; favor *f,Ythe^ introduction- -of Salmon. Y|This' ] fisji Y^KQjtljay ybe ; hailed Trith Tinmi_^led^ delight ; byiY #ery ;^hprip-} 'member. \ He' 'thbught - that"; the , Acclimatisation Society would ftake satisfac4oiy charge «of %ei salraen when brought, i There was ho doubt thatYthe, £2oo might be -,veil aispdße&. Upon many other th_ngs, '>uti j $e opportunity through the 1 -exertions of Mr Morison was so advantageous, '*; ; {hat he did not think it should be neglected. Mr M'KAY s^cßkestron^y in favor ofthe; HntroSuctiori of silmort, and stated -that -therivers of Southlail^'were Veiy suitable. i It was earned "that the item stand as prin-; tod. TzA'HS...- z. ...,-.- v :,-,,- *: The Cfi AIRMAN then Tcported progress, and leave, was -ask'ed.td sitagain "toDiorrciw morning, which : -leave "was granted, i •"ind' the- -House abjourned -at 10 o'clock.