ORETI RAILWAY.

Southland Times, Issue 1117, 3 March 1869, Page 2

ORETI RAILWAY.

The Provincial Treasurer moved — • Mr Armstrong seconded-That the position of the Oreti Railway Contracts be taken into consideration. la doing so, he had to explain that the position ot affairs had changed since the forenoon Bitting, inasmuch as the Government had since received a telegram, signed by the firm/ as follows — " Yours just to hand, are ready to sign contract deed, when shall we come down. Abbott and Packbam." To -this telegram a reply had been prepared, which he would read. (The letter was read, but not having been laid on the table of the Council, our reporter applied to tbe Government for a copy, but was unable to obtain it). He thought the best course now, would be to move the House into Committee, to consider what step should be next taken. As the Government had intimated to Abbott and Packham that their deposit was forfeited, it might be considered desirable to declare off with that firm, in which case they would like to have the opinion of the Council as to whose tender should next be accepted. Mr Armstrong did not quite agree with the Provincial Treasurer, inasmuch as he did not see the necessity of going into Committee on the matter at all. He considered the business in the hands of the Executive, and would say, let the contractors come down to sign the deed, and if auy hitch then arises cry off at once aud give the contract to Proudfoot, the next lowest, except the Council showed an unmistakable disposition to take the matter out of the Executive's hands. Mr Pratt wanted to know whether Mr Armstrong's suggestion, being adopted, would not involve further delay. 1 He thought Proudfoot's tender, as the next lowest, should be accepted. Although it had not been quite regularly sent in, vet it had been received and considered. This departure from the rule of not receiving tenders .except --strictly in accordance with specifications, had led to all the trouble. He thought the Government should have had the contractors here. They had been aware of the sitting of the Council, and might have pushed matters on so as to have had them present. Of course if the Government wanted — as it was said they did — to put ' off the work, this was just the time to bring forward obstacles. He would like to be certain that Government was not just putting the thing off, or making, quietly, some new move. He thought there could be nothing wrong in the Council going into the question of the financial state of the Province before proceeding further with that relative to the railway. He was not putting obstacles in the way, but thought the Council should have a clear and definite understanding of the fiuances of the Province, so as to be able to act with judgment on the other matter. There would be a large amount for freight soon to pay, besides other expenses, and the. House should know whether there was a likelihood of the Government being in a position to go on with the work, supposing a contract to be entered into. Mr Johnston also thought it best to defer this question till after consideration of the financial one. He was as ignorant yet as he was at a former session regarding the Government's ability to pay freight when the plant arrived, or whether the . last two monthly instalments on account of the debt had been paid. He would like to know fully the financial position of the Province before deciding about the railway. Mr Armstrong thought it would bring matters to a crisis sooner if the Provincial Treasurer would move that His Honor's letter to Abbott and Packbam, just read, be despat3hed. It would test at once whether the Council wished Abbott and Packham's tender to be further considered, or the whole matter deferred till after Mr Pearson's motion. Several members here simultaneously proposed amendments to effect a post* ponetnent of the railway question. The Speaker said that while members were getting their amendments put into order, he had a remark to offer relative to the correspondence between the . Government and Abbott and Packham. At the morning's sitting he had observed that some of the telegrams were signed by Abbott, and some by Packham, but the last one was signed by the firm, which said they were ready to sign the contract deed. If that deed was what it should be in all its features, that was quite. sufficient. They were bound to accept the -signatures after the correspondency that had passed. The Provincial Treasurer said he had been going to say, when interrupted, that as the post went out that evening, the Government were going to send a formal notice to Abbott and Packham that their deposit had been forfeited;;" and tthev__m.ereljL . wished the opinion of $he Council whether their contracts should t be further considered.

Mr Pbatt. ; said the postponement of the question till after the financial one would entail no delay. The post alluded to by Mr Blacklock was the overland one, but there was a steamer at the Bluff, leaving on Wednesday, which would reach Dunedin within two hours of the mail leaving that night. Mr Caxder thought the letter should not be sent. If the Council decided to be off with Abbott and Packhara, it might compromise the Province, if the contractors -chose to come. He did not see the force or necessity for insisting on having the individual signature of both partners. In preliminary matters the signature of the firm was sufficient, and, indeed> preferable. When they came to sign the contract deed, then it would be individually. Mr Armstrong explained the reason for the request having been made for both signatures, to be, that already the partners had mutually demurred to the action of each other. Mr Pratt moved as an amendment, seconded by Mi* Clerke, " That no communication be made by the Government to Messrs Abbott & Packham in answer to their telegram of this day, and that no steps be taken in reference to the acceptance of any tender for the completion of the Oreti Railway, until this Council so' directs." Dr Monckton thought the amendment committed the Government to a discourteous act — not acknowledging a communi at on. Mr Pbatt explained that it was not intended tbat no answer should be sent, hut rather that a very decided one should be given. The Council might direct the reply in time for the steamer on Wednesday, and, whether or no, the matter Jiras of too much importance to be hurried over. The amendment was then carried. CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT. Mr Basstiah" obtained the suspension of rule No 27 to ask the Government for an explanation of the changes which had taken place during the recess. At the last meeting of Council an Executive Councils Ordinance had been passed, under which it was reported great reforms in Government were to be effected. We were to have hail a Superintendent at his post in the House, a non political Treasurer, &c, &c. There had been resignations, and the formation of a new Government, and nothing had yet been explained why such changes had taken place. Mr Armstrong said the hon member was under a mistake in supposing the Ordinance referred gave His Honor a seat in the House ; while the clause relative to the Treasurer was permissive, not compulsory ; but as he had not brought in the Bill, he did feel it incumbent upon him either to explain or de'end its provisions. Kelative to the changes which had taken place, the Council was aware that the Ordinance was passed on the understanding that, in the event of its receiving the Governor's assent, all the members of the Executive should resign, and, the Bill having been assented to, they had done so. Mr Calder had been requested to form a Government and had declined. It had then been considered whether they should all retain office until the meeting of Council, but there were several reasons for the resignations. In fact one of the members had resigned, he might almost say by request, and another for want of time. After Mr Calder declined office Mr Blacklock offered to form a G-overnment, and asked me if I would join him. I said I would while I remained in the Province. He (Mr A) was of opinion that town members were guilty of shirking their duties in refusing to take part in the Government of the Province, and that by necessitating the taking of office by country jmeinbers considerable extra expense was incurred. He might state that the Government were now simply waiting for better men to take their places. Mr Pearson said the late member of Executive alluded to as having resigned by request, was no doubt himself. He had joined the Executive at the urgent request of Mr Armstrong himself, who expressed himself as being overtaxed with legislative duties, and as being on the point of leaving the Province. He had, however, been very guarded in joining . the Government, not having too much faith in it. [The hon. member here read a letter he had addressed to the Superintendent, acknowledging his appointment to the Executive, in which he stated that he would not bear any responsibility attached to acts of the Government prior to his joining it, or to anything that might be done on which he was not consulted.] He had added this latter clause solely on account of his want of confidence — he would not say in Mr Armstrong — but in the Government. He would not say anything about the want of courtesy displayed in the request to resign being, not from His Honor, but from his friend Mr Armstrong himself. He had not, however, resigned because of that request — not likely — but because he bad previously decided to do so. He generally spoke his mind freely, and might have said something from which his colleagues inferred he would not be so easily managed as they anticipated. He could not work harmoniously with colleagues in whom he had little confidence, and he had found things The Provincial Treasurer — Found what things ? Mr Pearson — Amongst others, that the Provincial Treasurer had a habit — innocent, no doubt — of forgetting circumstances which it was inconvenient to remember, and of not explaining clearly to -his colleagues certain things connected with the Government. Mr Boss, as the member who had resigned for want of time, explained that he. had joined the Executive in order that the business of the. Province might be earned on, being informed that a cUMeiilty'^iasyed men willing to give? their assistance in Executive duties': 1 s He thought the account given

■ by Mr Pearson tolerably fair, although > not prepared, perhaps, to go quite so far as him in expressing an opinion of want of confidence in the other members of , the Government. Mi- A lotsTiioxa explained what had : led to Mr Pearson's being requested to resign, to bo that he (Mr P) was continually living, with reference to different tr;nuh-t urns of the Government, " well, I'm not responsible for that" and suchlike expressions, until it became evident that he was going to oppose the Government in the Council. REVENUE. The Provincial Treasurer now laid on the table the document asked for by Mr Pearson, viz : — " A detailed statement of all the revenue received from the first Octobor 1867, to 28th February 1809," which showed a total of £77,560. He said he was quite willing to give the hon. j member all the information he wanted, and could probably tell him something he did'nt want. He had been prepared to go on with the financial business that night, but had not been able to get the Ordinance in time, and could not well go on without the printed copies being in the bauds of members. FIN" A. tfOIAL POSITION OF THE PROVr NCE, Mr Peakson" in moving" that nobusiness ot importance be proceeded with until the Government has placed the Council in full possession of the financial position of: the Province" said he would reserve most of his remarks until the financial statement was on the table. It was customary for thosa statements to be made at the end of the session, but as there was a want of confidence in the Government he thought "it had better in this instance come first. He had been a supporter of the Government, but felt that he could not now conscientiously give them so full support as formerly. Mr Pratt thought it desirable the motion should be carried. They had hitherto commenced their work at the wrong end, and gone on voting money for all sorts of purposes, totally ignorant as to whether there was money to be forthcoming or not. He could refer to the numerous votes got by members for particular roads last session, which votes were still unexpended — there being no money. He thought it due to the Council that this trifling should be stopped, that a clear statement of the probable revenue should first be submitted, and then the money could be fairly apportioned. The Pbovinciat?' Treasurer said Mr Pearson, had said that he had hitherto been a supporter of the Government, but that he had found out something. He (Mr B.) would like to know what ? It was just possible that he (Mr P.) had got an inkling of the retrenchment scheme of the Government, and didn't like it. Mr Armstrong, after having had a conversation with him (Mr Pearsou) had said that that the hon member would be a stumbling block in the way of retrenchment. Mr Pearson — " Am I to understand that the hou. member says /said so." The Provincial Treasurer — " Oh, no. Mr Armstrong said so." Mr Pearson — " In that case Mr Armstrong merely expressed his own opinion I presume, and did not represent me as having said anything about opposing retrenchment. I have my scheme of retrenchment too, aud the Government might not like that." The Provincial Treasurer, continuing, referring to a remark of Mr Pratt r s — that the estimates were, to a great extent, mere „ guess work — said it was impossible they could be otherwise, so far, at least, as the land revenue was concerned. The other items, such as licenses, could be stated, however, with tolerable accuracy. Eeferring to the same hon. member's remarks about the votes for roads not having been expended it was perfectly well understood by the Council that those sums were voted contingently. He could point to roads all round as showing that the Government had not neglected public works of that, nature. In fact they had done more, and made cheaper and better roads than any previous Government. Mr Pratt had not attacked the Government on that point. He rather congratulated the Executive on their road making operations, but he meiely wanted to put a stop to the foolish system of voting money which might never be had. Mr Johnston approved of sums being placed on the estimates for particular roads, although it might not be apparent where the money was to c->me from, on the ground that large land sales might be effected, and unless the money was voted the Government could not spend it, even if they had it. Mr Armstrong/ approved of the motion, and supported it. Mr Pearson in reply, said he was not surprised at what had fallen from the Provincial Treasurer. It was human nature to judge others by oneself. Up till lately he had an idea that the Provincial Treasurer was possessed of sufficient modesty to estimate his own worth at its true value, but it now seemed to him that since that hon member had been to Melbourne, Wellington, a. d elsewhere, he had come to the conclusk i that he had a mind of his own. One of the reasons for his loss of confidence in the Government was that, on taking office nearly two months after the council had passed the resolution for completing the Oreti line by land payments, he found that no notice to that effect had been sent to the General Government. In fact he afterwards drafted the letter himself. On joining the Government he had been told what the liabilities were, but afterwards discovered that a mistake had been made in the amount by the Provincial Treasurer. He (Mr P) had examined the vouchers himself, and found a very considerable mistake indeed, and that not one of yesterday, but of three years standing. The Provincial Treasurer bad then found fault with the accountant for giving the

information, except through hnn. Who could have confidence in a Government after that ? He did not blame Mr Armstrong, who was probably as much deceived as were the other supporters of the Provincial Treasurer up to the present time. The Government had^i-eferred to their scheme of retrenfhmeut, but he had a scheme of retrenchment; too, and his scheme did not include something like a thousand pounds for travelling and hotel expenses, and several other little items. The Provincial Treasurer explained that he had found fault with the accountant foi giving Mr Pearson information, except through himself — the proper channel — and because he knew that Mr Pearson was going to make public tuse of it. He had no desire to withhold information from a colleague, or from anyone else, but it should he requested from \ him, as head of the department. Mr Pkarson-— " Exactly. The only construction which can be placed upon the hon member's explanation is that he would'nt tell me because I was going to make it public, in othoi' words, he wanted it hid — very natural." The motion was then put and lost. TRAVELLING- AM!) KXKCUI'IVE XXPhIN^KS. Mr Clekke moved that the vouchers called for by him be void. The documents, which were " copies of all vouchers of monies paid since the Ist January, 1808, under the heading of travelling and Executive expenses, also copies of vouchers under the above heading now i lying at the Treasury unpaid," were read accordingly, and showed that uiiring the fourteen months included in above period, there had been paid, or was still to pay, under these headings as follows : — To J. M. M'Clure, for attendance as member of Executive, at £1 per day, £106. To Henry Armstrong, for attendance at Rxecutive Council, while acting as Deputy Superintendent, at £6 per week, £124, i'o F. A. Monckton, for attendance at . tecutive meetings, at £1 per day, £10. To His Honor the Superintendent, for expenses while detained in Wellington on Railway business after the session of the General Assembly had closed — fourteen days at £1 per day, £14. To Robert Taylor, son of His Honor the Superintendent, for expenses incurred in goiug to Wellington at the request of the Executive Council, and remaining there in attendance upon his father— l2l days at £1 per day, £121. To Thoina-j Brodrick, passage of Robert Tayloi*, son of the Superintendent, to Wellington in attendance on his father^ £12 16s. To the Provincial Secretary, travelling and hotel expenses in Vie. toria, while there on behalf of the Pro. vincial Government — in going to Ballarat, Sandhurst, and Castlemaine, £25. To the Provincial Secretary expenses to Melbourne and back on G-overnment business, £59 10s. To the Provincial Treasurer for expenses of self and Superintendent to Wellington and back on business relative to completion of Oreti Railway, £120. To J. H. Baker, expenses to Dunedin and back, £12 12s. To Win Conyers, expenses to Dunedin and back, £11. Total, £615 18s. Mr RissTiAtf would like to know the business that took the Provincial Treasurer twice to Victoria. The Provincial Treasurer explained that when taking the Treasurership, on one occasion, he had stated his intention of going to Melbourne, and that on that occasion he had only charged the expenses incurred in going to places to which he was not called by his own business. On the other occasion he had gone at the urgent request of the Executive, and on both had transacted provincial business at their request. A rumor had got abroad here that our system of checks on the railway was imperfect, and he had visited all the Railway Stations in Melbourne, and inspected their systems, when he found our own to be superior to either. He had also distributed a large number of pamphlets, and seen a number of land buyers. Mr Armstrong could say that ou one occasion the Provincial Treasurer had gone only on beins urged by the Executive. Reports had been circulated in Melbourne detrimental to the Province, such as that no large blocks of land were to be had, and it was partly to refute these statements that Mr Blacklock had gone. Dr MoNCKToy said that one person, Mr Holmes, had said to a relative of his (Dr M.'s) own, on board a steamer, coming from Melbourne, that there was not an acre of good land to be got in Southland, and yet a day or two after, he, himself, made a large application. The matter then dropped. Mr Pratt obtained the suspension of Standing Order 27, to propose — " That the tenders about to be received for working the traffic of the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Railway by contract, be not opened, pending the decision of the Council relative to the desirability of working the other departments of said railway by contract." Mr Cleree seconded the motion. The Provincial Treasurer would not oppose the motion. The Government had considered the project of leasing the whole, but had decided that it was not expedient to lease the locomotives, or maintenance of permanent way for a short period, as the contractors might run the engines and rolling stock, &c, nearly doge, or out of repair, and leave the Government to refit them. When the Northern Line was completed it had been contemplated to lease the whole for a long terra, with a good overseer to protect the interests of the Government. The motion was then put and carried. Several notices of motion having been given, the House adjourned till 3 p.m. next day.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2. Pursuant to adjournment the House met this afternoon at 3 o'clock. Several motions, praying for certain sums to be placed on the Estimates for various were withdawn, it

having been found that the Council would oppose all such motions until after the consideration, of the financial statement. h EASING OP BLUFF HARBOR RAILWAY Mr Pratt's motiou — " That, in the opinion of this House, the goods and passenger traffic, the maintenance of the permauent way, and the working of the locomotive department of the Bluff and Invercargill Railway, should be done by contract," was postponed till the evening sittiug. Mr Phatt asked the Government what grants of land (out of the 25,000 acres granted for railway purpose) have been rnada to contractors in payment of work done on the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Railway. The Proti^ciatj Treasurer replied that 1093 acres had been granted for the formation of the embankment, 300 acres for bridges, and 180 for sleepers, in ; all 1573 acres. I Mr Armst bong obtained leave to bring I in a Bill eufcifcleil the " l-lo.ids Diversion j Ordinance 1869," explaining that this was the same Bill as hid been passed at last session, but which had been thrown out by the Attorney- GUmeral on the ground of a slight informality — fhe use of the words — " The Superintendent" instead of •' Her Majesty." ■ The Provincial Treasures brought up the " Appropriation Ordiunan c No L, 1559," and also laid on the tabl • an escirnate of che revenue to 30th June. Want of space necessitates our holding over the Treasurer's statement and the debate thereon, until next issue. Mr Armstrong Jaid on the table the following telegram irom Abbott and Packham, received that morning: — " We have heard that the Provincial Council have resolved not to proceed with railway at present. We give you notice we will hold yon to the contract." Several members spoke upon the sub ject of the telegram. Mr Pratt obtained the suspension of Rule 27 to move that " The Government consult their legal adviser as to the present position of the Government with reference to Abbott and Packham, and report at the evening sittiug. After some discussion the motion was carried and the House adjourned till 8 o'clock in the evening.