WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3. EVENING SITTING. ROADS.

Southland Times, Issue 1118, 5 March 1869, Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3. EVENING SITTING. ROADS.

Mr Daniel, by leave of the Council, would ask the Government whether the Chief Surveyor had reported on the road relative to which the settlers in the Jacob's Biver District had petitioned the Council ? He (Mr D.) would say that the road, as at present existing, was utterly impassable. It was one of those which had been made in the Survey Office, without going on the ground, and the consequence was that it could not possibly be travelled over during the entire distance — swamps, that were impassible, in some places intersected the line, with waterholes, in others, of thirty feet in depth. He considered, in justice to the settlers of the Jacob's River District, and to afford them the means of getting in their produce, the report ought to be sent in, and the road made. The Provincial Treasurer said he had received a report relative to the road in question, but not an official one. The Chief Surveyor had told him that in order to form a fair natural road a great deal of land would require to be purchased, to do which the Government would require authority and funds. Such being furnished, the work could go on. As had been assumed by Mr Daniel, the road, as laid out, was one of the old surveys, and was so laid out in the office, irrespective of the country. POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT. Mr Armstrong, referring to the position of the Government, said an adjournment of the Council had been made last night that preparations might be made as to the action to be taken. It appeared, however, that such had not I»een done. ; The Government was now

1 without support, and must resign. His , Honor would probably scud for eithei 9 Mr C;ilder or Mr Pearson, to form an s Executive, and he would advise that the 3 former be sent for. He (Mr Armstrong) 1 felt that iv the course now taken by the f Government they were but acting justly - to thom^he.s and to the Council. He . could siy i'jr himself and his colleague 3 that they were both harrassed and l wearie.l out with the continued struggle. - He did not intend to indulge in any selff; laudation, but he must be allowed to say, ) that it would be admitted that in the ) Hoad Department they had done a great i deal. Roads had been made, and the money f judiciously expended. The accusations i bad been vague iv the extreme. Amounfc- • ing in the whole to finding fault with the , Executive expenditure Now, as it was ! admitted that the town members could • not be obtained to do the work, then the ; country had to be resorted to, and the i j expense was increased. As regarded the i expenses of Mr Robert Taylor to Welling»j ton, the Executive which sanctioned this were himself, Mr M'Clure, and Mr Lumsden. Mr Taylor said he could not go without an attendant, and in this the Executive concurred. His stay was longer than anticipated, and to have returned earlier would have frustrated the object. As to the Treasurer's visit to Melbourne, and his visit in conjunction with the Superintendent to Wellington. It wa3 undertaken WLth the best intention had it been a success, probably there would have been no complaining of the cost. He (Mr A) thought the various expenses might have been /nore properly brought before the Council, but supposed after all, the real state of matters was that a scape goat was needed. Mr M'Clttre agreed with all that MiArmstrong had stated. The Executive proposed to allow Mr Robert Taylor 10s per day, but Mr Blacklock was not present at that meeting, it was during the time he was in Melbourne. The Provincial Tbeascber said he knew nothing of the arraugement with regard to Mr Robert Taylor until after his return from Melbourne ; he had been informed that his scale of expense had been fixed at 10s per dbm, but Mr Jmtnsden thought it would be better to pay his actual expenses and not fix a sum. With respect to what had been stated by Mr Pearson about missing vouchers, he had discovered that there w.is one voucher not in, but that either Mr Caider or Mr Pearson had taken a vote of the same as unpaid. All that Mr Armstrong had said he concurred in. Mr Caldeb said no purpose could be served by reiterating the statements which had been made. He congratulate i the Government on the resolution arrived at, but declined to take their view as to his own course. He would advise the Superintendent to send for Mr Pearson. He (Mr Caider) would be willing to take a subordinate position in the Ministry. He thought an adjournment for a short period desirable, that the present Executive might lay their resignations before the Superintendent. The Speakeb thought the usual course of proposing a vote of want of confidence would have been best. Mr Johnston thought otherwise. Mr Pearson had no wish for a continuance of the discussions of the last two nights, but thought it would be better the Government would resigu, aud this course had parliamentary sanction. Dr Hodgkinson had not been present during the debate, and could not say he was prepared to approve of the conduct of the Executive, but at the same time must say the public was much indebted to Mr Armstrong, who had sacrificed time and much of popularity in | the public service. He could do no other than recognise Mr Armstrong's valuable j and disinterested services. On the motion of the Provincial Tbeasitbeb, seconded by Mr Armstrong, the Council adjourned until half- past nine of that evening. On re-assembling, Mr Caldeb stated that he had been sent for by the Superintendent, and had consented to carry on the Government, associating with himself Messrs Ross, Pearson, and Pratt. He proposed an adjournment of the Council until Monday next, at 8 o'clock p.m. when he hoped to be prepared with the estimates. After a feJv remarks from several members the Council was adjourned accordingly.