COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

Southland Times, Issue 1338, 22 November 1870, Page 2

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

In the Provincial Council on "Wednesday last, the Teply to the address was moved by Mr Wood. In dealing with the motion, he referred to one or two matters affecting the late province, which had been omitted in the adflress. In seconding the motion, Mr Fish expressed doubts respecting the policy of reunion. He was understood to be averse to an assimilation of the land laws, in respect that the land legislation of the province ! was not calculated to advance its future ! welfare. To sell land for 10s an acre was i in his opinion a mistake. He was in favor of the adoption of a cheap system of railways, and while admitting the general principles of immigration, he deprecated the idea of bringing people to Otago in the present depressed state of the province. Remarks were made about the liabilities of Southland, in reply to which Mr Tteid said that there was an equivalent which, in the sense some people lopked upon it, was not considered as an equivalent- — viz., the sold lands that were lying waste and unimproved. At a later stage of the debate, he (Mr Ifceid) reviewed the question affecting the land laws. There had, he said, been a great outcry for free-selec-tion, but let the people beware of that cry, for if a free-selection system were passed in the Council, the General Assembly, or, as he took it, the squatter*, would step in and make such conditions as would enable them to pick out the best spots in the country, and make the rest a sheep run. "Regarding the Clutha Railway, he explained that a very favorable offer had been received, but that offer asked for an extension of the guarantee from 15 to 30 years, at a lower rate of interest — the profits, if any, to be divided by the company with the province. They had asked for an Ordinance to enable them to comply with those terms, but the Governor had said that such an Ordinance would not be passed. In concluding, he stated that the Superintendent had , requested him to state that his (the Superj intendent's) views had not been fully ex- | pressed in his address with regard to railways. He would rather see them carried through by the province, though, at the same time, he thought if there were much delay, the project would be likely to fall through. He was daily expecting despatches concerning the survey of the railway line between Tpkomairiro and Lawrence. ; ; ; Mr "Wilson wished to know if the Government intended bringing in a measure for selling the land at 10s, and added that for his part he would prefer seeing it sold at £1, and the purchaser allowed ten years to pay the money. Mr M'lndoe remarked that as the Superintendent had indicated that he was favorable to the survey of the proposed line of railway to Tuapeka, to which railway the Government was unfavorable, the Council ought to be allowed time to think the subject over. Mr Gillies admitted that the Govern - ,ment was not favorable to the proposed line, but reminded themthat executing surveys was no guarantee of the work being I gone on with. In reply- to a question put by Mr I "Wood, Mr Reid said that it was at the request of a number of gentlemen in the district that the survey of the railway between Tokomairiro and Lawrence was being proceeded with, so that they might know what lands it would be necessary to reserve for railway purposes. During the debate, which was a lengthened one, a motion for adjournment was made, but not insisted upon. The address was then adopted as follows : — "We cordially reciprocate the hope expressed by your Honor, that the reunion of the "Provinces of Otago and Southland will tend greatly to promote the interests of the Province as a whole. The Returns to be laid before us, setting forth the nature and extent of the Public Estate in the late Province shall receive our careful consider* ation. We will give our earnest attention to the consideration of the question how far it may be deemed advisable to assimilate the land laws of Southland to those of Otago, and also to the question of assimilating the existing Provincial Ordinances. > The question of extending the operation of the Otago Settlements ict, 1837, to Stewart's Islaad, and also to a block of land in the Tautuku Bush, shall receive our consideration. We regret that the application for a loan of £650,000 did not receive the sanction of the Colonial Legislature. We agree with your Honor in the opinion that the construction of the works proposed to be carried out by the General Government could be conducted with a greater regard to economy, and so as to give more satisfaction to the districts, if parried out by the Provincial Government, than is likely to be the case under the supervision of the Colonial Executive. We regret to learn that no offer hu been received for the construction of the Southern Trunk Railway within the power conferred by the existing Ordinances ; and that it is considered by the Attorney-General to be beyond the power of this Council to extend the term of the guarantee. We coincide with your Honor in the opinion that the Province, presents a large field for immigration.; and concur with your Honor that vigorous steps should be taken towards settling a population on the lands. We regret to be informed that the General Government has been advised that the Governor has no power to issue Crown Grants for the lands reserved on the recommendation of thk Council, except those for purposes of education ;.aad trust that if the lands are again set apart, .either the law adviser may be induced to take a different view of the matter, or that the action of this Council may be given effect to by the Colonial Government. We assure your Honor that 'the important matters claiming our attention will receive due consideration at our hands. COAST DEFENCE. In reply to a question put by Mr Seaton, the Secretary of Lands and Works explained that, in accordance with a resolution, the Superintendent, on the 11th June, 1867, addressed a letter to Mr Moorhouse, Superintendent of Canterbury, suggesting that application should be made to the imperial Government for a vessel to defend the coast. The reply received from Mr Moorhouse was to the effect that he would. take the opportunity of conferring with the Superintendent of Otago whtte in Wellington. No further action, w&t taken ; nor was he (Mr Reid) aware of any con*

ference between the Superintendents having taken place. Certain experiments had lately been made in the harbor with a ba> of gunpowder, which showed that we could defend the port against any large vessels. PUBLIC WORKS A^T> IMMIGRATION ACT. Message No. 2 was received from the Superintendent, transmitting eommuni-c-.tiona from the General Government with respect to the following works proposed to be carried out under the provisions of the Public Works and Immigration Act, 1870, viz.: Ist, the survey of a line of railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, and the supply of water for auriferous lands in the Tuapeka district; 2nd, a water supply for the "Wakatipu goldfields; 3rd, the construction of the Southern Trunk Kailway. On this communication Mr Reid moved — " That this Council having had under its consideration the communication, is of opinion that although it is exceedingly desirable that the works therein referred to should be constructed without delay, yet that it is inexpedient for this Council to make any recommendation with the view to the initiation of 'any works under the Act, until the whole policy of that Act has been considered by the various constituencies throughout the province, and either confirmed or modified by a new Parliament." Also, that a copy of the foregoing resolution be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, respectfully requesting that he will be pleased to forward the same to the Colonial Secretary. Neither he nor his colleagues were in favor of proceeding under the scheme proposed hj the Colonial Government, and he apprehended that on mature consideration the constituencies of the Middle Island would acquiesce in their views. The object of the Colonial Legislature was to construct trunk roads in the Middle Island at the cost of the colony. The expense of these was estimated at £400,000, requiring a maintenance cost of £100,000 for four years. That was the consideration for which an equal amount was to be placed at the credit of the Middle Island, to be spent on railways, each province to be entitled to share upon the basis of its receipts from the consolidated revenue. As regarded the North Island, it was to spend its share whether- there were receipts or not from the consolidated revenue. The money was to be borrowed upon the security of the Middle Island, for if it were not for the Middle leland, the Colonial Treasurer would not be able to borrow a shilling. It was our land revenue that was to be impounded, a revenue which ought to be regarded as a local fund, and spent locally. So long as we had a land fund to offer as security for money borrowed for the construction of roads, railways, and other important public works, and so long as we had a Provincial Council, the Colonial Government, he maintained, should not be allowed to interfere with the province in the - execution of their works. The Provincial Council was as much a part of the General Legislature ajLJEaa_JJie-GenflEiLAa«_- . sembly, and all local works to be carried but should be carried out by the Provincial Council. In Committee, the subject was similarly . reviewed by Mr Bey nolds, after which the debate was adjourned, and an order made that the message and correspondence should . be printed. This brings the proceedings down to the latest dates to hand.