THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 1767, 15 July 1873, Page 3

THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, 10th July. Mr Turnbull : Before proceeding with the business on the Notice Paper, T beg to be allowed to make a few remarks in reference to the position I have now the honor to occupy. I intimated last evening that I bad made certain progress in the formation of a new Executive, and I have now to announce that those arrangements hare been completed as follows : I am Provincial Secretary and Treasurer ; my hon. friend the member for Oamaru Country (Dr Webster) is Secretary for Lands; the hon. member for Tuapeka (Mr Bastings) is Secretary for "Works and Goldfielda ; my colleagues, the hon. member for Dunedin (Mr Turton), ia Provincial Solicitor ; and the hon. member for the Taieri (Mr Shand) is a member of the Executive, without office. I have only to say, on behalf of the newly formed Government, that we are anxious, if the Council wish us to continue on these benches, to proceed with the business as fast as possible. At the same time, we have arrived at the conclusion that it will be better for the interests of the Province, and more to the convenience of hon. members, that the House should get through the whole of the business this session, instead of holding another session at the close of the sittings of the Assembly. We have conBidered the matter fully, and believe that we shall be consulting the convenience of hon. members, as well as the interests of the country, if we push on the business necessary to be done prior to the meeting of the Council next year. Ido not think it is necessary that I should say much in regard to the policy of the present Government, it being substantially the same as the Government which preceded us. I will, however, make a few remarks as to what are our decided opinions in regard to the railway question and land question. With reference to railways, we have arrived at the conclusion that the object of the Government and of the Council should be to urge on the immediate completion of the following main lines t Ciutha. to Mataura, Dunedin to Moeraki, and Wallacetown to Jacob's River. These are the three lines which we think should be immediately completed; and we propose to urge tbo General Assembly to take steps to get these works done as soon as possible ; and failing their doing so, we propose to ask the Council to authorise the Government to take what steps they may think best to carry them out, either by payment in cash, or by giving as security some of the waste lands of the Crown. We believe these are all works that are urgently required to promote the prosperity of the Province; and think that if the Assembly will not carry them out, the Province should. The brancblets and tramways already authorised are Riverton to Orepuki, and Riverton to Otautau. These, along with the branchlets con nee ting the Green Island collieries with the main line, and the branchlets up the Waiareka Valley, we propose should be undertaken during the present year. There are other branchlets which we consider of great importance, but believe that until another year it will not be necessary to push on their construction, inasmuch as the main lines with which they will be connected will not be 6nished. These are the Southern Trunk with Kaitangata and Outram, the Waihemo Valley, Tapanui and Waipahee, and any others that may be considered desirable after investigation by the Government during the recess. The Government, I say, will be prepared to bring down plans if they continue in office next session, for having these and other lines they may consider necessary, after full investigation, proceeded with next year. That is the position we intend to take up in regard to railways. And now in regard to the land question. J may state that the Government met last night. We compared our views and found that we were pretty well agreed on most points. We propose that all purely agricultural lands should be set aside for settlement on the system of deferred payments, or that they may be used as security for the construction of our railwayi. We apprehend that to set the land aside as security in this way will not interfere with its being used as required for settlement under the system of deferred payments, because under it the occupants will have the use of it until the time has arrived when they will be required to take up their Crown grants, and probably by that time we shall hare other means of paying off our liabilities in respect of which the land was set aside. In view of the resolutions of the hon. member for Caversham for increasing the quantity of land to be set aside in one year under the deferred payments system, we propose to bring down resolutions intimating in what positions the increased quantity should be set aside. Then we propose that several new Hundreds should be declared ; and further, that in one, two, or three of these Hundred*, blocks of land should be set aside under the deferred payments system, so that settlers in these Hundreds under the deferred payments system should have the same advantages as to depasturing rights as the purchasers of freehold. — (Hear.) We are advised that any person purchasing blocks within Hundreds set aside under the deferred payments system, is entitled under the Land Act to the same privileges as far as grazing rights are concerned over the unsold portion of the Hundreds, as those who purchased freehold. We think also, that in view of these engagements, and with the object of having them carried out to the fullest extent, that, by resolution of the Council, the Government should be authorised to sell a certain portion of purely pastoral land in blocks for the purpose of obtaining revenue if required. — (Mr Reid : Hear, hear). There is no doubt that this is the object of selling land in blocks, and no doubt Mr Reid's past experiences taught him that. I also think it is the proper way to find revenue, to sell land at a certain altitude, and which land

cannot be used for other than pastoral purposes. I have omitted to mention one matter in reference to the "Waste Landa Board. We have considered the point fully, and taking into consideration the laree interest of the gold fields, we thought that a member for the goldfields was the proper person to be appointed a member of the Board. Accordingly, we passed a minute this morning advising the Governor to appoint the hon. member for Tuapeka (Mr Bastings) as a member of the Board representing the Government; and Mr Bastings will go to that Board with the full concurrence of my colleagues as representing the views of the Government. — (Hear, hear.) With the view of enabling any hon. member to make what remarks he may think fit, I will move the adjournment of the House pro forma. Mr Wood asked whether, in the event , s of there being a change of Government, I the bon. member who had been appointed a member of the Waste Lands Board would necessarily resign his seat as a member of the Board ? Mr Turnbull: That follows as a necessary consequence. If the Government should resign, the hon. member representing them at the Waste Lands Board would also resign bis seat at the Board. The motion that the House adjourn was lost. SOUTHLAND LAND LAWS. Mr Lumsden asked the Government 11 Whether it intended to submit to the Council during the present session a set of resolutions indicating the direction which in its opinion the desired amendment of the Southland Land Laws should take, with the view of having the same embodied in a Bill to be introduced into the Assembly at its next session ?" Dr Webster said the Government were preparing a Bill to carry out the object in question. BLUFF AND WINTON RAILWAY. The Hon. Dr Menzies asked the Provincial Secretary whether any negotiations had been opened with the General Government for the sale to it of the Blaff and Wintoa Railway ; and if so, Whether the GtoYernment would lay on the table any correspondence relating to the subject ? Mr Turnbull answered the question in the negative. THE POET CHALMEBS BAILWAT. Mr Green moved — " That a Select Committee be appointed to enquire into all matters connected in any way with the promotion, construction, purchase, and taking over by the Provincial Government of the Port Chalmers Railway. Said Committee to consist of Mr Bastings, Mr H. Clark, Mr Davie, Mr Stout, Mr Reid, Mr Roberts, and the Mover, with power to call for persons and papers, and report." Carried. BEMISSION OF IMMIGRATION BILLS. Mr Daniel moved — "That in the opinion of this Council, the prosecution on the part of the Provincial Government in respect of Immigration Bills, in cases where the immigrants are unable to pay in full, is inexpedient and impolitic; and that the Government be requested to take such steps as it may see fit to deal with each case on its merits, with a view to remitting the whole or a portion of the outstanding claims." Mr Wilson seconded the motion. Mr Oliver recorded hie protest against the principle of the motion. — (Hear, hear.) Without passing any such vote, giving countenance either to public or private repudiation, it appeared to him that the Government had already the power to judge each case on its merits. He thought that those who came here now occupied a position which would enable them to meet those liabilities, and he would emphatically protest against relieving such parties. Mr Lumsden opposed the motion. After some discussion, Mr Turton proposed that the motion should be withdrawn, which was agreed to. INSPECTION OF SOUTHLAND BOADS. Mr Gumming moved, and Mr Wilson seconded — "That the District Engineer be asked to inspect the roads from Wailacetown to Riverton, and from Riverton to Orautau, before the end of next month, with a view to his being able to give in a report of their real requirements." Mr M'Kenzie moved as an amendment, that all the words after " That" should be struck out, and the following substituted : — " That the District Engineers be asked to inspect all the roads in the Province, with a view of being able to give a report as to their requirements." After a slight discussion, both the motion and amendment were withdrawn. ENDOWMENTS FOB ATHENJBUMB. Mr Lumsden moved — "That an Address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to reserve the land contained in the undermentioned sections — viz., sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, block X., and 1, 2, 24, 25, and 26, block XL, Invercargill Hundred — total area, 1077 a. 3r. 28p. — as an endowment to the Invercargill Athenaum." The Government requested that thiß motion, and fourteen others of a like nature, might be allowed to lapse, as they wished to bring in a general measure dealing with the whole subject. Mr Lumsden objected to this course, as the case of the Invercargill Athens um was an exceptional one ; but, after discussion, he agreed to the withdrawal of the motion. Fbidat, 11th July. distbict judge. The Hon. Dr Menzies asked the Provincial Secretary whether the Government had any papers to lay upon the table with reference to the appointment of District Judge for Oamaru, Tokomairiro, and Invercargill ? Mr Turnbull said that as far as he knew, the Government had no papers in reference to this matter, but he would make further enquiry. BILLS. The following Bills were committed, read a third time, and passed : — The

North Shag Valley School Reserve Sale Bill, the Dunedin Reserves Management Bill, the Erankton Racecourse Reserve Management Bill, ami the Invercargill AthenjEum Reserve Management Bill. The second reading of the Licensing Bill was postponed, until Wednesday next ; the Roads Diversion Bill was read a second time, progress reported, and leave obtained tr> sit again ; the Education Reserves Management and Leasing Bill No. 2 was discharged, from the Order Paper ; the Education Reserves Management and Leasing Bill, 1873, and the Invercargill Hospital Reserve Management Bill were considered in Committee, reported with amendments, and their recommittal fixed for Wednesday. FIIEE SCHOOLING. Mr G. F. C. Browne moved — " Ist. That in the opinion of this Council it ia , expedient for the interest of Education that free schooling should be provided ; throughout the district schools. 2nd. j That the Government be requested during the recess to prepare an Ordinance, to be brought in at the next Session, to give effect to the following resolution, viz. : — ' Any parent or guardian desiring to have a child or children admitted to any district school (as free scholars) shall make an I application to the Committee in the district in which he resides (power being vested in School Committees to give an order of admittance) ; and on any Committee being satisfied of the inability of such parent to pay school fees, shall then give an order of admittance ; fees for such scholars shall be paid by the Board out of moneys voted by this Council.' " After addressing the Council as to the objects of the motion, the hon member stated, as a recommendation to its favorable consideration by the Council, that there were 5484 children in the Province, ; between the ages of 5 and 15, who received no education. ! Mr Turnbull addressed the Council to show that unless care were taken the motion might lead to an abuse of the Government system, and stated that in all cases of actual destitution there was no difficulty in getting children admitted to the schools free. He regretted that, at present, be felt bound to oppose the motion. After a little further discussion, the debate on the motion was adjourned until next sitting day. The Council adjourned at half-past six o'clock until two p.m. on Monday.

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