THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
m ■ Fbiday, 11th July. SCIENTIFIC KEPOBT tTPON GOIiDFIELDS. Mr De Lautour moved — " That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that a respectful address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to take such steps as he may think necessary to obtain the services o'" such competent scientific direction in hia opinion sufficient to examine and report upon the probable lines of deep leads and quartz reefs throughout the Provincial Goldfitlds." Iv speaking; to the motion, the hon. member said that this was one of the most important motions which had been considered by the Council. He observed in the earlier portion of the day that the seven members representing Duuedin were all present when the toll, bar question was under consideration, but he did not see one of those members now present. He was very glad to see the motion of the hon. member for North Harbor unanimously adopted, because what applied to the coal mines applied with double force to gold mines, because gold mining was a practical industry in the Province, while coal mining at present was only theoretical. The waste of labor by a gold miner through ignorance was a waste absolutely without equivalent Further, it was a great barm to the country, because an abandoned work waß a standing monument to drive away capital from legitimate enterprise on the goidfields. The experience of Victoria was that it paid to keep up a staff of mining surveyors and other thoroughly competent men, who did nothing else but issue quarterly reports embodying the minutest detail of every transaction on the goldfields. He would point out that the miners were asking very little. They bad been contributing an annual revenue for the last ten years of over £40,000, while the administration only cost about £10,000 a-year. Mr Clarke seconded the motion, which was supported by every member who spoke, and then unanimously carried on the voices.
Tuesday, 15th July, immigrant vessels fob bluff habbob. In reply to Mr Kinross, Mr Bastings said that the correspondence laid on the table would show that instructions had already been sent to engage vessels to land immigrants at Bluff Harbor. THE SOUTHLAND "WASTE LANDS BOABD. Mr Lumsden asked the Government " "Whether the meetings of the Waste Lands Board, Southland District, held on Wednesday, the 9th, and Thursday, the 10th inßt., Tuesdays and Fridays being statutory meeting days, were convened in compliance with the requirements of section 7, Southland Waste Lands, 1865 ; and, if not, whether the Government considers such meetings illegal, and the business transacted at them void at law ?" Dr Webster, in reply, said that the Government were not yet in possession of what business was transacted by the Board on the days mentioned. The Go vernment would be happy, when they received a report, to communicate it to the House. He might inform the hon. member that on the Bth July the applications put in for land were refused ; but it might be a matter to be hereafter decided by a Court of law, whether the applications then made could be refused.
3 EOAD BETWEEN MATAT7EA BIiIDGE AND - S WIT ZEES. , Mr Lumsden asked the Government 1 " Whether any report as to the state of 5 the road between the Mataura bridge and 1 Switzers has been supplied by the ' District Enjiiueer, in answer to a resolu- , tion passed by the Couucil in its session , in 1572?" Mr Bastings replied that no such report had been received, but the necesr sary provision for the road had been made iti the Estimates. ! THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Provincial Treasurer (Mr Turnbull) in making hia financial statement, referred at considerable length to the items of revenue and expenditure during the past year, and continued as follows : — Our position at the end of the yi*ar is simply this : We have a net current loan liability of £1,226,830 12s, and we have . a balance free to commence the year with of £13,149 7s 2d. That is the position in which we stood «t the end of the financial year on the 3 Lst March last. In reference to the proposals for the coming year, I would simply say that we have brought down, as far as the revenue is concerned, what we conceive to be a very safe, although it is a very large estimate. We estimate the revenue for ordinary purposes at £417,000, and in addition to this we propose to appropriate £20,000 out of the loan we shall ask the Council to sanction on the security of the Education Beserves for the purpose of renewing school buildings. We havo in addition to this sura the unexpended balance of the North Otago Loan, £65,743 lls Id, making a grand total of £502,743 lls Id for the current year. There is in addition to this the capitation allowance applied by the General Government towards the payment of interest on loanß, £55,880 ; but as that amount never comes into our hands, we thought the best course would be not to take it into consideration as revenue, but to take in the balance of interest as liability, as will be seen farther on. The first item on the Estimates is General Government Boad Boards subsidy, £16,000, which is the amount we had not spent up to the 31st March last, but which since then, I believe, has been all paid away. This is a vote which I hope will be continued. It is of great service to the country, and I hope our representatives iv the Assembly will see that it is maintained. The next item is perhaps the most important of all, as it is the backbone of our revenue. I refer to the Bale of Crown lauds. We have put that down at the very large sum of £200,000. That is a very large amount, but when I tell hon. members that up to the 30th June last, the first three months of the year, we had actually received £107,000, and when I further state that very large sums have been paid in Southland during the last few days, making up the Rum already received to £140,000, I do not thiuk they willlook upon our estimate as being at. all large. In fact, I am certain it will largely exceed this amount. But, as hon. members are aware, it is a most difficult asset to form a correct opinion of, because so much depends upon circumstances over whith no Executive has any control. I myself think that as far as we can we ought to make use of our land, either by selling it, or reserving it for charitable, educational, and public purposes, in order to prevent the possibility of its leaving our hands. I think we ought to guard against this if possible, although I do not apprehend that the Legislature of the Colony would go the length of upsetting a solemn engagement made some years ago, when, from certain considerations, it was agreed that the land revenue of each Province should belong to that Province. 1 have no reason to believe that such will be the case, and I hope that no such thing shall be done. The Goldfields revenue is estimated at £21,000; and the gold export duty at £16,000. The Harbor and Jetty Dues are put down at £4000, but since the Estimates were in type, I have received information which leads me to believe that this amount will be exceeded. The item under the head, " Bepayments — Hospitals, Asylum, and Industrial School, £1300," is a sum paid by parties in those institutions. The next items are — " General Government, for cost of Moeraki jetty, £2,800, and General Government, for Immigration, £2900." These two items are assets, inasmuch as we have already got credit for them. The next item is £3000 for passage money. Thiß is a much larger sum than was obtained last year, but the Government wish, if they continue in office, to try and bring this large affair into narrower limits, and try to get the amounts paid up better than hitherto. We therefore propose to have special efforts made to get this asset reduced to smaller dimensions, dealing equitably and fairly with parties owing the money, but at the same time with the view of getting this large amount reduced. We put down a revenue from the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Bail way, £22,000, and from the Southland railways, £12,000. The amount put down for reclaimed land — £25,000 — is large, but if the work goes on as we propose, we expect that there will be a considerable quantity of land available for sale within the town, and it is well known that such land is very vnlu- ' able, and will realise a very large sum. The next item is the amount to be applied towards the building of schools. That, of course, is just the amount that will be borrowed. If the Council agree to the resolution already on the Order Paper, we will borrow as much as we can spend during the year. The Inspector has put down the Bum required at £25,000 or £27,000, but we calculate tbat we shall not be able to spend much more than £20,000. 1 will now make a remark or two on the proposed expenditure. Hon. members will notice that the proposed appropriations amount to £518,688 lls 2d. It is unnecessary that I should go through all the items in detail — there will be ample time for dis-
i cussing them as they pass through Committee. I will therefore not trouble the ; Committee further on that head, but 1 would Bimply say that we have given the matter very grave consideration, and have overhauled everything over and over again. Whatever the Committee may think, I can assure members that we have approached the distribution of this large sum of money with an earnest desire to do justice to every district throughout the Province. It will be noticed on the first page of the appropriations for this year, that there is a large sum put down for loans. This is a necessary payment, which we cannot help making. The proposed expenditure pxcee is the revenue by somewhere about £16,000. To meet this deficiency we have the balance I have already pointed out of £13,000. There is one item in the appropriations which we do not \ expect will be required. That is the item of £LO,OOO fur immigratfon. We | have put it down to keep the home agency going, in the event of the AgentGeueral of the Colony not working harmoniously with this Province, but we do not expect we will be called upon to pay this sura. At anyrate, if we have to pay it we expect to have it refunded by the General Government in the same way aa we received the item of £2900. We have instructed the Home Agent to keep up the stream of communication to Otiigo from the Clyde, and if he cannot do so in harmony with the AgentGeneral, he is to do so on the responsibility of the Province. This gives us £13,000 and £10,000, which will amount to £23,000 altogether, and as hon. members are aware, there is always a considerable amount which it is almost impossible to spend, so that there will be no difficulty so far as regards money. But against this balance we will have most likely to bring down Supplementary Estimates, which will contain sums required for the cancellation of pastoral leaseß, and considerable amounts for branch railways, should the Council pass the land and railway resolutions at present on the Paper in the names of my colleagues. The Supplementary Estimates will be framed in accordance with the result of the discussions upon these two questions. We have, in fram ing the Estimates, improved to some extent the position of the civil servants. We thought that as things were prosperous, and all sorts of labor were commanding higher rates than in times of st»gnation and depression, we thought it was only right and fair to the servants of the Government that they should participate to some extent in the improved position of affairs. We at the same time thought that some improvement might be effected in the way of asking the civil servants to work longer hours. The hours in the Government offices are less as a rule than in the offices of merchants, bankers, &c., and we do not think it would be a hardship if we increased the length of their day. In merchants' and bankers' offices the clerks come earlier in the morning and stay later in the evening, and at the same time when the work requires it, they have to go back until late at night. The first item on the Estimates was then passed, and progress reported. EITEHTON FEEBY. Mr Daniel moved — " That whereas it is found that the leasing of the ferry at Biverton is an impediment to the traffic .on the river, and otherwise detrimental to the public interest, it is expedient that the lease to the Corporation be cancelled. That an Address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, to initiate the legislation necessary, or to take such steps as he may think fit, to obtain a surrender of the lease in question." — Carried. FOEE-SHOEK A.T BIVEETON. Mr Daniel moved — " That in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that certain disputes between the Maoris and Europeans, touching the claim of the former to a certain portion of the foreshore at Biverton be enquired into, with a view to a definite settlement thereof. And that His Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to solicit the General Government to institute such enquiry without delay." Mr Lumßden seconded the motion, which was carried. ACBEAGE SYSTEM OP EATING. Mr Kinrosß moved — " That in the opinion of this Council, the c Otago Boads Ordinance, 1871,' should be so amended as to allow Boad Boards the option of adopting the acreage system of rating, and respectfully requests the Government to bring in a Bill to give effect to this resolution at its earliest convenience." Mr Allan opposed the motion, stating that the system referred to in the motion had had a fair trial, and had been found not to answer. The valuation rate was the fairest for all parties. Mr Beid pointed out that it was Bimply a wasto of time discussing the motion, inasmuch as the Highway Boards Empowering Act settled the question. Hereafter the rates must be levied on the annual value. Mr Stout moved, as an amendment, the omission of all the words in the motion after the words " system of rating," The amendment was carried. Mr Uuininiug expressed himself in favor of the acreage system. The House divided on the motion, as amended, with the following result : — Ayes, 11 ; noes, 17. The motion was therefore lost. The following is the division list : — Ayes — Messrs Cumming, Daniel, Fish, Green, Haziett, Ireland, Kinross, Lumsdeu, M'Dermid (teller), Stout (teller), 1 TIT • 1 X * 7 and Wilson. Noes — Messrs Allan, Bastings (teller), Clark H., Clarke 8., Davie, De Lautour, Hallenstein, Menzies (teller), Mills, M'Lean, Beid, Boberts, Bogers, Shand, Teschemaker, Tolmie, and Webster. TOWNSHIP AND OTHEB EESEEVES. Dr Webster moved — " That an Ad^ i dress be presented to His Honor the ,
Superintendent, recommending — Ist That 1000 acres (boundaries given) alom the bank of the Mataura River be sei apart; as a site for a township to b( calk d Mataura. 2nd. That 1280 acre? (boundaries given) near the Mataurs Biver, be set apart as a site for a township to be called Menzies Ferry. 3rd That 880 acres, more or less, in Bur 207 b (boundaries given) be set apart a< a site for a village. 4th. That 830 acres more or less (boundaries given) in the Hokanui district, be set apart as a site for a township to be called Gore, sth That 142 acres and 10 poles in blocfc IV., Jacob's Eiver Hundred (boundaries given) be set apart as a site for a village 6th. That 640 acres, more or less, situate in Bun Wo. 148 (boundaries given) be set apart as a site for a sheep and village reserve, to be called Centre Bush.'* Tht resolutions were carried. BITE ETON. Mr Turnbull moved—" That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, recommending that section 2, block 111., Biverton, be set apart as an Education Beserve." — Carried. COEB E SPONDEN CE . The Hon. Dr Menzies moved — " That a respectful address be presented to His Hpnor the Superintendent, requesting that copies of all papers and corresponi dence with the Government or Waste Lands Board, relating to land in runs 167 a and 168, being brought into the market for sale, and of all correspondence bearing on the termß upon which the consent of the leaseholders was obtained, and the present position of these lands, be laid upon the table " The motion was carried, Dr Webster stating that the Government would lay the papers on the table. PBOYINCIAL ELECTOEAL BOLLS. Mr Kinross moved — " That this Council respectfully brings under the notice of the Government, that many grave inaccuracies exist in some of the Provincial Electoral Bolls, and requests that steps may be taken to rectify those mistakes, to prevent their recurrence, and requests the Government to provide Buch remedy as may seem desirable." After debate the motion was carried. STONE EESEETE AT GBEENHILLB. On the motion of Mr Wood, 6a. 2r. 16p., mor3 or less, situated at Greenhills, were set apart as a stone reserve for the use of the municipality of Invercargill.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18730722.2.22
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Southland Times, Issue 1770, 22 July 1873, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,936THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Southland Times, Issue 1770, 22 July 1873, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.