PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 60, 15 December 1871, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, December 13. TUE MANGONUI COAL MEASURES. Mr Ball moved, “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place on the additional Estimates the sum of £SOO for the purpose of testing the value of the coal measures in the vicinity of Mangonui.” He said there was much complaint about the dearness of coal and other things here. That was owing to insufficient production. On his first arrival here he was informed of the existence of coal, and the outcrop was pointed out to him. Several efforts had been made to develop this source of coal, but they had been verj T desultory. A person named Folley had spent a great deal of money in opening up a mine, and after having been worked for some time the mine took lire, and was burning for two or three months before it was extinguished. The member for the Bay, Mr J. McLeod, was quite confident that valuable beds of coal existed in the neighbourhood of Mangonui, and also of shale, if not petroleum. It was the opinion of many well qualified to judge that a bed of

coal extended from Ivawakawa, through Whangaroa to Mangonui. At Whangaroa efforts had been made to open up a mine, and he had conversed with the miners engaged in that work, and they were very confident that deposits of coal existed there. *— Mr Philips seconded the motion. Mr Beyburn said the people at Whangarei were at present engaged in trying, by private enterprise, to open up a -workable bed of coal there. Hitherto it had not been profitable to those engaged in the effort. He asked Mr Ball to withdraw his motion. The Goldfields Secretary said the Government could not support the motion, for tlie reasons he had often stated. The Government had a set of boring tools, which would be lent to the people in Mangonui, to make the search Mr Ball wanted."Mr Beyburn said that the tools were at present at Whangarei, but the people there had to pay for the use of them 2s per day.

Tlie Goldfields Secretary said, if sucli were the case, he would use his influence with his colleagues to get the tools lent free of cost. Mr Swanson asked whether the coal was on Government land.

Mr Lundon replied in the affirmative, and stated that the deposit of coal wa* a large one, that the land was poor, and, by developing tlie resources of a coalfield, the public estate would be largely increased. Mr Mackay thought no more need be paid for this purpose. Mr Tonics moved that the sum be reduced to £IOO. If this country was ever to go ahead it was by working and fully developing our mineral deposits. Mr Dyer seconded the amendment. Mr Creighton considered that a sum of £IOO would he of no use in developing or proving the extent of the coal measures in tlie Mangonui district. The General Government were taking steps to develop the coal measures in the South at the public expense, and unless some more vigorous means were taken to develop our coal deposits the South would swamp us. He would move an amendment, asking the Superintendent to take steps to test the coal measures there, if Mr Tonks would withdraw his amendment.

Mr Tonics, by the leave of the Council, withdrew his amendment. Mr Creighton then moved, “ That all the words after ‘ requesting him,’ and before ‘ testing,’ be struck out, for the purpose of inserting the words ‘ to take steps to test.’ ” Mr Brookfield seconded tlie amendment.

Mr Lundon, in speaking to the amendment, said there was one block of land there belonging to the Provincial Government of not less than 80,000 acres. The Goldfields Secretary said he would not object to the last amendment which had been made, but whether anything could be done to carry out the terms of the resolution or not would depend upon the way in which the Estimates were passed. Mr Buckland hoped the efforts of the Government would not be confined to one place, As they had boring tools they should test the whole district to the north of Auckland, where there were reasonable grounds for believing that valuable minerals existed. Mr Ball replied, and the motion as amended was agreed to. THE CLERK OF RECORDS. Air Dyer moved, “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place the sum of £25 on the additional estimates, as an increase to the salary of tlie Clerk of Becords, Executive Department.” Mr Creighton seconded the motion. A discussion ensued, and a division took place: Ayes, 10 ; noes, 12. The motion was therefore lost, THE CONSTITUTION OF TIIE COUNCIL. Tlie debate was resumed on the amendment proposed to Mr Creighton’s motion censuring t ne action of the General Assembly at its last session. The amendment was “ To leave out all the words after the word ‘ That,’ in the original motion as already published, in order to add the following instead: —“ In the opinion of this Council any alterations to be proposed in the existing organisation of provincial institutions, to be acceptable to the country, should be in the direction of simplifying the action and diminishing the cost of Provincial Government, increasing municipal powers in the towns of the colony, and securing a more effective system of local self - government in country districts.” After several members had spoken, the question was put, and all the words in tlie original motion after tlie word “ That” were struck out, and Mr Ellis’s amendment became tlie substantive motion. The Goldfields Secretary moved as an amendment, “ That this Council feels called upon to express its disapproval of the attempts made during the last session of the Assembly to pass measures calculated to effect a radical alteration of the Constitution without any notice being given to the Governments of the several provinces, or opportunity being afforded to the electors of the colony to consider such measures. And this Council further protests against any alterations affecting the constitution, powers, and functions of Provincial Legislatures being made, unless and until the proposed alteiations are submitted to the country, and the whole of the constituencies allowed to elect a Parliament for the express purpose of considering such alterations.” The Provincial Treasurer seconded the amendment. The Provincial Secretary begged to add to the motion which had been made the following words :—“ And this Council hereby requests his Honor the Superintendent to place himself in communication with other Provincial Governments throughout the colony for the purpose of securing their co-operation in taking any steps that may be considered advisable for maintaining the integrity of provincial institutions.” Mr Shanagiian seconded the motion to add the words proposed to Mr Sheehan’s amendment, which was agreed to. The amendment, with the words added, became the substantive motion. The motion gave rise to a five hours’ debate, and, on the question being put whether the motion as amended be agreed to, the Council divided with tlie following results : —Ayes, 19 : Messrs Creighton (teller), Hay, Cadman, Douglas, Tonks, Farnall, Nicholson, Sheelian, Shepherd, Buckland, Lusk, Beyburn, Mackay, Shanagiian, Hurst, Beveridge, Lundon, Swanson, and Mitchell. Noes, 1 : Mr Ellis (teller). Pair : Aye, Mr Dignan ; no, Mr Carleton. The motion was carried. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary the business on the notice paper not disposed of was ordered to stand over until next sitting-day.