Untitled

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 64, 20 December 1871, Page 3

EXTENDING POWERS OP HIGHWAY BOARDS. Mr Sheehan moved, •* That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent recommending him, by proclamation from time to time to extend and apply the provisions of Parts 2, 3,4, 5,6, and 7of aft Act ot the General Assembly entitled the Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871, to all highway districts which shall be created between the present session and the next session of this Council.” He said it was anticipated that 15 or 16 more Highway Boards would be formed during the next year. It was only asked to extend the power until the next meeting of the Council, because it might be found that the working of those clauses might not he so beneficial as was expected. If so the Council would have the power to prevent the further extension of those powers. lie might also add that, at the present time there were 107 Highway Boards fully formed and in working order, and in course of formation some nine or ten.) The Provincial Treasurer seconded the motion, which was agreed to. wiiangarei coal measures. Mr Reyburn moved, “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent requesting him to take steps for the purpose of testing the value of the coal measures in the vicinity of ‘Wiiangarei.” He explained at considerable length the various efforts made to work the coal measures in that district, and also showed that the Provincial Government had large areas of land in the neighbourhood, some of them to the extent of thousands of acres. Mr SiiEniERD seconded the motion. Mr Buckland moved, as an ainernlmend, “ That all the words after ‘ measures ’ be struck out in order to insert the following : ‘ Situated in different localities in the North of Auckland.’ ” Mr LunDON seconded the amendment. The amendment was carried. ARTESIAN WELLS FOR AUCKLAND. Mr Buckland moved, “That an address be presented to bis Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to place on the Additional Estimates the sum of £250 for the purpose of ascertaining by boring whether a supply of water could bo obtained for the use of the City of Auckland on the artesian principle.” Mr PuiLirs seconded the motion, which was agreed to. COMMITTEE OF SUrPI.Y. The Council went into Committee of Supply, to further consider the Estimates, Mr Farmer in the chair. The following item was disposed of : —Superintendent of police, Auckland district, £350. Mr Shanaghan moved that the item bo reduced by £2OO. The original motion was agreed to after a long debate.—Sergeantmajor, £lso.—Mr Freer moved that the chairman do now report progress, and ask leave to sit again immediately, which was carried. The Council resumed, and progress was reported. MESSAGE NO. 19. The Speaker read Message No. 19, received from the Superintendent, enclosing a bill to repeal the Harbour Loan Acts. The bill was read a first time and ordered to be printed. The second reading was fixed for Wednesday next. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS. The Provincial Secretary moved that Standing Order No. 25 be suspended, in order to bring forward a motion without notice.—The motion was agreed to. The Goldfields Secretary moved, “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent asking him to terminate the present arrangement with reference to the police force of this province, and to resume the management and control of the police force, as recommended in last session of this Council by Address No. 107.” The Provincial Treasurer seconded the motion. Mr MacKAY moved, as an amendment, “ That all the words after 1 That ’ be left out, in order to add the following :—' In the opinion of this Council it is desirable that the police force stationed at the Thames and Coromandel goldfields should be managed by the General Government.’ ” Mr Beveridge seconded the amendment. A very long debate ensued, after -which Mr Mackay withdrew his amendment, when the original motion being put, the Council divided : —Ayes, 18 : Messrs Sheehan (teller), Shanaghan, M. M’Leod, lleyburn, Dignan, Farmer, Buckland, Lusk, Tonks, Hurst, Creighton, Boylan, Freer, Lundon, Swanson, Philips, Farnall, and Macready. Noes, 11: Messrs Nicholson (teller), Beveridge, Kerr, Hay, Ellis, Shepherd, Douglas, Dyer, Mackay, Carleton, and Ball. The motion was therefore carried. committee of supply. The Council then went into Committee of Supply to further consider the Estimates, Mr Farmer in the chair. The following items were agreed to :—Sergeantmajor, £l5O ; 3 sergeants at 7s. per diem, £484 6s ; 2 detectives at 8s per diem, £292 16s; 22 constables at Gs per diem £2,415 12s; special constables in out-dis-tricts, £2OO ; rent of police station, £74 ; rations for lock-up, Auckland and outstations, £7O; conveyance of prisoners from out-stations, £BO ; travelling expenses for constables, £l5O ; gas, firewood, and stationery, £7O ; rewards, £25 ; repairs of stations, £IOO : allowance to constables for destruction of clothing, £SO ; expenses under the Dog Nuisance Act,£ls. —Thames District; Sergeant-major, £150; Mr Beveridge moved that this item be postponed. The motion was negatived, and on the original motion being put it was negatived and the item struck out.— 1 sergeant at 7s per diem, £l2B 2s; 1 detective at 8s per diem, £146 8s 10 constables at Gs per diem, £1,098 ; firewood and light for guardroom and lockup, £6O ; rations for prisoners in lock-up, £ls ; conveyance of prisoners to Auckland, £6O ; travelling and incidental expenses. £l2B 2s ; constable, Inspector of Weights and Measures, £l2B 2s. Motion was then made to report progress. The Council resumed ; progress was re- j ported, and leave given to sit again next sitting day. LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Provincial Secretary moved the third reading of the Licensing Act Amend ment Bill. Mr Farmer seconded the motion. Mr Farnall moved ns an amendment that the bill be recommitted, for the purpose of adding Bellamy’s and other clauses. The Goldfields Secretary seconded the amendment. On the question being put that the hill be read a third time, the Council divided. Ayes, 16: Messrs Farmer (teller), Iteyburn, Shanaghan, Buckland, Swanson, Dyer, Kerr, Douglas. Ball, Hay. Nicholson, Boylan, Hurst, Ellis, Shepherd, and Macready. Noes 7 : Messrs Farnall (teller), Tonks, Beveridge, Lundon, Mackay, Sheehan, and Dignan. The amendment for recommitting the bill was therefore lost. The bill was read a third time and passed.

HIGHWAYS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Tlffe Goldfields Secretary moved that the Highways Act Amendment Bill he read a third time. Mr Shanaghan seconded the motion. Mr Buckland moved, as an amendment, that the bill be recommitted for the purpose of reconsidering the cliftise relating to proxy votes. Mr Fanner seconded the amendment. A debate ensued, after which, question being put that the bill be now read a third time, a division took place—ayes, 16 ; noes, 7 —Dr Nicholson and Mr Buckland being the respective tellers. The motion for recommitting the bill was therefore negatived. The bill was read a third time and passed. ROAD FROM WAIKATO TO THAMES. The debate was resumed on the amendment proposed to be made to the motion “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting that a sum of £4UO be placed on the Additional Estimates for the purpose of supplementing the efforts of the settlers in the construction of a road from Hamilton to Te Au o Waikato, and the removal of obstruction to the navigation of the Piako river.” And which amendment was, “To leave out all the words after the word ‘That,’ in order to add the following instead : —‘ A respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting that a sum of £I,OOO be placed on the Additional Estimates for the purpose of forming roads from Hamilton and Cambridge, in the Upper Waikato, to the Koliea Fall, at the head of the navigation of the River Thames or Waihou.” Mr Mackay, by leave of the Council, withdrew the amendment, and suggested that. Mr Hay should amend his original motion by leaving out all the words after Te Au o Waikato, because the obstructions in the Piako river were native eel weirs, and if any attempt were made to remove them he was sure a very considerable native difficulty would be created. The amendment being withdrawn, Mr Ball iroved the amendment suggested by Mr Mackay. Mr Buckland seconded the amendment, and confirmed what Mr Mackay had said respecting the eel weirs in the Piako. The motion as amended was agreed to. IMPORTATION OF CATTLE. The debate was then resumed on Mr Hamlin’s motion, “That an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent requesting him to proclaim the Diseased Cattle Acts in operation as. regards the landing of cattle in this province.” Mr Douglas moved, “ That the debate be adjourned until Thursday next.” Mr Hamlin, who had moved in the matter first, was not in attendance. The Goldfields Secretary seconded the motion. Mr Mackay objected to the postponement of the question. On the question being put whether the debate be adjourned until Thursday next a division took place—Mr Douglas ami Mr Swanson tellers. Ayes, II ; noes, 7. The debate was therefore adjo urned. THE CASE OF MESSRS HOOPER, OLIFFE, AND CO. The debate was resumed oi l the question, “ That the Superintend cut be requested to recommend the appropriation of tire sum of £2O by way •«£ refund to Messrs Hooper, Oliffe, and C 0., in accordance with the report of the P etitions and Private Grievance Committee.” The Goldfields Secretary gave a few explanatory remarks, after which the motion was agreed to. REPORT BROUGHT UP. Mr Swanson brought up Interim Report No. 2 of the Military Reserves Committee. They had taken evidence on the matter as to the manner in which the grounds outside the Albert Barracks should bo laid out. They had agreed to recommend that an .Act should be brought in this session authorising the appointment of a commission, in which should be invested full powers as to the manner of laying out the grounds outside the Barrack walls in conformity witli the general plan of the city. A line of streets was recommended to bo opened up from Victoria-street through the enclosure inside the walls, running out to Princes-street. A hill Avas to be brought up in a few days, embodying the recommendation of the committee. THAMES HARBOUR. Mr Mitchell laid on the table a plan or chart of the harbour of the Thames, which lie intended afterwards to take away. adjournment. On the motion of the Goldfields Secretary, the Council, at 10.50, adjourned until 3 o’clock, next sitting day (Tuesday).