THE ESTIMATES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 178, 6 July 1871, Page 6

THE ESTIMATES.

The following were among the items which were passed without much discussion . — Round Hill to Waitahuua Township, £25 ; Lawrence to Wetherstones, £50 ; Becks to Dunstan Creek, £20 ; Hill's Creek to Dunstan Creek, £40 ; Dunstan to Nevis, £50 ; Cromwell to Nevis, £50 ; Cromwell to Bendigo Gully, £100; Alberttown to Cardrona, £50 ; Arrow to Hayes Lake and Morven Ferry, £50 ; Queenstown to Arrow, via Arthur's Point, £50 ; Arrow to Twelve-Mile Creek, £80 ; Queenstown to Maori Point and Skippers, £100; Queenstown to head of Lake Wakatipu, £50 ; Arrow to Cardrora, £50, £50 ; Roads and Bridges on G ildfields. £LOJO; Like Wakatip to Lake M'Kerrow, £50 ; L.uvrenee to Blue Spur, £50; Roxburgh to Campbells aud Pomalnika, £50 ; Arrovvtown lioads, £100 ; Ap-jM-oachcs to Puerua Bridge, £230 ; Riverton to Orepuki, £250 ; Arrow to Bracken's Gully, £80 ; Glenomaru to Run No. 122, £95 ; Waipori to Main South Road, £195. The sum of £8960 was voted for " Miscellandous Works and Buildings." The following items, under the head " Bridges," were passed as printed : — Balclutha, £20 ; Cromwell, £30; Hayes Lake, £80; Pomahaka, £380 ; Shotover, Cromwell to Queenstown, £100; do at Maori Point, £20; Tokomairiro (North Branch), £200; Tuapeka Mouth, £40; (Finding Creek, £270; Footbridge at Evans Flat, £190. On the item Benevolent Institution and Country Hospitals, £1 for £1, £:000, being proposed, Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Bastings urged the necessity of increased support being given to the upcountry hospitals. The latter stated that if further aid were not rendered, the committees of some at least of those institutions would resign. Mr. Bastings also moved as an amendment, " That the words ' Benevolent Institution and ' be struck out, and that the item should be ' Grants-in-aid of country Hospitals, £5000.' " Eventually the item was carried in the following amended form : — " Benevolent Institution and country hospitals, £500 J." On the item, Compensation for Deviation of Roads, Cancellation of Leases of Kunsj and JPurcbaae of X<a.iid, £15,000, being proposed, a discussion took place. Ifc was stated lhat the amount set down would not be sufficient by more than half of that required as compensation. After remarks had been made by Messrs. Reid, Cargill, Mervyn, and others, Mr. Reid stated that it was intended to make use of all the money placed on the Estimates for compensation during the ensuing year. Mr. Bastings wished that instead of £15,000, £50,000 bad been proposed. He address. d the House to shew tbe benefits which had resulted from throwing open the land for agricultural purposes, and said that in order to keep persons off the land others had ploughed it up and erected wool sheds upon it. Mr. Haughton 'asked- the honourable member for Tuapeka,- if he would state how many bona Jide settlers there were upon the 77,000 acres allocated at Lawrence. Mr. Bastings : Three hundred. Mr. Haughton : Is it not true that many thousands of acres are occupied by. two or three persons with immense flocks of sheep ? Mr. Bastings : No; Mr. Haugbton': That there does not exist there that class of settler who described himself iv a telegram to this House as occupying 10,000 acres of land, and having mobs of horses' and cattle ? Mr. Bastings : No. After a speech from Mr. Haughton and a reply from Mr. Reid, the item was passed. Several other items having been passed, progress was reported at 11 o'clock and the House adjourned until 2 p.m. on Monday.