PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 287, 31 July 1873, Page 5

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Monday, July 21.

MISCELLANEOUS. The following motions were carried, with little or no debate : — Block 27, Clyde, to be set apart for municipal purposes ; that the House Committee be empowered to take steps to improve the acoustic properties of the Council Chamber ; that it is advisable that the export duty on gold should be reduced sixpence per ounce ; that a dray road should be surveyed from the Arrow to Cardrona ; that sections 4 to 7 inclusive, block 14, Jacob's river hundred ; sections 15, 16, and 19, block 3, Mataura hundred ; and 51 to 55 inclusive, block 2, Lyndhurat hundred be set apart for lignite reserves ; that the Government be requested to give effect to the recommendations of the Goldfields Committee in re the petition of miners at Manuka Creek. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. The debate was resumed by Mr M'Kenzie, who together with Mr Lusisden, Mr Allan, and Mr Ireland, supported Mr Reid's amendment, Mr M'Lean, Mr Fish, and Mr Roberts supporting the Government resolutions. It was first intimated by Mr Fish, and subsequently by Mr Shand, that the Government intended to make this question a Government one. On Mr Reid's amendment being put, there voted : — Ayes 15 : Messrs Allan, Clark H. (teller), Green, Ireland, Kinross, Lumsden, Menzios, Mollison, Mackellar, M'Kenzie, Reid, Stout, (teller),. Sumpter, Wilson, Wood. Noes 21 : Messrs Bastings, Browne G. F. C, Clarke R., Cumming, Daniel, Davie, De Lautour, Driver, Fish, Haggitt, Hazlett, M'Glashan, M'Lean, Oliver, Roberts, Rodgers, Shand, Teschemaker, Tolmie (teller), Tumbull (teller), Turton. Mr Gillies expressed his regret at the course taken by the Government. Their action was simply holding open a door whereby the General Government could escape from their respdnsibility in connection with the construction of this portion of the main" line. By agreeing to the resolutions, the Council in effect said the Government should be permitted to sell to the pastoral tenants their present holdings to the extent of half a million of acres. The Council should not lose sight of this fact. The pastoral tenants being allowed 2s 6d per acre compensation, would be in a 25 per cent, better position than other purchasers. Let them come into the market on the same terms as other parties, and fair play would be obtained. The remaining part of Mr Reid's amendment was negatived on the voices. On the amendment, given notice of on Friday by Mr Gillies, being moved by Mr Sumpter, The Provincial Secretary explained, in reference to the land in the neighborhood of the Clutha and Mataura railways, that it was not the intention of the Government to sell purely agricultural land. Large portions of the land contiguous to the lines were not agricultural, j There was plenty of mixed pastoral and egri- | cultural land which vras not fit to bring under the deferred payment system, and this might be sold for farms and form a very advantageous field for settlement. Mr Sumpter's amendment was then put and negatived, the voting being — Ayes, 15— Messrs Allan, Clark H., Green, Hazlett, Ireland, Kinross, Lumsden, Menzies, Mackellar, M'Kenzie, M'Neil, Reid (teller), Stout (teller), Sumpter, and Wilson. Noes, 20 — Messrs Bastings, Browne G. F. C, Clark R. (teller), Cumnimg, Daniel, Davie, De Lautour (teller), Fish, Haggitt, M'Glashan, M'Lean, Oliver, Roberts, Rogers, Shand, Teschemaker, Tolmie, Turnbull, Turton, and Webster. The adjournment of the debate was then moved by the Provincial Solicitor and negatived on the voices. The first resolution of the j Government was then put and carried, the voting being — Ayes, 18 — Messrs Bastings (teller), Brown G. F. C, Clarke R., Cumming, Daniel, Davie, Fish, M'Glashan, M'Lean, Eobeits, Rodgers, Shand, Teschmaker, Tolmie, Turnbull (teller), Turton, Webster, and Wood. Noes, 14— Messrs Allan, Clark H., Green, Hazlett (teller), Ireland, Kinross, Lumsden, Menzies, Mackellar (teller), M'Kenzie, M'Neil, Stout, Sumpter, and Wilson. On the second resolution, the voting was — Ayes, 13: Messsrs Bastings, Clarke R., Daniel, Fi»h, M'Lean, Roberts, Rodgers, Shand, Ttschemaker, Tolmie (teller), Turnbull (teller), Turton, and Webster. Noes, 12 : Messrs Allan (teller), Clark H. (teller), Green, Hazlett, Ireland, Kinross, Menzie3. Mackellar, M'Kenzie, M'Neil, Stout, and Wilson. The Provincial Secretary moved the adjournment of the debate until the Committee on Railway Extension to Cromwell reported. Mr. Haggitt explained that he voted with the noes on the Government resolution dealing with the main line, because he considered it utterly unworkable, and if the question had not been made a Government one, he would have been prepared to have brought forward an amendment which would have been workable. In answer to the Hon. Mr Menzies, The Provincial Secretary said the Government had received no intimation of the intention of the General Government to take up land in the Province under the Public Works Act. Mr Lumsden mo^ed— " That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to take such steps as may be necessary to reserve in the several districts throughout the Province quarry and gravel reserves for the purpose of providing for present and future wants in the supply of material for road making and other public purposes." Mr M'Glashan and others urged that quarry reserves should be placed under the control of Road Boards. ' The motion was carried. Mr Olives moved — " Ist. That the General Government be respectfully requested to make arrangements for despatching the Otago portion of the Suez mail to Port Chalmers via the Bluff immediately on its arrival in Melbourne, and for the despatching the outward Otago mails by the same route at the latest practicable time each month. 2nd. .That in the event of the General Government declining to comply with this request, this Council authorises the Executive to enter into a contract to effect the above-mentioned objects." He considered that large interests were affected, that three-fourtht of the correspondence with Europe was with the South Island, and that it was an act of injustice, as Otaco's revenue was paid to enable the North Island to obtain their letters earlier, while Oiago was left without possibility of answering them the same month. Telegrams, however, had been ieccived, intimating that the Government were negotiating such arrangemeats as would meet the case. After gome discussion, the House resolved to take -the resolutions separately. Mr Wood moved the addition that "a respectful address fo* presented to his Honor the Superintendent to forward the resolution to the Colonial Secretary," whiph was sarriei unani- | niously, ; Mr SfOUT suggested that some limit should be placed *n the expense to be incurred. Mr Olivse had no objection. Communication could be had with Canterbury asking them to join, but tfc would .be impolitic to fix an amount, as the firms likely to- enter ■ into the contract would not be content without pushing their demand t° ; the utmost limits defined. Competition with the Northern Provinces would be rendered successful as against the trade of Dunedin, if postal arrangements ware made in their favor, ; and the efforts made in Melbourne' to increase trade with New Zealand rendered ev«rjr necessary .to - enable Dunedin to maintain the supremacy, which had with such difficulty been attained. Two members of Dunedin were in the Executive, but instead of that being an advantage, it seemed to be rather a detriment' to our interests. Mr M'Glasjhan condemned motions remarks asiincalledfor,'and said that the General Government had been much hampered by the Chamber of Commerce, of which the member for Mount Ida was a member, in making successful postal arrangements. Mr Davie proposed, as an amendment, that the sum to be expended should be limited to L 3,000. Mr Kinross asked over what period of time L 3.000 should extend? Mr Wood supported the amendment, and Mr Wilsov, Mr Clarke, and Mr Allen, the resolution as amended. Mr Oliver explained that the Chamber of Cpmmer^fPfea^Jfd Jo djiect youwp that

a former contract with M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co. should take, when at the request of ths Government they withdrew their interference. The motion was carried. CAHDRONA ARBITRATION CASE. Mi'M'Kellar moved— "That a respectful address be presented to the Superintendent, requesting that immediate steps be taken to give effect to the recommendations of the Goldfields Committee in tho matter of the Cardrona arbitration case, as contained in Interim Report No. 1 from the said committee." The Goldfields Secretary said the Government might take steps to set the award aside, but not to pay the amount of awards, which was excessive. It would be a bad precedent, and no funds were available for the purpose. There was no principle involved. Mr Cottar stated he had got an offer for his land and intended to take it if the Government refused to pay the amount. * Mr M'Kellar said what he wished to have settled was that where an agricultural lease was auriferous the lease should be cancelled and compensation given. The amount was fixed by arbitration in the usual way. He believed the award excessive and should be set aside. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. Mr M'Glashan moved " That in the opinion of this Provincial Council, it is desirable that the Constitution of the Legislative Council, be reconstructed, so as to_ make it an elected body instead of a nominated body, as at present." A movement was suggested in the Speech of the Governor printed, tending to this purpose, and it was desirable to strengthen the hands of the General Government in their efforts. It being 5.30, the Speaker left the chair.