PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 18, 4 May 1867, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

HIS HONOR’S SPEECH. His Honor the Superintendent opened the Provincial Council on Friday, April 26th. The speech which he made on that occasion was, as has hitherto been the case, of his own composition, and expresses his Executives views on the questions referred to. We intend to give the substance of His Honor’s remarks, as we have not space to do more, but we shall take care that nothing’ material shall he omifted. WITHDRAWAL OF THE TROOPS. Though His Honor does not in the least anticipate that the friendly relations existing between the two races in this Province will he disturbed, he cannot regard the removal of the whole of the Troops without some misgivings as to how the peace of the sister provinces of this island may not he thereby imperilled He considers that the rapid withdrawal of the Troops has revived the dying hopes and courage of the rebels. Had two regiments been allowed to remain in the colony to hold for a year or two longer the important posts which are now being abandoned, a European population would have been placed there sufficently numerous to hold their own ; but as the matter stands there is too much cause'to fear that the rebels will again occupy the conquered country, the settlement of the confiscated lands be thereby prevented, and the enormous sacrifices made by the colony be thereby made in vain. What makes this withdrawal the more to be deprecated is, that while the colony, owing to the mis-management of the Imperial Authorities, is not financially in a position to support an adequate local force, the Troops are hot to be sent home but are to he quartered in the Australian Colonies where they are not required. His Honor‘thinks it will yet be regretted that a Colonial Ministry, by its repeated requests to withdraw the Troops, has offered to the Imperial Government an excuse for conduct which would otherwise be wholly inexplicable and inexcusible. THE MANAWATU PURCHASE. His Honor then refers to the recent purchase of the Manawatu, Rangitikei block, which from its nature, and the magnitude of the interests involved, has been the most laborious one ever undertaken, is, notwithstanding, as complete

and satisfactory a purchase as could have been effected from th'e natives under the peculiar circumstances of the case. He feels that he is entitled to say that in no previous land purchase has so liberal a price been paid, or such ample justice done to all the natives concerned in the transaction; and he hopes the Council will bestow upon Mr. Walter Buller a substantial recognition of his valuable services in these long pending negotiations.

THE SMALL FARMERS AND THE SQUATTERS. His Honor recommends that, as it is certain there is no eligible site on the Manawatu for a Small Farm Settlement, that the town be placed on the Rangitikei, distant about twelve miles from the Rangitikei shipping place, and about thirty from the town of Wanganui. To the seven or eight squatters on the recently purchased block he urges the Council to concede a right of pre-emption over 640 acres, at 20s. per acre. THE PRICE OF LAND. He scarcely expects that the Council will reconsider their decision with regard to raising the price of agricultural land to 20s and pastoral land to 10s per acre ; but he himself is more than ever of opinion that the minimum price should he 10s and 5s respectively. By fixing the minimum thus, they will not be prevented from raising the upset price, in any particular block, to any price they please. By raising the minimum to £l, they will diminish the terriritorial revenue by virtually closing many districts from settlement. The lands at the Upper Moroa and Seventy Mile Bush would he readily taken up at 10s per acre, but he doubts whether any large quantity would be bought at £1 an acre. WAIRARAPA RAILWAY. With regard to this question we quote His Honor’s remarks entire :—“ Some disappointment will probably be expressed that no steps have been taken to carry out the proposed railway to the Wairarapa; but it must he borne in mind, that no provision whatever has been made by the Council for the preliminary expenses —that there was not a particle of evidence to show that the work could be constructed for the sum of £300,000, which was the amount on which the Government was authorised to guarantee interest at the rate of seven per cent, but that on the contrary a quasi offer to undertake the construction of the first eighteen miles only for the sum of £150,000 (coupled with conditions entailing a heavy additional expenditure) was calculated to lead the Government to conclude that the province, before entertaining the proposal, must bo prepared to guarantee the interest not upon £300,000 but on at least double that amount. Few persons acquainted with the districts through which the line would run, with their population and traffic, would be hold enough to affirm that it would pay its working - expenses. Certainly no returns or estimates of revenue which I have yet been able to lay before you, even if you stopped all other works, would atpresent either justify you in offering or any company in accepting the proposed gaurantee. THE TAUIIERENIKAU ROAD. With reference to this most important subject, His Honor remarks; —“ Another proposal, viz, that a new line of road shall be formed over the Rirautaka has been pressed upon me and may possibly be brought before you. When I state that the present road, twelve miles in length, has cost the Province not less than £40,000 —that the time taken by Cobb’s coaches in travelling the twelve miles is only an hour and a-half, that the gradients are so easy that drays carrying four tons are constantly passing over it,l scarcely think that you will consider the necessity for a new road beingestablished, especially when there are still many districts not yet opened up by trunk lines. INDEBTEDNESS OF THE PROVINCE. The permanent and temporary loans of the Province amount in the aggregate to £211,000 entailing an annual provision for interest and sinking fund of £20,320. But this indebtedness is not so formidable as at first sight it appears, as the temporary loans of £86,000 will he almost entirely wiped out in the course of four or five years. In the course of five years the annual charge for the loans of the Province will bo reduced to £12,000. Still, until these temporary loans have been paid, His Honnr thinks wo are not justified in incurring fresh liabilities, PATENT SLIP CONTRACT. With reference to this subject His Honor says that Mr. Carter did not go home as the agent of the Government in this or any other matter, ami that the Contractors were warned that Mr. Carter in no way represented the Government. It is true that Mr. Morrison without any authority appointed Mr. Carter to inspect the materials for the wharf and slip, if the Contractors after the warning giving them, chose to consult Mr, Carter, the Government are not responsible for any advice which lie might give or they accept. The complete accuracy of the information given by Mr. Stewart is not denied, and the contract was taken subject to the data furnished by him being correct. The contract is declared to he entered into upon date furnished by the Government, but which in reality is based upon data materially different from that furnished by it. That the Contractors knew that the bottom of the site I

was not rock is proved by the anxiety they evinced to have it stated that it was, and by the admission made by Mr. Kennard before the executive that he knew when he signed the contract that the bottom was not rock. The Goverument were blamed for not at the time ratifying the contract, but prior to the departure of the first mail, after the receipt of the specification and plans, and before an opportunity occurred for forwarding a ratification, the agent for the Contractors declined to proceed with the undertaking. But even if the agent had not given notice to this effect, it would have been impossible for the Government as there were clauses in the specification opposed to the truth, to ratify the contract.

OFFICIAL REPORTS. The reports of various officers of the Government show that about 25 miles of a track a chain wide, has been cut by falling the bush, and connecting this province, though the Seventy Mile Bush, with that of Hawkes Buy, along which stock has already been driven. In addition, fourteen miles of new road has been formed and metalled by the Government, and upwards of 2(1 by District Boards. The Education report shows that nineteen new School Districts have been proclaimed during the past year. REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. The Customs receipts amounted in 1864 to £47,662, for last year to £29,118. The territoral revenue is estimated at £85,000, and the total receipts from all sources at £135,822. Upon the important subject of proposed expenditure His Honor shall speak for himself:—“ Taking the ordinary expenses of Government at £24,000, and the permanent appropriation for interest and sinking fund at £22,000, you will find in round numbers the following sums placed on the Estimates, for the Land Purchase, and Survey Departments, £12,400 ; for Roads, £29,200. Under the head of Sundry Undertakings, the principal appropriation being for Education, Subsidy for Cobb's Coaches, and expenses of Wharf and Warehouse, £8,000; and under the head of Sundry Works—for Rifle Prizes, £200; for Acclimatisation purposes, £200; Wanganui Bridge, £10,000; purchase of Lands, £2000; Gaol and Lunatic Asylum, £1000; Assisted Immigration, £1500; Reclamation of Land, £10,400 ; Wharf, £8,500 ; Agencies, £1290 ; being a total Estimated Expenditure for the year of £185,600.