OPENING OP THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 341, 26 October 1866, Page 2

OPENING OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SPEECH.

(AB RIDGED FROM THE LYTTEI/TON TIMES.)

The first session of the new Provincial Council was opened at 2 p.m., on Friday, the 19th instant. The following members were present : — Messrs Barff, Beswick, Blown, 13. Buchanan, 11. Buchanan, Buckley, Davis, Delemain, Dixon, Duncan, Garrick, Gray, Hall, Harijreaves, Hoos, Hornhrook, Johnstone, Jollie, Knight, Mallock, Maskell, Maude, Montgomery, Moore, Murray-Aynsley, Ormsby, Potts, Rhodes, Sheuth, Stericker, Stewart, Tancred, Thomson, Waeckerlie, Walker, Whall, J. S. Williams, Wynn Williams, W. "Wilson, and Wylde. Mr Tancred was elected Speaker, on the motion of Mr Stewart, seconded by Mr Beswick. Prayers were then said by the Very Rev. the Chaplain. At 2.30 p.m., his Honor the Superintendent was announced, and shortly afterwards entered the House, accompanied by hy the Members of the Executive. His Honor was received with the usual formalities. Having desired the members to be seated, his Honor read the following :—: — ♦ SPEECH "Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council — "I regret that unavoidable circumstances have postponed your meeting to an inconvenient season of the year. , " The General Assembly was in session before the provincial elections were completed, and it appeared to me advisable to delay calling you together, until after the rising of the colonial Parliament. " The Council has derived from the late proceedings of the Assembly an instructive experience preliminary to its own labors, and it is now able to measure with some accuracy its financial resources for the year ending June, 1867. " The matters I have to lay before you this session, so far as I am at present advised, will embrace no .novel propositions. I shall only request your attention to very few legislative measures beyond the granting of ordinary supplies, intending, shortly to summon you to a more protracted session, prompt administrative action being at this season very mVch called for in various outlying portions of the province, particularly, on the goldfields. On this, among other grounds, I am very desirous that the present should be as brief a session as is consistent with a deliberate consideration' of energetic business. "It will be necessary to^agree upon resolutions suggesting amendments by the Geuel-al Assembly of the waste lands regulations in the matter of pre-emptive rights, and in some other less important particulars. " You will be requested to pass an Ordinance enabling the Provincial Government, to relieve the road boards of the management of main trunk roads. '• The Fencing Ordinance has been found to work imperfectly, and requires remodelling. And I shall request jour sanction to a few other measures of general interest, although of comparatively minor importance. " During the session I trust to receive .your sanction for the erection of bridge^ over the Hurunui and Waitangi ; one half U\a cost in eaeli case being offered by the adjoining provinces. Government is also contemplating the erection of bridges over some other of the larger and more dangerous .rivers intersecting the southern plains, and probablyi you will be asked, on an early day, to authorise their construction. " With considerable reason the settlers of the south have complained, dnring-some years .past, of inattention to their demands for public works. I believe you will concur in the propriety of at once, and in future, awarding jjo the Timaru district a full proportion of the public revenues. With your assent it is proposed to band over to the Municipal Council of Timaru the steam landing service and warehouses, with all tlie boats, gear, and appliances. " The presence in the Council of an increased number of representatives from the goldfields is justly a subject for general congratulation, as being evidence of the serious desire of our fellow subjects on the West 00-ist to contribute their valuable assistance towards the, Government of this province, and 1 to become permanently identified with all its fortunes. " There will be laid before you a pi in Ibr enabling the settlers in Wijstland to become purchasers of rural lands, and also regulations for the sale of lands within the limits of the towns in that district. " I shall request you to confer upon nic powers to expend considerable sums of money in opening up the amazing resources of Westland, by means of various public works tin oughout the districts > " Among other measures, I shall invite your concurrence in a bill for leasing the coalfields at the Grey to a public company, under conditions calculated to ensure large commercial benefits fo the province. " During the recess, an extension of the Western telegraph from Hokitika to Greymouth has been completed at a moderate cost, and I purpose taking authority for some very desirable extension in a southerly direction. " With regard to the condition of the province generally, I am hopeful that, with your assistance, Government will succeed in meeting nil its present engagements, and completing all those works which have been commenced. But at the same time it cannot be concealed that the extraordinary drain upon our resources in favor of the Northern Island lias during • the last few years very materially affected oiir powers of sustaining large public expenditure in reproductive works. " Under these circumstances, i* will be imperatively necessary to exercise the most watchful precaution 1 against incurring financial embarrassments, and at the same time employ ourselves in .preparing plans for a more rapid progress, when the southern provinces have recovered from the comparatives prostration into which they have been 5 thrown by their misalliance with the Northern Island. ' " I may be permitted to express a confident hope, that by some fitting measure of the General Legislature, the Middle Island will speedily be relieved from a pressure, which is not only unnecessary but unendurable. " Recent events in llawke's Bay, added to a dozen parallel facts, prove very conclusively that the Provincial i Governments of the Northern Island, if let alone, and relieved from the pressure of Southern interference in native ailiiirs, are, with their own resources, capable of reducing the native population to a condition of usefulness and contented subjection to law and order. And, although somewhat late in the day, the leading men m the colony are beginning to confess that the interference of Southern statesmen in native matters is, and has been, a most fruitful causjß of embarrassment and expenso to the North Island, while it has resulted in un enormous injury to the Southern Island. In the certainty that henceforward the people of the Middle Island will not make any further sacrifices ,of their means to sustain the expenses of meddling in matters naturally the business of the Northern Island; and iurthrv, taking into consideration the rapid increase of our population and commerce, we are quite warranted in looking for a speedy restoration to that healthful flnanoiaj condition formerly enjoyed by theprovinoe.

" It is the intention of Government to ask you to sanction, the continued immigration of single women only. " The anticipations of engineers who have, at various times, reported upon the River Waimakariri, have been verified during tho reecnt freshets. I shall cause a report of the state of the river, and an estimate of tho expenses of protective works, to be laid before you shortly. " I shall have the gratification of forwarding, for* your information, copious reports of the scientific labors of the Provincial Geologist (Dr. Haast), which reports are to be accompanied by elaborate maps and illustrations.

" The tunnel of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway is progressing favorably, only about 245 yards of the centre remaining to be executed.

" I am advised ghat the lino from Lyttelton to the Selwyn will be ready for traffic witlu'n nine months from this date.

" As .you are aware, the railway is now working regularly between Ferrymead and Rolleston, a distance of about nine miles, it will bo necessary to take steps for providing wharfage to serve shipping in connection with the railway immediately. " You will be glad to learn that my Government is in the enjoyment of a most cordial understanding with the adjoining provinces of Nelson and Otago, a condition of things highly conducive to the advancement of the colony, and which I shall take every care to preserve ; henceforth, let us hope that unprofitable jealousies will be displaced by a mutual, desire to co-operate in the real work of colonisation.

" The public will join me in deeply regretting that our«old and faithful friend, Mr Selfe, after a long course of gratuitous services to the colony as it agent in London, has found it necessary to forward his resignation. The province, I trust, notwithstanding that Mr Selfe has to a great extent discontinued his official relations with us, will, at the same time, retain a most grateful recollection of Mr' Selfe's labors, and enjoy the advantage of his continued friendship. " Gentlemen, I am confident that the very pleasant relations that have always subsisted between the Superintendent and Provincial Council of Canterbury will be continued in these times. " I trust that it may be my privilege to see our united labors attended by profitable results. " I now declare this Council open for the transaction of business. " William Sefton Moorhouse, " Superintendent."

His Honor having retired, the report of the Acting Provincial Auditor was read, and ordered to be printed. .Mr Stewart moved that the Standing Orders of the previous Council should be adopted by the present one. Mr Garrick seconded the motion, which, having been put to the House, was carried. Mr Stewart laid upon the table of the House the following papers :—: — 1. Report on the head-quarters of the river Wiiimakariri by the Provincial Geologist. 2. Correspondence with the Domain Board respecting the management of Hagley Park. 3. Correspondence respecting Messrs Holies and Co.'s claim for payment in respect of additional embankment connecting the railway with wharves nnder construction at Lyttelfon. 4. Return of progress of tunnel of Lyttelton and Christchurch railway from Nov. 1, 1865, to Sept. 29, 1866. 5. Correspondence. relative to expenditure of £500 voted by Council for protection of Kaiapoi. 6. Return of public works paid for in land during the year ended June 30, 1866, and contracts then out-standing and since paid for in land. 7. Correspondence respecting completion of J the works on tlie north Rakaia route. 8. Correspondence in construction of water race from the Wareora to Timaru. 9. Reports and correspondence relative to damage done to property on Kaiapoi Island by floods of Christmas, 1865. 10. Correspondence relative to Mr W. Wilson's claim to compensation. 11. Statement of Forgan and Son's contract for erection of new Council Chamber and Refreshment Rooms. 12. Report by J. Rochfort, Esq., on Government Buildings and works on the West Coast, with statement of present means and prices of conveyance of provisions to the various diggings. 13. Monthly reports of the Chief Surveyor of land sold or granted, but unsurveyed, during year ending June 30^ 1866. 14. Monthly reports of the Chief Surveyor of arrears of Crown Grants. 15. Report of the Resident Engineer upon progress and state of works on the Great Southern Railway. 16. Report by the Chief Surveyor on progress of surveys during the year endine June 30, 1866. 17. Returns of land sold and granted during the year ending June 30, 1866. 18. Return of arrivals and departures in port of Lyttelton, for year ending June 30, 1866. 19. Gazettes containing proclamations by his Honor the Superintendent under the Diseased Cattle Act, 1861. 20. Report of the Chief Inspector of Sheep on the state of the flocks in Canterbury for year ending June 30, 1866. 21. Return of fines received in Resident Magistrate's Court under the Sheep Ordinance for year eAding June 30, 1866. 22. Return of sheep over six months of age in province on January 1, 1866. 23. Letters from J.Marshman, Esq., to the Provincial Secretary, from September 26, 1865, to August 1, 1866. 24. Letters from Provincial Secretary to J. Marshman, Eaq , from March 15 to October 17, 1866. 25. Letter from H. Selfe Selfe, Esq., to his Honor tho Superintendent from January 25 to June 26, 1866. 26. Letters from his Honor the Superintendent to H. Selfe Selfe, Esq., from March 15 to September 5, 1866. Notices of motion were given, and the House adjourned until Tuesday next, at 5 p.m.