NELSON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 244, 13 May 1868, Page 2

NELSON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

We extract from the reports in the Nelson papers such abridged items of the Council's proceedings as are of special interest to residents on the Coast. MONDAY MAT 5. WEST COAST RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. Wastney, seconded by Mr Bentley, it was resolved, " That a Select Committee be appointed to take into consideration Mr Wrigg's report on the best line for a l-ailway from Nelsou to Cobden and Westport; such committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr Pitt, Mr Donne, the Provincial Secretary, Mr P. Kelling, Mr M'Mahou, Mr Akersten, Mr Parker, Mr Beitt, and the mover, with power to call for persons and papers." MR KYNXERSLEY/'s CORRESPONDENCE. The following motion, standing in Mr Beitt's name, was the next called for:—"That copies of all corresponbetween the Provincial Government and Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, from Ist January, 1868, to 31st March 1868, be laid upon the table of the Council." The motion, on a division, was carried. REDUCTION OE EXPENDITURE. Mr Gibbs moved, "That a Select Committee be appointed to consider whether any and what reductions can be made in the expenditure (departmental or otherwise) in the Government of this province, with power to call for persons and papers ; such committee to consist of Mr Wastney, Mr Parker, Mr E. Kelling, Mr Kingdon, Mr Sparrow, Mr Donne, Mr White, Mr M'Mahou, the Provincial Secretary, and the mover." In support of the motion, he stated that the police supervision of the West Coast cost £2 17s. per head of the population, and in Nelson 16s. 6d.

Mr Donne opposed the motion. He thought the object sought to be attained, by the mover would not be so attained by the present motion. He suggested that a Commission should be appointed, to enqnire into and recommend retrenebment. He believed same £7OOO mightbe saved in departments alone. He mightinstance the act of some individuals occupying subordinate positions in the Government service who were in receipt of their thousand pounds per annum from all sources, as also of the sums of money that had been literally wasted upon the public roads, for want of proper skill in their construction. In this respect he believed that £53,000 at least had been almost thrown away upon the Goldfields, which expenditure would be found to be of little permanent utility to the province. The motion was carried on a division, the whole of the West Coast menv bers, viz., Messrs Smith, Bentley, Home, Donne, and Dreyer, opposing it as useless.

Wednesday, May G. Mr Bentley presented a petition from Mr It. Waite, with reference to

the loss caused to him by the delay ou the part of the Government to permit him to select land at Waite's Pakihis.

The Provincial Secretary laid on the tahle a letter addressed hy the Government to Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, with reference to the late disturbance at Addison's Flat. [This letter appears in another portion of our paper.] On the motion of Mr Donne, seconded hy Mr Smith, this letter was ordered to bo printed. THE BBUNNEB COAL MINE. Message No. 2 was received from his Honor the Superintendent, transmitting copies of all correspoudeuce between the Government and the late lessees of the Bruuner coal mine. WEST COxVST BAILWAY. Mr Donne asked the Provincial Solicitor, " Whether it is the intention of the Government to bring in a Railway Bill during the present session ?" The Provincial Solicitor said the Government had no intention to do so in the present session. PUBLIC WHABVES BILL. The Provincial Solicitor moved, and Mr Pitt seconded, the second reading of the Public Wharves Bill. Mr Home objected to the bill, because it gave to the Government power to let the wharves without calling for public tenders. He thought each party should be allowed to tender, and that these tenders should be sent to some public board sitting publicly. Mr Burns would support the second reading of the bill, because the Provincial Solicitor had said he did not object to insert a clause in it to provide that the public wharves should be let by public auction.

Mr Donne objected to the whole bill.

In reply to Mr Home, the Provincial Solicitor said he thought it unnecessary to appoint a board for the letting of wharves, the better plan being, he thought, the letting them by auction. The Council divided upon the question, and it was then found that the only dissentient to the motion was Mr Dreyer. GOLDEIELDS LlCEtfSrtfQ BILL. The Provineial Solicitor moved, and Mr Bentley seconded, the second reading of the Goldfields Licensing Bill.— Carried. WHARF AT WESTPORT. Mr Dreyer asked the Provincial Secretary, " On what conditions Mr Beauehamp was granted permission to erect a wharf at Westport ?" The Provincial Secretary laid the conditions on the table. COAL RESERVE AT WESTPORT. Mr Bentley moved, and Mr Pitt seconded " That the petition from the occupiers of the Coal Reserve at Westport, be referred to the Petition Committee." Mr Gibbs moved as an amendment, that it be referred to a Select ComCommittee, to consist of Messrs Bentley, Home, Parker, Kingdon, the Provincial Secretary, and the Speaker. The Provincial Secretary seconded the amendment pro forma, in order that he might explain his objections thereto, which was that the Government did not intend to bring in a bill on the subject. On the motion of Mr Dreyer the petition was again read. The Provincial Solicitor said the petitioners asked the Council not to consent to any proposition to let certain property, known as the Buller Coal Reserve; now there was no such proposition before the Council, not did the Government intend making any such; how then could any benefit be derived either by the petitioners or the Council, from the reception of the petition ?

Mr Gibbs' amendment beinsj put, a division was called for, and was rejected.

The original motion wss then put, and on a division it was lost.

la Committee the Council considered the Wharves Bill and the G-oldfields Licensing Bill. In was provided that public wharves should be leased by public auction in the district where they were situated. The last provision was on the motion of Mr J. V. Smith. The Committee then considered the G-oldfields Licensing Bill. In Clause 2, Mr Donne proposed to strike out the words "wholesale licenses," and this, on a division, was carried, Ayes 8, Noes 6. This amendment has the effect of relieving wholesale spirit dealers from any license fee. The next clause, on being read, had inference to the imposition of a wholesale license fee. On the clause being read the Council was much more numerously attended. The Provincial Solicitor said he must again press the question, because it was required by the magistrates on the West Coast that wholesale dealers in spirits should be licensed, in order to give the magistrates control over many houses which undoubtedly sold

liquor in small quantities, yet professed to sell only as wholesale dealers. Tho clause was, on a division, struck out. Mr Donne moved to insert words which would restrict the retail dealer from selling any quantity exceeding two gallons of spirits. Mr Smith : I cannot understand Avhat my honorable colleague intends to achieve as a public benefit by such a motion as he has made. (Jan he be serious in wishing to charge a man some £3O a-year, and restrict him not to sell two gallons of spirits, while he Avould let the wholesale dealer, for no paj'ment, sell thirty or forty gallons at a time ? Mr Donne : "Well. I think there is some force in that. (Laughter). Thursday May 7. government wharf at westport. On the motion of Mr Dreyer, it was resolved u That his Honour, the Superintendent be requested to furnish this Council with copies of all 'oorespondence between the Provincial Government and Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, and also between the Provincial Government and Mr Sloane, overseer of works at "Westport, relating to the Government wharf at Westport." A return in reference to the Kara-

snea tracks was agreed to. Later in the proceedings— On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, seconded by Mr Simmonds, and on a division, in which Mr Donne was the oniy dissentient, it was resolved, " That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the claim of Mr Dreyer, to be paid for certain losses which he alleges he has sustained in consequence ■of the Government having taken possession of a wharf erected by him at such Committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr Pitt, Mr Home, Mr Burn Mr Smith, Mr M'Mahon, Mr Parker, and the mover." A petition of Mr J. It. Frazer in reference to the Coalmine at the Grey was referred back to the petitioner, in order ■that it might be crouched in more respectful language.

Friday May 8Mr Bentley moved, " That the petition of Mr Reuben "VVaite be referred to a Select Committee, consisting of Mr Pitt, Mr White, Mr Burn, Mr Smith Mr Parker, the Provincial, and the mover.

Mr Simmonds seconded the motion, •which was agreed to.

•CORRESPONDENCE WITH MR COMMISSIONER KYNNERSLET. On the motion of Mr Donne, the Council went into committee to take ■into consideration the Superintendent's Message, No. 3. This message was sent in reply to a resolution of the Council requesting the Superintendent to furnish the 'Council with copies of all the correspondence between the Government and Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, from Ist January to 31st March last. Mr Donne (■ aid he had prepared a motion on this subject, as he considered that the Superintendent's message was actually a refusal of the correspondence. ("No, no.") He said in the message that much of the cor-, respondence is of a private nature, and a considerable part is of a character which it would be highly injurious to the public service to publish. He did not wish to embarrass the Government or injure the public service, and therefore he had framed a motion which he thought would meet the case. He then read a motion proposing that a committee, consisting of the Speaker, Mr Parker, and the mover, should be appointed to inspect the correspondence and report to the Council. The Provincial Secretary objected to the motion; in the first place, because the Superintendent had not refused the correspondence, only pointed out that it would be insxpedient to publish it. Mr Simmonds would oppose the motion, the correspondence might include matters about dealing with bad characters, most probably something regarding the Fenian movement which it would not be politic to publish. (Hear, hear.) Mr Pitt thought Mr Donne seemed desirous of bringing the Council into collision with the Superintendent. Mr Home also opposed the motion. He thought the motion highly mischievous and unnecessary. After a tolerably long debate, a motion by Mr M'Mahon " That the correspondence be not asked for," was carried.

Mr J. V. Smith voted in favor of this [motion, Mr Donne against it ; Messrs Dreyer, Home, and Bentley declined to vote.

The Council then adjourned till Tuesday (yesterday).