NELSON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 656, 10 May 1870, Page 2

NELSON.

PEOCEEDINGS IN THE PEOVINCIAL COUNCIL. (from our OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ' Saturday, May 7. Had it not been that I was deluded into the belief, patronised by the hope, that the steamer Murray was detained in consequence of her receiving a new mast, I should have forwarded you notes of Tuesday's proceedings on the day she sailed; but. it is really a sort of set-off to this disappointment to know that at Nelson steamers do oc casionally sail punctually, and for any neglect you will probably forgive me. On Tuesday evening the Councillors warmed to their work more than they had done previously, and an addition was made to their numbers by the presence of Mr Donne. His presence was and is valuable, because years' experience in Council work, and a cultivated fondness for it, have combined to educate him on points of order and the methods of procedure; and to novices and dullards, among the former of whom your other West Coast members are included, his example or precept is of considerable utility. His example is especially admirable. Just fancy him threatening that he would sit out a session of six months, and contribute his honorarium from his own personal revenue, rather than see any business " shunted," as he expected might be done by one of Mr Wastuey's motions, limiting the time for the appointment of Select Committees. On this evening, Mr Donne iiave notice of several questions and motions which are of importance, and which will be noticed, commensurate with their importance, when they have been dealt with. One of these is the question of Executive responsibility — a question which will probably run parallel in the discussions with that of a motion of no confidence in the existing Executive.

LYELL ROAD, BULLEB PUNT, AND ORAWAITI BRIDGE. Mr Eeid had three questions on the notice paper, aud he asked them of the Provincial Secretary, in globo, or as three separate questions rolled into one. In the published form of a telegram sent you, aud which you misread, they were called motions, but they were questions merely. They were : Ist. Whether the Government contemplates including in the Estimates a sum sufficient for the construction of a track along the populated part of the Lyell Creek.

2nd. Whether the Government is prepared to offer any special inducement to persons who may undertake the bridging of the Buller at the conflux of the Lyell, or who may place a punt upon the river in a suitable situation in that neighborhood.

3rd. Whether the Government proposes to purchase, according to the terms of the contract with the proprietor, the bridge erected by Mr Thomas Jones across the Orawaiti river.

The Provincial Secretary, in reply to these questions, said the Government had already given instructions for a track to be made along the Lyell. It would be one of the first works undertaken in the Buller district. With regard to the second question, the Government preferred carrying out the Provincial Engineer's proposal of having a punt over the river to granting protection for a bridge, there being many objections to such protection. The Government did not purpose to purchase the Orawaiti bridge. The purchase money would require to be taken out of the money for the Buiier district, and it was required for objects more important.

Mr Eeid had received at the Lyell a petition on the subject of a road to the reef, to be presented to Mr Kynnersley, or the Council, and this he intimated to the Provincial Secretary, but it was not considered necessary that it should be presented.

LICENSING ORDINANCE. —MOUNT BOCHFORT COAL. —HAWK'S CRAG. Mr O'Conor proposed three motions, which were agreed to : Ist. That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report upon the working of the Licensing Ordinance upon the Goldfields • such committee to consist of the Provincial Secretary, Mr Luckie, Mr Donne, Mr Maekley, Mr Gibbs, and the mover.

2nd. That a Select Committee be appointed, with power to call for persons or papers, to report as to the most practicable means of developing the Mount Euchfort Coalmine ; si.ch committee to consist of the Speaker, the Provincial Secretary, Mr Wastney, Mr Gibbs, Mr Eeid, and the mover. 3rd. That his Honor the Superintendent bo requested to furnish this Council with copies of all papers in connection with the Hawk's Crag contract.

With regard to the Licensing Ordinance, he said his reason for the motion was that the public were dissatisfied with the Ordinance. Even persons who held licenses under it complained. It had been condemned also in official representations. Seeing that they derived a large revenue from the Licensed Victuallers and others on the Coast, it should be put on an equitable footing, and he hoped such would be the issue of the inquiry. As to the Mount Eochfort coalfield, there had been committees on coalfields generally, but a specific inquiry was preferable] and might result in a practicable scheme. He desired the Hawk's Crag figures, because there had been considerable expenditure, and apparently an inefficient discharge of the contracts.

The reply to His Honor's address was adopted without debate, any contemplated attack upon the . Government being then latent, and there were some other motions, more relating to the conduct of business, in which all

your West Coast members found themselves on their legs, perhaps, oftener than their native modesty anticipated. Messages were received from the Superintendent enclosing the Estimates for the ensuing year, a comparative statement of excess of vote over expenditure, &c, and an abstract of receipts and disbursements. The message that a reduction was proposed in the departmental expenditure of £3423 as compared with that of last year. Correspondence relating to the West Coast Bailway, was also laid on the table. I send you copies of all. On Wednesday evening Mr Eranklyn arrived by the Kennedy, and was present in the Hall, but did not take his seat until Thursday. EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. GOLD-

FIELDS WATER SUPPLY. Mr Donne almost monopolised the notice paper on the former evening with questions and motions. He asked if it was the intention of the Government to introduce an amended Goldfields Licensing Ordinance, and was told " No " —that the subject was under the consideration of a Select Committee of the Council (Mr M'Conor's committee) and that the Grovernment had no intention of amending the Ordinance, unless it were the expressed wish of the Council. He asked if the Government intended to bring in a Bill for the ameudment of the Executive Ordinance with a view to introduce the element of responsibility, aud received a similarly brief negative answer. He asked' if the Government intended to submit a scheme for providing a permanent water supply on the Goldfields, and he was referred by the Provincial Secretary, to the Superintendent's speech, which was again equivalent to saying " No." Of course you are aware that questions are usually put out of courtesy to Government, or to elicit information, before motions are introduced, and of such motions notice was subsequently given by Mr Donne. Of the motions carried on Mr Donne's proposition the first was a request to the Superintendent to furnish details of all expenditure on the South-west Goldfields. His object, he said, was to be enabled to understand, and for the Council to understand, how and where the money was expended. On the comparative statement appeared large sums laid out on works on the South-west Goldfields, such as Buller Valley roads £4052, Grey Valley roads £2368, coast roads £1579, branch roads to new diggings £1149, streets and local improvements, £423, harbors and signal station £233, and repairs and fittings for building £1413. Then there was the Brunner Coalmine £GoS2,jor this subject information regarding the outlay was very much wanted. He objected to this lumping of large sums, for it made it difficult to discover where the money had been spent aud on what. There was mention of coast roads in addition to the Grey and Buller Valley roads ; where were these coast roads ? Then there were branch roads to new diggings ; where were the new diggings ? On Mr Donne's proposition, it was also agreed to aopoint a Select Committee to consider a petition of Mr John Behan, for compeasation for interference with the privileges attached to a tramway at Charleston. As this committee the Provincial Secretary, the Speaker, and Messrs Shepherd, O'Conor, lipid, and the mover were proposed, and the names of Messrs Tarrant, M'Mahon, and Baigent were added. Another motion of Mr Donne's was that the Council should go into Committee of the whole Council to consider a new set of standing orders which had been compiled in former sessions by a select committee consisting of himself, Mr Home, and others and the Speaker. This was done, and the work occupied several hours for two sittings. It was dry work, no doubt, but afforded an excellent opportunity of educating the younger members in the technicalities of business. Matters are managed in a more free and easy way in committee, and there were some trifling interludes to the dry routine. One clause was that "no member shall be interrupted while upon his legs." A would-be facetious member from your part objected to this, as excluding from the' Council gentlemen who, while otherwise eligible members, might be the unfortunate possessors of only one or be altogether without legs, as had been the case with a highly accomplished member of the House of Commons. He made other and equally execrable displays of his weak wit. Mr O'Conor succeeded in getting it agreed to, as part of these standing orders, that the sitting days should be absolutely, instead of contingently, fixed as five per week instead of four; and for the sake of young bachelor members who , have no theatre to go to in the evening, and have no relish for hearing the Bishop on " hot springs " or " light-houses," that the rule will soon become absolute for this session. As yet the best alternative they have had is the Carandiuis, whom they last nigh "patronised."