PROROGATION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 822, 8 June 1871, Page 3

PROROGATION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

The Council met at twelve o'clock. The Provincial Secretary laid on the table telegrams from Westport, stating that'Mr Blackett could not recommend the expenditure asked for on the river bank, as he doubted whether it would be effectual, while it might cause greater damage on the other side. His Honour was then announced, who read the following speech : Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council,—l congratulate vou upou the large amount of important business which you have transacted in a session of less than ordinary length. On behalf of his Excellency the Governor I have assented to the following Acts: — An Act to repeal the Executive Government Act, 1870, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof. An Act to promote the safety of per. ons travelling on public roads. An Act to amend the Dog Nuisance Act. An Act to repeal an Act for the Management of the Nelson Hospital, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof. An Act to appropriate the revenue of the Province of Nelson for the year ending the thirty-first day of March, 1872. J will endeavour to procure the passin" of measures in the General Assembly providing Courts of Appeal from assessments under the Country Eoads and Town Improvement Acts, authorising the raising of a loan of the sum of £30,000 for the extension of waterworks in the City of Nelson, secured upon the local rates ; and securing the freehold to lessees of Crown lands upon the conditions embodied in vour resolutions. I will also seek the assent of the Genevfl to the following public works, under the provisions of the immigration and Public Works Act, 1870: A railway from the Port of Cobden to the Brunner coal-mine. A railway from the town of Nelson to Foxhill. A railway from the town of Westport to the Mount Rochfort coalfield. The several schemes for water supply recommended by the Provincial Engineer. Proposals shall also be made to the Colonial Government for the construction of lines of telegraph from Greymoutb to the Ahaura, and from Nelson to Motueka upon the usual conditions.

The proposed annexation of the southern portion of the Grey Valley to this Province shall have my earnest attention when the subject is brought under the consideration of the General Assembly, and I shall be guided by the spirit of your resolution in reference to it, so far as circumstances will allow. The promotion of permanent settlement upon the Goldfields is a matter of the deepest interest and concern to all parts of the Province, and I will lose no time in taking such steps, in accordance with your recommendations, as may tend to produce the desired results, in the most speedy and effective manner. I now declare the Council prorogued. CHARLESTON RESERVOIR. The following report on this work has beeu forwarded by Mr Warden Broad to the Nelson Provincial Government : " Charleston, May 16th 1871. I have the honour to report, in reply to telegram of this morning's date, that the Charleston Reservoir (Haines and Co.), now supplies directly and indirectly some 300 miners. The price of water has been materially reduced, and the terms of the agreement between the miners and the proprietors have been complied with as under:— 1. The two creeks which formerly went down the other water shed into the Nile and thus were practically useless to the district, have been directed into the reservoir by means of a dam and race two miles in length, six feet * wide and four feet deep. 2. A lower dam has been built for the purpose of supplying the prior right holders, at a cost of £3OO. 3. From the reservoir itself a large race has been constructed commanding the principal workings, as far as Argyle Terrace, and carrying usually from severteen to twenty heads of water. The fact that a large number of leases have beeu applied for and claims taken up along the course of the race is sufficient evidence of the use it has been so far to the district, and I am Bure that the Government will be amply repaid by the fresh ground taken up, and other ground now made available for working by the increased water supply at a higher level. I calculate the reduction in the price of water to be from £2 10s to £3 per head. The bringing in of two creeks and the construction of two dams, as required by the Government, has cost some £IOOO, and I am sure that both the Government and the public have largely benefited by the entire scheme. WATER SUPPLY FOR SOUTHWEST GOLDFIELDS. The Select Committee of the Provincial Council have reported as follows with re ; ;arci to the extent to which application shall be made for a

portion of the loan for water supply for the Goldfields of the Province, and the character of the works to bo constructed : Your Committee are glad to find that the scarcity of water upon many parts of the Goldfields of the Colony, and the consequent unproductiveness of much ground that would otherwise be profitably worked, has received attention on the part of the Colonial Parliament. Tour Committee have had under review the report of the District Engineer upon the question of water supply for the Ni.-lson South-west Goldfields, and have carefully considered the several sections alluded to in the said report, namely : "Districts requiring for theirsupply large works which can only he undertaken by Government or large companies ; Districts where, as it is alleged, all the easily available streams and drainage areas are at present held by private holders ; and those Districts which it is said, do not at present offer any advantage for the expenditure of public capital, the works required being limited in extent, within the means of parties of miners and small capitalists." Tour Committee have arrived at the conclusion that attention should be primarily directed to those districts which may be said to be comparatively without any permanent water supply, and in doing so have by no means overlooked the possible claims of other districts requiring a water supply, or those districts which, by the praiseworthy, persevering efforts of private persons happen to be more or less supplied with water. With a view, therefore, of making some prompt provision for part of those districts which may be said to be without any adequate or permanent water supply, your Committee have selected the three schemes specially recommended by Dobson, namely, "Napoleon Hill, which, according to the Engineer's Report, will command the districts of Napoleon Hill, Noble's, Duffer's, Half Ounce, Musquito, and Topsy; Nelson Creek, which will command Baxter's Sullivan's, Callaghan's and other ground in that neighbourhood ; and that of Addison's Flat, which will command the workings from Dirty Mary's Plat on the north to the Shamrock Lead, on the south, as the particular works which, in the opinion of your Committee the Council should adopt, and request to be carried out with all convenient speed."

It will be observed that the cost cf the several works has been roughly estimated by the Engineer at £95,000, and it is to that extent your Committee would leeommend application to be made as Nelson's share, for the present, of the loan for water supply. Tour Committee are of opinion that the magnitude and assured importance of the Nelson Goldfields would warrant them in claiming a much larger proportion of the loan than the sum here set down, and it is confidently believed by your Committee that a much greater sum might, both with advantage to the Province and Colony, be devoted to water supply purposes upon the Goldfields of the Province; but it was deemed unadvisable to follow the example of setting up relatively extravagant demands, and preferable to urge the carrying out only of such works as were believed to be of an immediately urgent character, leaving others less pressing for discussion and possible formation at some future period, when it is believed experience will have shown the necessity for extended efforts in the direction of water supply for the Goldfields of the Colony. It was further deemed advisable by your Committee to recommend that the Superintendent should be requested to obtain a detailed survey and reliable estimate of the cost of creating other water supply for the Goldfields of the Province than that which it is proposed should be undertaken by the General Government in accordance with the resolution arrived at by your Committee, who have endorsed the three aforesaid schemes with a view of, at some future sitting of the Council, considering other questions of water supply than those they have now thought fit to recommend for the Council's consideration. The Districts of Collingwood, Salisbury Open, No Town, and the Northern Terraces, it was thought might be considered in some form, if more complete and satisfactory data were but obtained in the interim for the Council's future guidance. In the important Goldfields of Charleston and Brighton, also, in which districts so much has been accomplished by private enterprise, it was thought probable that the supply of water might be improved to some extent, and the price consequently reduced at some future day, if it were found that satisfactory negotiations could be effected with regard to existing private rights, in which event, the whole of the proposed or actually existing chief supply works would be brought within the purview, and under the control of the Government. Tour Committee have the honour to recommend the following resolutions for the consideration of the Council:—- " 1. That in the opinion of this Council, the three schemes for supplying water for miniug purposes, recommended by the Provincial Engineer, would be of ad-

vantage to the Province ; nnd to such extent as funds can be obtained, this Council would desire to see the three plans curried out, and request the Government to cause this to be done. " 2. That the Superintendent be requested to obtain a ('etailed survey and reliable estimate of the cost of creating any other water supplies on the Goldfields of the Province than those undertaken by the General Government in consequence of the previous resolution, such surveys and estimate to be laid before the Council at its next session." George Donne, Chairman.