PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1076, 30 May 1873, Page 4

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

On the 27th instant Mr O'Conor moved in committee upon the 'Goldfields Districts Bill, that clause No. 22 be struck out, and in lieu thereof the following he substituted : Tho ordinary revenue of the districts under this Act shall consist of the •moneys following, that ; is to say — 1. Pates, not being special rates, tolls levied on roads appointed main roads, or being or continuiug to be main roads under this Act, or any miiher Ordinance in force relating to roads within any country, and all rents of such tolls. 2. Moneys received by the Board under any grant or appropriation by or under or in pursuance of any Act •of the General Assembly of New Zealand, or of any Ordinance -of the Superintendent and Provincial Council •of Nelson not containing any -other -and different provision. 3. All other which the "Board may receive under or in pur?3uanee 'of this Act, not being the jproceeds of loan. 4. Moneys received by way of . subscription or voluutary donation, subscribed for some -specified road, bridge, or other work, in which -case such moneys shall he applied to - such road, hridge, or other work only. 5. All the land revenue raised or •derived within the limits of such district as defined by the schedule hereunto annexed,and all other revenues received or derived from any source within such limits, and forming the revenue of the Province, together with such proportionate share of Ihe consolidated revenue payable to the Province of Nelson under the provisions of any Act for the time being in force specifying the share of such revenue payable to the provinces as may be payable from time to itime. Provided always that all the revenues and moneys mentioned in this sub- > section shall be liable to such deductions as may from time to time be : properly chargeable against the district for the maintenance of the • Provincial Government within the . limits thereof; together with -such share of the general expenditure of the Provincial Government as may he fixed from time to time by the Superintendent, with the advice and consent of the Provincial Council.

G. Any grant or grants in aid allowed to or granted to the district by the General Government of the Colony, and all sueh -moneys, snail be carried to the account of a fund to be called the 'Goldfields Districts Fund, and such fund shall be applied by the Board towards the payment of all expenses necessarily incurred in the carrying this Act into execution, and of doing and performing all acts and .things which the said Board are or shall be by this Act, or by any other Ac!", empowered ! or required to do or j «rform. May 58. / Mr O'Conor to -move, That the increasing demands upon the revenue for Public Works and other purposes, render it desirable that theedueational establishment of this Province should be placed upon -a basis more nearly appi'oaching the -self-supporting and self-reliant principle, either by increasing the returns under the bead of Education Hate, or by some other means; and that the following be a ■ committee to inquire aud report upon "the subject of the foregoing resolution —the Speaker, the Provincial Secretary, Mr Wastney, Mr Shephard, Mr Guinness, Mrlvess, and the mover. The following motions referring to "Westport and the South-west Goldfields have been carried : BULLEIi, TOWING TBACK. The Provincial Secretary moved, " That it is expedient in order to relieve the public from .the.payment of tolls, that the towing track between "Westport and the Inangahua should be purchased from the company by whom it was constructed, upon the terms provided in the protection which was granted to the company, namely, by payment of the actual cost of the -works with ten per cent, added; the payment to be made in hind at the prices assessed by the AVaste Lands Board." Mr Macmabon proposed a Select > Committee to consider the question, ■which was agreed to, the <Committee i being selected by ballot. jdbax boads. The vProvincial Secretary 'moved, ' " That, this Council, vit is expedient that >the whole of the 'funds available.under the 43rd section . of the Immigration and Public Works Act, 1572, ifor expenditure-within the .'Soutlwwest'Goldfields, during the year -ending dune 30,11874, should be devoted to the formation of dray roads between the Lyell and the Matakitaki, and between the Inangahua aud the Lyell." Put aud passed. UOAZA.WIUU COALMINE AND BAILWAY. The Provincial Secretary moved, '"That, in the opinion of this Council, this late discoveries of coal, of high quality, and in large quantities,, at the jNgakawhau and at the Wnimangarca render the construction of a railway, suitable for coal tratlic from the Ngakawhau to Wi-stport, a matter of urgcut importance; and flic trusts that the colonial Government will proceed with the work without ■delay, uuder the authority of the Railways Act, 1571, from the funds therein appropriated lor the Mount Hochfort Coal Kailway." Put and passed.

MOUNT ROCIIFORT COALFIETJ). Mr O'Conor mover], " That his Honor the Superintendent he respectfully requested to lay upon the table of this Council Copies of all documents relativo to the Mount Eochfort Coalfields, which may he in possession of the Provincial Government or the Waste Lands Board." Seconded by Mr Peid, and carried. Mr O'Conor also asked the House, without notice to grant a Select Committee to consider and report upon all leases and licenses applied for or granted for any part of the Mount Eochfort Coalfield, such Committee to consist of Messrs Gibbs, Burn, Ivess, Pinkerton, A. Adams, Peid, and the mover. WESTPORT LAND Mr Eeid moved, "That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the report of the Commissioner by whom claims of owners of property at Westport were .adjusted ; to recommend to the Council any further steps that may be necessary for the adjustment of similar claims ; and to enquire and report as to the occupation and ownership of the colliery and other reserves included within the municipal boundaries at Westport; such Committee to consist of the Speaker, Messrs Shephard, Macmahon, Tarrant, Guinness, O'Conor and the mover." Carried. APPORTIONMENT OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. Mr Guinness moved, " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that the Council should be furnished with a statement showing what amount of revenue is collected in the settled districts and in the South-west Goldfields respectively,; also, a statement showing the actual amounts proposed to be paid said districts, and apportioning the departmental charges to each separately." Carried. TELEGRAPH TO TEE LYELL. Mr Shephard moved, " That his Honor the Superintendent he requested to make arrangements with the General Government for an extension of the line of telegraph from Nelson to the Lyell." Mr Eeid seconded the motion. The Provincial Secretary moved, as an amendment, "That is desirable that the line of telegraph be extended from the Lyell direct to Nelson." Seconded by Mr Tarrant. Amendment adopted. FIRE ENGINE FOR REEFTON. Mr Ivess moved, " That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to requested to place the sum of £IOO on the Supplementary Estimates, for the purpose of assisting the inhabitants of Eeefton in purchasing a fire engine, for the protection of property in that town." Seconded by Mr O'Conor, and agreed to. ROAD AT THE LTELL. Mr O'Conor moved, " That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the Supplementary Estimates the sum of £IOO for the construction of a road from the landing at the Lyell to the township." Carried. MEMORIALS FROM BULLER AND L'PPER MOTUEKA. Mr Shepherd moved, "That the memorials of the inhabitants of the Upper Suller and Upper Motueka be referred to the Petition Committee for consideration." Agreed to. DISSATISFACTION ON THE OOLDFIELDS. Mr Burn moved, " That, in view of the general dissatisfaction which exists on the South-west Goldfields as regards the disparity of representation in this Council, a Select Committee be appointed to enquire and report upon the means to remedy the same; such committee 'to consist of the Speaker, tho Provincial Secretary, Messrs Donne, Guiuuess, Eeid, Shepherd, and the mover." 'Carried. THE CASE OF J. A. MAGUIRE. Mr Gibbs, the Chairman of the Petitions Committee, brought up the report of that body on the petition of J. A. Maguire, late keeper of the Westport Gaol, who had been dismissed by the Government. The report stated that it was the opinion of the Committee that Mr Maguire had been too harshly dealt with ; that although be might have been a little lax in discipline, he had not been guilty of gross misconduct; aDd that he ought to here-instated in the public service. 'REUBEN WAITE'S CASE. Mr Eeid presented a petition, signed by two hundred inhabitants of Charleston and Westport, in favor of Mr Waite's claim. Petition received. DRAT ROAD TO THE AHAURA. Mr Guinness moved, "That his Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to placo the sum of £IOOO on the estimates for the construction of a dray road from Hatter's, Terrace, Nelson Creek, to tho main i-oad to Ahaura." Secouded by Mr Pinkerton. Put and passed. TRACK AT TDZE MOKIHINUI. Mr O'Conor moved, " That his Honor the Superintendent bo requested to placo the sum of £2OOO upon tho Estimates for the formation of a track >up tho river Mokihinui to the Lrell." Carried. CONTRACTORS' SECURITIES. Mr Guinness moved, " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that all persons whose tenders for any public work have been accepted, should find security for the due performance of the work." Carried.