PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XIX, Issue 2807, 1 May 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tuesday, April 30, 1872. The Speaker took the chair at five o'clock. PAPERS. The Provincial Secretary laid several papers on the table. POLICE. Mr Maskell said he wished to ask a question without notice, with reference to the police question. He said it had been I understood by the deputation which waited on the Government during the recess, that as the Council was to meet on the 26th April, and the proposed reduction was not to take place till Ist May, the Council would therefore have an opportunity of expressing its opinion before the reduction took place. He wished to ask the Gooernment whether there was to be a chance of. that being done. The Provincial Secretary—l should have liked if the hon. member had given notice of the question. Of course the Government will give an opportunity to hon. members to express an opinion on the matter. Mr Maskell—The hon. gentleman has misunderstood mc. Of course I can give notice ; but if I do so, the question will have been discussed too late, as next day is May Ist, when the reduction takes place. I want to know whether it is the intention of the Government to bring the matter before this CouncilThe Provincial Secretary : If the hon. member puts an explicit question like that, I must ask him to be good enough to give notice. • RETURN OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION. Hon. Colonel Brett asked the Provincial Secretary " whether he has any objection to lay on the table of the House a return, showing the number of rounds of ball ammunition for all arms of the service in reserve at Can : terbury, including the' ordnance of round shot and shell; a similar return of all arms and accoutrements in reserve, exclusive of the ammunition and arms at present in use." The Provincial Secretary eaid he had no doubt that Colonel Facke would give the

desired information. He would af .communicate with that officer, and nLi° CQ to give the desired information which JS" ,1 he had received it, would be fi ' table at the first opportunity. on tlle HOUSE COMMITTEE The Provincial Secretary m " That a House Committee » cousist of the Hon. Colonel lh'ett \r Parker, Jollic, Ormsby, and the mover '^ The motion was carried. SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE The Provincial Secretary in ffiovintr "That the Council shall sit during tK° 8 sent session on Mondays, Tuesdays w V uesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in C 3," week, at five o'clock p.m," said "that durhw last session that course was followed ami the Government were anxious to have an'expression of the opinion of the House as tn whether they wished to adopt the sanin course this session. He regretted that many of the members who lived at a distance should be absent that evening from no fault of their own, but ovviug to the Hooded state of the rivers. The question as to the days the House should sit was one which affected members who lived at a distance more than others, and if it was the wish of the House that he should postpone the motion till the arrival of the absent members, he should bo happy to do so. [Hear, hear , ] The motion was therefore withdrawn, MANAGEMENT OP THE RAILWAYS Mr Duncan said he wished to withdraw tho following motion in his name —"That a select committee bo appointed to enquire into the general manage, ment of the railways, with power to call for persons and papers; to report i Q ten days. The committee to consist of the Hon. John Hall, Messrs Inglia, Buckley Knight, Evans Brown, Matson, Jollie, aud the mover. That it be a special instruction to the committee to enquire into and report on the following matters : —l. The system obtaining with respect to the length of the working hours, and rate of pay of the railway employes. 2. The conduct of tho General Manager as regards carrying into effect the instructions of the Government. 3, T}) o desirability or otherwise of a special inspection of the rolling stock being made by a competent person." He wished to do so for the same reason as adduced by his hon. colleague with regard to the last notice of motion. Many members from the South and North were absent, and as the question wna an important one it should be discussed in a full House. For that reason ho should like to postpone it until next evening. Mr Parker—l should like to suggest to the hon. member that if it is the convenience of the members from the South which ho is considering, the postponement of the question until to-morrow will not meet his views as hon. members cannot be here so soon. I would suggest the day after to-morrow. [Hear, hear.] Mr Duncan—l will then give notice of it for Thursday. PEACOCK'S WHARF. The Provincial Treasurer also obtained leave to postpone the following motion till next day—That a select committee bo appointed to enquire into the dispute pending between the Provincial Government and the trustees of Peacock's wharf relative to the supply of certain rails and the right-of-way to the wharf, and to consider and report on the proposal for the settlement thereof made on behalf of the trustees, with power to call for persons and papers. The committee to coneist of Messrs F. H. M. Walker, Parker, Healey, SawtelL and the mover; to report in a week. BILLS BROUGHT IN. On the motion of- the Provincial Secretary the following Bills were brought in, read a first time, and ordered to he printed— The Canterbury Roads Ordinance, 1872 j the Canterbury Sheep Ordinance, 1872 ; the Canterbury Fencing Ordinance, 1872 j the Canterbury Trespass of Cattle Ordinance) 1872 ; the Lyttelton Reclaimed Land Ordinance, 1872 ; the Education Ordinance, 1871, Amendment Ordinance, 1872. No. 2. EDUCATIONAL RESERVES. The Provincial Secretary moved— " That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, recommending him to reserve for an endowment for the school ■of Technical Science, and other educational purposes, contemplated by the Canterbury Museum and Library Ordinance, 1870, the pieces of Waste Lauds described below, baing pasturage runs numbered as 543, 237, and 225, on the map of the Chief Surveyor of the province." Description of run, No. 543: 53,000 acres, more or less, commencing at the confluence of the Rangitata, with the Pott's river, following up the latter river a distance of about 2£ miles, thence following the southwestern boundary of runs No. 181 and 189, to the southern branch of the river Ashbuiton, following the said branch in a south-easterly direction, to whers it unites with a email stream forming part of tho northern boundary l of run No. 553, following up the said stream a distance of about a mile and twelve chaine, thence following a straight line bearing S. 23£deg W. (mag.,) to a tributary of the firstmentioned river, following the said tributary, to the Eangitata, and thence returning along the same to the starting point. Description' of Run 225 —20,000 acres, more or less, commencing on the eastern bank of the Waitangi river, at a point situate about 62 chains south-east of the southernmost corner of run No. 186, thence following a line bearing 8. 71deg 30min E. (mag.,) a distance of 3 miles 54 chains, to a stream thence south-easterly, - following the said stream a distance measured in a straight line of about 8 miles 14 chains, to the forks, thence southerly, following up the southern tributary of the said stream a distance measured in a direct line of 3 J miles thence, N. 86deg W. (mag.,) a distance of 6 miles 30 chains to the river above-men-tioned, and from thence returning along the same to the commencing point. Description, of Bun 237.—30,000 acres, more or less, situate east of the river Tekapo, commencing at the north-western corner of run No. 225 on the eastern bank of the above-men-tioned river, thence following along the northern boundary of that run, and the northern tributary of the stream which forms part of the northern boundary thereof, a distance altogether of about 7 miles 26 chains, . measured in a direct line, thence following a straight line a distance of 5 miles 76 chains to the south-west comer of run 296, follow* ing the western boundary of that r,un to t«W stream, being the south boundary of rua 290, following the said stream to the aforesaid river, and from thence returning alon? the same to the commencing point." W e resolution had been brought before W ; house in accordance with a re§olaw" passed by the "Hoqse during last .#£ . sion, and which resolution, W&iC" was fully discussed at the time recommended that reserves to the extent of 100,000 acres of purely pastoral hilly conn- . try should be reserved as an endowment ior the school of technical science eflooiner educational purposes contemplated by ib Canterbury Museum and Library Orfinanee. 1870. The Government advised his Honor to make those reserves and also what reserve* to make, and his Honor in his speech to mo House last Friday referred to the matter, ana asked the Council to take into the policy of the resolution whicfl.»•».; adopted at last session. It appeared tonuu (Mr Kennaway), that the objection wtog his Honor raised regarding .the »««*"£ not of such importance as to preventtJie uo«" cil from carrying out the resolution, w Honor said-" As I am advised, the W rights of the pastoral tenants would »MW« tely cease on the reservation of land ma. i them ; and without express sanction .&» it would not, I think, be proper to o»VJi. reserves made for educational parP°. s f n S wise than so as to promote to thentew. the objects of the -trust. ™Lj a eolation "of the .Council w expresslystatedthatthosereservcswere^^ made on the understanding-whict Mj». be enforced by an sent standing of the pastoral tenant was * to be disturbed. Ho considered tW Council had perfect power to pass an U« nance to define tfre manner in wtoe*i* . |{ reserves should be had that power already with tUe^ ac g onC r reserves heretofore passed. j*> d £ t ht pointed out the difficulty with interval of time which would exiet D? the first making of the ' Crown grouting of the same. Tlw V»Y»"

-.nt had already dealt with that difficulty. ~? *ho interval that had occurred, they had SJStht it right to allow the pastoral tenant reserves to hold them at the -ame ° ttta the rest of his run. That was tlie K «t eauitable way it occurred to the Governm Tt to deal with them. Mr TosswiLL said the lion, gentleman did fmake it clear whether the possessors of f°; ™ ns in question would be benefited or rtAODDOsite by the making of the reserves. Mr W Williams said he should like the .nf nieinber to postpone the resolution, in rrfer to eive time to hon. members to confer it folly. He considered that there were any serious objections to the manner in Men it was proposed to make the reserves. m7thought another and a better way would S, to reserve the rents accruing from such lands. He thought many serious difficulties might arise, of very serious consequences to the parties holding those runs. In the event -Mile runs being mortgaged, which was the Zc* he understood with one of the runs in nnestion, it was evident that the mortgagees iould have no hold on the runs after they Crown-granted. Mr DuscAN said ne did not see any odieetion to tbe Government postponing the resolution. The Government intended no to the pastoral tenant, and would take good care that such was not done. No meinthe House, nor any member on the QoYernment bench, would desire to endow a glool of technical science at the expense of jjyparty. [Several hon. members—" PostBbown said that with regard to the jausrks of the hon. member for Papanui fHr Williams), he must have forgotten that ft was impossible to reserve the rents of those lands, as the rents accruing from them : were supposed to belong to the colony ; and ! jut ordinance passed to that effect would be ultra viret. He did not think that parties who advanced money on runs would be in a worse position than they were now, when fiiey were liable to have their runa bought up at any moment. On the contrary, he thought they would have even a better tenure than before. He thought it was perhaps better to poetpone the matter for a few days. The Pbotojcial Solicitor said that hon.

jnembers might not be afraid to pass this resolution. If any injustice were done by making the reserve in question, like injustice tronWbedone in the case of all reserves. The Government could not see that any injustice would be done, and they would take care no injury should be done. When the reserves were made the Government would make arrangements .with the parties to hold the land on the same terms as they now ©joy. There was no practical legal difficulty ia the way of preventing injustice tiring done. [Hear, hear.] At the same time he saw no objection to postponing the motion. The Provincial Secretary : I will withdraw the resolution, and put it on the notice paper for to-morrow evening. [Hear, hear.] . The motion was accordingly withdrawn. BILLS BROUGHT IN. On the motion of the Provincial Secre-

!IABY. the following Biils were brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be printed:— The Municipal Council Ordinances Repeal 1 Ordinance, 1872; The Christchurch City I Council Ordinances Repeal Ordinance, 1872; I The Hospital and Charitable Aid Ordinance, I 1864, Bepeal Ordinance, 1872; The Fire j OidHJances Repeal Ordinance, 1872; The ! Sheep Bating Ordinance, 1866, Amendment * (Minance, 1867, Bepeal Ordinance, 1872; I The Hackaey Carriage Ordinance, 1864, Ordinance, 1872. I ' COLONIAL REPRESENTATIVES. X Ife Hawkes moved—" That the Honse go b& Committee to consider the following— fiiat a respectful address be presented to his I Sfißor the Superintendent, praying that a i sun. not exceeding £83 be placed on the 1 estimates to assist in defraying the ex- | peases of the entertainment of the colonial •| representatives." He explained that it waa j| the custom of the Provincial Councils of the districts in which the Colonial prize firing was held to grant sums of money to defray the expense attendant upon such meetings. When the prize firing took place in Canterbary ;the Council was not in session, and these who were connected with the colonial Kjsresentatives did their best to provide an entertainment for them, and waited on the Eroriricial Secretary who agreed to give £50 towards defraying the expense. That sum pored to be very much below what was ibsolutely needed. They found when they ame to reckon tip the expense that they TOe £83 behind. With regard to certain notices which appeared in the papers k might mention that they were the work ian individual who happened to be overlooked, and who took the matter very much fe> heart. Being connected with the newspapers, that individual had greater facilities if making public hie complaints than would eShenrise be the case. The representatives »ere the guests of the province, and he did itf think for one moment that the House

«seld allow the cost of entertaining those |cc& to fall on a few private individuals. i [Hear, hear.] lob. Colonel Brett said he had much jkssure in seconding the motion, and he ■sped the House with its usual liberality wafld pass the motion. He thought the ?wluce owed a deep debt of gratitude to the in that they had given their I for so many years. ■ The amount I *Ni for was a small one, and in common I P&de he thought the House ought to I NSt I &WttUAMSsaid he should oppose the I jasKan ; and he did not see that any reason I ™*keen brought forward why the grant I essay \je made. The expenditure on the j£ skitalnment was on a lavish scale, and I g& have been avoided by using a hall I fcSjta fitted for the purpose. He should jj in&« the House on the question, and it I* **13&enbe seen who wasted the public i *gjr and who did not. -i .«£ PsovniciAii Secretary disagreed , member who last spoke, in 1 IsnF tllegranta waste oi public money. r~\Mr£eunaway) had refused many times money to sports or matters of local "^^et } but the matter under consideration ; the whole province. He " tilwa s the duty of the province to ' totl? 16^11 °* *° tne represen- -■ Hf?°* *^ c various provinces who came ' IJkftertrory, and he was sure that the Hfc* T * ew c matter i Q tke same Lj Ip « was one In which the prestige of *2 £lj? o *ip!fe w *s at sfake, and he agreed with I c gallant member that the If ;£*<* greatly indebted to those gensg Fbft came forward tp entertain their *1> CT ,011 *ie occasion referred to. [Hear, X^ 3 ® supported the motion. was then put and declared called for a division, which »« 15 ,t; ««s 3 €| — IP X, for the Ayee ... 12 %i then went into committee, Mr f * m tte cnair - Tfl e resolution, on * ' Hal - *""? was carried, reported to the adopted: '" ?. otices of motion were given, the * \ tiSSs**** tm next day this ***) at