NELSON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1723, 11 February 1874, Page 2

NELSON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

■■••■■■■><'.' THURSiJAY, ■ jANtJARY, S.' ' ; " ! " J ' vii.iTyilßEißßipaß.r ■ Mr Guinness/w ithout uotice^ask'&.the Provincial Secretary' s^ Executive has rr^ad an application from certain pertons in Greyraouth to obtain protectionfora wire bridg'ffTSVelTtKeTfiver Grey to connect Qqbdenswjfch Greymouth, and if so, what course his Honor's Execu- , tive recommended, with- regard; to thefapplication?"" .71 The Provincial! Secretaty)jreplied that the Government had received such, an ■application, butihad not decided upbh it. COAL AND IRON DEPOSITS IN CbL'tlN&w66D. Mr Riout/moved-^-^ That his Honbr^tho Superintendent be respectfully .requested , to, collect i all.,the ) data, jobtainablsin refer'ence'r.to^ the'irqn atid coal, .deposits of .the •C6lliHgwood"ilistribt,'' I wittt the i situation of each deposit, and the facilities''fb^'^rbrking and shipping the same, in order that ■such particulars may be printed anOcirculated in England and ekewhere^fis a guidef'an'd- inoentive^to 'capilalists and skilled labor tos invest 'capital and labor in that district.":; He said that he felt 'was to a certain degree i trespassing on the ground ,of J;h,e ; ,b.onj;memb,eijji9r Collingwood^' t (Mr r Gibbs). in^in^ojlucing this motlba; / 'He n wwlied ii v to ' oe 'particularly understood, that though the ; terms .of his motion referred specially tbthe, dlsferiQt of Colling wood, he would .ljke : _t(L..see. .Jhe data aske^d tbrrpublished in.respect of the other mineral' Ndfetficts yli tile J^oyince. He^ha^beflii ' Mqu^teH^.^'-ithg Reform League to bring forward ;.^his. : motion, as nothing appeared to be known as to-the rich mineral deposits inthis, district FHe thought it was desirabie (thatjpe'opleioutside the Province should be, mad^^cquainted witKourriataral res'ourc4k ft' The late Exhibition 1 shbWed'that'SlElukble^on ore and coal, with limestone, sb^sione, and other things required to. create arUage trade were obtainable in this districtyiand he thought ,that it wte' within" the j?rdvince : of the;Gbverhm,ent ito ; funds ifor this object ; at < the same t time . he would insist that if the Government Befabout the matter' in earnest ' that TeliablS^nd practical ,persons shpi;ld T be^hfpioyßd to collect the information , 'and 1 not the.stiperinumeraries iwho are; continually dancing about the Government buildings, wh&jure perfectly useless in any capacity. !, -Mr Gibbs seconded' tKtfJmotiorij which was agreed to. , ; ;, . ; • „,'j : y\\ i, FERRY OVER QBE YBJJVBR. .-; ...Mr Corbgtt asked ; the Provincial Secretary. '* What steps have.been'taken by the Government to establish a^ferry over the Gre^River, near thlediatrici of Moonlight?" ,i^,iVv The -Provincial iSeoretary said in reply, that, :l thp Gioyerpment had authorised the Warden xtOj^make tiie best arrangement he ; could. He.'had recived a telegram that ['an! arrangement had^been inade >lorj|ix mbhthsfana Felore the expiration of that time the^ Governmenb ; wbUld tike steps for permanent conditions. -*-^- FOOT-BRiHsiLbJEKfeIitBLSON CREBK. Mr Corbett moved "That his Honor the ' Superintendent be 'tespebtfully requested to cause a footbridge to be erected over Nelson/ Creek,. Grey District, without dei»y.

Mr Guinness seconded thY motion. Agreed to. CtOLDFIELDS DISTRICT BILL. Mr Ivess, with leave, withdrew hk motion in respect of the Goldfielda Districts Bill, the Government having laid the Bill on the table of the Council. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. , On the motion of the Provincial Treasurer the Council resolved itself, into Committee for the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates, Mr Gibbs in the chair. ■. On the item "Provincial Treasurer, LI 00," being proposed. Mr Donne said that though the Treasurer, no clbub.t' from feelings of delicacy, was not in the Chamber,' he would not be debarred from speaking on this item. He ; "was not prepared to vote a salary at the rate of L4OO a-year unless there was some; guarantee that the whole of the time of ,the gentleman holding the office was devoted to its duties. He thought the time had arrived when the . Council should speak out on the subject. With regard to the Superintendent, no doubt his presence in the House of Representatives was of value to the Province. Without 1 detracting from the services of the Provincial Treasurer, as a member of that House, he thought his services were more! required here — and he may state that' there was not a parallel, case in tho Colony of the Superintendent and TreaBurer being absent at t'le same time from their duties as Provincial officers. Byi this absence the business of the Province 1 must be interfered with and delayed. It had long been a cause of complaint on the West Coast that applications from that district were not attended to with 1 promptitude, from the fact of the absence! of these Executive officers.' The time had arrived that the Council should have some guarantee that the duties of the office should be satisfactorily performed. He should oppose the item. The Provincial Solicitor said that the Council had already recognised the desirability of a division of the offices of Secretary and Treasurer, and had on former occasions voted the same salary as . was now proposed, and he was not aware of any reason for reducing it. Mr! Donne had no right to assume that the duties .gpould not. be satisfactorily performed., o ' T Mr Guinness moved, as an amendment —"That L 75 be substituted for L 100." . He did bo because if his amendment were adopted, it would be voting a salary at the rate proposed by the Government for nine months. The gentleman at present holding the office receiv«d payment for the performance of certain duties elsewhere, which necessitated his absence from the Prbvince, and he contended that the Executive had no right to ask this Council to. ,pay officers, while they were engaged in another place. He did not object to the salary, but he did that it should be paid to this particular officer. After some further discussion (the feeling of the Council being in favor of the item as proposed) the amendment was withdrawn, and the item passed. : ■ ■# Gold-fields Representative, L 50."

Mr Donne proposed as an amendment —"To strike out the words 'Gold-fields Representative/ and insert in lieu thereof * Miscellaneous.' " Question put— "That the words proposed to be struck out do stand." Council divided— Ayes, 17 ; Noes, 2 ; the Noes being Messrs Guinness and Donne. . Mr Guinness proposed that LIOO be substituted. If the office was to be of any use it was necessary that the whole of his time should be devoted to the service; this was the question the Council had to decide!' He could s'tate' most distinctly that such an office was necessary, but it was also imperative that the duties of this .officer were, satisfactorily performed, and that the gentleman should not be allowed to .carry, on any private occupation. After some ; discuspion, the amendment . was, on ,the suggestion of the Provincial Treasurer, and by leave of the Council, withdrawn, and the item passed.

; <" Survey, L 500." The item was, on the motion of the Provincial Treasurer, increased to LBOO. Chairman of Committees;- The salary : of this officer was voted at the rate of LSO ' per annum. ; The others were voted as proposed. BRUNNER COAL MINE. - On the ' Council resuming, • Mr Rout moved for information from . the Government respecting the lease of the Bruriner Coal-mine, the year's work, expenses incurred, amount received, &c, and that it be published. Seconded by Mr Guinness. "Ai the suggestion of the Provincial Secretary, who recommended a Select Committee to inquire into the whole matter, the motion was withdrawn. V REEFTON HOSPITAL. Mr Ivess asked the Provincial Secre- . tary— "/VVhat steps, the Provincial Government intend adopting with regard to the Hospital at Reef ton, and whether it is .intended to improve the inadequate ..building before the next session of this Council." Mr Shapter, in reply (for the Provincial Secretary), stated that it was not the intention of the Government during the present session to improve the present building ; the ' matter ' would, however,

have the consideration of the Executive • jn, the, preparation of the estimates for ' the next financial year. ','..'. .'■-,,■ larry's cbeek bridge. . Mr Ivess ; asked the Provincial Secre- , taryr--" What steps the Government have .- taken, towards furnishing wire for the - construction of the Larry's Creek and . Left-hand • branch of ■ Inangahua wire » bridges, as promised by his Sonor during his late visit to Reef ton." • '■ . 'The Provincial Secretary replied that a proposition had been received from the 'Koad' Board .of the district, and the Government had authorised the expenditure ' ;ofL4fi, ;;■■,■;;■ •;'■,;: ;.-., ,; • . ; PURCHASK OF WIRE BRIDGE. ! :.-. •■ Mr Ivess. moved— r " That in the opinion of this Council, it- is desirable that the Provincial Government should negotiate for the purchase of Dalton's wire bridge, situated opposite the township of Reef ton, as recommended by the Inangahua Road Board, and petitioned 1 fbr by the' 1 inhabitants, of . Reef ton, and that .the Govern--1 "ment bd empowered to effect the purchase of the said bridge, if the cost. of purchase, in their ' opinion, is considered reasonable:"" ' Mr Corbett secon ded the motion . The Provincial: Secretary suggested the <■■ postponement of the motion till next; session, or^toadd the words .." and to be recommended by the Provincial Engi- . ..neer." , ; ,; „: . : . „•■•.; . ' ThO(latter course was adopted.

Mr... Adams proposed the following amendment :—" That prior to the next session of the Counsil, the Government be requested, to ascertain at what price Dalton's bridge cain be purchased ; and also to obtain the opinion of the Provincial Engineer as to the desirability of purchasing." Mr Shapter seconded the motion pro forma, and stated that the Executive had already instructed the Provincial Engineer to report upon tne work. Motion withdrawn and amendment passed. WESTPORT AND NGAKAWHAO RAILWAY. Mr Sharp moved — "That in the opinion of the Council it is desirable, in order to develope the coal measures of the Buller Reserve, the construction of the Westport and Ngakawho Railway should be proceeded with as speedily as possible, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded by his Honor the Superintendent to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works." Seconded by Mr Adams, and, after some discussion, unanimously agreed to. Friday, February 6. Mr Tarrant asked the Provincial Secretary, "Why not more than one-third of the sum voted to Road Boards had been paid, and whether it is the intention of the Government to pay the remaining two-thirds before the end of the financial year." The Provincial Secretary replied that it was intended to pay the balance of the votes for Road Boards before the close of the financial year.: The condition of the revenue would not admit of an earlier payment. The Goldfields District Bill, and the Appropriation Act were passed, and the Licensing Bill read a second time and committed, and the Council adjourned. Saturday, FEBRUARy 7. The Licensing Bill was passed after some discussion, and at two o'clock his Honor prorogued the Council in the following speech :— . " The Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council. , " I have assented on behalf of his Excellency the Governor to the following Acts: — ?

" ' An Act to amend the Law relating to the sale of Alcoholic Liquors.' j '"An Act to am er d the Goldfields Local Revenues Act, 1873.' i " ' An Act to fnrther appropriate the Revenue of the Province of Nelson for th|e year ending 3lßt March, 3874.' { " I am much gratified to find that the important proposals I submitted to you in reference to Public Works and Immigration have received your approval. ! "I forwarded your resolution on the latter subject to the Colonial Government by telegraph, and have since been informed by them that they have instructed the Agent-General to despatch 150 immigrants per month to this province. ; "It may, I think, be fairly assumed from the readiness with which the Colonial Government have complied with the wishes of the Province in respect to Immigration, that they will give an equally cordial support to the other portion of the scheme— namely, the proposals for opening the country by the con3truction of Public Works, without which the introduction of so considerable an accession to the laboring population would, in my opinion, be at the best a doubtful experiment. " The unanimity with which these proposals as a whole have been approved by the Provincial Council will greatly assist the representatives of the province in proenring the sanction of the Colonial Legislature. • "I now declare this Council prorogued."