THURSDAY, MARCH 8.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 129, 10 March 1860, Page 4

THURSDAY, MARCH 8.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment. Present, — The Speaker and all the Members.

Occupation of Native Lands,

Dr. Hitchings, pursuant to notice, moved, — "That the Superintendent be requested te put upon the table any correspondence he may have had with the General Government on the subject of the occupation of native lands by Europeans."

Mi\ CmtLixG seconded the motion, which was agreed to. — Mr. FitzGeeald laid the correspondence on the table.— Dr, Hitchikgs moved that it be read.

Mr. FiTzG-ETtAXD apprehended that this was out of order — no notice to such effect having been given. The correspondence was rather lengthy, and did not bear upon any subject under consideration by^the council; perhaps the member for Napier would withdraw the motion.

Dr. Hitchings, to the Speaker. — Am I to understand that this is your decision, or is it the dictation of the member for Napier? The Speaker. — Your motion can only be put by previously suspending the standing rules. Dr. IIiiCHiNGS then moved that standing rule 27 be suspended for this purpose. — Mr. CuitLiKGt seconded the motion. Mr. Coiekso opposed the motion on the ground that the standing rules were only to be suspended upon urgent occasions-. Dr. Hitchings rose to order. Eule 27 had frequently been suspended upon the most trifling occasions, and was his case to bo made the first exception ? Mr. CoiENSO. — The member for Napier was himself out of order. He was attempting what he had so warmly remarked hi another — to dictate. He (Mr. C.) could not see that the mere reading of certain documents which did not bear on any question at issue, was a matter of any urgent necessity.

The motion was then negatived. Increased representation in the Souse of Representatives. Mr. Colekso, pursuant to notice, moved, — " That a memorial to the House of Representatives be drawn up and adopted by this Council, that an increase to the number of representatives forthe Province of Hawke's Bay, be graciously and speedily granted." He thought himself not a little fortunate that, on two successive day, he should initiate two important motions — both connected with justice ; for the principle was essentially the same, H© would prefer that this motion should be deferred till after the census had been taken, but as the council would not then be in session, he had no alternative than to make the best of the materials at hand. But there could be no question that Hawke's Bay was most inadequately represented. He found that Auckland had 13 members, New Plymouth, 3 ; Wellington, 8 ; Kelson, 5 ; Canterbury, 5 ; Otago, 5 ; Hawke's Bay, 1. Yet the Hutt district returned 2, and the small province of Taranaki — small in proportion to Hawke's Bay — 3 ; although he much doubted if the population of the latter would not be found to be over that of the former. Upon every principle of justice Hawke's Bay was entitled to additional members.., So much was this felt that in an able letter (E)' published in the local paper it was proposed to change the venue while the loan question as between Wellington and Bay was being adju&ted — an opinion in which he most cordially accmiesced. Nor was it in the loan subject only, but^n many others, that the disproportion of representation, was grievously felt.- , . ./.,..-. t, t

. . Mr. Alexander would move as an amendment that the word^' graciously" be expunged from the motion. It mta not ordinarily used in addressing such bodies as the House of Representatives. Mr. Curling- seconded the amendment, which was agreed to. JBariks of Meanee River. Mr. Alexander, pursuant to notice, rose to -ask the Superintendent whether there is any intention on the part of the Government to repair, during the present autumn, the road along the bank 3 of the Meanee river, so as to afford greater faculties to settlers located there, for bringing their produce to market.

He considered it a duty to the district he represented, as well as to the council, to offer a few explanations. He asked for greater facilities of communication aloug the banks (right or left) of the Meanee river, so as to make the district more accessible to the Port of Napier. For some time, Kapier would be dependant for a considerable part of her supplies, dairy and agricultural, on the Meanee districts. The first thing a farmer did, when about to settle in the country, was to calculate the cost of production ; and an important ingredient in such calculation was the means of communication between his farm and market. To induce the agriculturist to extend his operations — to induce the non-occupant freeholder to go and make the mo3t use of his acres — to promote cheap food for all classes of society, — to induce all these, the chief thing was to open the agricultural districts by means of good roads. He would recommend to the Government to shew consideration towards the agricultural interests of the province— believing that, by so doing, they would, by fostering the production of cheap food, •consult the beneficial interests of every other class •of society. He did Jiot think that, in the expenditure of the public money, the district he represented had received its fair share. He was ■aware that a large expenditure was now going on in the Petane district, but with respect to the settlers on the left bank of the Tutaekuri, their interests had been wholly overlooked. And it should not be forgotten that the making or repairing of any road in this locality would prove a benefit likewise to the settlers in the south-west of the province ; to the Aorangi district, for instance, this would be the most direct route. In asking the Government for a moderate expenditure for this purpose, he would draw attention to the very large sums that were being expended on the Te A.ute and Middle roads, when it was well known ■that the latter alone was quite sufficient for the -requirements of the settlers in that part of the .province. Then there was the road between Wai,pukurau and Porangahau, for which, if he mistook not, £2000 had been voted the first, and £3000 in a subsequent session. Surely, the same power that could set such gigantic works in motion, would not hesitate in sanctioning the expenditure ■so much required by his constituents.

Mr. Colenso would reply to the remarks of the member for j^apier Country, which, however, were scarcely relevant to the notice on the paper. That member had complained that, excepting Petaue, there had been little or no money expended in the ■district he represented. But he (Mr. C.) could tell him that a good deal had been expended there; a fact ef which he would shortly have ccular demonstration.; for he (Mr. C.) intended -that day to move for a committee, the member for Napier Country in the number, to examine the public accounts of the province. Did that member want the present road to be carried into native land, or did he wish a bridge to be thrown across the river, and the road continued before it had •been surveyed ? Surely he was not aware that the Superintendent and Provincial Engineer had both not long ago expended a fortnight in exploring a road to Auckland which, when made, would come down through this very district. "What more would the member for Napier Country want ? Then the government had been taunted ■with the extravagant expenditure going on upon :the Middle and Te Aute roads; but the latter work had originated under the Wellington Government. It was left a legacy to the new government ; and it was for them to say whether, after large sums had been expended in the middle of the road, they would leave it so, or, make it available for use. They cbose the latter ; but had the matter not stood in this peculiar way, he had no ■doubt that one of these roads would havebeen deemed sufficient. Then the road between Waipukurau and Porangahau had been objected to on the ground of its cost — the road that would eventually connect Wairarapa and Wellington with Hawke's Bay. He thought the reflections upon this work were undeserved, and that if the member for Napier Country had been there lately, he would rather commend than condemn. With regard to the present Meanee road there were several spots in it which wanted immediate attention ; but to extend it further he was not prepared to vote — although his own property would be greatly benefitted by such extension. It would be found that the province really had not the money to throw ■ away at the instance of every one who thought fit to apply for it.

Mr. FitzGeeald said that the government was most desirous of doing justice to the inhabitants ■of every part of the province ; and the road in question had not sooner been attended to simply because other works were going on, deemed of more immediate necessity ; and it was impossible to do all at once. He presumed that the principal object of the member for Napier Country was to enlist in favour of the badly-used Meanee settlers the sympathy of the council ; and he (Mr. F.) hoped he had succeeded ; for the government purposed in the beginning of next spring, to commence the road to Mohaka, which would embrace

.tho very line of road now adverted to ; but as the sum voted for that purpose (£2000) would be found very inadequate, the council would be called upon for an increased appropriation. The work, indeed, would not improbably be less ex- . .peneive than either the Middle or Te Aute roads. With regard to the road in question, commonly called the Awatoto road, the subject had already been under consideration ; and it was thought the better plan would be at once to advertise for tenders to effect the necessary repairs, and to engage some person, by contract to keep it in order during the winter season. Considering, therefore, the large expenditure already incurred on> this road,-

and the projected repairs, he thought the member for Napier Country should be satisfied— seeing also that the object of the government was to concentrate the works as much as possible in those districts from which they expected the ammunition to carry on the war next season.

Census Sill.

The council went into committee, and adopted the preamble and side notes j then reported progress.

The third reading of the bill was fixed for Fri> day, and the council adjourned.