MONDAY, MARCH 26,

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 133, 7 April 1860, Page 3

MONDAY, MARCH 26,

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

Appointment of Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The following motion in the name of Mr, Obmoitd, was the first on the notice paper : — "That this council is of opinion that should the appointment of Commissioner of Crown Lands, which to them appears one of great importance to the interests of the province, at any time become vacant, the Superintendent shall, before nominating his successor, take the opinion of this Council on the subject."

Mr. Obmond asked leave to withdraw the above. In doing so he was bound, out of regard to himself and in acknowledgment of the courtesy of the Superintendent, to explain that although the object sought for could not be conceded in the manner indicated, yet that the Superintendent had yielded the point in such a way as to be quite satisfactory.

Finance Report.

The chairman of the select committee (Mr. Tucker) obtained leave again to defer the bringing up of this report till to-morrow.

Fire Engine.

Mr. Colenso moved a suspension of the standing rules, with the view — looking at the late fire — of moving some resolution with reference to the necessity of having a fire engine in the town. He did not propose to provide one at Government expense ; more especially as he believed it to be customary for the different Insurance companies to do this ; but he thought the agents might require to be reminded of what was expected from them.

Dr. Hitchings seconded the motion ; in doing which he might mention that at the inquiry into the cause of the late fire, the jury had requested him as coroner to communicate with the authorities, with the view of getting a fire engine and the appointment of a night watchman. The standing rule having been suspended accordingly — Mr. Colenso moved that it is the opinion of this council that the agents of the different Insurance companies in the Town of Napier should he applied to respecting their procuring without loss of time a fire engine for the Town of Napier, and that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to write to them about it. Mr. Oemond would suggest whether the better plan would not be to submit the subject to a public meeting j so that if the people of the town thought it necessary to have an engine, they might have an opportunity of subscribing towards its cost. Mr. FitzGeeaxd thought it would be rather an original course for a Provincial Council to pursue, thus to vote an address to private companies. These companies would themselves be the greatest sufferers in the event of fire, if the property burned was insured ; and would, for their own sakes, provide an engine so soon as the extent of their risks in the town should be such as to warrant the expense. It was for those who were not insured themselves to take such steps as they might think necessary for the security of their property. He did not think it was such a matter as a Provincial Council could properly deal with. Mr. Colenso, after the remarks of the member for Napier, would withdraw the motion, — Dr. Hitchings remarking that he would not have seconded the motion for suspending the standing rules, had he not imagined that the member for Napier was about to ask for a grant in aid. The Council then adjourned till the following day — there being no other business before it, pending the bringing up of the Finance report.