PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1154, 20 May 1870, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19. The Council, pursuant to proclamation by His Honor the Superintendent, met at 3 o'clock. Present, the Speaker and the following members : — His Honor the Superintendent, Messrs. Kennedy, Newton, Sutton, Tanner, A'Deane, Lambert, Russell, Parsons, Khodes, Dolbel, . Wood, Carlyon, Buchariant The proclamation of the Superin* tendent was read by the clerk} and the Speaker read the form of prayer.. Neio Members. The Speakrr announced the election of Captain Russell for the district of Waima-^ rama, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Weston ; of Mr. T, K. Newton for the Town of Napier, in lieu of Mr. A. Irvine, deceased ; and of Mr. J. G-. Kinross for Wairoa, in lieu of Colonel Whitmore, resigned. Address of Superintendent. His Honor the Superintendent then addressed the Council as follows :-*- Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council,— In accordance with the wish you expressed last session, I have called you to- j gether at this date,, that time may be allowed for the full consideration of such questions as come before you, and especially in order that the financial arrangements for the ensuing twelve months may be considered and settled before the expiration, of the present financial year. I propose to bring before you, without delay, the different measures I intend to ask you to consider, and I will now briefly refer to them. The subjects which are of most interest are — A Bill to amend the present "Education Act ;" a Bill to amend and consolidate the Acts relating to sheep and their flismaaflß-) -miA-Lri- T3il?- fr» orvricfrVK^nfrn the " Licensing Acts," at present in force. In regard to the Education question, nothing but a conviction that the present Act is not providing satisfactorily for the wants of the Province, has determined me to ask you to make other provision during the present session, as I would rather have left this -important question to^be dealt with by the new Council, which will, in all probability, be elected before next session. The main object of the Bill, which will be laid before you, is to localize the ' management of the Schools, and so endeavour to engage the active assistance of those most directly interested in the education of the youth of the different districts. The subject of education is exciting general attention in the Colony, and it is, I hope, probable that it will ere long be taken up and treated as a Colonial question. I regret that the spread of the disease called scab towards our Southern frontier, and the presence in our own flocks of foot-rot, to a very considerable extent, should call for serious consideration ; but there can be no doubt that the pastoral interest of the province does require that legislative action should be taken to secure, so far as possible; against the. spread of the diseases in question. The consolidation of the different Licensing Acts in "force has been repeatedly called for, and a Bill for that object has been prepared and will be laid before you.In connection with the subject of Immigration, steps have been taken to secure tfiei introduction from Great Britain of a number of female immigrants suitable for domestic service, some of whom may, I hope, be expected to arrive shortly, and I shall ask you to approve of what has been done in this respect, although the conditions upon which the portion of the Loan set apart for Immigration purposes was to have been applied, have not been complied with. I shall also ask you to cousider whether provision. cannot be made for the future periodical bringing out of female immigrants, and certain other classes of I labor much required in the province. tt will be necessary for you to consider the position of those runs, and portions qf runs, the licenses for .which terminate at the close of the present year, and make such recommendations as you consider advisable in respect to their future disposal. The subjects to which I have referred, together with the financial matters which will necessarily come before you, aro the principal questions I propose to ask you to consider. With regard to finance, I am happy to inform you that the estimated revenue for the coming year will provide for the ordinary expenditure, and allow a larger sum for appropriation to public works than was available this year. The estimates of both. Revenue and Expenditure have been prepared, and will be placed before you without delay. I am also glad to be able to inform you that the receipts for the present year have exceeded the amount estimated, and that there will be a considerable balance to the credit of the provincial account on the 30th June next. As I propose bringing the estimates before you at once, I will deferanydetailedexplanation; butl think this is a proper occasion upon whicli to congratulate you upon the steadily increasing ordinary revenue of the province, showing as it manifestly does that, in spite of tho depression from which, the whole Colony is suffering, we are in this province steadily progressing. From official information furnished me by the Collector of Customs, I find that the Customs' receipts at the port of Napier for last year, i.e. 1868-69, amounted to £22,988, whilst the; receipts for the present year, 1869-70, will amount to £27,564 ; and it lis estimated tjhat the receipts, for the ensuing year will be" still further increased; In connection with this subject, I think it my duty to

bring ' to !ysur/ jno'tice' the great cHsadvatl* tages this provinc| labors tinder from 1 tlie loss .of %iey,enue#>n goods consumed here that have paW^auty elsewhere. It is estimated that three-fourths of our imports (not including spirits, wine, beer and tobacco, the oii. l f.wMch Ei ar : feiQlej| i is gejner^ly^,^ paid here) pay "duty at other New Zealand ~; ports, and swell their Customs', returns, 4 A and -that the -revenue so lost to tinsVpro"- „*. Z 'vinßeT ftiF'iW'fveienFfear; ambuifts t<T* Irj " £20,000. To put it r&6M~ plainly,- if all the goods imported and consumed iti. ihS I province of Hawke's Bay during this year, had^paid duty here; we, should have * 3 received as oar provincial share of the | Customs' revenue £10,000 more-than we have, and have had that additional sum to ; expend on ., public .works > and other pur-^. ... poses. TKe loss is sb serious, and J tbe in-' ~ justide SO greii, that I trust, you will appeal to the General Assembly for sttell a 4 alteration in the present system as will give us in future our fair share of the r Customs' revenue. It is unnecessary for ' me to point out to you that the addition of £10,000 to our provincial "sjtjj^ue, . would enable us to make satisfactotypro-* vision for Public Works, Immigration, Education, and other necessary purposes, > . and add eriormdualy t«r our well-being and ■•'.:'. progress. r A comparison, of the value of imporis .-' that have paid duty at the Port of Napier . during the past three years, shows the following results :— ■ :• . -"' i --•-■' ■ " r; -. '-" In the year' lß6B our imports were - "■'■ ■ valued at .„..:' ... ... £52,000 . In the year 1869 our imports were valued at ... 75,000 . In the year 1870 our inlports were valued at ... ... ... . 83,000 — These amounts, however, Oflly represent the value of imports that have paid due/ at Napier, and it is difficult to form an, accurate estimate of the value of the goods imported which, have paid duty elsewhere, as no return is kept of them. I am informed that an approximate calculation may be made by valuing the imports at ten times the duty which it is estimated is 'lost to the province, which would give £200,000 as the value of "the goods that have not paid duty here, and make the total value of our imports for the present year £283,000. Satisfactory as the. advance, of. our" Im* port trade must be considered, enquiry shows that our exports are increasing in quite equal proportions. From official information I learn that a comparison of the value of exports from the Port of Napier during the past three years, shows the following results : — In the year 1868 our exports were valued afc ... £45,000 In the year 1869 our exports were valued afc ... 48,000 In the year 1870 our exports were valued at 104,000 — It is necessary, however, to point out that these figures only represent the ex« ports from the. port qf Napier to. other countries, and do not include the large quantities of produce sent every year , through the ports of neighboririgprovinces. It is also right to state that the very large apparent increase this year is partly to be accounted for by the increase' of direct trade with Great Britain. It is estimated that the value of exports shipped coastwise from the province during the present year is about £68,000. So.that the total . value of our exports for this year may be stated at £172,000. I think the incontestable evidences of progress I have quoted cannot but be considered satisfactory, and are almost more than could have been expected considering the depression and difficulties uuder whicliwe nave been labor-: ing 1 .. •" ■ - .„• > Turning from the questions. local interest upon which I have b*en addressing you, I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without referring to the improved position of this province and of the whole colony, in respect to our relations with the native difficulty. Any one who looks back to the state of things this time last year, and remembers the general feeling of despondency and insecurity that then prevailed, cannot but be struck with the change that has taken plane. We have, happily, this year, no fresh disaster to look back upon-^-no repetition of massacres, such as those of Poverty Bay and Mohaka, to check the progress of settlement. The operations that have been necessary "have been carried on in unsettled districts, and the enemy's country has suffered, in place of ours, the desolation and ruin that accompany war. We have at length occupied Taupo, the centre of the Island; and I believe our undisputed possession of that" positidn is the best guarantee the colony can have against the native difficulty ever assuming the proportions it last year threatened. I. feel that no excuse is due for referring to a subject so intimately connected with the welfare of this province, and thank-: fully congratulate you on the improved condition of affairs. • There is one other subject upon whicli I wish to say a few words. At your desire, I am meeting you without an Executive Council, and shall have, unassisted, to conduct the business which, as Superinten- . dent, it is my duty to bring before you* This is a very great change in the system hitherto pursued throughout the Colony, and will doubtless be watched with considerable interest. Your object in promoting this change, and mine in agreeing to it, originated in a desire to simplify the conduct of business, and you believed this Would best be effected by making the Superintendent directly responsible to the Council for the administration of the provincial business. T venture to think that, if we succeed and are able to show that provincial institutions oan be worked in this simple way, we shall induce the people of other provinces to follow our oxample, and shall do much towards leading to that general simplification of the system of local self-government, which is what is really desired by the people of the Colony. That will not be effected until the Superintendents are reduced from the false posi- . tion they at present occupy, and are brought into direct communication with, and obliged to carry out the decisions of, | the Provincial Councils. When that is done, and the present costly and.unnecessaiy system of ministerial go-betweens is dispensed with," the chief causes of dissatisfaction at existing institutions will be removed. : . In conclusion, I trust I shall receive from you that cordial assistance and support which is necessary to enable me to . carry out successfully the position you have requested me to undertake. I now declare this Council open for the ■ despatch of business. — The address, on the motion .of Mr. Buchanan, was ordered to be printed. Adjournment. . ._• ■_ ;;.:-< Several notices of motion having been ' given, the Council adjourned till next day. THURSDAY, MAY 19. : The Council met at 3 o'clock. Present, the Speaker, the Superintendent, Messrs. Kennedy, Sutton, Newton, Carlyon, A'Deane, Rhodes, Parsons, Buchanan, Dolbel, Wood, " ; Tanner, Lieut. -Colonel Lambert, Captain Russell. Grant of ' Land to > Oddfellows. Mr. SuTrosr, pursuant to notice, moved For leave to introduae a Bill authorising the Superintendent ..to. convey to Trustees >- >.* . Town §eotion Jl2,^Town of . • . f v — He said that this section was granted to

the Oddl&ll^wjj ;fcy ; ; resolution of'- CotifieH some seve^ofieigbtiyearsiago, but- no conveyance had been executed. „ The bill was simply to legalize: the grant. _„,.,. . , Mr. IJENNEDif seconded the motion. Lieut. -Co,i/. Lambert wanted further explanation/; ' He^ remembered, about the same tmyj,, .the'^f^sotis being refused a site, and he rathecthoughtihe' (Oddfellows were also refused. . r ;•-.'. .. .." The jSitperin*endent referred to the minutes^ of Council; which shewed that, on the 11th April 1863, a resolution was passed agreeing to, grant a §-acre section tot to Oddfellows' Hall. On the. strength of that resolution the society proceeded to build, and they now. wanted the transaction to be in; proper legal form. ■• Leave' given, 'Bill -read a first time, or* dered to be. printed, and' its second reading made an, order for nex6 sitting day. . FeeslMtdei* Native Land Act. , Mi: SuirdN,"|»arstiant to notice, moved That jbis l&ondi the Superintendent be requested to lay ilpod the table a return showing how the amount £40 ISs:, fees under Native Lands Act, or edited in receipts for December 1 quarteri is arrived at. —He had remarked that only £46 18s. had been ..credited; to ; the Province on acdotint of feea under the Native Lands Act for the period referred to. This appeared a very "smaU sum, considering the large amount paid. The law was that, after the expenses, of the , Native. Lands v Court had been liquidated, the balance of the sum received for fees became territorial revenue, and he could not ; help thinking that, if properly looked into, the revenue thus paid by ourselves should be to a large extent available for local expenditure. Mr. QaMONb laidon the table a return showing that £46 18s, was the actual amountpaid in during the December quarter. He could not account for its being so small, but /he bad applied to the proper officer for the requisite information, as referred to in the next resolution. Mr. Sutton said tha^fc, after this explanation, it was;, unnecessary for him to move the next-resolution which stood in his name, as his Honor had applied for the return asked for. • •••■''••'■•. The notice of motion, was as follows :— That His Honor the Superintendent, in his capacity of Agent for Geaeral Government, be respectfully requested to procure from the Collector of ..Customs, a .return of all monies received ' by : hiinjduring the quarter ending 31st December, 1869,' 0n aocount of duties under the Native. 4 Lands Act. Lea ve, granted^to withdraw the motion. ' ■ JEditeatipiial Sate. ; Mr. Sittton,. pursuant to notice, moved — For a return of .ali monies collected under the Eduoajtiqnal Bates Act, 1868. during the current "year, the return to specify the sums collected' by' each' collector up to 30th April, 1870, and the "amount still due under the said Act. —He said there was a general feeling abroad that a considerable portion of the rate had not been collected. He made this motion 4 to ascertain if such was the case. Mr. Ormonjo said, that the return would be laid upon the table with the other financial.papers. A good deal had been collected; accidental circumstances, such as escape of prisoners in the first instance, Ollil the iUureßS~of*""Tho Ivu t juutui.-of .IP^lian.., (to whom, for economy, he had deputed the collection of the* rate) and; lastly, the sitting of the Supreme Court, had prevented its all being collected. . . Provincial Compulsory Lands Taking Act. Mr Obmond, pursuant to notice,, moved — That a Select Committee be appointed to report on the Standing Rules .and Orders in force in the Province of Auckland, for regulating proceedings on Bills authorizing the taking of land compulsorily under the " Provincial Compulsory Land Act, 1866," with a view to' adopting Standing Rules and Orders for this province ; such committee to consist of Messrs. Carlyon, Buchanan, Ferard, A'Deaae, and Kennedyv Report to be brought up on the 25th inst. — He said that, last' year, this matter was mentioned in the Council. Some Act was necessary to enable the taking of land for road and^thWpurposes.-* • A road to Peka Peka was stopped now, and some other cases might shortly arise, when such powers would be very useful and necessary. Agreed to. '' .."'./'-I* C ■"•'. ■ ■ ' "■'■ : , . Sheep and Scaib Act. Mr. Obmond, pursuant to notice, moved — For leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the. Sheep and Scab Acts now in force, and make other provisions in lieu thereof, . — He would only say at present that the Bill had been prepared with the assistance of the rmember for Te Aute (Mr. Carlyon). The object "was to consolidate the other Acts, as well to provide for fresh dangers that threatetESd the runholder. He hoped the Biil- would be properly discussed in committee." Leave granted, Bill read a first time, ordered fi> be prinied,;and -its second reading: made an,:p#ler for; next sitting day but one. : . Papers. , . ' The^^Superintendent laid: the following papers^ upon jthe table :■— : :, Report of the Trustees of the Charitable .', Bf<Tfun<|. RepprfTof.^Proyincial Surgeon upon the .Provincial Hpspjtal. Report on Napier ,G-aol. ... Gaoler's, statement of work performed by > hard-labor men. . „ . . Correspondence with Mr. Morrison and ; Messrs. Shaw, 1 Saville, and Co., in. regard to immigration. , Petition. Mr.' Rhodes presented a petition from 34 residents of East CHve, praying that the bonus and capitation allowance might not be withdrawn from the school in that locality in favor of the new one at WestClive, > , :T -,• Mr. Ai'I>EANE thought the Council should not pledge itself to any course pending the new Education Act to be brought forward, but would not oppose the petition being received. Lieut.-Colonel Lambert expressed himself to*"a similar 'effect, and said that, when the memberUfor -Clfve obtained a grant of land for^the purpose of a school-house at West'Clive, he led the Council to understand that, thl 'inhabitants of both localities were in "favor of the new site. The petition wasiread and received. 'Ways and Means. ; Mr Oemond," pursuant to notice, moved— : That the Council resolve itself into a Committee of Ways and Means,, to consider the JJstimatod Revenue for the year ending June 30, 1871,— -" --- -■■-'•■.-- ;••■.■ .• - —The council having gone intocommittee, the Sur^rintendent'made^vepyielear.financial stpe^Qnt^ ;p4 pufeH^atibg ft Which,; > from the number of figures quoted, we are \

obliged to defer till next Herald. He concluded by laying on the table the following papers :— - Estimate of revenue for 1871 Estimate of expenditure for 1871 Return of rates and rents for educational ; purposes Return of expenditure under Toll-Gate Act. : . . • And several comparative statements of sums voted and expended &c. The Chairman then read the first item, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit on Tuesday. On the motion of Mr. Obmond, the Council went into committee of supply. Oh the first item being moved, the chairman reported progress, and, obtained leave to sit on Tuesday next. Licensing Ad. Mr; Obmond, pursuant to notice* moved — For leave to bring in a Bill to repeal and amend the Licensing Acts now in force. —Leave granted, Bill read a first time, ordered to be printed, and its second reading ordered' for Thursday next. Sighvsonfs Traffic Bill. Mr. Cablyon, pursuant to notice, moved — For leave to bring in a Bill intituled " The Highways' Traffic BiH." — He said that this Bill would be very short, its object being to provide that every earner should have his name conspicuously printed on his dray. Leave granted, bill read a first time, ordered to be printed, and its second reading made an order for Tuesday. The Council then adjourned till the following day.