Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 279, 4 July 1855, Page 4

Provincial Council.

Thursday, June 28,

p resen t—the Speaker, Messrs. Brittan, Sewell, Ponks, Westenra, Bray, Hall, Dampier, Ollivier, Simeon, Barker. A message from His Honor Was read, sanctioning the Christ College Corporation Bill. On the motion of Mr. Ollivier the amended Fencing Ordinance' was read a first time. Mr. Fooks rose to move that an address be presented to His Honor praying for a grant of £100 for- traversing the country between the West Coast and Lake Coleridge. A recent tour which had been made in the district of the lake induced the belief thai a rich tract of country available for agriculture and grazing purposes could be opened up in that direction, while it i was supposed that direct communication could h K ma.de with the coast. The report of the jjeutlemuu who had visited the district spoke of the probability than au easy access could be obtain-, ed to it over a ferule country of about twenty miles in extent. It was most important that the resources of the Province should be opened up, and he felt that unless he at once availed himself of the opportunity to obtain the sanction of t'ue house to this vote, its exploration might be postponed for a period of probably twelve months longer. The vote would be provisional only, in onler that His Honor might employ such persons as in his discretion he might select in the prosecution of the work. He had no doubt that if an application 'were made to the General Government, they would obtain its sanction to the payment of expenses incurred in the work out of the Land Fund, upon which it ought, strictly speaking, to be charged. He thought that a resolution of the house to this effect would ensure the acquiescence of the Governor, who would instruct the Commissioner of Crown Lands to that effect. Mr. Sewell seconded the motion. Mr. Hall desired to know upon what data the hon. gentleman grounded his opinion that £100 would be sufficient for the purpose. It

was most desirable that communication should i be opened up with the West Coast, but the bouse ought to have some assurance of its piobable cost. Mr. Fooks said from information he had received the probable cost would not exceed £60. In asking for a grant of £100 he had in view all the probable contingencies that might arise. Mr. Bhutan said he had frequently occasion to ask the house to withhold its assent to votes of this nature simply because of the state,ss their exchequer, it was again his painful duty to urge this necessity upon them. The house had been obliged to refuse money for the repairs of the streets of Christchurch and Lyttelton on.^iis account, and .therefore he felt bound to oppose this vote. Great as would be the advantages derived from opening up a communication with the coast, he nevertheless thought it was not a work of that pressing character as to be deemed an object of great public necessity. If new country was needed it was only fov the purpose of extending their pastoral districts. For such a purpose the stoekowners themselves were probably the best explorers. He did not think the subject of such immediate importance, that it could not wait for a more convenient opportunity for making such a grant. The house would probably have to meet again within six months, they would then hope to be in a more prosperous condition in relation to their finance, and it was to be hoped that they would then have more leisure to attend to such claims upon them For these reasons he trusted the Council wou.d withhold its assent to the motion of his hon. friend. He had not advanced sufficient evidence either to justify the expenditure of the money, or the surrey itself, so far at least as the public interest was concerned. Dr. Barker said this was not a district which would be advantageous to the stockowner ; if the representations were correct, of which he had no doubt, it was a rich agricultural district which would be opened up. The discovery of a pass to the West Coast was a matter of great importance, and particularly so as it was thought that the interests of commerce would also be served by the discovery also of an available harbour. Mr. Hall said all those who had read Mr. Bruniier's journal would agree in the desirability of persevering in this direction. That gentleman had shown that there was a rich country upon the coast which remained to be opened up. After a few words in reply from Mr. Fooks, the vote, after a division, w;is agreed to. Mr. Sewell then rose to move that an address be presented to His Honor praying that an application be made to the General Government to order the payment of £100 for the purposes above mentioned from the Provincial Land Fund. The motion having been seconded by Mr. Fooks, and supported by Mr. Dumpier, was agreed to. ■.',._ On the motion of Mr. Bhutan,^ bill for the Transfer of the property of the Canterbury Association to the Province was read a first time. The house then went into committee to consider a series of resolutions proposed by Mr. Hall on the subject of the Roading of the Province. Mr. Fooks in the chair.' Mr. Hall having read-'.the resolutions, (a copy of "which we subjoin), said there were few subjects, probably, of more importance to them than the roading of the country. The correspondence of the Chief. Surveyor, which had been laid on the table of the house, shewed this to be the case. Clearly-defined roads in this Province .were of peculiar advantage, since owing to the absence of striking natural objects, there were but few landmarks to denote the ' division .of the country. They were necessary, too, for the purposes of developing the country which was ready for settlement. A systematic and careful selection of roads,- whether the main trunk lines, or the secondary lines, was essential also at -this early period of .the progress of the settlement to carry out an effectual sysiein^ of arterial drainage. This he felt could not be so judiciously or economically done if the pre-. i sent practice was persevered in ot making their roads without pre-arrangeinent, and solely in^ ! accordance with the caprice of the -land-purcha-ser, .or die exigencies of the moment. By a well-devised'scheme' less roads would be required, while the practice which would be pursued of slaking out their course by a substantial plan of demarcation would prove of great assis-

';.-e to the purchasers of land. He would 'cjqi communication to the committee by .''\ it would be seen that the Commisssioner Lands bad not only approved of the suggestions, but had consented also to recomnjeml it for the adoption of the General Government. Mr. Hall in the course of his remarks made frequent quotations from several valuable reports which had been made to the house upon this subject by Mr. Torlesse. Mr. Dampier seconded the adoption of the resolutions. He thought that the system which had hitherto prevailed was a paper one, for the" convenience of mapping, rather than for the purpose of creating traversible roads ; that was a system which should be checked as soon as possible. Such a line of demarcation was also essential in order to define more clearly electoral and other districts. The necessity for such a course was obvious, and needed no lengthened arguments to sustain it. Mr, Brittan said the resolutions were truisms, from which there was no departure. He believed they were all agreed upon this work being one of paramount necessity. The Provincial Engineer had also reported favourably of such a survey in his evidence before the committee of Public Works. He was not prepared to offer any objection to the resolutions, but he thought if a committee was to be appointed it liad better be referred to the Waste Lands Board under their land regulations. Mr. Hall said the work was called for at once, prior to any increase in their land sales. Mr. Brittan entertained some doubt as to any immediate action springing out of the adoption of the hon. gentleman's resolutions, at least the sanction of the General Government had to be obtained prior to the charge - being debited to their land Fund. Mr. Dampier thought such a course would be an adjournment of the matter sine die. Mr. Olmvier said it was doubtless a matter of great importance, but he thought the appointment of such a commission would be most costly. There had been laid on the table of the house at the early part of the session a road bill, which proposed to establish a series of local boards. He thought the object might be accomplished by. the revival of such a measure, with the assistance of the Chief Surveyor and competent engineers. There was not, he thought, that urgent necessity for the matter which the hon. gentleman seemed to imagine. The leading trunk roads were already laid out through the whole of the agricultural districts, and the evidence of the Chief Surveyor before the house had assured them that there was but little probability of extensive laud sales taking place out of those districts in which the surveys had been completed. The construction of the secondary roads would probably be influenced by the form of the sections in which land would be sold under their new regulations. Mr. Sbwbll said there was no doubt of the importance of laying down these" trunk lines. He thought it was quite within the power of the Council to adopt the necessary steps for the purpose. His hou. friend's suggestion for the appointment of a commission was the proper course, and one to which he should accede, but as it was for; the-General Government to sanction the reserves as well as the expenditure, he should urge the necessity for leaving the appointment in the bauds of the General Government, and moreover it ought to be remembered that the chief survej'or was one of the officers of the General Government. - Mr. Bkittan would adopt the suggestion of Iris learned friend Mr. Sew^ll. The resolutions were then amended by Mr. Hall, when they were severally put by the Chairman, and adopted. They-are as folio-.vs,— " That it is of the "greatest importance to the progress and welfare of the settlement, that iha main trunk lines ofi'oad should be determined on without delay. That in selecting the main trunk-lines of road it is desirable that in all cases the most direct practicable line should be adopted and reserved; 4^jbut that in cases where the natural features of the country, or other circumstances, render the free use of such direct lines impracticable or difficult, deviations better adapted to the exstate of the country are to be reserved for present use. Ssich deviating lines to serve as purposes of traffic until the progress of drainage and other alterations in the circumstances of the country have paved the way for the use of the more direct lines. • That with reference to the approaching change

in the regulations for the sale of Crown Lands, it is especially desirable that such roads should forthwith be laid out and marked on the ground as well as on the map in those districts whi,ch from their position, fertility of soil, and other circumstances, appear eligible for agricultural settlement. That with the view of facilitating the progress of the settlement and the selection of land, it is desirable that in the above districts, the inferior or connecting road lines should be laid out as soon as practicable, both on the ground and on the map, That with a view of carrying into effect the aboveobjects without delay, a commission, with the sanction of the Governor, consisting of the Chief Surveyor, a competent engineer, and such other persons as the Superintendent may select should be appointed for theljpurpose of selecting and laying out the main trunk lines of road. That as the above works may be considered as undertaken with the view of facilitating the selection of land, the expense attending the same should be borne by the Land Fund. That this subject is one of the greatest importance to the welfare and progress of the Province, and deserves the earliest attention of the Provincial Government." The chairman reported progiess. The Speaker then resumed the chair, and several notices of motion having been given, the house adjourned.