PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XV, Issue 852, 9 January 1861, Page 4

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, January 2, 1861. The Speaker took the chair at 5 p.m. Present,- —All the members except Messrs. Duncan, Thomson, Ward, White, and Wyatt. Prayers were read by the Chaplain, and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

Mr. Bishop brought up the report of the Select Committee on the Waste Lands Department, which was read and received.

Mr. Ollivier gave notice that he would move its consideration on Friday next. On the motion of Mr. Harston, the Gorse Bill was carried finally through committee. The third reading of the English Agent's Repeal Bill was negatived on division on a point of order, members not being fully supplied with copies. Mr. Blakiston obtained leave to place on the estimates a sum of £300 for painting, whitewashingand cleansing the Government Buildings at Christchurch and Lyttelton; also a sum of £30 for forage for the police constable at Timaru; also £1000 for erecting the clock tower and fixing the clock just arrived from England; also a 3um of £1000 for making suitable provision for the accommodation of lunatics, which he said it was proposed to do by making an addition to the proposed hospital.

Mr. Latter, in moving for a sum of £150 for the construction of a cart bridge across the Avon, in Madras Street, said that this was a want which was much felt, there being no bridge lower down the river than the Colombo Street bridge, and consequently no means of access from this locality either to the newly opened church of St. Luke or to the cemetery. Seconded by Mr. Ollivieb, and agreed to.

Mr. Dobbs moved "that there be placed on the estimates a sum adequate to purchase the foot toll on White s bridge at Kaiapoi" which he believed would be conferring a great boon at a small cost especially on the working class, on whom tho toll' going to and from their work daily, told heavily' He was unable to say what the precise sum required would be. *

After some slight discussion, lion, members ob jccting to tho motion on tho ground of its being too vague, there being no information afforded them on which to come to any decision, Mr. Ollivieb moved as an amendment that his Honor be requested to ascertain the amount for which the foot-passenger toll on this bridge could be purchased. Mr. Dobbs raised no objection to the amendment, which was put and carried.

Mr. Ollivieb moved, " that his Honor tho Superintendent be authorised to expend 2000 acres of land, in lieu of money, on public works during the ensuing financial year, under clause 43 of the Waste Lands Regulations." In doing so, he would remind hon. members that the Superintendent was already empowered so to expend 1000 acres annually, and he (Mr. 0.) wished now to increase that quantity to 2000, in order to get works done by that method which otherwise must remain undone, as well as to bring into use some of the timber now lying idle in the yard. He could name several works of this description. There was the Heathcote bridge, all the labour on which could bo paid for in land, at or within the engineer's estimate ; also the Saltwater Creek bridge. Mr. Davis seconded the motion.

Mr. Templeb thought that the cutting down from 3000 to 2000 did not alter the question of principle which had been decided a night or two back. He was of opinion that persons tendering would do so at a higher rate in the case of a land payment than of one in money. In fact the land would go at a discount.

Mr. Higgins said that he believed that contractors had already boasted of having acquired land under this system at a rate of from 30s. to 355. an acre.

After a few more remarks from hon. members, the motion was put and lost on division. Ayes, 7 —Messrs. Bishop, Blakiston, Davis, Dobbs, Harston, Ollivier, Rhodes. Noes, 11—Messrs. Alport, Cookson, Harman, Higgins, Latter, Miln, Potts, Ross, Templer, Westenra, and Wilkin. Mr. Temples obtained leave to have placed on the estimates a sufficient sum to metal that portion of the Riccarton and Hare wood road already formed but not metalled.

Mr. Blakiston then moved the house into Committee of Supply, when the following sums were voted for public works : — South Road— Improvements and partial metalling between the Rangitata and Waitaki, 71 miles... ...£I2OO 0 0 Waitaki valleyImprovements of track up to Hakateremea ... 300 0 0 Burkes Pass road improvements in aid of repairs, 50 miles ... ... 200 0 0 Upper Ashburton cutting into valley of Upper Rangitata valley, grant in aid of private subscriptions ... 100 0 0 Lincoln Road— Rebuilding bridge over Heathcote ... 300 0 0 District Roads— Extension of Fendall Town road 250 0 0 The consideration of the vote of £3000 for claying and metalling from Baxter's ferry to the 14th mile, on the North road, was deferred, in order that a report on the subject should be obtained from the Provincial Engineer. The votes of £400 for the completion of the road from Kaikainui Creek to Baxter's ferry, and £200 for the formation of a road to the shipping place at the river Ashburton mouth, were thrown out, the former after an exceeding lengthy and desultory discussion. On the consideration of sums under the head of contributions to outlying districts to keep faith with land purchasers, '

Mr. Higgins moved that the £1000 which was to be given to the Ashley district should be devoted to the construction of a bridge over the Saltwater Creek, which was agreed to. ! INWOOD'S MILL BRIDGE. In answer to a question by Mr. Habman, Mr. Blakiston stated that the Government had taken measures to secure the public from the inconvenience now existing in the blocking up of this bridge by drays loading or unloading at the mill. Mr. Inwood had agreed to construct at once a place of discharge for drays so as to leave the bridge free for passage. He had promised to take immediate steps. Notices of motion were then given and the Council at 11 p.m. adjourned to Thursday, at the usual hour. Thursday, January 3, 1861. The Speaker took the chair at 5 p.m. Present: all the members but Messrs. Alport, Cookson, Duncan, Milne, Packer, Templer, Ward, White, and Wyatt. Mr. Blakiston laid on the table copy of correspondence with Mr. White of Kaiapoi, touching the purchase of foot tolls on the bridge, in which the sum of £175 was indicated as the purchase money. On the motion of Mr. Blakiston various reserves made by the Superintendent in different localities were confirmed. Mr. Blakiston obtained leave to place on the Estimates a sum of £250 for a lock-up at Rangiora; and a sum of £100, in addition to £200 already on the Estimates, making £300, for the construction of a dip on the Hurunui; on which Mr. Ollivier hoped, considering thai the present vote was necessitated by the destruction by fire of the last dip, that the lessees would be required to insure that now proposed to be constructed. Mr. Blakiston stated that no difficulty was anticipated on this score.

Mr. Blakiston moved "that the Superintendent be requested to place on the estimates a sum of £350, for the construction of a bridge over the Avon, in Hagley Park, at its junction with the Fendall Town Road." He stated that the present bridge was in a most dilapidated and highly dangerous condition, so much so that the Provincial Engineer had been already instructed to undertake the work at once, and that he hoped in a few weeks to be able to complete an effective bridge which would last for some seven or eight years. This bridge was the sole means of communication between Christchurch and a main road opening up a large and important agricultural district. Mr. Ollivier thought £250 would suffice for the work.

Mr. Blakiston said that in this sum of £350 the timber, which would be supplied from the Government stores, was included.

The Motion was then put and agreed to. Mr. Davis moved that a sum be applied towards forming the footway through Cathedral Square. He thought that by employing some of the timber now lying idle, in the construction of a wooden curb, a very useful work might be done at a very small expense, some £30 or £35, which would put an end to the present danger arising from riding over the foot paths. Seconded by Mr. Ollivieb, who said ho was sorry to see the posts as they were now lying nearly covered with rank weeds and grass, and serving only as tether post 9 for cows and horses. < , Mr. Habston thought that as the Municipal Councils Ordinance would probably be soon in

"" ''. ; n Christchurch, the erection of those opT hould bo left till then. The Government P°finnfl enough in providing the posts. ' ]l'ir HabmaTv, for Mr. Miln, obtained leave to on the estimates a vote of £400 for claying 1 i totalling a portion of tho Lower Lincoln road. Ih Dobbs got permission to put down a sum c f 100 for forming Ohoka road. And Mr. Harston £150 for clearing tho river A On'the motion of Mr. Harston, tho Gorso Bill ,„,, road a third time and passed. Mr Blakiston then moved tho house into com■n *of supply. Ho produced a report from tho pfu^cal Engineer on the North road by the 14th 1! and the vote of £3000 for claying and metal- !! Lr'thnt road from Baxter's ferry to 14th mile nostponed last night) was, after another long discussion, finally passed as it stood. Tho following votes were then passed seriatim :— Peninsula — 1? .nd from Gebbie's bay to Akaroa£looo 0 0 Okainsbay 500 0 0 Little Akahui 200 0 0 i^onbay . 350 0 0 Akaroa, road to mill UO 0 0 £2170 0 0 Timaru— Dray track from tho South Road, near Arowenua and Geraldine round the foot of the hills through Peel forest to a point above the first Rangitata gorge .450 0 0 Small cutting and other temporary improvements on roads in" the neighbourhood of Arowenua, to enable farmers to bring their grain to market and to cart timber... 250 0 0 The same near Timaru ... ... 250 0 0 Improving access to Waimatatuatabush 50 0 0 £1000 0 0 Bridle road, "Upper Waimakariri country, with Porter's Pass, by the Kowai to Lake Pearson 200 0 0 Towns — Lyttelton—Employment of the hard labour gang 500 0 0 Christchurch—Repair _ of > Culverts, and grants in aid of drainage ... ' 500 0 0 Kaiapoi—Repair of streets and other works 500 0 0 Timaru —Improvementofstreets &c 200 0 0 Sefton—Drainage and culverts to open town for sale 200 0 0 Hospital 1200 0 0 Dip at Hurunui ... 200 0 0 Pilot boat, purchase of, and fitting 300 0 0 Beacon and path, Adderley Head 100 0 0 Buildings—Lyttelton Gaol ... 500 0 0 Christchurch Gaol 500 0 0 Christchurch Government Buildings ; ... 500 0 0 . Bonus for steam to Melbourne 2000 0 0 Refund to Canterbury Association's Estate ... 2700 0 0 Balance due Union Bank, to be repaid 13351 0 0 Interest ... ... 983 810 Julius Haast, Esq., geologist, &c. 500 0 0 Notices of motion were then given, and the house at nine p.m., adjourned to to-morrow, Friday, at the usual hour.'