PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Marlborough Press, Volume XII, Issue 752, 14 June 1871, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. On the item Wharf, Picton, £6OO, Mr Hodson enquired whether the Government intended purchasing the hulk at Port Underwood. He had seen and been on board the hulk, and thought with others who were more experienced than himself in such matters, that a very geod wharf might be constructed with it. Mr Seymour stated that the hulk was under offer to the Government for £l9o delivered at Picton. He had been unable yet to visit it, but if it was suitable, he had no doubt it would be a more economical mode of repairing the wharf than by continuing to spend £SOO or £6OO every four or five years in replacing piles. From an estimate that had been prepared it would require £BOO to repair the wharf with piles, while with the assistance of the hulk, £6OO was all that was required, and future repairs would cost far less than by the other plan. The item passed. Dray-road from the Landing-place to Canvas Town, £SOO.

Mr Douslin objected to the money being spent on this road. The only persons who would be benefitted would bo Mr Wilson and his colleague (Mr Rutland). The landing place was only one nominally, the grca'ter portion of goods went to Canvas Town by the Pelorus river, and £IOO spent on clearing snags therein, would be of far more practical use than £SOO on the road, which would take £IOOO at least before any good was done, and then only benefit one or two persons. He would like to see £IOO spent in removing snags from the river, £2OO on the road between Canvas Town and the Pelorus Bridge, and £2OO on the Kaituna road, but he supposed the Standing Orders would not permit such amendment. Messrs Sinclair and Robinson spoke in favor of Mr Douslin’s motion. Mr Seymour said it was probable a large quantity of land would be sold this year in the district, and it would be but fair, if so, to do something to the road. It would be the first link in the road to the Rai Valley. It would open up the Pelorus, the Rai Valley, and the diggings, and might ultimately be carried to Havelock, and it was on the main line of road to Nelson. But the" Government did not intend to spend that sum of money unless a considerable amount was received for land. As for removing snags from the river they might be back next week. A division then took place which resulted in the passing of the item, the Chairman giving the casting vote. Ayes, B—Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Carter, Goulter, Ward, Turner, Dodson, Baillie Noes, 7—Messrs Western, Blick, Douslin, Sinclair, Hodson, Robinson, Chaytor.

THURSDAY, JUNE 1. Present: —The Speaker, His Honor the Superintendent, Messrs Conolly, Carter, Chaytor, Western, Ward, Turner, Rutland, Baillie, Robinson, Douslin. Mr Turner presented a petition from Messrs Bowden of Queen Charlotte Sound, asking com. pensation for land taken from them by the General Government. PELORUS RIVER. Mr Douslin moved that £IOO be placed on the Estimates for removing snags in the Pelorus river. He brought it forward in connection with two others, and would move that the sum of £SOO passed yesterday be struck out conditionally with these passing. Many small settlers would be benefitted if the snags were removed, and he suggested that the remaining £4OO should be paid to the Road Board, for the Kaituna and Pelorus roads, in which case he would abandon the others. He would also consent to the understanding that the payment should be land. Mr Sinclair seconded. Mr Seymour said it would perhaps be more advisable to take the discussion on the Estimates than notv, and with that understanding would allow the motion to pass without objection. The motion was carried. KAITUNA VALLEY ROAD. Mr Douslin moved that £2OO he placed on the Estimates for repairing dray road through Kaituna Valley. Mr Robinson seconded. Mr Sinclair suggested that the division on all these items be taken on the estimates. Motion passed. BRIDLE TRACK TO CANVASTOWN. Mr Douslin moved that the sum of £2OO be placed on the estimates for improving the bridleroad between Canvastown and Pelorus Bridge. Mr Robinson seconded, and the motion was carried. HAVELOCK WHARF. Mr Douslin moved £2OO on the estimates for extending the Wharf at Havelock, Mr Robinson seconded. Mr Conolly understood the motion as not binding on the Government to vote for it on the estimates. The motion was carried. ROAD TO TOFIIOUSE. Mr Ward moved £2OO for the purpose of making a dray road from the Lower Traverse Ilill and Wairau Valley to the Tophouse, on the same conditions as the former. Motion carried. PICTON COUNTY-BOARD. Mr Western moved £SOO on the estimates for assistance of the Picton County Board. Captain Baillie seconded. ' Mr Conolly said he would raise no objection, leaving the discussion as before. TELEGRAPH MAINTENANCE. Mr Seymour moved —“ That the Council request Messrs Eyes, Kenny, and Ingles, members of the House of Rcpresetatives, to urge upon the Ministry the injustice of the present system of charging the expenses of the Telegraph department to Provincial revenue, and the great loss which this province in particular sustains thereby ; and to take such steps as may be neeesrary to have the whole of the telegraph expenditure made a colonial charge by special enactment ; and that the Speaker be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to each of those gentlemen.” The motion passed. LUNATICS AND PAUPERS. Mr Conolly moved a recommendation to place on the estimates a special order for £165 9s 2d for expenditure since February last, nearly all of which was for charitable purposes, as lunatics and paupers, in excess of the vote of Council. Mr Sinclair seconded, and the motion was passed. APPROPRIATION BILL. Mr Seymour laid the Bill on the table, and moved the suspension of Standing Orders to allow it to pass through all its stages, which was carried. In reply to Captain Baillie, Mr Seymour said the Government did not intend to place any sum on the estimates for opening the Rai Valley. The only way available was under “ The Waste Lands Act, 1867.”

The Council then went into Committe on the Estimates, Captain Baillie in the chair. PELORUS RIVER, A long discussion took place on the item £l3O for removing snags from the Pelorus River.— Mr Douslin and Mr Rutland strongly urged the desirability of the work, which would be more beneficial to the district than any expenditure it would be in the power of the Government to make on the dray road ; and that water carriage would always he preferable on account of its cheapness.—ln reply to Mr Ward, Mr Rutland said he did not,believe that floods would cause other snags to impede the traffic. The Road Board had 54 miles of road to maintain and only £154 of rates.—Mr Douslin said that if this item w r ere passed he would withdraw the other two items, or consent to the amount being taken from the £SOO for the dray road.—Mr Conolly would not consent to any such bargain. The question should be decided on its merits ; such a bargain would be degrading to the Council. — Mr Ward could see nothing degrading in it, if it was for the advantage of the district and of the province. The two members were in favor of the plan.—Mr Rutland asked if the Government were prepared to give the £SOO. —Mr Seymour said that the question would involve a certain amount of care and caution, as Road Boards were now constituted. —Messrs Sinclair, Robinson, and Turner were in favor of the item, which was agreed t 0.,. KAITUNA ROAD. On the item £2OO for repairing the dray road through Kaituna Valley being put, a long discussion ensued. The item was lost on a division. Ayes, 4—Messrs Douslin,- Rutland, Western, Robinson. Noes, B—Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Chaytor, Carter, Sinclair, Goulter, Ward, Turner. CANVASTOWN ROAD. The item of £2OO for the road between Canvastown and Pelorus Valley was negatived on a division. Ayes, 4—Messrs Douslin, Rutland, Robinson, and Western. Noes, 7—Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Carter, Chaytor, Goulter, and Turner. HAVELOCK WHARF. The item of £2OO for extending the wharf at Havelock, was also negatived on a division. Ayes, 2—Messrs Douslin, and Rutland. Noes, 7—Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Carter Chaytor, Sinclair, Goulter, Turner. Messrs Western and Ward declined to vote. ROAD TO TOP HOUSE.

On the item £2OO for making a road between Wairau Valley and Tophouse being put, Air Ward said it was no new matter, as the subject had been before the Council on former occasions, but owing to the financial state of the province it had been withdrawn. There was no doubt that through the want of this road a great amount of trade with the Buller and other gold districts had been lost.—Mr Conolly was in favor of the item. If the work had been done years ago there would have been a trade vvitli the gold fields in their palmy days. They had not land to give for the work, as in the Pelorus, but he hoped some arrangement would be made.— Mr Sinclair said they would never be able to compete with Nelson and other places, as it would be cheaper to send by water. —Mr Carter said if the road was opened, it would not only benefit the district, but the whole province, and a part of the West Coast.—Mr Ward said it was a pity charming women should speak in error. No doubt on former occasions Mr Sinclair had given them valuable information, but he was altogether at sea on this matter. It was well knowm that produce could be conveyed cheaper from Marlborough to many parts of the West Coast than from Nelson if they took advantage of their position. There was a splendid place built at the lake by Mr Kerr for accommodation. The proposed road would place them in direct communication with the Upper Buller and tributaries, which diggings were at present wearing a lively aspect. As regarded sending their freight by sea it was all nonsense, for after reaching Westport it would have to be boated up the river at double the cost of land carriage. The trade with this province now, with all its drawbacks, was considerable, sheep and stock being sold in lots along the line of road, and it was their duty to afford it every possible facility..— Mr Douslin supported the motion. The road was the main line to the West Coast, and would tend to increase the population of their own diggings. He would like to know whether the payment was to be made in land or money. —Mr Conolly said lie hoped that some arrangement would be come to.—Mr Douslin could not see why his motions had not received the same attentions.—The item was carried. PICTON COUNTY BOARD. Mr Western defended the item £SOO for the Picton County Board. He said the district labored under very great difficulties, as it got only £3OO for the maintenance of the entire road from the Ferry to Picton.—Mr Sinclair supported the motion.—Mr Seymour said he could not conceive how the Picton County Board could have greater difficulties than the County of Wairau, and other boards.—Tlie item was lost on a division. Ayes, 4—Messrs Western, Douslin, Rutland, and Sinclair. Noes, 6—Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Carter, Ward, Chaytor, and Goulter. The hill was then reported as passed through Committee and the Council adjourned. FRIDAY JUNE 2, 1871. Present : Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Chaytor, Rutland, Western, Turner, Baillie, Paul, Hodson, Douslin, Carter, Blick, Sinclair, Ward. BOWDEN’S PETITION. Mr Turner moved for a select Committee on Messrs Bowden’s petition, consisting of Messrs Seymour, Rutland, Ward, Hodson, and the mover. A committee had been granted in the former session, but owing to circumstances beyond his control, the petitioner was unable to be present. He was now in town and ready to he examined. The case was one of peculiar hardship- , Captain Baillie said he knew the case to be a very hard one, the land having been taken from them by the General Government to recompense natives ; it was only right to afford them some compensation. The motion was carried. ELECTION OF SUPERINTENDENT BY THE PEOPLE Mr Ward moved that it is hot desirable that the Council should be deprived of its privilege of electing its own Superintendent as conferred by “ The New Provinces Act, 1868.”. Besides Mr Ward, Messrs Robinson, Conolly, and Carter took part in the debate, and on a division the numbers were Ayes C, Messrs Seymour, Conolly, Carter, Ward, Chaytor, and Rutland. Noes, ,5, Messrs Paul, Blick, Robinson, Sinclair, and Douslin. , „ , Messrs Western, Baillie, Turner, and Hodson were in the anti-room, and declined to vote. The Council went into Committee on the Scab Bill. The Chairman reported progress.

The appropriation Bill was read a second ; went into Committee ; reported without amendment. The Council then adjourned. SATURDAY, JUNE 3. Present : The Speaker, Mr Seymour, Messrs Conolly, Carter, Chaytor, Ward, Turner, Paul, Douslin, Sinclair, and Llodson. The Appropriation Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr Turner moved that the report of the Select Committee on Bowden’s petition be adopted, which was carried. Mr Seymour moved that the Council do now adjourn. Mr Ward asked the Superintendent if the Government intended to lay on the table any further information respecting payments in land for roads at Kaikoura, the management of which had been entrusted by the Superintendent and Executive to Mr Ingles, a member of the Executive. He was sorry that Mr Ingles was. not in his place in the Conncil, to give an account of his stewardship, for it wascurrently reported out of doors that Mr Ingles had abused the trust reposed to him. He had asked the Government last session for returns of the work done, and of the land given in payment. The returns were now before them, but lie was unable to make anything out of them, for they distinctly stated that some portions of the work might have been overrated, and other portions might have been omitted altogether. He should like to see a correct return published by the Government. The Speaker here ruled that Mr Ward was out of order. Mr Seymour replied that all the information the Government could supply had already been laid upon the table. Mr Conolly, speaking to a point of order, said that Mr Ward had every opportunity to place a notice of motion on the order paper, and had failed to do so. The member for Wairau Valley had waited until most of the members had gone to their homes, and had then introduced this discussion in an irregular manner. The Government had sent a competent person to Kaikoura to report on the works in question, and | from that report the Government had no reason to believe that Mr Ingles had abused the power entrusted to him. There had been a great deal of talk and boldness out of doors, but he should like to see the same boldness displayed in Council by the member, for he had every opportunity to discuss the matter.

Mr Seymour moved on adjournment till halfpast two o’clock. Mr Ward, in speaking to the amendment, said he could only' say time ho had waited for Mr Ingles’ appearance until the eleventh hour, for he disliked attacking an absent man, and if he had not given the Government due notice, it was entirely owing to the hurried manner in which the business of the session had been pushed through ; several members had been working night and day. If the Government would adjourn the Council until Tuesday, he would be prepared to go fully into the matter. The member for Fiction had taunted him with a want of boldness ; if the member for Picton wanted boldness, lie did not know where ho would find it elsewhere. He had no wish to embarass the Government, but it was very evident that the Government wished to screen Mr Ingles from the consequences which a full enquiry would entail on him. He could only say that while he had a seat in that Council his voice would always be raised against jobbery of all kinds, whether perpetrated by this or any other Government, and after what lie had heard from men of standing, residents of Kaikoura district, he believed that a full enquiry was necessary. In the afternoon the same gentlemen were present except Messrs Conolly and Ward, when, the remaining clauses of the Scab Bill passed through Committee, after which the Bill was read a third time and passed. His Honor then prorogued the Council.