LOCAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 48, 30 April 1866, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

PEOVINOIAL COUNCIL. NOTICES OF MOTION. Tuesday, May 1. . ....... The Provincial Solicitor to move, That the report of the Select Committee on his Honor the Superintendent's Message,- No. 14, be adopted. Mr. Kingdon to move for a Select Committee (with leave to call for persons and papers) to enquire into and report to this Council if the Itinerary published In Nelson and referred. to in the memorial of Mr.,T. M. Macklcy, was so published with the consent of the Provincial Government, and to what compensation (if any) Mr. Mackley is entitled .for, the in jury and loss he has sustained ; such. Committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr. Redwood, Mr. .Gibbs, Mr. McMahon, Mr. F. Kelling, and the mover. 3. Mr. Kelling to move the following resolutions : I. That, having a regard for the future no Jess than the present welfare of the province, this Council is of opinion that it is essentially necessary a trunk line of road should be carried from Nelson to Cobden, in order that the immense mineral wealth contained in the heart of the country may be rendered accessible. 11. That, whether viewed in reference to the first cost of such road or the economy of traffic, a light line of rail wav is most desirable road for the purpose, considering the nature of the country through which the road would have to be carried. 111. That in the event of persons being found willing to construct a lght line of railway from Nelson to Cobden with a continuation of the line to the mouth of the River Buller, and take payment for the same in land, this Council is of opinion that the waste lands of the Province could not be devoted to a more legitimate purpose. ... IV. That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to bring the subject under the attention of the Government of the Colony, and obtain its sanction to the alienation of the land necessary for the purpose, on condition that the land to.be given shall not exceed 10,000 acres for each mile of railway constructed, and the land taken shall all have a drainage to the valleys through which the line of railway shall pass. • 4. The Provincial Solicitor to move, That the Cattle Trespass Bill bo read a second time. - 5. The Provincial Secretary to move. That the Estimates be re committed, for the purpose of making the following alterations, viz.— To strike out the figures " 160/." after the word " Sergeant," in Police Department, and insert the figures " 170/.'-' Also after' the words " Hurunui Bridge " that the words and figures, " subject to the approval of the Provincial Engineer and also subject to the sum of 1,000 being subscribed by the inhabitants of Amuri 3000/." be struck out and the figures " 2,000/." inserted. 6. Mr. Gibbs to move, on the re-committal of the Estimates, That his Honor the Superintendent be aequested to place on the Estimates the sum of 25/. for the purpose of repairing the Slate River Bridge. 7. Mi-. Kingdon to move the resolution proposed by the Select Committee appointed to take into consideration and report upon the petition of Mr. Mathew Batty, namely, That as the Committee find, that the valuation of Batty's plantjand improvements, on which the Government proposed to act has been made chiefly by Mr. Burnett, who was at the time in the service of the Government, they think it would be desirable that a fresh valuation should be made by two persons and an umpire appointed by them, that one of the valuers should be named by the Superintendent and the other by. Mr. Batty, but neither should be in any way connected either with the Government, with the present Lessees of the mine, or with Batty and his partners. The expense of the valuation to be equally divided between Mr. Batty and the Government. In case Mr. Batty declines or neglects to appoint a valuator within ten days, the Committee; consider that the valuation of Mr. Burnett should be strictly acted upon. . The Council to meet at 5 o clock. COUNCIL PAPER.. Memorial of Ma. S. M. Mackley of the Knipuna^ „ ... . Grey Riv^er.; ; ,.?,.-. , ; .- J -. .•, . From an Itinerary published in Nelson, setting out

the different stages of the road between Nelson, and the Grey, and from the palpable mistatements made in that paper, people were constantly arriving at Kaipuna, Grey River, nearly dead from starvation, and as this was the first station they reached from Snow's track, after being without food for three, or four days, upon arriving here they have killed whatever stock they could come across, taken sufficient to satisfy their hunger, and left the remainder. In four weeks they killed 19 breeding sows, greater part of them heavy with young, several young pigs, and ■some 50 or 60 breeding ewes, which had been acclimatised at great expense, and were most valuable to me for that reason. I consider my loss to be, at, least £200, and hope that, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the Council will take the matter into consideration snd award me compensation. S. M. MACKLEY.

The Electric Telegraph. — The Manager of the Electric Telegraph Station informs us that both of the wires are out of order. The cause is that a tree has fallen across the line somewhere in the neighborhood of the Pelorus, and the weather being wet and the wires touching the grass, the communication has been interrupted at intervals during the past three days. At the time of our going to press no curcuit could be obtained with any statiou. Unless the Government go to the further expense of clearing the timber for some little distauce on either side of the line this public work, which is felt to be an important one in Nelson, will be of little value by reason of being frequently out of order. In new countries, one of the great drawbacks to the usefulness of the electric telegraph is felt to be its liability to be injured by trees falling across the wires. In Australia., the Government endeavor to remedy this by having each side of the line cleared for the distance of sixty-six yards ; why, in a country like New Zealand so much more subject to heavy winds, a few yards should be deemed sufficient, we cannot see. The policy of trying to do things too cheap has never yet succeeded. We believe that true economy will best be studied, by doing things well at first. The West Wanganui Coal-mine. — There seems every probability of this coal being worked ou an extensive scale. It will be remembered that a short time since a small cargo was brought into port and disposed of among the townspeople. It was thought so highly of that another small lot now expected will not meet the demand for it which has already arisen. The seam is exposed on the beach between high and low water mark, about 20 yards from the deep water frontage. The proprietors have secured altogether eight sections of land, and are now making arrangements for the formation of a company in Melbourne, to work it with the aid of a large capital, and the great consumption of coal here and at Wellington, will ensure a market for all they can procure. Spring Grove. — A tea and public meeting will take place, to-morrow, in the Baptist Chapel, Spring Grove. The tea is to be on the tables at 5 o'clock, therefore, those who purpose to go from Nelson will require to make an early start.