The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 19, ISO7. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Thursday, July 18.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 167, 19 July 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 19, ISO7. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Thursday, July 18.

Tlie Speaker took the chair at o o'clock; all the members being present except Messrs Parker. Baigent, Thompson, and Bei ft. The Speaker read a letter from Captain Rough, signifying his acceptance of the oiiine conferred on him by the Provincial Council as one of tbe Committee of Management of Nelson Hospital, Mr Kingdon brought up the report of tlie select committee, which was read aud laid on the table. On the moi ion of the Provincial Solicitor the Crown Lauds Leasing Bill was recommitted, « nd ihe House went into committee, Mr Kingdon in the chair; and several amendments in tho bill, proposed by the Provincial Solicitor, were carried. The House theu resumed, and Mr Donne moved that in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that a Central Survey Laud and Engineer's Department should be created on the South-west Gold-fields, and that copies of such maps and reports as are extant of the West Coast, including all previous surveys, should be supplied and made accessible for public information. Mr Bentley seconded the motion. Mr Dreyer would support it as far as it related to the appointment of an engineer, but he would inform the mover and the hou . member for Westport that copies of all plans and surveys made in the Grey and Buller districts were to bc seen at the Courthouses at Cobden and Westport. At Brightou there has as yet beeu uo survey, and the township of Charleston had only been surveyed withiu a few weeks, and (he maps are not yet finished. Tbe Piov incial Secretary said there was already a Survey Ofiice at Westport, ami all surveys aud plans were lodged tbere; it was therefore unnecessary to make a separate ofiice. Mr Simmonds opposed tlie motion. Mr F. Kelling thought the question had been decided when the Estimates for the Survey Department ou the West Coast, were passed. Mr White said that be had listened with a good deal of patience aud forbearance to the almost innumerable speeches of the member for Cobden (Mr Donne), and had come to the conclusion that, like Ai'tenms Ward, he had no principles whatever. He charged the hon. member with having made most unjustitiable attacks ou the Government, on his colleagues, and on the whole Council, for the purpose of making a show or gaining for himself a name, and was confident that the inhabitants of the West Coast' would recognise the liberal ity of. the Council in their regard, in passing the whole of the items set down in the Estimates for the South-west Gold-fields, almost without a challenge, whatever the non-qualified member for Cobden might say to the contrary. He concluded hy advising the hon. member if he should be so fortunate as to retaiu bis seal in the Council, first to make himself thoroughly acquainted with every topic on which he might speak, -s.nd thus avoid making au exhibition of himself. Mr Gibbs moved us an amendment that an engineer should be statioued on the South-west Gold-fields. Mr Dreyer said that if an engineer were appointed, 1000/ would be saved to the province for every 100/ of his salary. The Provincial Solicitor stated that there was already a competent engineer on (he gold-fields, aud with Mr Blackett's occasional visits, it was quite unnecessary to appoint another officer. Mr Donue assured the Couucil thathe was not biassed by improper motives in

bringing this motion forward, but was actuated simply by a sense of duty, as the subject had been brought uml*-.r bis notice before he left the West Coast. He was surprised that liis colleague bad thrown cold water ou the proposition. He presumed thnt the Government wished people tn settle on the West Coast, and that every iulormation lhey might require -should be ..••eessible lo them. In reference tcP-tho Proviucial Sol ici toi 's i en-ark.-, lie would slate thai- lhe Provincial Eugineei had not been at the West Co.-st, since November, 1 8G5. I'e was astonished to find the House silent when such language was used towards him bv tiie lum. member for Waimea South, who had distinctly accused bim of ".want of principle." lie had attended the deliberations of thu Parliament in Victorhi', and considered ir was a model ior similar institutions in New Zealand. The hon. member for Waimea South had stated ilu.t he had ''exercised patience and forbearance" in listening to his speeches; he was gl nd to iind he had at least oue virtue, for patience wns a virtue. When be quoted Artenius Ward, he expected that the hou. member- would have said something humorous, hut, he had heard nothing of the kind. Whose diuuers had the lion, member been eating lately, aud who had been priming him for this attack? He would assure the Council that if the hon. member had made use of such expressions towards him out of the house, lie should have resented it very differently. The amendment was then put, and tbe votes being equal, 8 to 8, the Speaker gave the casting vote with the noes, and the amendment was lost, as was also the original motion. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, the House went, into committee for the further consideration of the Estimates, Mr Kingdon in the chair. All the items under the heading Road Boards were passed without discussion, includiug Nelson Board of Works 300/, aud the following Road Boards — Suburban North 175/, Waimea 1 000/, Moutere 350/, Motueka 300/, Pangoiotara, 175/, Riwaka 140/, Takaka, 2251, Collingwood 150/, Amuri 400 Z, aud Amuri district road 400/. In the department West Coast Roads, &c, on the motion of the Proviucial Secretary, twelve items, providing for the construction of' various roads and buildings in different localities on the West Coast, representing 24,000/, were voted in globo, after sonie discussion as to the propriety of this course of action, which was carried bya majority of 16 to 2, Messrs Donne and McMahon voting with the minority, and Mr Akersten declining to vote. As compensation under the Gold-fields Acts, to S. H. Pike 1000Z, and 2500/ for preliminary survey aud expenses for the Nelson. Cobden, and Westport Railway, were both voted without discussion. The following postponed items were then passed: — 955/ moved by the Provincial Secretary, for labor, tents, horsehire, stationery, etc., the various allowances to members of the Provincial Council during session, and travelling expenses, iu accordance with the recommendation of the select committee 200/- moved by Mr Pitt, for police uniform, four inspectors for Foxhill 120/, for Amuri 250/, /'or .Marlborough 200Z, for Massacre Bay 50/, and contingencies 20/, also 200/ on the motion o£Mr Pitt, for the Fire-brigade, reduced to 125/ ou the motion of the Provincial Solicit .r. This concluded the consideration of the Estimates, and the Ilouse having resumed again went into committee, on the motion of the Provincial Solicitor, for the further consideration of the Westport and Charleston Railway Bill, Mr Burn in the chair, which was reported with amendment:*--, the most, noteworthy of which are thar, giving 5000 acres as a bonus to the contractor, in lieu of 1 000 as at first proposed, and that permitting of au extension of the line to Brighton, the lease of the line being granted for 10 years. The Hous,e then resumed, and Mr Pitt's motion for the adoption of the ad interim report of the committee appointed to report upon the Buller and othcr coal-fields in this province, was, at liis request, postponed. Tbe Provincial Solicitor's motion that in the opinion of the Couucil the Nelson Crown Lands Leasing Act, 1865, should be amended, and that a copy of fche bill agreed to by the committee of this Council should be forwarded to the General Government, with a request that tliey will introduce the same into the General Assembly, was carried. Mr Donne usked the Provincial Solicitorwhether any steps had been taken to give

efiect to a resolution of the Council of the 20th ultimo, regarding a revision of the Nelson Gold-fields Mining Regulations. The Provincial Secretary replied that the resolution referred to had been forwarded to Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, a reply had been received that morningj recommending that the appointment of „ Mining Conference should be postponed until after the sittiug of the General Assembly, and stating that little dissatisfaction with the present mining regulations existed amongst the regular miners'. It was carried, on Mr Donne's motion, that this letter be printed. In reply to Mr C- Kelling's question whether the Standing Rules and Orders, in conformity with the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly; authorising the compulsory taking of Lands for works of a public nature, are being prepared to be adopted by this Council during its present sitting, the Provincial Solicitor said that he had been too much occupied to prepare them, but he hoped to be able to do so shortly. Mr Redwood's motion that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the Estimates the sum 6f'3oZ, for the purpose of erecting a small Lock-up at Waimea-west, was carried. Mr Burn presented a petition from 17 inhabitants of Nelsou, purchasers of laud at Westport, complaining that its value had been much reduced by the letting of the coal reserve, and by other injurious action, by which their interests had been damnified. The petition was read and laid on the table. The Council then adjourned at 20 minutes past 9 o'clock, until 11 o'clock to-day.