The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 260, 1 November 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1867. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, October 31. The Speaker took the chair at 5 o'clock; all the members being present except Messrs Redwood, "Wigley. Mr Burn presented a petition from the Pakawau Coal Mining Committee, praying that a sum not exceeding £200 may be granted towards the repair ot the road through the Pakawau-gorge, made by the lessees of that coalfield; the present state of ■ which is the sole obstacle to the efficient working ©f the field. Several notices of motion having been given, Mr Baigent, though disclaiming any wish to depreciate the services of the Government officers o i the goldfielde, thought that the Council should be furnished with full information with reference to the salaries which they were receiving; and therefore moved that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to furnish the Council with copips of le't^rs between the Superintendent and the Colonial Secretary, in April and July, 1866 and 1867, relative to the salaries of Kesident Majjistrates and Clerks on the goldfields in Nelson province. Mr Macmahon seconded the motion. The Provincial Secretary laid on the table copies of the correspondence in question, which were read by the Clerk of the Council, and, on the motion of Mr Parker, ordered to be printed. The motion was carried. Mr Baigent moved that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to furnish the Council with a copy of the correspondence between the Colonial Secretary and Superintendent (in December last) respecting the salary of the Provincial Auditor, in order to ascertain on what grounds an additional £100 a year had been granted to that officer by the Provincial Council, under instructions from the General Government. The Provincial Secretary said that the mover had made another incorrect statement; for the Council bad never been called upon to pay this additional salary. He then laid on the table the correspondence alluded to, which, on the motion ot Mr Wastney, was ordered to be printed, and which showed that the Colonial Secretary had written to the late Superintendent, asking what, in his opinion, should be the salaries of the Auditor and Deputy -Auditor, to which he had replied, pointing out the additional work whicl' the office now involved, and especially the necessity that the Auditor should visit the West Coast from , time to time, recommending £250 as the salary . for the Auditor, the Deputy-Auditor to be paid at - the same raie when acting for him. Mr uibb's motion for the appointment of a Select Committee to take into consideration the petition of the lessees of the Collingwood Coal- : mine, to consist of the Provincial; Secretary, Messrs Akersten, Baigent, Wastney, Pitt, P. Kelling, burn, Maemahon, Dreyer, and the mover, was, after considerable discussion, negatived without. division. ■ Thei.eport of the Select. Committee appointed to prepare a reply to the address of his Honor the (Superintendent was adopted, on the motion of .'.■/Mr.-Beritley. ■■■■-■ •'■■ •-• •' ■ -"- ' • '■'- Mr Bentley moved that ' the Nelson, Cobden,

and Westport Railway Land Act Amendment Act, 1867', having now received the assent of his Excellency the Governor, in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that the Government be j requesttd to introduce a bill authorising the Superintendent to enter into a contract for the construction of a railway from the Port of Nelson to Cobden and Westport. He thought it desirable that a short bill should be introduced to this effect during the present session, as the Superintendent had no power to lease any land for the construction of a railway until this was done. The Provincial Solicitor said that the Government had well considered this subject, and had come to the conclusion that it was perfectly useless to introduce such a bill this session. No one could be more anxious that the Superintendent was to promote this object, and when the Government were prepared to enter into a contract for the formation of this railway, it would be laid before the Council for their approval. Unless, therefore, they were prepared to give the Superintendent carte blanche, there was no use in this motion, and it would necessitate the passing of two bills instead of one. Mr Wastnej feared that the interests of the province would suffer by this delay, and that the Council would be guilty of great mismanagement if they consented to it. Mr Donne coincided with the Government in regarding the present measure as inexpedient. Mr Macmahon said that a material change seemed to have come over the mind of the Government since last session in reference to this subject. He thought the Executive would do better to say at once that they did noc think favorably of the scheme, and shelve it. This would be only dealing fairly with the public. Mr Gibbs thought that until Mr Wrigg's report was received, any action in the matter would be premature. Mr Simmonds reminded the House that the General Assembly had laid it down that such a bill should be passed by the Council, in order to empower the Superintendent to enter into contracts. The ' Provincial Secretary said that, although the Superintendent could not enter into contracts, all other preliminaries might be arranged, and should a bona-fide contractor come forward, the approval of the Council might be obtained. Mr VVrigg was now employed in making his preliminary survey; and moreover Mr Morrison, the Colonial Agent, if not already in the colony, was expected here by the next mail, and the Government were desirous of consulting him. Mr Bentley replied, expressing his hope that it would be the wish of the House that such a bill should be framed; and the motion was carried without division. Mr Akersten's motion that in future no roads or public works on the West Coast should be undertaken without the previous sanction of the Superintendent, was lost for lack of a seconder. Mr Dreyer having inquired whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce during this session a bill for the purpose of redistributing and increasing the representation of the Nelson Southwest Goldfields in the Council, the Provincial Secretary stated that such a measure would be introduced next session. Mr Akersten's motion for the appointment of a Resident District Engineer on the West Coast, to assist the Commissioner, and to keep the Government advised of the progress of the public works in that part of the province, was opposed by the Provincial Secretary, on the ground that such an appointment was quite unnecessary, as the public works there were nearly all completed, and there was already a Clck of the Works acting under the directions of the Provincial Engineer; and was lost after a lengthy discussion (in which Messrs F. Kelling, Pitt, and White opposed the motion, which was supported by Messrs Gibbs and Donne) by a majority of 13 to 6. The Provincial Secretary then mov*>d the second reading of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, and in a speech of considerable length, illustrative of the manner in which the sums voted by the Council for the West Coast service had been expended, of the advantages which had accrued from the formation of the great trunk road from Cobden to Westport, a work originated by the late Superintendent, and continued by the present Government, and of the injury which must have resulted to the prosperity of Westport, had this work, whi>:h had also been the means of opening up. the Mokihinui, been delayed till the Council could authorise the expenditure. Though this road had cost £18,000 it was a creditable well-made road, and the expenditure upon it might, he considered, be deemed a success, and one which he expected the Council would thank the Government for incurring, since it had contributed so materially to the prosperity of Westport. The Provincial Secretary then showed the various amounts expended and those required, from which it appeared that the actual receipts from the West Coast, for the six months ending 30th September, including goldfields revenue, customs, and gold duty, amounted to 47,776/. The expenditure during the same period on Southwest goldfields and West Coast roads 55,0147; excess of expenditure during six months 7238/. The estimated revenue for the six months ending March 1868 was 42,000/; and the estimated expenditure during the same period 32.000/. The expenditure for the half-year to 30th September, on West Coast roads and other public works,' omitting shillings and pence, was 32318/. The sum of 485;*?, for various items, including police stores, hospitals, surveys, stationery, &c, wag still required on the Southwest Goldfields. The Provincial Secretary instanced, as a proof of the progress of the Nelson West Coast goldfields, that the receipts at Westport alone for the month of September made a total of 3846/. The total expenditure on the whole West Coast for the same month was 4239/, or only 393/ in excess of the revenue derived from Westport alone. It was also a noteworthy fact that the estimated goldfields revenue for the first six months of the financial year was 16,000/, while the actual receipts for that period were 23,000/. Looking to: these facts, be believed that the Council, deeming this expenditure judicious and satisfactory, would at once pass the bill. Mr Pitt seconded the motion. Mr Parker, though he did not intend to oppose the second reading of the bill, combatted at some length the statements of the Provincial Secretary,

expressing his hope that the Council Vould set its* face against theincurring such large unauthorised expenditure, and take steps to prevent its recurrence. Mr F. Kelling followed, exonerating the Government from blame in the matter, which was he thought owing to Mr Kynnersley, since the Superintendent had repeatedly cautioned him. Mr Gibbs proposed, as an amendment, that the second reading be deferred until the papers produced by the Provincial Secretary could be printed; and after Messrs Burn and Akersten had addressed the House in opposition to the amendment, the latter objecting to the framing of the bill itself, Mr Wastney called attention to the Standing Order No 70, which laid it down that no bill could be read a second time until it had laid on the the table four days, and the motion was therefore withdrawn. Some notices of motion were given, and the Council adjourned at 9 o'clock until 11 o'clock this morning. Friday, November 1. / The Speaker took the chair at 1 1 o'clock. Present — All the members except Messrs H. Redwood and Wigley. A few notices of motion were given. Mr Macniahon's motion providing for the payment of those members of the Council who visited the West Coast, which was seconded by Mr Kingdon, was carried without opposition. Another motion by Mr Macmahnn to increase the salary of the Riwaka Constable to 35/, being 10/ in addition to the vote of last session, was opposed by the Provincial Solicitor, on the ground that the present was not the proper time for the discussion of the matter, buc was ultimately carried. Mr Donne's motion that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place on the Supplementary Estimates the sum of 200/ to fence in the Brighton and Charleston Cemeteries was rejected, and amendments by the Provincial Secretary and Mr Bentley altering the amount to 150/, to be applied to the fencing of the Brighton, Westport, and Charleston Cemeteries, were carried. A division took place on Mr Akersten's motion that the sum of 1000/ be placed on the Estimates, to be expended in boring for coal in the vicinity of Nelson, in a place to be determined by the Provincial Engineer, which was lost by a majority of 13 to 7. In reply to Mr Pitt's inquiry whether any steps had been taken by the Provincial Government or the lessees of the Grey River coalmine, towards the construction of a suitable tramway for the conveyance of coals from the mine to Cobden; and whether the construction of such a tramway within a reasonable time was probable, the Provincial Secretary stated that the Government was now in communication with the lessees on this subject; the line had been surveyed, but a legal difficulty had presented itself, which the Government hoped to solve without the necessity of appealing to the General Assembly. Mr Donne's motion for an increase in the representation of the Southwest G-oldfields, and requesting the Government to bring in, during the present session, a bill to this effect, was lost by 11 to 9, and an amendment by Mr Akersten, that a bill of this kind should be prepared during the recess, was carried. Mr Macmahon's motion to elicit an expression of opinion from the Council, as to the propriety of discontinuing the course adopted by the Executive in expending large sums in excess of the Appropriation Act, and also of refusing to grant a bill of indemnity for any such large unauthorised expenditure after this session, was postponed, by consent of the Council, till Tuesday next. In reply to Mr Bentley, the Provincial Secretary said that a portion of ground had been set apart for a public cemetery at Westport. In reply to Mr Dreyer, the Provincial Secretary said that the General Government had promised to commence the telegraph between Greymouth and Westport as soon as the session of the General Assembly was over, and the money had been granted, and he also stated in reply to Mr Donne, that it was the intention of the Government to give effect immediately to a resolution passed last session touching a revision of the Goldfields' Mining Eegulations, the "Wardens having been instructed to appoint delegates to confer with the Wardens, who would then frame the regulations. The Council adjourned at a quarter to 3 to-day until 5 o'clock on Tuesday.