The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1868. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 108, 8 May 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1868. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, May 7. The Speaker tock the chair at 5 o'clock. Present, all the members, except Messrs H. Redwood, Wigley, aud Thompson. Several notices having bcea given, The Provincial Secretary's adjourned motion, asking the Council to transmit [au address requesting the Superintendent to recommend the grant of £1,760 6s. sd. out of the Provincial Revenue ending 31st March, 1868, to meet unauthorised expenditure, was carried witliout opposition. Mr Dreyer's motion, seconded by Mr Smith, requesting the Superintendent to furnish the Council with copies of all correspondence between the Provincial Government and Mr Commissioner Kynnersley; and also between the Provincial Government and Mr Sloane, overseer of Works at Westporfc, relating to the Government Wharf at Westport, was assented to. Mr Wastney moved for a return of the present condition of the different tracks leading to the Karamea country, showing the cost of each up to the present time and what further expense is likely to be incurred in completing each or any of them so as to render them available for general traffic. Mr Wastney said that not one of these tracks had yet been completed, and great inconvenieuce hnd thereby been experienced by persons anxious to reach that country. His object was to ascertain whether a sum of money could nofc be granted for the completion of the best of these tracks. The Provincial Secretary did not desire to oppose the motion, but stated, as a matter of fact, that Jones's track had been completed, bufc the Government had not gone on with the Wangnpeka track, because very few diggers were located in that direction. Mr. Parker said that Jones's track could not be considered as completed, and if this was attributable to want of funds, the Council would do well to vote a sum of money for its completion, He then moved as an amendment thafc the words 'necessary to complete,' should be substituted for ' is likely to be incurred in completing,' which was carried by 16 to 7, the original motion, with this amendment, being then put and carried, Mr Burn haviug reminded the Council thafc a large meeting of diggers held in the city, at which he was present, to pro. nounce on the besfc track to the Karamea, had decided unanimously in favor of Jones's track, aud that the Government had afc once set to work and made that track. Message (No. 3) from his Honor the Superintendent was then read by the Speaker, acknowledging the receipt of the resolution passed by the Council on the sth instant, asking for the production of copies of all con'espondence between the Government and Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, from Ist January to 3 1st March, and suggesting to the Council that ifc , would be better to limit the terms of their resolution to such portions of the corre^-

pondence in Question as might refer to subjects upon which they wish for information, much of this correspondence being merely of a formal character, aud some of it of a character which it would be highly injurious to the public service to make public. In reply to a question from Mr Burn, whether it was the intention of the Government to provide the Board of Works with a skeleton plan of the city of Nelson, as recommended by the Select Committee, appointed July 31, 1863, to tate into consideration the memorial of the Board o* Works, the want of which had been productive of great inconvenience, The Provincial Secretary stated thafc the Chief Surveyor was ready to aifon.l every assistance to the Board, and would furnish them with any plans they required. Iv reply to a question from Mr C. Kelling, whether and when the Government is prepared to submit to the Conncil for its adoption Bules and Standing \ Orders uuder the Compulsory Land- taking Act of the General Assembly the Provincial Secretary slated thafc Rules and Regulations had been prepared, and the intention was to embody them in the Standing Orders oi Council. Mr C. Kelling's motion for a select Committee to consider nnd report upon Mr Thompson's report on the road over the Moutere Hills, was carried. The Provincial Secretary stated, in reply to Mr Akersten, that the Government had no intention to erect a cart-bridge this year over the Maitai afc Bridge-street. On the Provincial Secretary moving for a select committee to consider the claim of Mr Dreyer to be paid for certain losses alleged to be sustained in consequence of the Government having taken possession of a wharf erected by him at Westport, he explained thafc two years ago Mr Dreyer had beeu authorised to erect the wharf in question, on the understanding thafc the Government should take possession of ifc at auy time, a proper valuation being taken of ifc, wbich had been dove and paid. Mr Donne opposed the motion, as being highly irregular, unparliamentary, and suspicious, there being no appeal from the action of the Executive then before the Couucil. Messrs Macmahon aud Akersten supported the motion. Mr Home considered the intention of the Provincial Secretary good and honest, and imagined that Mr Donne had only taken objection to the form in which the proposition had been brought forward. The Provincial Secretary explained that he had not gone into the circumstauces of the case, because he did uofc wish to prejudice it. He had recommended Mr Dreyer to petition the Council, but he had declined to do so, and as he had frequently accused the Executive of great injustice towards him, he (the Provincial Secretary) was anxious that the matter should be set at rest. The motion was granted on division by 19 td 1, Mr Donne being the only disseutient. Mr Simmonds' motion to rescind the resolution of the 24th April last, appointing a select committee for the consideration of petitions presented to the Council, was carried, the mover stating that considerable misunderstanding prevailed as to the functions of that committee; that the former procedure of Council was a very good one, aud that it could not do better than revert to it. Mr Bentley's motion that the Select Committee on Petitions be ordered to report on the petition of Reubeu Waite, on Wednesday, the 13th instant, lapsed, the resolution appointing a Select Committee on Petitions having been rescinded. On Mr Donne's motion for the reception of Mr J. R. Fraser's petition, an amendment was carried that ifc be referred back to the petitioner for his further consideration.

On the motion of the Provincial Secretary the House then resolved itself into committee for the consideration of the Order of the Day, and it having been announced that the Government did not intend io proceed with the bill providing for the inspection of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, the Goldfields Licensing Bill was further considered by the House, and was reported with amendments. The Council adjourned afc a quarter to 9 until 11 o'clock this mornins:. The Provincial Council met this morning, at 1 1 o'clock, and rose . shortly after 1 o'clock, having been occupied almost entirely with the consideration of a motion by Mr Donne, having reference to the Superintendent's Message, No. 3, sent down to the Council yesterday evening, aMd which suggested an alteration of the resolution which it had passed, relative to the production of certain correspondence between the Government and Mr. Commissioner Kynnersley. The Council having gone iuto committee on the subject, a lengthened debate took place, a resolution being proposed by Mr Donne to the effect that some lew members of the Council .should be delegated to inspect the correspondence iv question, and report upon the matter. Tbe general sense of the Council was evipiently opposed to any dictation to the Superintendent on the part of that body, and three amendments were proposed, the latter of which, by Mr Macmahon, expressing the wish of the Council, in deference to the Superintendent's opinion, not to press the resolution proposed by Mr Donne, was carried on' division by 15 to 1, Mr Donne being the sole dissentient, and tiie Speaker, with Messers Gibbs, Dreyer, Home aud Bentley declining to vote. Tbe remaining clauses of the Goi (fields Licensing Bill were considered in committee, aud the bill was reported with amendments.