AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1670, 19 April 1862, Page 3

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15tii

After a lengthy conversation as to whether a letter, addressed to Mr. Brookfield by the Superintendent, relating to some statements made by Mr. Carleton on the previous sitting flay, .should be read, it was agreed to, and the Council passed to the business of the day. WHARF COMMITTEE'S REPOKT. j "-

Mr. STEWART moved the adoption of the report recommending that no more money be borrowed for harbour improvements. He said the addition to the revenue by the extension of the wharf wou-ld be but £l5O, not "nearly sufficient to cover the interest of the sum necessarv for the work

Mr. SHEEHAN seconded its adoption. Mr. HARROP expeeted in a short time to see the wharf floating down the Waitomata ; had the state ot the funds permitted it, he would like to have seen a permanent structure commenced. Mr. BUCKLAND contended that a pile wharf was preferable to a stone one, as otherwise a dredging machine, at an expense of £5,000 or £6,000 a-year would have to be kept. He thought the duty of a committee was to collect evidence and frame their report in accordance with it; but so far from that being the case in the present instance, the evidence and report were quite contrary to each other. Of what use was enquiry if there was already a foregone conclusion. If party politics must be carried into everything, and if questions so vitally affecting the interests of the whole Province could not be kept free from them, it was time the management of these trusts was handed over to another body; and he wished somebody would table resolutions to that effect. Till that was done the public works would never be carried on as they should be. Mr. DALDY thought that as the member for Raglan had made an assertion, the least he could have done was to have proved it. He (Mr. D.) maintained that the report was not contrary to the evidence. The whole gist of the question was, should they or should they not borrow money for the additions to the wharf? Would the increased accommodation if afforded pay interest on the principal ? He thought the committee were quite justified in arriving at the conclusion that it was neither safe, wise, nor prudent to borrow the money. Mr. J. O'NEILL opposed the adoption of the report. The increased business that would result from the additions to the wharf would quite justify the Council in providing the extension required. When the wealth and intelligence of Auckland were asking for this accommodation, and when, by the evidence taken before the wharf committee, they saw that the Harbour Endowments were so immensely valuable, did it not become them to make some concession to the reasonable demands of such a large body of merchants and importers ? Mr. Baber, in giving his evidence, had stated that no large sum would be required to keep the wharf in repair for the next two or three years. It was a noteworthy fact that those gentlemen who had made such broad statements against the wharf would not permit themselves to be cross-examined on the subject. Great efforts had been made to prevent the merchants haying those facilities for loading and unloading which were required, and if the committee were disposed to support such efforts, they would have themselves only to blame for the result. He opposed the report on the ground that it was not justified by the evidence.

Dr POLLEN would abstain from voting on this question on cither side ; he looked upon it as entirely waste of time. Those questions had become party questions and were determined on party lhe member for the City West, who led a party in the Council, had pronounced against the wharf, and his party followed him to the last man. The member for Raglan had rightlv said that this was a party question, and the time had come when the management of those important trusts should be taken out of their hands. If any arguments in favour of such a course were wanted by Ministers, they would only have to refer to the journals and reports, and the conduct of this Council in respect to the harbour works, would furnish them. The curious ignorance and self-conceit with which men in the Council pronounced upon engineering works were remarkable; men whose education and order of mind were anything but of the highest character, undertook to settle scientific questions without an instant's consideration. One of the arguments used was, that the revenue of the harbour was not sufficient to pay the interest of the outlay. Why was not the same argument used with reference to other works of improvement ? Why, when they voted for steam communication with Sydney, Mid not some lion, member require the Government to show how the Treasury would be in funds and a large revenue be produced by the expenditure of £3,000 ? Not a word of the kind; it was not a question of public improvement, but another affair altogether. Large sums were spent on the postal service; would any gentleman say that arrangements of this nature should not be carried out, and post offices in the country districts established, until a revenue sufficient to cover the expense could be shown to exist ? No one would attempt to prove such a thing. But if the principle was good with respect to the wharf, why should it not also be applied to roads and bridges, which were perennial sources of expenditure ? Would any member stand up and say that the improvement of the harbour was not as needful a portion of the public works as the North road, or the South road, or any other of the Provincial works ? The Harbour Endowments had been involved in some difficulty through the factiousness of the Superintendent's opponents in the Council, who, in their hope to reach him, had succceeded in tying up those Endowments. If that was triumph of party, he congratulated those who had been the means of locking up such valuable property, on their success. He would say no more on the subject ; it was a foregone conclusion that there should be no addition to the wharf, and he was miite sure there would b3 none. Mr. SKYRME spoke in favour of the adoption of the report. Mr. BUSBY: As to evidence, there could be only evidence as to positive facts; as to opinions that was quite a different thing. Men came forward and gave their views on certain subiects; but surely it would not be said that a committee should be swayed by a majority of those. The Committee were in a better position to form a correct opinion than any particular number of witnesses, inasmuch as they had the whole evidence before them. The Council was aware by published letters that many of the merchants wanted increased wharfage accommodation; and no doubt they were anxious to have it, as it would facilitate their own business Mr. ROWE believed that no greater or more beneficial work had been executed in the Province than the Queen-street Wharf, and it had not been performed before it was urgently required. There -was a time when the harbour was a disgrace to the Province, nothing like dock facilities being afforded for shipping, and when the community suffered greatly in consequence. The questions were, were increased accommodation required, and was it their duty to provide it. Everyone who was in the habit of going on the wharf must know that additional facilities were needed, and if it could be done it should be provided. They had heard objections as to the wharf not being permanent, but the Auckland wharf was not the only pile wharf* in the world; in New York they had nothing but such constructions. In Canada and New Brunswick only wooden piers are erected; as fast as one pile decayed, another was driven in its place. The wharf they had was one of the best of its kind. They could of course substitute stone pillars but that would be very costly. A gentleman had assurred him that in Halifax buttresses had been erected, but sandbanks gathered and they were soon under the necessity of removing them. This might be removed by a dredging machine, but that would eat up the revenue for years to come. Were the wharf.to be washed away to-morrow another would have to be erected. There were valuable endowments if the Council would only seriously take the question up, but petty party politics seemed to prohibit that. A great deal was said about Auckland being the capital, and of maintaining their position, but unless the necessary maritime advantages were afforded, they could not expect to remain either the political or commercial capital of New Zealand. Each vessel that , discharged in the stream was a tax on every member of the community; the merchants pay in the first instance, but the people have in reality to do so in the increased cost of articles imported. He thought that additional T's to the wharf would very much strengthen and support it, and in not supplying them the Council would inflict a great injury on the public. Messrs. MAY, LYNCH and FOLEY supported the adoption of the report. The question, was then put to the Council and carried.

Mr. CARLETON'S motion, "That as provision for the public service cannot legally be made by votes of credit, and estimates of expenditure agreed to by simple resolution ; and that as great inconvenience arises from the accepting of contracts for the execution of public works, on the credit of such resolutions, which might be subsequently destroyed by a throwing out of the Appropriation Bill,—the Council ought to be invariably called together before the expiration of the current financial year, in such time as would admit of the appropriation of the revenue for the year ensuing," having been seconded by Mr. ROWE, was put to the Council and carried. That of Mr. FOLEY'S " That this Council is of opinion that the present Education Act requires some amendment to make its provisions just towards thosewho contribute to the funds by taxation, and that an address be presented to His Honor, requesting him to have a Bill prepared during the recess for better equalizing the distribution of the said funds," led to a long discussion, and was finally carried on a division of 11 to 7. The Council then adjourned for half an hour. On its re-assembling the Industrial School Bill was considered in Committee, and reported with amendments, after which, the report of Committee on Superintendent's amendments to Municipal Police Bill was adopted, and the Bill ordered to be referred back on the faith that it would be returned with further amendments for the consideration of Committee.

Report No. 2 of Private Grievances Committee was brought up and considered. In the case of Hynes and other pensioners, £SO each was awarded.

To Mr. Euller of Raglan for the charge of James Evans, a lunatic, £52 lis. 6d. was awarded, it having been explained by Dr. Pollen that the claim was a just one, but that legal difficulties had prevented its being satisfied unless by the course now taken. ' £2O, to be expended in the purchase of country land, was awarded to Bernard McLaughlin, a retired soldier of the 99th regiment, and the Council then adjourned till the next day—Wednesday. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16th, 1862. Before proceeding to the business of the day, the Provincial Treasurer by permission of the Council stated, that in consequence of the adoption of the resolution moved by Mr. Carleton, and numbered 2 on yesterday's paper, which might be regarded as a deliberative repudiation of the votes of Council passed in . the earlier part of the Session, —he had felt it to be his duty, this morning, to state to his Honor the Superintendent, that he, the Provincial Treasurer, could not be a party to any further disbursement of pubhe money until'the Appropriation Act for the year had been passed. In answer to Mr. FOLEY, whether any plans or specifications have been received by His Honor the Superintendent respecting the erection of a bridge over the Tamaki river at Panrnure? Dr. POLLEN replied that five plans had been sent in by engineers in compliance with the advertisements of the Government, and had been referred to a Board, whose report, when obtained, would be forwarded to the Council. Mr. SKYRME'S motion," That the petition from the inhabitants of Auckland praying for the establishment of a Market on the Market reserve, be considered in Committee of the whole Council," met with no opposition except from Mr. Daldy. Dr. POLLEN stated that he entirely approved and cordially seconded this motion, and did not see why, as Mr. Daldy was inclined to think, the Council should shrink from the duty of deciding on the adoption of plan before them, and reserve to themselves only the right of finding fault. He saw no difficulty in procuring the necessary funds for a work, than which none could be so beneficial to, or was more needed by the country. The motion was then put, and earned on the voices. Tne Industrial School Bill was then a third time and passed. » APPROPRIATION' BILL. The additional estimates of expenditure, £2lO for Custom House street, £430 for repairing Queen-street Wharf, and £IOO for Volunteer Band —were taken into , consideration. ' Mr. DALDY wanted, to \?m the rnoney wft * \o ; came frpm. \

Dr POLLEN again explained to the Council that there'were already £2225 of the revenue unnecessarily appropriated. The interest of debentures due m 18t>3 could not, he again maintained, be fairly introduced into the expenditure for 1862. He regretted that the Council could not view this matter in the same iigUM he did; but that if it was the wish of the Council that the sum necessary should be raised in some specific manner, he would undertake on the part of the Superintendent that this course should be agreed to. Mr. DALDY then moved a resolution that the Council would be willing to consider the items mentioned in Message 147, when some way was shown on the Estimates where the money was to come from. This resolution being carried, the Council adjourned. Ix answer to a question from Mr. Daldy in the Provincial Council on Thursday last, the Provincial Law Adviser gave as his opinion, " that it was not illegal for the Council to appropriate by vote or loan the income of an ensuing year." Dr. Pollen, with a view to place both sides of the question on the records of the Council, so that the defence as well ns the accusation might hereafter be seen, moved, " That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to obtain from the General Government, and to forward to this Council, copy of all correspondence and documents which have passed between members of this Council and the General Government on the one hand, and between the Superintendent and the General Government on the other, relative to the petition presented to His Excellency the Governor by certain members of this Council, praying for the removal of the Superintendent from his office," which was unanimously agreed to. The Council then went into Committee on the Appriation Bill, when Dr. Pollen moved that the supplementary items contained in Messago 147 be taken into consideration. Mr. Foley moved that it be postponed. Mr. Daldy moved by way of amendment that Bchedule 1 of the Appropriation Bill do stand part of the Bill. The latter motion was then, by the ruling of the Speaker, allowed to supersede Dr. Pollen's motion, and the various schedules of the Appropriation Bill being added, the Bill itself was read a third time and passed. On the first motion being then put, Mr. Foley moved as an amendment to it that the consideration of the items be postponed. This, which was neither more nor less than a breach of faith on the part of the opposition, who had pledged themselves to a different course the preceding night, was contested by the head of the Executive, and led to an angry discussion, in which a tone of language was indulged in by some members of the opposition, which, out of respect to the Council, we feel constrained to suppress. The amendment of Mr. Foley was carried by a majority of one. The amendments in the Municipal Police Bill sent down by the Superintendent were agreed to, and the Bill reail a third time and passed. A message transmitting the Loan Bill for the erection of the public buildings was received; the Bill was read a first, and ordered tc be read a second time on Tuesday next.