PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

New Zealander, Volume XXIV, Issue 2614, 24 March 1866, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

[WeUNESDIT.] The Speaker took his seat in tho Council on Wednesday, at a quarter past 12 o’clock, when sixteen members were present. PAPERS. Mr. Carleton laid on the table the following papers, which were ordered to be printed : —Papers and correspondence relative to the survey and acquisition of native lands between tho Lake Omapore and Maungatawhiri ; correspondence relating to tho site and erection of a new Custom-house at Russell ; continuation of correspondence relative to Commodore Wiseman’s orders for no vessels of war to enter the Manukau Harbour until certain works were completed. GREAT NORTH ROAD. Mr. Ball asked the Provincial Secretary, “If any reply might be expected to the address from the Council, respecting the Great North Road north of Auckland.” Mr Carleton said it hud been ordered. All returns, &c., ordered to be printed, had not been laid on the table in a printed form, owing to tho shortness of the session. INTERIM REPORT OF PRIVATE GRIEVANCE committee. Mr. May moved, “That interim report No. 5 of tho Private Grievance Committee he adodted.” He referred to the claims of the persons mentioned in tho report. Mr. Sheehan seconded tho motion pro forma , and opposed the motion on principle. The report of the committee should come up at once, and not in portions. Tho motion was carried. SUBSIDISING STEAMERS TO THE NORTH. Mr. Graham presented the following petition on tho above subject : “ The humble petition of the merchants and others of the city of Auckland respectfully showeth—• “That your petitioners regret that your Honor should consider it necessary to withdraw the subsidy at present granted in aid of steam communication to Wangarei and Coromandel.

“ That the withdrawal of direct and speedy steam communication between Auckland and Wangarei, and Auckland and Ccromandel, will tend to injure the present promising prospects of those districts; will paralyse that energy now so vigorously exerted in developing their mineral and agricultural resources; will prove highly detrimental to a large, influential, and respectable community ; and will materially retard the prosperity of the province generally. <l That the honourable the members of the Provincial Council at a late sitting were unanimous in addressing yonr Honor on this subject. “ Yonr petitioners would now respectfully and earnestly solicit your Honor to re-consider the subject, and continue that aid, which, with private enterprise in firmly establishing that speedy communication hitherto so faithfully performed, will greatly advance the prosperity of the most promising districts in the province ; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.” (Here follow 'the signatures of a number of the principal merchants and citizens of Auckland). The petition was read and received. MESSAGE .55. Mr. Carleton moved the consideration of this message, which was carried. He said that it was desired that the survey of the Kaipara country should be continued. The Superintendent had no objection, and he thought the Council would have no objection, to the completion of the survey. The expense could not exceed £IOO, which would be covered by the general vote for surveys. Ho re-moved, “ That the Council, having taken into consideration Message No. 5.5, with enclosures, request his Honor the Superintendent to give instructions to the Engineer-in-Chief to continue the survey begun by the Assistant-Engineer (Mr. Russell), to ascertain the cheapest and most expeditious mode of uniting the Kaipara country with Auckland, including an inquiry whether it is possible to con nect those places.” Mr. Uignan seconded the motion, which was carried. re nnt vs. Mr. Carleton, in reply to an address of the Council, laid on the table a return of the amount in detail of till moneys paid to Mr. S. Cochrane by the Provincial Government, whether in the shape of commission, subsidies, or otherwise, during the last twelve mouths ; also, the gross amounts in cash of each sale held by him on account of 11 it* province ; and a statement of the times when the proceeds were paid into the Provincial Treasury after such sales, REPORT. Mr. Williamson brought up report of Select Committee on Cattle Branding Act, Fencing Act, and Impounding Act. The report was read and received. MESSAGE NO. 45. Mr. Newman moved the consideration of lids message. After a few observations, he moved (be following resolution : —“ That, in the opinion of this Council, the surplus revenue of £2,000, alluded to in his Honor's Message No.

4.5, should be extended by his Honor (luring the present year in meeting local contributions and rates for public works in the country.” 'The message was read, at the request of Mr. Cadinan. Ultimately the motion was withdrawn. MILITARY SETTLERS.

Mr. Newnwin moved, “That an address bo forwarded from (his Council to his Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.8., expressing the deep sympathy of this Council with the Waikato military settlers, and (considering the responsibility of the Provincial Government in undertaking the management and sale of the confiscated lands in the Auckland province, and by inference the responsibility of sustaining, as far as possible, the military on their farms), praying that his Excellency and his Excellency’s advisers will consider the desirability of issuing with the least possible delay a Crown grant to those persons who will be entitled to the same within twelve months they having duly fulfilled all other military conditions whereby relieving the Provincial Government from anxiety, and the military settlers from their present distress, arising from the absence of military pay, rations, or employment ; and further expressing the opinion of this Conncil that the issue of Crown grants will, in a great measure, meet the present difficulty, and enable the military settlers to obtain money by mortgage or sale of their land to persons who have the capital to cultivate the same ; that to avoid any future complaints against the Government for seeking to lessen the population of the frontier settlements, the above recommendation should not be carried out until nine-tenths of the military settlers have signed a memorial to the Government in favour of tUe issue of the Crown grants.” Captain Fraser seconded the motion, lie said it was erroneously suppossod that all the regiments were affected in the same way. Those regiments in which the men had neither wives nor children were the longest enlisted, and had enjoyed the greatest amount of pay. The General Government had made a great mistake in first settling the regiments composed of married men with families, who had to keep two separate establishments. Mr. Carleton moved as an amendment, “That in the opinion of this Council it is expedient that the Superintendent should act upon the power given to him by the 3rd section of the proposed regulations for the sale of the confiscated land, and recommend the issue of Crown grants to tho Waikato military settlors so soon as this can be done without injury to the strength of the settlement, although the time might not have arrived when tho settlers would be entitled to a grant under other conditions of service.”

Mr. Dignan seconded the amendment.

Mr. Coolahan would suggest the adoption of an additional clause to tlie amendment, “ That every such purchaser of such grant shall reside upon such land during the period agreed upon by the first grantees with the Government.” lie thought the original conditions should ho fulfilled, which would obviate any difficulty. Captain Cooper spoke in support of the original motion. Mr. Creighton thought the amendment of the Provincial Secretary was preferable to the motion, and would support it. Mr. Newman spoke in reply, and consented to the amendment.

Air. Coolahan withdrew his proposed amendment.

The amendment proposed by the Provincial Secretary was carried. Mr. Creighton moved, “ That an address be presented to his Honour the Superintendent, requesting Ids Honour to send down to the Council copies of all correspondence between t!;o contractor for section No. 1 of the Auckland and Drury Railway and the Railway Commissioners; also all correspondence between the said contractor and the Superintendent, relative to the execution of the works on the aforesaid section.” As it was too late to send the correspondence to the Council, he would be satisfied if it were printed. Mr. Carleton seconded the motion.— Carried. MESSAGE. ‘‘Message No. 62: The Superintendent informs the Provincial Council that he has assented, on behalf of the Governor, to the under-mentioned Acts passed by the Council:—The Land Act, 1866; the Tamaki Bridge Act Amendment Act, 18(16; the Auckland Municipal Police Act, 1866; the Slaughterhouse Act, I860; the Weeds and Watercourses Act, 1866; the Waikato Appropriation Act, 1866; the Superintendent’s Increase of Salary Act, 186(1; the Turnpike Act, ISGfi; the Rural Police Act, 1806; the Prevention of Fire Act, 1800; the Distillation Prohibition Act, 1866. “ Frederick Whitaker, “ Superintendent. “ Superintendent’s Office, “ Auckland, March 21, 1806.” The Council adjourned for ten minutes, to enable the Speaker to present a number of bills to bis Honour the Superintendent for signature, who a "rived at five minutes to 3 o’clock, and had been conducted by the Waste Lands Commissioner (AT". William ton) to the Speaker's chamber. The Council re-assembled at halfpast three o’clock. There was almost a full attendance of members. MESSAGE, “Message No. 64: The Superintendent informs the Provincil Council that he litis assented, on behalf of the Governor, to the undermentioned Acts passed by the Council:—The Highways Act Amendment Act, I860; the Lunatics Maintenance Act, 1866; the Auckland Municipal Police Act, 1866; the Railway Act, 186(5; the Howick Park Act, 1806; Road Act (No. 2), i860; the Appropriation Act, 1860. “ Frederick Whitaker, “ Superintendent. “Superintendent’s Cilice, Auckland, “March, 21, 1800.”

PROROGATION OK COUNCIL. The Cleric, in obedience to a resolution of the Council, informed his Honour the Superintendent that the Council were ready to receive him, and ushered his Honour into the Council. The members of Council, and those in the stranger’s gallery, rose from their seats out of respect to his Honour. His Honour the Superintendent, having taken his place to the right of Speaker delivered the address proroguing the Council. The Speaker then declared the Council prorogued. The members evinced unmistakable signs of their satisfaction at the termination of the session.