AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 17, 21 December 1863, Page 3

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

I? It IPA Y, Dt-xemueu IStii. Tiik minutes ot' the preceding silting having been read 1111(1 confirmed, a petition was presented by Mr. Cadman from certain residents north of Auckland complaining of the impassabilifv of portions of tile Great North road, :md praying that the same may lie repaired. Mr. J. O'Neill presented a petition from the overseers of the Mount Hden stockade, praying for further remuneration of their services. This petition was withdrawn until next sit tin/; day for the purpose of making certain teehmeid amendments in the prayer thereof.

Mr. Daldy stated, in reference to the promise he had made to hn,ve plenty of business ready by this time, that lus whole arrangement of the Provincial budget had .been upset. In applving for the exact amount ot the surplus revenue, lie found that by tho action cf the General Assembly during the late session >e surplus revenue due to the province had been curtailed rrom .111,000 to £0000. He would, however, have the estimates prihtcd and presented to the llout?e on Monday next. m oved—That those members who have not attended m their places in. pursuance of the call of the Council for the 14th December instant, are guilty ot a contempt of this Council, and unless their absence be satisfactorily accounted for, tliev be censured by this Council for their contempt. Messrs. Cadman, Buckland, Foley, Koss, and n ' gave satisfactory reasons for their non-attend-ance, and the Council was graciously pleased to condone tins ollence of omission, K A-' J dl to amend the City Hoard Act was sent down y le read a first- time, and ordered Aisn 11 EecorKl time on next sitting davA bill to amend the City Board Loan Act, 1803, was then read a first time, and ordered to be read a second tunc on the next sitting day. A bill to amend the South and Oneh'unga Roads Loan Act, was read a first time, and made an order ot the day for the next sitting day. The Council then went into the second reading of the JJrurv Railway Appropriation Bill. Mr. "\Vynn explained that the principle of the bill was to enable tho Council to set apart £100,000 for the construction ot tho railway; and submit the control of the expenditure of this sum to a board of directors, one half ol whom should be appointed by the Superintendent, the other half by the Council. Mr. 0 Neill rose, lest by silence he should seem to give consent to the misappropriation of public funds to such a purpose. Mr. Jlarrop believed in the usefulness of railways, but thought that their construction should rather be undertaken by public companies than bv Government .

Mr. Lynch stated that, he was entirely opposed to the projected raihvi'.v at the present- time, and was also opposed to the scheme of diverting money from purposes for which it had been alrcadv appropriated.

Mr Koss opposed the second reading of this bill on the ground that the proposed railwav would not be a reproductive work for years to come".

Mr. Foley thought that the. peop'.c through whose lands the railway ran, should guarantee the interest on the 1100,000. He was opposed to the passing of this bill. 1

Mr. George opposed the measure on the grounds that it -,v;is not a work to be undertaken by a Government, but. by a public companv. Mr. Rattray bail thought much on the matter, and had come to the conclusion that it would be desirable to have a railroad if it could be constructed from legitimately appropriated funds ; nor, in his opinion, would £100,000 be more than the third of the actual cost. 11c would have supported a line between Auckland and Onchnnga. Mr. King argued Hint, hitherto the Northern Division hud received larger than their own share of the revenue. W aikato and Waipa would becomc an exporting country in the matter of wheat, if a cheap means ot transit to Auckland could be found for it. The A\ aikato railway would ensure tho permanent settlement of the land on which if was intended to locate the military settlers. He believed that every 99 men out or every 100 in the province were in favour of the motion.

Mr. Rowe deprecated (ho narrow-mindedness of the arguments used against the railway, making it a question of South against. North." lie said that many of the most ardent supporters of this scheme held 110 property whatever in the South. They advocated the making of the railway as a benefit to the province generally—North and South. The scheme, he argued, would be reproductive ; but even had it been shown that it. would for sonic years entail a loss of .C2OOO or £'3000 per annum, he should still have voted for it, for he believed that it was a political necessity ; that it would settle the seat of government question,—at any rale as regards this island. If the scheme was carried out now he believed the General Government would meet them, by setting aside a railway reserve right through the island. Mr. Daldy defended the Government against the attacks of the member for the City West; the Government in introducing the bill had followed the wishes of the Council, and further remarked thij) the member who had made these attacks at the commencement- of the debate, should have remained to defend his remarks (Mr. O'Neill had left, the llousc.) He himself had arrived at the conclusion that it was a necessity that these schemes, in the colonies, should be initiated by the Government, lie regretted that such was a necessity as much as anyone did. lie pledged himself, when the bill went into committee, to see that the board of directors should be prevented from using the borrowing powers of the eountrv without first coming to the Council.

Mr. C'adman considered that the whole question of the expenditure and reprodiietiveness of the scheme had been fully exhausted in the speech of l)r. l'ollon oil a previous debate, lie considered the formation of this railway was a political necessity at the present time and necessary for the future preservation o!' peace in the colony.

Mr. Buekland spoke al some length in favour of the bill ridiculing the absurd idea that one part, of the country could be benefited without that benefit reflecting in a corresponding degree. The question was then put, and a division being called, the aves were 14, the noes 5.

Ayes—Messrs. Itowe, Chccsemau, King. Harrop, Daldv, Kerr, May, Wynn, Galiangher, Ross, Mac[venzie, C'adman, liiit-klaiid, and Dr. Pollen. Noes—Messrs. J. O'N'eill, George, Rattray, Foley, and Lvncli.

The' council bavin? ?onc into committee pro forma, I lie chairman reported progress and on the mot ion of Mr. Wynn the hill was referred lo a select committee composed of Messrs. Pollen, Buekland, King, Daldy, ttowe, G'hecseman, Boss, and the mover.

Mr. Daldy moved the second reading of the Panmure I'nJge Bill, which caused considerable discussion, and was ultimately carried without opposition. The council having gone into committee, the debate was adjourned until next sitting day.