AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 60, 22 January 1864, Page 3

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tiivkshay, Jaxlmky 21st. The Speaker look the ehair at tho usual hour. The report of the survey committee was brought up by Mr. Allan O'Neill, and adopted. Mr. .1. O'Xuill then moved, "That the petition presented yesterday from owners and occupiers of property in On 1 vicinity of tho northern end of Alhertsin.et, in the City of Auckland, be taken into consideration." Tile petilion tvas read requesting compensation for the injury done by the late Provincial Government by the dangerous and useless culling made at the north end of Albert-street. Mr. O'Xeill enlarged on tho injustice done to tho petitioners by the lute government, in tho perpetration of this monstrous wrong, entirely destroying the street and depreciating the value of property there for no practical use whatever. Mr. George stigmatised tho action of the late government in making this cutting, as a crime. Mr. t.'adman 1 bought that no ease had been made out, and that this matter should be left until the question of the city levels was settled. Mr. iMvanson stated that, cases had occurred during the last four years, when persons had broken their limbs over this fearful cutting, lie (Mr. ts.) alluded to tho prevalent belief that this work had been undertaken, not as work of public, usefulness, but for the purpose of driving the tratiic into another street. ILe himself believed that the late Superintendent acted on the advice of two or three counsellors. He thought that the time hail fairly arrived when compensation should be. awarded to the injured proprietors and ocoupicrs of Albert-street.

On the l'.v'.ion of .Mr. llnrrop, it, was agreed, " That message Xo. ."ill, referring to a road ill Hobson's liny, of liis Honor the Superintendent, lie referred to a select committee, consisting of lSall, Cadman, L'hceseman, Daldy, Kerr, King, Xewinan, Swanson, 111', I'olleii, anil the mover, with permission to call lor persons and papers. .Mv. Han-op's motion Unit the report of tlio audit committee l.r adopted, was also agreed to. Mr. Daldy c.n bchalfof .Mr. May, moved, " That 110 member of tliis Council shall receive any payment for expenses unless lie shall have attended one-third of tin' sitting days of the session." Jlr. Foley moved as an amendment, that one-half the sitting ilays be substituted for one-third. Tim amendment was put and lost, and the original motion carried. Mr. Wynn's motion, " Thai the report of the select eommittee on the l'anmuro bridge bill be considered when the said bill is in eommittee," was agreed to, and Iho report of tho private grievance 'committee was brought up and reiid. OIIDKUS 01' Tin: DAY. Tin! Superintendent's amendment to the South and Onelumga Koail Ameiidincut Act was then considered. Tho amendment consisted of the addition of the following clause: —" Whereas under the provisions of tin 1 South and Onehunga Koads Loan Act, 1 :sii:s, it is enacted that it shall be lawful for the Superintendent to expend, out of the sum of £-500,000 to be raised under tiie provisions of tiie Auckland Loan Act, lSiiu, the sum of .Cljil-'JO in tho repairs of tin: Ureal -South Koad and Onehunga Kuad, and it is expedient to increase the said sum. ]!e it therefore enacted that the Ist section of the South and Onehuuga iioails Loan Act, lKti.'S, is hereby amended by substituting the word 'fifteen' in lieu of the word 'six,' anil tho second seetioji .of the said Aet is hereby amended by substituting in line (i the word ' fifteen ' in lieu of the word ' six,' and the said sections shall lie read and construed'as if the word 'fifteen ' had been inserted therein as hereby provided, instead of the word ' six.' " Mr. Oallaugher accused the government of .squandering the public money in accepting private tenders at exorbitant rates, stating that they had refused to receive broken metal from one man for the repair of the roads, though ottered for the same price as they gave (or scoria ash to another. Mr. Cadman supported the amendment. Mr. Swanson suggested (hat the works upon tho roads, of every description, should be let by tho single mi'o, and that [lie securities should be compelled to perform tiie work when the contractor failed to do so. Mr. King here rose to protest against an alleged false repoit of a speech of his which appeared in yesterday's lliiiiAi.D, to the effect that ho there stilted "that had there, been an efficient pilot at the Mnnukau. the 'Orpheus' would never have been wrecked." 31 r. King emphatically denied that ho had over used these words or any implying the idc-a which they conveyed. He trusted tho reporter of tho Heii.u.d would do him the justice to correct the error which hail appeared. [Our reporter is quite willing to admit that lie may have misunderstood Mr. King, or, what is more proliable, that the word "staif" alter "pilot" lias been inadvertently omitted in the report; the remark "that had there been an ellicient pilot staff, &c.," had it been nmdo by Mr. Xing, would, wo think, have not been far from correct, and in all probability is what that gcntlenwn'intended. Whatever the omisIJion or commission,-, Mr. King may rest assured that tho mistake was unintentional. —Ed. N./..]!.] | A long aud desukory debate tool; place- on the miestion, "That th«; interim report No. o, of the [private grievance eommittee, be adopted." i. It was moved that the report in favor of .Toim I,Williams be adopted. I Council divided. Ayes, l'J ; noes G.—Carried. ' Bartholomew Mcllroy aud ifeiirv Snelgar were (also ordered to get their £20 tor the purchase of land lin the province of Auckland. The Kev. Thomas Kerr, to receive ,L''_'oo for the same purpose, was ttgl'Ci il to. The report of tiie committee in the eases /if Mr. O. Mays and Charles Morey, to the etlect that there was no ground for the interference of Coimcil, was agreed to. Tin; paragraph relating to the- eases of Edward llynes and ,loseph ftyms was struck out in order that the cases might lie brought up in next report. John Uuigtey's case, was not interfered with, (ho petitioner having made other arrangements. John

\?. Or J Wus refused Ms land, he not; having made out SU rnP en ro,HSon 'or interference of Council. iiio Speaker then resumed the chair, and read the report, which wis adopted.

r.Mrowr.nrNTr mix. moved the second reading of this bill; ii it \voro tuo wish of thn Council ho would explanations on the several clauses as considered in cuinnuttoo. It wis simjily »n empowering JJiU to rqienlojior Empowering Hills-, and make provision m liou thereof. ■ Ihe liill was then read a second time. Council adjourned for hal(-;in-hour.

_ _ EVENING sitting. ihe Council went into committee on tlic liral l Qr-> Cnn °, ISIU, repealing llio .ftmpowering Act, JSOu, mid m discussing the various items in the schedule, ;i sharp, almost fierce opposition was brought to bear against the proposition that the Lreneviil Government should have anv power to expend the funds provided for by the Provincial Loan. L tumately, it-was agreed to allow the item to pass through commit fee with the understanding that tlio question as to whether the Provincial Government should have the uncontrolled expenditure of the sum, or whether it should be by a joint commission named by the Genera! as well as Provincial Government, should be tested by a resolution of the Council previous to its third reading. The Bill was then made an order of the day for Tuesday next. A message, from His Honor, enclosing items of Supplementary .Expenditure for the pr,st year, was laid on the table, requesting that provision be mado lor their payment. Council adjourned at 10 o'clock.