SUPERINTENDENTS' ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4118, 1 June 1874, Page 3

SUPERINTENDENTS' ADDRESSES.

CANTERBURY. The Superintendent of Canterbury, on opening the Provincial Council, said : It in our privilege to meet under circumstances of peculiar prosperity. Since the first meeting of the last Council, not quite four years ago, the population of the Province has increased from about 15,000 to more than 59,000. The area of cultivation has been nearly doubled in the same period, and the value of the exports of the Province has reached a sum during the past year of more than one million sterling. The great increase in the value of our exports, combined with the influx of population and capital, have had a most marked effect upon the sales of waste lands, which have greatly exceeded the amount anticipated. The receipts under this head were estimated for the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, at £31,875, and the actual receipts for that year were £36,225 15s Cd. The estimated receipts for the year to end 30th Sejffember, 1871, wore £262,800, but the amount actually obtained to the 27th of this month, that is, in a period of eight months, is £153,308 2s 9d, or £190,503 2s 9d in excess of the sum estimated for the whole year ; and during this period more than 117,071 acres have been surveyed. The large increase of traffic on the railways is another evidence of the 'prosperity of the Province. The total receipts for the year ending 30t.1i September last amounted to £75,674 19s lid, while the receipts for the seven mouths ending SOfcli April last arc £01,717 Is Od. As the traffic returns show a considerable amount of income in excess of expenditure, I have thought it expedient to reduce the rates of carriage and fares, on the different lines, a course -which I confidently anticipate null induce traffic, and promote the public convenience. This reduction will take effect in a few days. The lines of railway from Rakaia to Ashburton, from Rolleston to Malvern, and from Rangiora to Oust, will be open for traffic shortly ; and the branch lino to Southbridgo will probably be open in a few months. You will learn from returns, which will be laid before yon, that every effort is being made to promote the diffusion and settlement of the large numbers of immigrants who are arriving in the Province. Depots are being established at Waimate, Akaroa, Rangiora, Ashburton, and Oxford. In accordance with the resolution of the last Council, cottages have been erected, or are in course of erection, for the reception of immigrants in various districts of the Province. It is of such importance that the immigrants forwarded to this Province should be of a character suited to its requirements, that I trust you will see fit to continue, in England, the services of an agent, having accurate local knowledge of the wants and resources of this portion of the Colony. I regard with considerable satisfaction the fact that the working classes in England are 1 taking practical steps to make themselves acquainted with the field which is here open to industry, and have uo doubt that a better knowledge of the advantages which are offered will lead to a considerable influx of population. As a matter of primary importance, you will be asked to make liberal appropriations to the Road Boards, especially in those districts whore lines of road are not already formed. From information which has been received, I learn that an engineer may shortly be expected. from England to report upon the eo7istmetiou of harbor works in Timaru. I shall recommend you to set aside a liberal sum to give effect to any proposals which may be made by him. I shall shortly lie in a position to call for tenders for a portion of the work authorised by you to provide a water supply on the Waimakariri plains. I shall ask yon to make a a further appropriation for the same purpose in the districts between the rivers Ashburton and Rakaia. The time has, I think, come when active steps should be taken to ascertain the cost of permanently lowering Lake Ellesmere, so that a largo tract of laud may be made available for cultivation, and with this object in view, I shall ask you to appropriate a sufficient sum to obtain an opinion from a competent engineer as to the best method to ho adopted, and as to the expense which may be involved, together with an estimate of the amount of land which would be rendered available. The system of education established in this Province is producing most important results. The number of children attending the public schools is steadily increasing. The actual members in attendance for the quarter ending 31st December last, according to the published returns, being 8229, as against 6265 in the same quarter of the previous year. Now districts are being formed, and new school buildings are being erected. In order to moot the increasing educational requirements of the Province, and to maintain the system in a state of efficiency, and also to prevent the necessity for increased taxation in the future, I am of opinion that further endowments in land are desirable. The question of the expediency of extending similar provision to hospitals and other institutions deserves your careful attention. I shall recommend you to make further grants to public libraries, so as to extend tire usefulness of these institutions. I am of opinion that it would be advisable to permanently endow the municipalities of the Province with certain fees and taxes, raised within their respective boundaries. 1 propose, therefore, to transmit to you a Bill to give effect to this proposition. Bills will bo submitted to you for amending the Executive Council Ordinance, for amending the Railway Tolls and Management Ordinance, 1872, for granting the Municipal Corporations within the Province certain fees and taxes, as part of their ordinary revenue. ■WESTLAND. The Superintendent of Westland, at the opening of the Council, said : I havg convened you at this early period after your bust session, in accordance with the promise then made that you should have an opportunity before the sitting of the General Assembly of disposing of several important and pressing measures required for the good government anil advancement of the Province, and especially to consider sumo practical way .

by which the large tracts of country at present lying waste could be utilised, and opportunities afforded for increasing the permanent settlement of the Province and the development of its large resources. As during hist session the appropriation of the revenue for twelve months was dealt with, the consideration of our ordinary expenditure and revenue will not necessitate your close attention on this occasion, although you will doubtless desire information regarding it. To afford you this a statement of the revenue and expenditure for the quarter ending March 31, will be laid on the table, and this will show you that during- that period the sinn of £7507 has been revived from ordinary sources. This does not come up to the proportionate amount of the one-fourth of the revenue for the year, but we must not necessarily infer that the revenue for the whole year will fall off in the same proportion. Such is specially the case with the land revenue, as no definite time can be fixed on for its receipt. In spirit licenses there is a marked falling' off ; this, I think, may properly lie attributed to the passing of the Licensing Act at the last sitting of tlxe General Assembly. Under that Act, I have only been able to grant renewals to existing houses up to 30th dune next, and have no power to license any new houses. As you are probably aware the granting of licenses is now vested in the hands of Commissioners, appointed by the Governor, who sit once a year, and the result of their decisions lias been that the number of licensed houses has been so reduced that our revenue from that source has been diminished by at least £IOOO. There is no doubt but that 'this will prove a public good, especially in towns, as it will tend to ensure the maintenance of a better class of lioness, and load to a more legitimate trade being done tlian has hitherto prevailed. Seeing, however that the houses that are licensed will have their trade increased proportionately, it will be fair matter for consideration, whether the loss entailed on the revenue by a reduction in the number of houses, may not bo, at least partially, recouped by a moderately increased license fee. I need not refer here to the many imperfections in the Act alluded to, as regards its suitability to our Province, seeing that the Council expressed its opinion thereon at its last sitting, and as it is ' likely that important amendments will be made in it at the ensuing session of the General Assembly. As regards the expenditure for the quarter, my attention was directed, in the first instance, to clearing off the large accumulation of vouchers owing from last year, some 600 in number, and doing this with the limited staff in the Treasury necessarily occupied a considerable time ; the bulk of the work has now been overtaken, and I trust to see less delay in meeting our demands than has .hitherto been the ease. The money authorised to be raised under the “ Westland Loan Act ” has now been raised by the Colonial Treasurer after consultation with myself, under such conditions as will enable the full amount to be available for the purposes of the Act, particulars of which are as follows:—£40,000 at £lOl 10s., realising £40,000; £IO,OOO at £lO2, realising £10,200 making a total of £50,800. The expenses in connection with raising the loan only consist of the cost of advertising. Out of this the sum of £31,464 2s. 7d., being the amount, as far as settled by Mr. Fitzgerald, has been paid over, to the Provincial account, and the advance of £31,007 12s. od., made in anticipation of the loan by the Bank of New Zealand paid off. This, with the sum of £11,878 12s. 2d. due to the General Government, will leave a balance of £7458, which I am now endeavoring to settle with the General Government. The judgment which, at your last sitting, had been given against the Province for compensation to the Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway Company has now been removed, after argument iti Banco before His Honor Judge Richmond at the last sitting of the Supremo Court here, but it is probable that it may still be taken before the Court of Appeal at its next sittings in November. Further claims have arisen through the competition of the Greymouth and Marsden road, but these are being pressed against the General Government. The completion of this road gives us now a good metalled road from Greymouth to Ross, passing through the principal centres of population, and ■ progress is. also .being made with the extension of the road to Okarito and Lake Mapouriki. I look forward with anxiety to the time when we shall see it continued to our Southern boundary, and so give access to the largo and valuable tract of country at present locked up for the want of means of getting at it. During the recess, I took the opportunity of visiting Okarito and its neighborhood, and I feel satisfied that the construction of this road will lead, not only to fresh discoveries of gold, but also to the permanent settlement of a large extent of country. The other works undertaken by the General Government are being‘pushed on as quickly as circumstances will permit, and it must be a source of great satisfaction to you to see that the pipes for the completion of the Waimea Water Race are now arriving daily, and that there is a prospect of this great undertaking soon being completed. Tenders have also been called for the further extension of the Greymouth protective works, and the severe test to which they were put during tire recent heavy freshes shows how urgently such works were required, as well as the excellence of their construction. The serious alteration in the Hokitika River also points to the necessity for something being done to confine the river to its proper channel, and I have to acknowledge the ready acquiescence of the General Government to my request that they would send an engineer to enquire into the matter, by the promise that the Engineer-in-Cliief will be down in a few days./ Tile various resolutions yon passed during last session I have communicated to the proper quarters, and I note with satisfaction that tenders are being called for tbe more regular delivery of our English mails. The numerous surveys and reports required by you from the Survey and Engineering department have been completed, and will be laid before you. The department has boon severely taxed of late, but by tbe energy of Mr Mueller, at the head of that department, and the staff under him, it has been able to furnish the information you desired. Full reports as to the nature and extent of the damage done to the Christchurch road will be laid before you, and also copies of the correspondence between the General Government and myself on the subject. As far as the means at my disposal would admit, 1 have made such temporary provision as would prevent all traffic on the road being stopped ; but, feeling that our funds would not permit us to substantially repair the damage, I at once communicated with the General Government, and requested them to relievo the Province for the future from the burden of maintaining this road, seeing that it has been a heavy tax upon the limited revenue of the late county, which ■was compelled to maintain it under the “County of Westland Act, 1808,” while, in reality, the road is more used for Colonial mails than especially for Westland. Nothing, however, can bo done until the General Assembly meet, when I hope to see that the Province ivill.be relieved of this burden. Copies of the correspondence relative to the construction of the Mikouui Water-race will also be laid before you, and it is a matter of deep regret to mo that, in this matter also, nothing can be done until the Assembly meets. The correspondence relative to the construction of the lino of railway between Hokitika and Greymouth will also be laid before you, and by it you will perceive that the Government are now in possession of sufficient information to enable them to submit the lino for the consideration of the General Assembly. ‘ This lino will not only connect two large and important towns, but also open up the large coal deposits in the one district, and give an impetus to the timber trade in the other. I think you will agree with me, that tin’s line must be constructed before any system of communication either with Nelson on the one hand; or 'Christchurch on the other, can bo complete;’and I hope to see it authorised by tlio Assembly.

The results of the surveys on the main Una of the proposed railway communication between the East and West Coasts, X am not yet in possession of ; but I hope to hear that this scheme also will be pushed forward, and to form a connecting-link between the isolated parts of the Colony and the more settled ones, and secure to the Colony herself all its own trade.