DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5253, 24 January 1878, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNMENT.

Yesterday afternoon a deputation consisting of his Worship the Mayor, Mr. Hunter, M.H.R., the Hon. J. ’Johnston, M.L.0., the Hon. Randall Johnson, M.L.C., Captain Rose, Mr.Buchanau, and Mr. Carroll (Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce), waited upon the Hon. Colonel Whitmore (Colonial Secretary) and the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, to bring under their notice several subjects of local public import. INCREASED WHARF ACCOMMODATION. His Worship the Mayor said the first matter they had to bring under the notice of the Colonial Secretary was the necessity for increased wharf accommodation. The Chamber of Commerce, which the deputation represented, were disappointed because they had been induced to think that the matter was all arranged by the late Government. According to a letter dated March 31, 1877, and forwarded by the Government to the Chamber of Commerce, Ministers had given instructions to carry on the work at the earliest opportunity, and as soon as circumstances would allow. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore : I understand that you are speaking to mo regarding the advisability of carrying out the reclamation to the second T. The Mayor ; That is the place the Government agreed to.

The Hon. Colonel, Whitmore : No ; that is not so. The Government has not agreed to it. According to certain memoranda I find it oa record that they differed with you entirely. The Government have gone into this question as far as they have been able to do up to the present time, and they have come to the conclusion that the whole question of the reclaimed land is one which must be dealt with in full Cabinet, which we have not been able to get together yet. Their desire is to hand over the charge of the harbor to the Wellington municipality, and they are of opinion that it is unnecessary to have two bodies—the Corporation and Harbor Board—for the one thing. I think it will eventually go to the municipality, and it would be better that the subject should be treated as a maiden one, and not complicated by any such questions as those which have been suggested. Our reports are that the first proposal, which I apprehend was made by the Chamber of Commerce, to carry the reclamation to the first T, will involve a cost of £16,000, and would leave no land practically valuable for sale. The second would cost £25,000 altogether. If it was made it would very largely diminish the wharf accommodation. Tinder these circumstances the Government have come to the conclusion that it would be desirable not to be precipitate in this matter. It would be impossible to make other reclamations before the whole of the present are completed, as we should be in the hands of the present contractors; therefore it would be desirable to leave this question until the Cabinet has an opportunity of deciding in the direction in which their policy goes, which is that of handing the whole charge of the harbor to the municipality. They recognise that the Corporation has a very fair claim to the advantages of the foreshore, and they desire to reduce the number of departments, and concentrate them. That is their view at present, although they would be very happy to listen to any suggestions from you who are interested in it, and who can give them better advice than anybody else, still they are not prepared to make any arrangement or agreement beforehand, but to make an open breast to the deputation and tell them in what direction they think it advisable to proceed. The Cabinet is not likely to meet for a fortnight, because other matters in the interests of the country will engage our attention ; but as soon as Sir George Grey returns there will be a meeting of the Cabinet, and we will give attention to the subject at the earliest possible moment. At the same time I do not think, from the reports of our skilled engineer, that the proposal of , reclaiming laud to the second T would be of the advantage which was expected from it, inasmuch as the land there would become available for sale, and would naturally diminish the value of land towards Pipiteapioint. All I can say at the present time is, that I will advise the Government that the Corporation is the proper body to look after the harbor, and that therefore it is desirous to hand over the present reclamation to the municipality, and to be guided a good deal in its management of the railway terminus and wharf by its advice. The Mayor : In one remark I think you are mistaken. With reference to the proposed reclamation reducing the wharf accommodation, I think the Government of the day agreed that the wharf accommodation should be increased. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore said it was not intended to abandon the ■ scheme of the railway wharf. The Mayor : I trust in dealing with the Corporation you will act liberally regarding the price of the land and other matters. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore said that whatever they did would be in a liberal spirit. COURT-HOUSE SITE. The Mayor brought under the notice of the Hon. Mr. Sheehan the necessity for suitable buildings being erected in which to conduct the business of the Supreme Court and Resident Magistrate’s Court. The necessity had been brought under the cognisance of the Government for a long time, but still nothing appeared to be done. The Hon. Mr. Sheehan admitted that there was no doubt whatever that better accommodation was required than that what they had. Last year measures were taken to have a building erected on the reclaimed ground, and it was the intention of the Government to carry out that proposal, and dispose of the present site. He had a plan of the proposed building which it was estimated would cost something like £17,000, and he did not think the accommodation would be too large, considering the amount of business being done at the present time. The site of the proposed building was situated' between the Government Buildings and St. Geoige’s Hall. He did not think sufficient would be realised by the sale of the present building to complete the whole of the new ones, and they would have to get the sanction of the House to the additional expenditure. He would undertake to let the deputation have a definite answer within twelve days, intimating what course would be decided upon. SPECIAL JURIES. The next subject which the deputation had to bring under the notice of Ministers was regarding the present system of special juries. In Victoria and New South Wales they had small juries of four, while here they always had twelve. That system, they considered, might be introduced here, and he (the Mayor) had painful recollections of serving in a very long case, in which he was obliged to attend ten days, for which service £1 was tendered to him. It was very hard take a man away from his business for ten days, and only give him £1 in return. The Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN said the Mayor had spoken with a certain, amount of feeling, and there certainly was something to he said with reference to the question of remuneration. There was no doubt that some alteration should be made, as it was indefensible that a special juror should only be paid for one day, and a common juror for four, five, or whatever number of days he might sit. With regard to the constitution of juries he would enquire into the New South Wales system, and if it was found to be more satisfactory then he would feel disposed to recommend its adoption hero. There was another aspect of tho question which had come under his notice. He found that for some years past there had been hardly any alterations-in the special jury list of Wellington, the same names always appearing. Ho had made enquiries into the matter, and was satisfied that reform was needed. If the Government did not see its way to make a decrease in the number of special jurors he thought that some more satisfactory system should be introduced than that which was at present in vogue. He believed the special jury lists here were hardly as large as in Napier, where tho population was comparatively small. He considered it very unfair that gentlemen should be called upon to servo repeatedly. Ho would give his attention to

the subject. There was no doubt that litigants could try cases without juries at all; POWDER MAGAZINE AND CEMETERY SITE. The Mayor next brought under the notice of the Colonial Secretary the urgent advisability of removing tho present powder magazine to some less populous locality. He mentioned that a correspondence had taken place with the late Government on the subject. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore was sorry he had not been apprised of this matter coming on, as he would have been prepared to discuss it. There was a project on foot for removing the magazine. However, he had not the details in a sufficiently accurate form to trust to memory, and it would save time if he gave them an answer in writing. Mr. Hunter : Mr. Sheehan will remember that the subject was brought under bis notice in Committee of Supply. The Hon Mr, Sheehan : It is in consequence of that that this enquiry has been going on. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore said there was a difficulty in obtaining a'auitablo site. .They also wanted a cemetery site, but it was exceedingly hard to find one. He would like to know the views of the citizens of Wellington on that topic. Mr. Hunter : With regard to the powder magazine, the population is increasing so rapidly about the present one that we are all alarmed.

Tlie Hon. Colonel Whitmore admitted that some fresli locality must be found for the magazine. He would like to hear any suggestions the Corporation might make witli regard to the cemetery. "The Mayor said he would bring the matter before the Corporation. The deputation then thanked the Ministers, and withdrew.