Evening Sitting.

Otago Witness, Issue 363, 13 November 1858, Page 3

Evening Sitting.

The Council met at 6 o'clock ; all the members present but Mr. Cutten. The Speaker opened the proceedings as usual with prayer. Mr, Reynolds moved —

" That copies of all the correspondence between the Government and Home agents for the Province, from the date of Mr. J. Adams' appointment as Immigration agent up to the present date, be laid on the table."

" That the correspondence between the General Government and his Honor the Superintendent, anent the borrowing of money by this Province, be laid on the table.

" That copies of all the correspondence between the Superintendent and the Government, respecting the affair of the Chief Commissioner of the Waste Land Board, whether at the time or subsequent to tha appointment of Mr. Cutten to that office, be laid on the table."

Agreed to, and the documents laid on the table.

Mr. Reynolds would refrain from comments till he had examined the documents ; he again moved —

" That the Superintendent be respectfully requested to comply with the petition of the persons signing the memorial now on the table, and introduce a Bill setting aside a site for a bonded and fiee store, in Piinces Street, at the foot of Mr. Shepherd's garden, said Bill to provide that a lease be granted for 21 years to the highest bidder who will comply with the Customs' Act of New Zealand for the erection of bonded stores ; and that tha plan of the proposed buildings be approved of by the Collector of Customs for the Province."

The Provincial Solicitor thought, Mr. Reynolds had shown great impatience in this matter. There was property specially set apart for that purpose. The Government were taking preliminary steps to bring that about. The Council should not fix a particular site ; there was a conveyance of certain lands for bonded stores in connection with the Jetty. Upon that property, in due time, the bonded stores would be erected ; he thought Mr. Reynolds should withdraw his motion.

Mr. Harris said the site applied for at the foot of My. Shepherd's garden interfered with the provisions made by Government for bonded stores. The Government was alive to the propriety and necessity of that movement, and there was a bill before the Council for effecting the object desired. He hoped Mr. Eeynolda would withdraw his motion.

Mr. Young, as a member of the Government, could take no part in the matter. Mr. Reynolds said the Provincial Solicitor had accused him of impatience, but he had addressed his Honor on the matter, and could bring forward the correspondence referring thereto. lie was told there was no action to be taken in the matter. He, however, would withdraw hia motion.

Mr. Rennie moved — " That a respectful address be presented to hi* Honor the Superintendent, requeuing that a sufficient sum be placed upon the Estimates for the purpose of defraying the expenses of erecting a Bridge upon the Taieii River."

He wished the Government to grant £1000, the estimated cost of the bridge might be £1200 or XI 3OO, but the deficiency would be made up by subscriptions. The bridge should be erected somewhere between Serogga' Creek and the ranges, or at Silver Stream. A great deal of land had been purchased in that quarter of the Taieri. The safety of property and life absolutely demanded such a step. Mr. Burns seconded the motion, and remarked that he nearly lost his life in crossing the river in that quarter.

The Provincial Solicitor said the matter would be remitted to the Chief Surveyor to report thereon.

Mr. Cargill would like to know where these matters were to end : the expenditure would be out of all proportion to the revenue. Dr. Purdie said they should wait for the report of the Chief Surveyor before taking action in the matter. This was adopted, and the motion agreed to. Mr. M'Nab moved—

"That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, lequestiug that the Civil Engineer be instiucted to Jay off" a line of Road from the Mataura Plains to the Bluff Harbour."

The resolution was seconded by Mr. Stuart and agreed to. Dr. Williams moved for leave of absence during the session to Mr. Cutten, on account of ill health. •Seconded by Mr. Harris and agreed to. IMMIGRATION FUND BILL.

The Provincial Solicitor, in moving the second reading of the Immigration Fund Bill, said, that £35,000 had. in 1856, been voted for immigration, and public works connected therewith. The money was to be borrowed. £20,000 were fo be spent in bringing out immigrants, aud £10,000 to employ them in profitable works after arrival. A year elapsed before any part of the loan was spent. It would be well to appropriate the £20,000, as successively refunded by the immigrants, for a permanent fund for immigration. Mr. Harris said that hitherto this was not the case. The £20,000 had been spent, and no provision made to keep that sum always afloat for immigration purposes, as was originally contemplated. Mr. Reynolds remarked that in his opinion a separate fund was never contemplated. Mr. Harris said he remembered proposing the £20,000. on the express understanding that it was to be kept a separate and permanent fund, lie seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Council thereupon resolved itself into committee on the bill.

Mr. Macandrew wished to know if they were to limit the fund to £20,000 out of the £35,000.

The Provincial Solicitor said the General Government forbade them to borrow any more money on the security of the land, lest it should damage the credit of the colony for the loan of the £JOO,OOO sanctioned by the Imperial Parliament. They might borrow money on other security ; but other security than the Crown lands, they had none.

The Provincial Solicitor then quoted passages from the Colonial Treasurer's speech on financial aft'iirs. According to Mr. Richmond, the Provinces had borrowed quite enough. Mr. Macandrew thought the Provincial Solicitor misunderstood the restrictions of the General Government and Imperial Parliament. These restrictions were made chiefly to check the Wellington Province from borrowing. In his- opinion, that limitation of Mr. Richmond was all a bug-bear. The Colonial Treasurer was a worthy representative of New Plymouth, which borrowed nothing at all — not eVen the .£2500 which it was sanctioned by the Governor to borrow. What was £20,000 for immigration. Two years must be granted to the immigrants to repay their passage-monies, and they would then have only £10,000 a-year : that would only bring out two \essels. This large, rich, and beautiful Province might borrow £100.000, or any sum, however great, and he had no fear of the Governor sanctioning their borrowing any reasonable sum. Mr. Harris explained that it was not proposed to limit the immigration fund to £20,000, but only to limit in the mean time the permanent fund to that amount. He moved that the Chairman report progress. Agreed to. He also gave notice that the Immigration Fund Bill be read a third time on Tuesday next.

In answer to a question, Mr. Harris stated that it was proposed to have an additional clerk to attend to immigration, whose salary ■was put on the Estimates at £130.

APPitOl>ia\TlON BILL NO. I.

The Provincial Solicitor moved the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, No. 1. Agreed to.

The Council weut into committee on the bill.

On the item of £527 for Princes-street, considerable discussion took place, several members expressing their strong disapprobation of the deep cutting in Princes-street. Some little discussion also took place as to the cost of the erection of the immigration barracks ; but all the items in the Bill were ultimately agreed to ; and ..the Bill was ordered to be read a third time on Tuesday. Mr. Harris moved an adjournment till Monday, at 1p m. Agreed to.