PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 941, 11 December 1869, Page 10

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

' 'special session. . Wednesday, Bth December. The Speoial Session of the. Provincial Council of Otago was opened this day. At I2o'olock, the hour appointed for the opening, the Speaker, Mr. W. H. Eeynoldß, took the chair. The following mem tiers were also , present :— The Secretary for Land and Works, Mr D. Reid, the Treasurer, Mr G. M'Lean, the Provinoial Solicitor, Mr B. 0. Haggitfc, and Messrs J. L. Gillies, G. Duncan, J. Mouat, J. Ashcroffc, W. Barr, J. 0. Brown, A. J. Burns, H. Olark, H. Driver, 3. Green, M. Hay, D. Henderson, J. Hughes, D. Hutcheson, P. W. Mackenzie, H. M'Dermid, J. M'lndoe, J. Millar, A. Mollison, W. A, Mosley, B. Murray, ' J. Seaton, G. Shand, J. Sliand, J. Sibbald, T. Tayler, J. W. Thomson, and G. Turnbull. The members absent were Messrs F. D. Bell, H. France, W. Fraaer, 0. E. Haughton, D. F. Main, and T. L. Shepherd.

The galleries were well filled with spectators, and The Clerk of the Council read the Proclamation bjrHis Honour the Superintendent convening the Council.

CORRESPONDENCE,

TheTREASURER(MrGeorgeM'Lean) laid upon the table the correspondence between His Honour the Superintendent and the Home Agent.

THE ADDRESS.

flia Honour the SUPERINTENDENT was introduced, and he delivered the following address : — Mb Speaker -and Gentlemen of the

Provincial Council :—: —

I have felt constrained, very reluctantly, to call you together at the present time, knowing, as I do, that the attendance of many of you involves considerable personal inconvenience. I felt, however, that to defer the session until the usual period of meeting would be to postpone the commencement of a work which ought ere now to have been completed— I allude to the construction of the Southern Trunk Railway. "With regard to this, and the question of Hundreds, as there are differences of opinion between myself and my respon' aible advisers, I propose to address you by message presently, fully explaining the nature and extent of those differYou, are no doubt aware that negotiations have been for some time pending between the Government and » number of gentlemen in Dunedin for the construction of » railway between Dunedin and Port Chalmers. These negotiations havinff fallen through, the Government have accepted the offer of a contracting firm in Dunedin to contract the railway under a guarantee of interest at 8 per cent, on 1i70,000, to be secured on the Jetty Dues, in terms of your resolution of last session, adequate security to be given by the contractor for the due completion of the work within 18 months. The details of the contract are being prepared, and we may expect the work to be commenced within the next two months. la compliance with your resolution of last session, three delegates were appointed on behalf of this Province to confer with »n equal number representing the Province of Southland, with a new of arranging ft basis of re-union between the The report of the Commissioners will be placed before you, as iilso the resolution of the Provincial Council of Southland, which, I am nappy to any has, by a large majority, concurred in the report of the Commissioners. It now depends chiefly upon you to decide whether or not the two provinces, which never ought to have been separated, shall So re-united »nd resume those functions of genuine colonisation which woreproso•cutod with greater vigour prior to the tfiao they have boon ever KV To those who take a .comprehensive viowof the future, ifc cannot but be ft nX of congratulation that tw« mjj* important provinces as Otago and SouthffihTulS unite of their own free will; Ind although* some it wih no doubt Zmw that Otaqjo can reap but little (idvEe from tlte union, yot.l boUove Stfthb is a very suporncial view of the matter lam persuaded that under th. existing political organisation of the colony, thi magnificent territory which s SSsed within the two p rorinoos, if cXJiwdfttall, must be oofonis* ji ftt £ ttygnat disadvauUge, anleis thii reunion is effected. . . , I mn duite prepared to admit that a* the outset, perhaps, the pecuniary advonS^ of re-union will be in favour of account wUI umpJy 00T« wjr tw*ppwy

advances which Otago may be called upon 'id make. c ''" y ' |N )<<; '■" • '> '"■ „ In dealing with this subject,, we must not overlook the fact that Southland is the natural key to a very, considerable, portion v of our, territory, and that the proper development of the resources of the onej necessarily involves, the benefit of the other. I hail the union of the two provinces as the first step towards reducing the cost and machinery of government in New* Zealand, and as an example which the other provinces will do well to follow. While upon this subjeot, I would only further express my conviction that should the proposed union happily be completed, the various districts which at present constitute the Province of Southland will receive the same treatment and consideration at the hands of the Provincial Legislature of Otago as any other district throughout the province. Gentlemen — You are doubtless aware that by an Act passed in the last session, of the Colonial Parliament, we are empowered to dispose of land on the West Coast of the province upon terms whioh, it is believed will attract settlement of a suitable kind. The first step to enable me to take action in this matter is your assent to a resolution which will be submitted* to you, defining the boundaries within which the Act is to be brought into operation. In connection with the settlement at Martin's Bay, it is very advisable that a passable road should be formed between the Wakatipu and Kakapo Lakes. In the meantime a bridle track would suffice. The chief obstacle in the way is crossing the Hollyford River. I believe LIOOO would suffice in the meantime to cpen up communication right across the island. If this were done it would have the twofold effect of affording the means of employment to the first settlers at Martin's Bay, and it would lead to a large accession to our mining population from the West Coast. Although it is not proposed to introduce an Appropriation Ordinance during the present session, you mii>ht by resolution enable the Government to proceed with this work.

Another subject to which I desire to direot your special attention is the necessity for sending to Europe one or more agents to promote the emigration to this province of suitable labour and capital. I feel strongly that we have not been doing our duty in this matter, and that the most important function which has been assigned to us-^that, namely, of promoting the beneficial occupation of the country, is being to a large extent neglected. I may say that, but for a resolution pissed by you last session, steps would have been taken since then largely to increase the stream of population to our shores. It is manifest that without this the vast resources of the provinoe must continue undeveloped for centuries. Another very important matter to which I would bespeak your attention, chiefly with a view of bringing public opinion to bear upon it in the General Assembly, is the question of some comprehensive scheme of water supply on the Goldfields. Although, in all probability, we are on the eve of a new phase in the development of our Goldfields, one which, as likely as not, may throw all that has hitherto been done into the shade— l allude to the discovery of numerous goldbearing quartz reefs — at the same time there is an amount of uncertainty about this description of mining which does not apply to alluvial diggiugs. With respect to the latter it is well known that the auriferous resources of the provinoe have been scarcely touched— there are literally mountains of alluvial gold. This is no matter of mere conjecture, the ground having boon fully tested. What is wanted to increase our production of gold to an enormous extent is an abundant supply of cheap water, which supply cannot be procured unlew by loan, which, unfortunately, we have no power to raise without thje sanction of the Colonial Legislature. Although the policy of the colony for several years past has been to prohibit loans for reproductive purposes, yet, I believe, wo are on the eve of a ohange in this respect ; and that if the whole of the Qt&go representatives unite next session, tho province is very likely to succeed ii? prooaring the means of providing water reservoirs on the Goldfields. In order to this, there should be an uomutakeaWe manifestation of publio opinion upon th« subject, with which view I have thus enlarged .upon it. I must say that I know of n* more effucuvo way » which the colony could improve its position financially than by not only permitting, but encouraging this provinoe to develope to the fullest extent its Goldfields— Goldfields whiph, unlike others, have not to bo discovered. There ore various other topic* of on important nature to whioh I might refpr, but. swing that you have been called together chiefly to oonsider the •pool*.! questions to which I have ftlwfdy ftiludod, I deem it •xptdient to defer introducing now m*tt«* to poMidentyen

until^nexi flessioh j t whioh^will beheld in; a few months' hence. ' •< '?*'* ">' mi* S"^-",' J I now declare thi» Oouncilopen for the despatch of business. Jambs Maoandeew, ' Superintenderit. . His Honour having retired* The Sitting was opened with prayer. The SPEAKER announced the recep-, tion of a copy of, the Address. • The TREASURER moved that the Address be taken as read, and that it be printed. The motion was agreed to. THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES.

The SPEAKER read a letter from the | Chairman of Committees (Mr HaUghton), apologising for not .being able to be present at the opening of the Special Ses-, aion. He (the Speaker) ,- also mentioned that Messrs Howorth and Shepherd had been telegraphed to respecting the matter. •' ' '

[The Superintendent's' Message No. 1, referring to the Southern Trunk Hallway and the Hundreds Regulation Aot, together with some memoranda' relating to the former subjeot, were read, but, owing to the pressure on our space, we are compelled to hold them over till our next issue.]