EVENING SITTING.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 104, 21 October 1863, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

The Speaker took the Chair at 7 o'clock. The Provincial Treasurer laid on the table a -synopsis of expenditure upon the roads. NOTICES OF MOTION, By Mr M'Kay to move " That LSOOO be placed on the estimates for unenumerated roads." By Mr Howell to move "for a sum to be placed upon the estimates for the construction of a bridges over the Wuimatuku" By Mr Wii-son, to move to-morrow evening " That in future all waste lands of the Crown should be sold under the reservation to construct roads and railroads through the same, providing for compensation to the purchaser in proportion to the sum paid and the improvements made upon the lands. ' OIIDEM OF THE DAY. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER briefly moved that the House go into Committee upon the Estimates. In Committee, superintendent's department. . The PROVINCIAL TREASURER moved and Mr Co wan seconded, •• That the sum opposite to the name of the Superintendent, stand at L 550." Mr ROGERS moved as an amendment, •'That it be L 700." The Estimates were based upon those of last year. No om could deny the increase of the Province ; a year ago they stood sixth or seventh, now they might rank as third ; with the increase pf course additional public work had sprung

f up, and additional -responsibility. It .'was t only fair that they who had- to do that public 3 work should be paid fdr their greater trouble. ; Mr JACKSON seconded.' ;. , Mr COWAN was anxious to know whether [ the honorable members motion was intended .. to establish a precedent — that is to say, thnt . a rise of salary was to go throughout depait- : ments. i Mr ROGERS said, thafc meantime he only spoke on the item. The responsibility of-the ■ office was so much, increased, that a higher rate of pay seemed necessary. Since last year, too, the expense of living had been . greatly enlarged, and there had been a growth , of extra discomfort. He was inclined to think that almost all the salaries of Government officials should be increased 25 per cent. Mr HOWELL did not see how they were prepared to pay. Mr ROGERS said that as they had heen prepared to employ, they must be prepared to pay. Mr WILSON thought the Superintendent's galaxy should be increased, but that it did not follow that the same rule extended to the heads of departments. - Mr COWAN wished the House to understand that any rise of salaries would have to be paid out of borrowed money. Mr M'KAY could not see who was to lend them the money. c Mr ROGERS said, the question was— why mploy. if not prepared to pay. If they w< re not paid suitably, tha service would be filled with unfit men. *Mr M'KAY said, that if the honorable members' shepherd came to him and asked an increase of pay of £20, he thought the honorable member would not receive him with open arms, but rather go down to the first emigrant ship ancl engage a new shepherd. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER then moved that the Cli airman report progress, and ask leave to sit again — the Chairman reporte 1. The SPEAKER then stated that the Chairman had reported that the Committee liad done nothing. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER suggested, that as the Chairman appeared so well coached up in matters of form, he should tell them what was to be clone next. Mr TARLTON said that the House must first, deal with the whole question, ancl then in Committee with each individual item. He would ask one question — had the Government fairly grappled with the difficulties shewn in the balance sheet. There was a deficit apparent of some £40,000 or £50,000, an item so serious,, that no man was justified in asking for increased pay. How did they propose to pay the increase— was it by enlarging the debt ? There was a nice deficit to hand over to posterity. If an honest man . is in difficulties — does he not economise and reduce his expenditure till they are fairly grappled with. Upon finding himself bank, rupt, it would be a strange thing were he to say " Now, I'll pay off my debts by increasing my expenditure 25 per cent." The Government was in that position at present. He thought the Provincial Treasurer was to have given them that night an elaborate statement of the affairs of the Province. In its absence, he had not looked deeply into the Estimates; but. ho thought one item was manifestly too costly, namely, the jetties. Mr ROGERS was not prepared to reply to a speech so elaborate as that of the honorable member He had to repeat, that unless they paid well their efficient officials, tliey would not remain. Mr WILSON said he understood the officials had come forward and consented to work at the present scale of remuneration(No, no), of couse, if circumstances brightened, they would be paid more, me.vntime, they ought to be content to accept things as they were. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said, that Mr Tarlton had justly remarked that he had not made a long speech on the financial pos 'tion. He did not think thnt there wa-, this session, sufficient matter for congratulation, to induce him to do s . He tho- git the government had, to make use of the lion, member's expression, " grappled " with the didifficulties. They hoped to reduce the debt chiefly by the land fund; and the dog tax would be a source of revenue. The hon member's remarks about jetties were unjust ; it jetties paid in the hands of private individuals, he did not see why thoy should not do the same under Government. Mr TARLTON upon consideration, said that the estimates showed a balance on the wrong side of 1,62,000. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER would like the hon. member to point out where that item was. The House then returned to Committee. IN COMMITTEE. The motion and the amendment upon the Superintendent's salary having been put, the House divided with the following result: — For the original motion — Messrs Cowan, Stuart, Wilson, Howell, Beaven, and Chalmers (fl). For the amendment— Messrs M'Nab, Scott, Jackson, and Rogers (4). Mr ROGERS theu moved that the sum be L6OO, and being put against the original motion the latter was carried. On the motion of Mr ROGERS, the sum of L 250, as Superintendent's clerk's salary was increased to L3OO. On the motion of Mr -ROGERS, ifc was agreed to advance the salary of the Provincial Treasurer from L 350 to L IOO. On the motion of Mr M'NAB the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands salary v. as increased from L 350 to L4oo* his clerk's salary, on the motion of Mr ROGERS, was increased from L 250 to L3OO-; and the Crown Grant's clerk, from L 225 to L 250. In the survey department, Mr ROGERS moved as an amendment, that the salary of of the Chiet Surveyor be L6OO. Mr M'KAY moved as an amendment that it should be LSOO. The original motion and the two amendments having been put, the Hov e divided, with the following result. Mr M 'Kay's amendment — Messrs Scott, Jackson, Howell, Beaven, M'Kay, and Rogers (6). For the motion— Messrs M'Nab, Cowan, Stuart, Wilson, and Chalmers (5). In the Provincial Auditors department, an ! amendment that the salary of the Chief be increased from £300 to £400 was lost, for the reason that this officer's salary was regulated at its present figure by law. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER said that the House had better come to some understanding as to the -principle of this wholesale raising of salaries. (Cries of " reconstruct the Estimates"). There might be no great difficulty in the pronunciation of the words re-construction, but the Government had enough to do with his honorable friend's work cf " grappling," to attempt much more in the meantime. Mr ROGERS said he had only moved an increase of £225. Upon the motion of Mr Rogers, the Road Engineer's salary was then raised from £350 ■ to £400. , Thereafter the salaries appertaining to the Jetty and Wharf, and to the Telegraph departments were adjusted, and the allocation of moneys upon the different roads settled. Then (10.30 p.m.) the House adjourned, and the Speaker left the Chair.