TUESDAY, 20th OCTOBER.

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

TUESDAY, 20th OCTOBER.

Morning ditting. The Speaker took the Chair at 1 1 o'clock, ancl the minutes of the last Sitting were read, and approved. NOTICE OP MOTION. By Mr Beaven : " That iv the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that the works ■ necessary for the Winton and Invercargill > Railway, and the road in continuation of the i railway to the Whakatip, and also the tram- " way ou the cart-ioad be vigorously pushed forward, ' in order that the same, if possible, r be open for traffic before the next winter."

The PROVINCIAL TREASURER, said that such a notice of motion was a positive insult to the Government — it was as much as to say "you are a lazy lot — you wont do anything, unless we jog you." He should "not be surprised if every member got up, and consecutively moved that the road in his particular district be pushed on with vigor. By Mr Howell, "Th-ifc at the evening sittings from any sums of money which may be voted by this Council for the making of roads between Riverton and the Otautau, the Provincial Engineer be directed to expend the sum of -L2OOO pounds on pitching and metalling the approach to the Aparirna Bridgefrora Gummy's Bush, and in the formation of a culvert ancl, bridge on the flat between the Aparirna. Bridga and Riverton, and that .a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Provincial Engineer, by the Clerk of the Council." By Mr Howell, " That from any sums of money which may be voted by this Council for roads between Kiverton and tne Otautau, the Provincial Engineer be directed to builda bridge over the Otautau, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to that gentleman by the Clerk." By Mr Howell — " That from any sums of : nioncy that may be voted for roads between Riverton and Wallacetown, the Provincial Engineer be directed to build a bridge over the Waimatuka on that road, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Engineer by the Clerk." By Mr Cowan — " To ask leave, at evening sitting, to bring in a Bill, intituled * Sheep , Ordinance, 1862, Amendment Ordinance, 1863.'" By Mr Stuart — " That this Council is of opinion that the Land Registry Act should be brought into operation in the Province of Southland without delay./ By Mr Howell -"That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting that the sum of £1000 be placed on the Estimates, for the purpose of removing the obstructions to the navigation betweenStanley and Wallacetown.'-' MOT'ONS. Mr WILSON, in moving "That it is the opinion of this Council that the whole of the expenditure for the building of Public Schools in the Province of Southland, should be provided by the Provincial Treasurer out of sums voted from time to time by the Provincial Council for Educational purposes, less such an amount as may be derived from Educational Reserves — and previous to the Committee of this House taking the vote upon the Educational Estimates, that the Secretary of Education be requested to furnish this Council with the probable sums which will be required for Schools in course of erection, or in contemplation of being erected, during the ensuing year." — adverted fco the advantages of education, and tne necessity of schools throughout the Province. He attributed the bushranging in New SouthWales to the absence of educational facilities. The bushrangers were born in the colony, and ran wild for want of edueatio-n. Besides promoting education, his motion was intended to lighten the expense, as it had lately been disposed. Mr SCOTT seconded. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER objected. The measure would tend to destroy the self-reliance of districts. — -Why, the Treasurer of a school in Invercargill had come to him the other d«y, coolly wanting him (the Provincial Treasurer) to lend him £G0 to pay a te -c'ler, and had thereafter sent the teacher to him — just on the principle that a man wont put himself to the trouble of going about levying rates, or working for money, if he can get people to lend it to him. Mr M'Kay moved — " Thafc the sum of £-5000 be placed on the Ei i nates for unenumerated roads." There were a number of roads passed over, (to the Provincial Treasurer : Don't shake your head, my dear boy! Cries of order.) The PROVINCIAL TREASURER suggested to the honorable member the propriety of putting his motion in the form, — "That a respectful address ber presented .to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting thafc the sum of, &c." Tnis was done, and Mr BEAVEN seconded the motion, Mr TARLTON did not see the logic of the motion. The honorable member objected to LSOO for a specified road, and now wanted to devote LSOOO to some vavjue unmentioned road . The motion on being put, was carried. Mr HOWELL moved—" That a respectful addrsss be presented to His Honor the Superintendent requesting tbat a sum be placed on the Estimates for the purpose of erecting a foot bridge over the Waimatuka.'" If all the honorable members had as strong an ob-. jection to water as he had, the motion would be carried at once. Mr TARTLON begged to second the motion. He had as great a dislike as the last speaker, to being drowned. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER was in favor of the bridge. The motion was then put ancl carried. Mr J. M'KAY moved — " That a respectful address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent requesting that £6000 out of the £10,000 voted for the East Road, be expended between Invercargill and the culvert next beyond Long Bush." He wished to guard against too much expenditure up the country. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER did not see why this . motion and that to be brought forward by Mr Beaven to a somewhat similar effect, should not be made one. No member seconding the motion, it lapsed. Mr SCOTT moved — "That a respectful ' address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent praying that a sum of £5000 may be placed on the Estimates for the repair of the road from Otautau to the Five Plain." He thought that it was an oversight on the part of the Government not to notic 3 the i importance of this road. There was more \ traffic there than on the North Road. Mr JACKSON seconded, Mr ROGERS spoke in favor of the motion. Last year before any money was laid out by the Government, the road was opened up by private subscription. About five miles of it was v t ry bad ; they had heard of the family bog; this road was in that condition, though ifc was required greatly for traffic. Ie was essential too. for the existence of Riverton. Shut it up, and Riverton would be shut up. Mr S. BEAVEN moved— "That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting that a part of the sum of £10,000, voted for the Mataura Road, be expended on a tramroad." It was impossible to make this road with metal. It w;as seen that it would cost £66,000 as far as Dacre. They could not afford anything like that. If they wanted it kept open, they must have a tramroad. Mr M'KAY seconded, though he thought it might be as well if the motion were deferred till a report could be had from the Provincial Engineer. Mr TARLTON thought that everyone in this province was a sort of amateur engineer : he considered himself in that light. He had, he would admit, studied roads with considerable attention, and tlie result of that study was that there was nothing like a tram-road. The PROVINCIAL TREASURER thought the remarks of the last speaker were very admirable, but it struck him as extraordinary that he should be a stickler for tramways to-day, when lately he was decrying them. ("When?") The hon. member then ridiculed the idea of tram-roads ; and thereafter leave was granted lo Mr Beaven to defer his motion to the evening sitting, and the House adjourned. 1 ■