THE COLONIST NELSON, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1865. LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume VIII, Issue 803, 7 July 1865, Page 2

THE COLONIST NELSON, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1865. LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Last night in the Provincial Council the motions on the notice paper were disposed of without much discussion.

The petition of Messrs Buslil, Cole, and Thomas for compensation was referred to a select committee; and on the motion of Mr. Baigent, a select committee was appointed to take into consideration a memorial to the Superintendent from eighty ratepayers of Waimea South, praying that steps be taken for forming a separate Koad Board for the district of Waimea South; the committee to consist of the Speaker, Mr. Oliver, Mr. Simmonds, Mr. Parker, Mr. Dodson, Mr. Redwood, and Mr. Thompson, the two last being-added on the motion of the Provincial Solicitor.

On the motion of Mr. Dodson, a select committee was appointed to consider the petition of the ratepayers of Takakar, requesting a sum of money to be set apart for the purpose of opening the Takaka East road, to its junction with the Waitapu and Motupipi roads. A motion that £15 be voted for repairing the Public Pound at Suburban North was passed. Mr. Lewthwaite's motion for a select committee to report on the item of £1200 entered on the Estimates for coal works, was rejected oh a division by a majority of 11 to 6. Certain explanations, similar to some formerly made on the subject of the coal borings at the Buller, were offered by the Provincial Solicitor, and reference was made by Mr. Curtis to a paper sent down to the Council some time since, giving particulars of the past year's expenditure on the coal works, and explaining that the money now on the estimates was for contracts now existing, and the working of which was progressing. Mr. Oliver proposed a motion in favor of pledging the Council to an opinion that what he termed the large amount of provincial revenue " contributed by the gold miners from direct taxation should be expended in improving the communications from the port with the several auriferous districts, and in public works calculated to facilitate the operations, and generally to promote the convenience of the mining population ; also, that the apportionment of all such expenditure should be made, as far as practicable, relative to the amount of gold duty produced within such several auriferous districts." Mr. Adams, who opposed the motion, showed that in Massacre Bay, in the Wangapeka, in the Maruia Plains, and on the Matakitaki and the West Coast, the gold-diggers had had expended, for their immediate benefit, on roads and other

works, far more than had been received, although, to look at the motion, one would suppose that the gold-diggers had never had a penny expended on them. As .for the gold duty of 28. Gd. per ounce, that >vaa something in lieu of a rent of the ground used by the digger. He paid no rent for the land over which he worked, and he was by this duty only taxed according to the amount of his income. Mr. Parker stated that from first to last about £10,000 of public money had been spent on Collingwood alone. The motion was negatived without a division. , . ... The Estimates were afterwards proceeded with in committee, and all the items were passed to, the end. Only those items now remain which were postponed, and these await reports of select committees on the subjects, or further information. These are the Survey Department, Provincial Council Contingencies, Scab Act, Provincial Steam Service Bonus, Coal "Works, and one or two other items of minor importance. It is expected that the Council sittings will close about the end of next week.