Provincial Council.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 668, 20 May 1865, Page 3

Provincial Council.

Thursday, May 11.* The Speaker took the chair at 6.40 p.m. Present — The Provinci* Secretary, Messrs. Berridge, Upjohn, Bundle, A. Atkinson, Pitcairn, and Gledhill. The minutes of the previous sitting were read and confirmed. The Speaker announced tlie receipt from His Honor tho Superintendent of the following Messages. No. 3<f. Transmitting the following letter from F. Lewis Webster, Esq., Chairman of the " Taranaki Lighter Company :" New Plymouth, May 10, 18C5. , Sir,— Referring to my letter of 2nd insfant, proposing to take over the boating department from the Government, it was suggested to empower the company to raise the landing to 2s. 6dJ per ton to pay any salaries or expenses absof lutely required. - ' The Company have bw decided to adhere to the present charge of 15s. per ton on all good| landed or shipped (including goods on which duty has been paid elsewhere) as it is found with. a Manager and. clerk to, the beach, no other salaried officer is required by the Company ana therefore cannot pay monies over ■ which the Company derive no benefit. , t »• It is further proposed to alter the landing ohargo 1 on timber, as follows :■— Rafting at per 100 feet, Is. 6d. ; boating, 2s. dd. ; to be .at th| option of the importer. * *'° , J With reference to the moorings the' Co'mpanjf do not guarantee to replaee»rW prefenV .ones when worn out,- but while itarvicejibil«' Upkeep; them in' good order^and constantly -examined, allowances, being made for ru>t,' wear, an 4 usage, if they should at any "future time be handed hack to Government. ' ' • ■. • f The Company also reserve the right of rejecting any artiolen (in taking over stock) that are not actually required by the department, such* rejection to be decided at the valuation, a quantity of timber arid funfter being near, .the boat sheds, but'perfectly useless to a Company.; F. Lewis'Wbbsteu, - Chairman of Tarariaki Lighter Company. ' Jfo. 37. — The Superintendent has the honor to communicate to the Provincial Councilhi's opinion that the time has arrived for alfering the Land Regulations of v the Province by roiling the upset, price of land, 'and by offering a remission of £20 ( per adult* to those immigrants who are sent for by their friends in this Province, and auoh other immi-mWa frnm Hrfiftt nrJlifln-aa-IBMfaflfllßftifii

this province in conformity with any Immigration regulations for tho time boiug, in force for tho purpose. It may bo said that different upset prices for rural laud should be imposed on forest and open land. After a careful consideration of this point, the Superintendent is of opiuion that the quantity of forest land in tho Province is only in fair pro- . portion to the open land, and that it is therefore undesirable to offer any inducement for its waste and destruction ; and moreover, if it should bo found desirable to placo a lower upset price on the forest land, this might bo dove after all that will fetch. £2 per acre has been sold. The Superintendent proposes that an act of Assembly bo obtained determining the destination of such land revenue as may be received under the increased upset price, as follows :—: — 1. For Harbor Works in and Railways to tho Northern aud Southern boundaries of tho Province, one half of the land revenue. 2. For making roods to and in the lands in respect of which such land revenue is received, one fourth. 3. For Public Works generally, one.fonrth. Tho amount set apart for Harbor Works aud Railways will not appear large when the urgent waut of a first-class harbor in this Province is considered. There are many places on the beach of this Province besides tho roadstead of New Plymouth where coasters can be made use of, that will have to make their port of arrival and _ departure in soino other Province, in the absence -of a harbor in this. Following on tho harbor is the development of tho Province by railways, which" would probably be best constructed by companies. Tne remaining apportionment appears to me fair and equitable to the Land Purchasers and to the Province. Mr. J. T. Upjohn moved — " That it is desirablo that this Council be informed if any expenditure is incurred or proposed to bo iuourred on tho present Custom House or stores underneath it." In doing so, he said, it was generally understood that there was to bo an expenditure incurred, and he thought it would be unwise, unless a higher level was taken. We had already had ono knock at tho door, and we might have another. At the present level a sea might, with a very high tide, wash into the shod. • Mr. A. Atkinson seconded the motion fro forma. Mr. Bundle said, with regard to the remarks of the hon. member, that they had ono knock at tho door and might have another, he would say that tho late high tides wero unusual. He had been in the Provinco twcnty-lbur years, and had never known the tide so high before. To securo the upper part of the Custom-House building, something was necessary to be done to the lower. Bonded stores might be constituted, which would be both handy and beneficial to the public. The Provincial Secketary said tho expondituro proposed for this work was £180. Tho front of the Custom House was- to be of stone, and tho - highest tides would not break in the doors if properly ir.ade. If a Custom House, &c, were not provided by the Provincial Government, the General Governmaut wonld build one, aud make the charge againat the Provinco. Storage for goods also, was absolutely necessary, nnd it was proposed by the Superintendent to erect shed a similar to that of the Immigrant's Horns in which goods landed in wet weather, or at night could be placed unlil taken away by the consignees ; the cost of this shed would be about £400 or £500. The cost of the front of the Custom House (£180) would soon bo repaid by rent on bonded goods. Mr. Glvvmti considered that the money would be well spent in a good stone front and proper doors. Packages landed after dark wero frequently missing from the beach, aud soinuthing should be done for the security of property. Mr. A. Atkinson thought that the question of erecting a shod would be better considered saparately. The motion might have bceu more aptly worded,, because if carried it effected nothing ; it could however do no harm. ILe question intended to bo raised he believed was, xrhmxer the money would be spent bettor in building part of a new Custom-Houao, that would bo a permanent building or in patching up the present one. He (Mr. A.) doubted whether £180 would give as much accommodation if spent on an entirely new building. Mr. Upjohn said he had put the motion on the paper in its present fyrm on the recom. raendation of a gentleman well versed in theso matters. As regarded high tides, he well remembered ono in 1860, with stroug wind, when everything except the boats was washed out of the sheds. At tlie time General Pratt was here a bank of clay was formed before the sheds. These extraordinary high tides had occurred three times within five years. He (Mr. U.) would not say anything against bonded stores being constructed on the beach, but he did consider it unwise to expend any more money on the old building. It Would be only throwing money, away . Question put and passod. Mr. Upjohn moved — " That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, stating that this Council is of opinion that from the great local knowledge of Taranaki pussessod by members of the present General Government, this is a very favorable time for pressing on their attention the great benefit that would result to this Province by a grant tuic all iron sand iv it below high water mark." -Jin doing so, he said, he thought this a most favour, able time to ask for the graut, as some of tho present members of the Government were well acquainted wir,b/ this province) and favourably disposed towards ifc. Things were getting very dull here, and the iron saud would be something to fall back upon. The Superintendent would be doing a good service to the province if ho could, accomplish this before going out of office. They read in the papers of good cutlery having been worked up from Taranaki Iron sand in England and sent out to the Dunodin Exhibition and it should be made profitable to the Province. Mr. Glediijll/ considered that tho essence of the hon member's remarks was good. The leaso of the iron sand, he thought, should be thrown open to all who might bo disposed to go into the speculation. The Pbovincial Secretary said the Superin. tondent had endeavoured to get a grant of tho beach, but without success. The objection raised by the General Government was, that tho beach was a whole public right of way j but tho motion asking for tho sand only got over that difficulty. Mr. Upjohn replied and the motion waa carried. Mr. Pitcajrn asked leave to bring in a bill to amend an Ordinance to provide for tho Ownership and Branding of Cattle in the province of Taranaki. 'The present Ordinance, said the hon. member, did not Work well, 'an waa to be seen from the report of tho Commissioners laid on the table at the lost sitting; .The Bill was drawn up with tlie view of protecting houest men, and acting as a check, against othera. Leave granted, bill read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second reading made an order of. the day for the next sitting. jThe. PkoyinoiaL Secretary moved the second goading of the following ifouis : — Government Buildings, £2,200 New Gaol, £1000.— Carried. ■* Oh Ihe .motion of the JPnovitfciAi, Secretary, ,-thq! Council went into Committee on the " Ownership and s Branding -of- Sheep Bill." Somo discussion Hook place on clause 11, fixing the charge for branding, and mileage for -Inspector. It was idtiniately 'fixed at -Id. •per, head .for branding, . and in addition . thereto a^fee of. Ss. from each tiockowner in place *of mileage" with a proviso to ,the effect that the Act shall lie considered conformed to, if the" branding takes place in pi-eseuce of two witneeneß (instead of the Inspector or SubInsptiotor) and a oertiflpaLe of the same registered within sovyn days. * • Tho Chairman having reported progress, the Council resumed, and adjourned until Tueadhy next, at 6.30 p.m. .' Tuksday, May 16. Tho Speaker', took' the ohair at 6.35 p.m. Present — Messrp; Gledbill, Fitoairn, Kelly, Handle, A. Atkinson, Upjohn, Berridw, Weston. Messenger,, and Provincial Bec,rtjc&ry.'