PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 942, 18 December 1869, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 18G9. The Speaker took tho chair at 2 o'clock. — Present : The Provincial Secretary, Messrs. F. U. Gledhill, F. L. Webster, B. C. Lawrence, H. R.Richmond, J. Dingle, W. Bayly, sen., J. Knight, W. Black, I. Bayly, and W. N. Syme. Absent : Messrs. A. Harley, and C. W. Hursthouse. NEW MEMBER. i The Speaker announcod the receipt of a message from the Superintendent saying that Mr. James Thomas Upjohn had been duly returned as a member of the Council. Mr. J. T. Upjohn then took his seat at the Council table. MESSAGES. The Speaker then read the following messages from the Superintendent :— Message No 13, enclosing a " Bill to provide for the making and maintaining of party or dividing fenoes to land within the Province of Taranaki." Read a first time and ordered to be printed. Message No. 14, enclosing a " Bill to restrict , the Superintendent from making contracts with members of the Provincial Council and Government officers of the Province, being members of the Provincial Council from receiving pay." Read a first time and ordered to be printed. Message No. 15, enclosing a " Bill to grant leases of public land to certain parties at the Waitara." Read a first time and ordered to be printed. Some discussion arose on the first reading, as to whether tho Government could deal with trust lands except through the Board appointed. It was finally agreed to leave the matter over till the second reading of the Bill. Message No. 16, enclosing a " Supplementary Appropriation Bill." SHINGLING ORDINANCE. The report of Committee, on the c< Town Building's Roofing Ordinance Amendment Bill," was adopted. The Provincial Secretary moved that the Bin bo read a third time, and Mr. Lawrence seconded tho motion. Mr. Upjohn moved as an amendment that " the Bill be read a third time this day six months," which was seconded by Mr. Webster. A discussion ensued, when the old argument was used on both sides. On the amendment being lost on the voices, a division was called for which resulted as follows :—: — Ayes, 4 : Messrs. Gledhill, Webster, Dingle, and Upjohn. ! Noes, 8 : The Provincial Secretary, Messrs. ! Lawrence, Richmond, W. Bayly, jun., Black, Knight, I. Bayly, and Symes. The Bill was read. a third time and passed. REFUND OF ROAD RATES. The Council then went into Committee on the motion, " That the road rates for 18G8-0 be repaid to those persons who have paid them for tho 10th (Upper Mangorei), and 18th (Urenui) Districts; and whenever a rate be made for the 14th (Tikorangi) District, that tho Assistant Treasurer be autho. rised to retain out of that rate a sufficient sum to repay those who have paid the rate for 1868-9 in that district." A most irregular discussion ensued, there being at one time no less than six members speaking at once. Mr. Richmond asserted that the Government's interpretation of the 49th clause of the Roads and Bridges Ordinance, was worthy of a girl fresh from school, which brought down a remark from the Provincial Secretary to the effect that if that was Mr. Richmond's opinion now, he conld assure him by his act that when in office he read the clause in the same manner as the present Government were doing ; and which he now termed was worthy of a school girl. After some further talk Mr, Richmond said if the Government would not take his suggestion, he would move as an amendment, " That the balance of the rates for the year 1863-9 be collected when expenditure is required in the 10th, 16th 18th, and Mth Districts ; and in the opinion of the Council it is desirable that the minimum rate voted for those districts, at the next meeting, should be nil." Mr. Cuosipton said that it was rather an Irish way of expressing it to say " nil." How could a rate be '* nil," — better say |d. or something. Mr. Richmond considered it was right, but was willing to alter the word to " Id. per acre." The Chairman then put it to the Committee, " that the words do stand part of the question" ; and on it being declared on the voices, in favor of the " ayes," a division was called for, which resulted as follows :—: — Ayes, 6. — The Provincial Secretary, Messrs. Dingle, Bayly, Knight, Symes, and Crompton. Noes, 6.— Messrs. Gledhill, Webster, Lawrenco, Richmond, Black, and Upjohn. There being an equal number, the Chairman (Mr. I. Bayly), gave the casting vote in favour of the " noes." The amendment was carried, and the motion for re-fanding the rate lost. The Council then resumed, and the report of the Committee adopted. SALE OF LIQUORS AMENDMENT ORDINANCE. Ttfc Bill was read a first time in Committee, and ordered to be made a third reading for next sitting. i

REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEES. * Mr. Richmond brought up a report of Select Committee " on the agreement made between the late Government and the New Plymouth Lighter Company." i Mr. Glbdhill brought up report of Seleot Committee "on the working of the Boads and Bridges Ordinance." [These reports will be found in onr supplement.] COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The Counoil went into Committee of Supply, and the Provincial Secretary, after making some remarks on the amounts similar to those reported, moved the first item — works in progress and executed, £228. — Agreed to. Government Ojfke, £72. — Some discussion ensued on this item, as it was for building a stone safe in the Commissioner of Crown Lands office. Several members thought the site chosen for tho building was a bad one, and, therefore, any permanent work should not be added to it. Tho amount was voted on condition that the Government pledged themselves not to act in tho matter without the consent of the Council. Opening up bush road, £250. — This item was agreed to on condition that the Government spent £200 in cutting a road, a chain wide, through such districts in which the settlers engaged to log tho same. A dtsdussiou also ensued relative to the way tho money voted last year towards cutting a road toward the German settlement had been spent. Public works on trunk roads, £180; stamper crushing machine, £50; and contingencies, £100 were agreed to. NEW ROAD DISTRICT. The Provincial Secretary moved, " That in , the opinion of this Council the following block of land be constituted No. 22 District, bounded as follows : — Towards the north by tho sea beach, towards the east by the Town of Raloigh and tbo Waitara River, towards the south by tho northern boundary of No. 11 Road District and towards the west by the eastern boundary of No. 1 Road District, which joins the sea beach," whioh was seconded and agreed to. GRANTS OP LAND TO THE MILITIA. Mr. Upjohn asked the Provincial Secretary what means the present Government were taking to carry out the Act of the General Assembly, which authorised the issue of scrip to all who had served in the militia ? Tho Provincial Secretary replied thafc tho Government had taken no action in the matter, but would consider the question, and answer it another time. ABSENT MEMBER. Mr. Upjohn asked the Speaker how many sittings Mr. Hursthonse had been absent from tho Council ? The Speaker answered six he believed, but part of that time Mr. Hursthouse had been out of the Province. Mr. Upjohn said he had better bo written to according to their Standing Order, for if he was absent over a certain number of times, his seat wonld becomo vacant. The Couucil then adjourned till Wednesday next. ______^_ - _ -iii——i-— ___

The Mohaka. Natives.— A messenger arrive J at Napier with letters for the Mohaka Natives, to the following effect : — They saw fires up tho Mohaka river, in the direction whore their cnltivationa were, considerably nearer Mohaka than Putere; and, on getting thore, saw traoes of strange natives, believed by them to be Hanhaus. One of the party went ahead of the othorß in tho desiro to obtain further information, and did not; retorn j nor had he returned up to noon of the following day. They did not know what became of him, but feared he had been caught and killed. It is supposed that tho party of whom traces were thus seen were a small band of Uriweras, and the same whoso fires were seen last Sunday at Haroto, The Mohaka Natives wore to start; next day in force, in quest of Kereopa (the name of the missing man), but nothing has been heard of the result. Hoops envelop what men love best — wine and • women.