PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 43, 3 July 1868, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

| ■''"' ' * Tlio 29th session of tho Provincial Counoil was opened at, 2 o'olock ,thi» nftcrnopn, at which hour tho Speaker took iho chair, ■ Tho mombors present wore— Messrs W, Williams, Hrown, PotlHj Buchanan, Hillyard, Wyldo, Hornbrook, J.H. Williams, A.Duncan, Hawkes, \V. W'lson, Qarrlck, Montgomery, Jollio, Stowart, Loo. Prayers woro road by, tho Vory llov, tho Dean of Christchurch, *'■*'- Ills Honor tho Superintendent, followed by the Kxcutlvo Council, entorod the Chambor, anddollvorod tho following spoeoh i— Mil SrKAKBII ANP GICNTMCMI-JN-— I havo found it nocoßsary to cnll you togothor on tho prosent occasion for the transaction of Important business, which I oousldor oould not, without disadvantage, bo postponed till aftor tho session of tho Qonoral Assembly of tho colony. As that body moots on tho Oth of this month, and tho Interests of tho province require that several of the members of iho frovluelal Counoil should immediately proceed to Wellington, I trust that you will bo abio to ooncluuo during tbo next week tho business whioh will bo'submitted to you, Tho principal subject for your consideration is, that of| tho Lyttelton aud Chriiitohuroh Hallway. If hiding from tho roports of tho Kngincor, as well as from tho statements of tbo Contractors, that tbo Tunnel works woro on tho ovo of completion, I thought, lt inaum-. •bout on mo to. loso no timo In ondoavourlng to obtain a sottloment of all outstanding claims, and ln bringing tho present complicated and indefinite nrrangomonts to a conclusion, You will accordingly bo asked to provide such a sum as will, In tho judgment of tho Govornmont on abio it 'to satisfy tho olalmß of Messrs Holmes,,and Co, to such an oxtont as it consldors they may fairly and roaflonably bo entertained. I regret to find; this morning that tbo contractors should, without formal or tlmoly uOtlco to tho public or tha Govornmont, havo thought fit to oloso tho tunnol. All tho papors and documents on; this nnbjcot will bo laid boforo you, Tho (fimgoi^wliloh might ensue to the oity of Christohuroh and tho adloining country in tho event of anothor ovorflow of tlio Wai« makariri, mnkos It dosirablo that furthor , stops should, bo taken, boforo tho freshes, which may bo anticipated iv tho spring take, placo, to ayort what might, ' 6tlior wiso bo attondbd with Borlous consoqubneos. A ronort on tho subjoot, by tho Colonial Geologist, will bo laid on , tho tablo, and you will bo asked to authorise tho expenditure In protective works of a further sum of monoy in addition to tbat already granted. I may stato tbat a moaouro will probably bo introduced into tho Gonornl Assembly, giving to tho localities Interested tho management of works which may bo noeesfliiry lv eoHiicGlUin wUji this and othor streams ln tho provinco. ond dovolvingunon tho Bovornl districts tuo duty of providing funds fpr tho purposo by a upoelal rato by each oa'so, V , j Yott will bo asked to pass a bill enabling a rato to bo raised upon oattlo throughout thu provinco, to covor oxponnen conncotod with tho suppression of plouro-pnoumonla, Yoi} will nlso. 'bo requested to consider tho oA J , 'vtoablonoss of a moderate outlay In tho oroctlou of ft building for a Supromo Court houso; Your attention will ho called to tho advantngo whiah would accrue from tho obtaining ncourato ntatlstics ns a basis upon which calculations may bo framed In relation to the growth and export ot grain during iho ensuing year, and you will bo asked to sanation the expenditure necessary for this object. Correspondence will bo placed boforo yon on tho subject ol! advances which havo beon mado to tbo provinco in -anticipation of tho realisation of, debentures, Also lettors showing tho agreement at prcsout subsisting between tlio Hank of Now Zealand and tho Provincial Govornmont. .•.-■; f now doclaro this Council open for tho despatch of publio business, THH IIAIMVAY. Mr Htmwaut nskod tho Govornmont whothor thoio wiw any hope of tho traffic on tho Lyttelton and' Christchurch Hallway being ronowed immediately. Mr MoN'fooMi'JiY replied thdt tho Govornmont was not In a position to stato whon tho traillo would ho ronowed, Evor sinco last session tho Government had used ovory endeavour lo got tho works in tlio tunnel completed upon an early day, so that tho lino mighf bo carried on undor their maniigomenli, and ho would be able to show, by tbo papers which would presently bo laid I on tho table, that the Government had dono their utmost to ofi'eot an amlcablo settlement with tho contractors. Tho report of tho Knglnocr Informed the Government that, with tho exception of a portion of tlio (louring, tho works In tho tunnol would ho completed during tho present month, The Government had written to tho con tractors, Hinting that they would tako possession of tho lino on tha Ist of August noxt, and Messrs Holmes and Co, replied to tho Secretary of Public j Works as follows, .under ditto 2nd July ;— " Siit'j— Wo bog to acknowledge tho receipt of memorandum No, 02/}, convoying notice of tlio iutontfan of tho Government to tako poflscflsion of tho railway workn in tonus of section 22 of tho contract, and to Intimato 'that wo deny tho leg/illiy of such intended action. But, in order io the protection of our Intercsls, and tho certain completion of the work, wo bog to advise you that we shall not from this dale allow tho use of the railway from the Jfovrymoad junction to Lyttelton." This wns tho position in which matters stood. Tlio courso pursued by Holmes & Co had taken tbo Government altogether by surprise, and he would stato that tlio Govornmont considered thnt tho contractors had not usod iho Government or tho pubilc well in closing up the lino without previous liitimiilion. Ho would bo prepared to siato on Tuosday what courso tho Government would tako In tho matter,

'MM r,OYAT, ADORES!?, . ' - Tho Sjphakbu road a lottor from his nonor tho Suporintondont, stating that ho had reoolvod a lottor from tho Governor*} private socrotary to tho cflHooHluvt his Excellency would havo much pleasure lv forwarding tho loyal address to tho Quoon passod by tho Provincial Council during last soßslon. rAPJCRS. Mr Jolmm laid tho following papors on tho tablo i— Lottors from Thomas Cass, Esq,, Acting English and Emigration Agont, to tho Provincial Soorotary, dated tho 28th ITobrunry, and 28th Maroh, 1808, Canterbury Hallwayo— Kcturn of receipts and oxpondituro from September Ist, 1807, to Maroh (list, 1808, llosorvcs mado temporarily sinco tlio last session of tho Provincial Council. Corrcspondonco In rcforonco to tho erection of a building for the Supremo Court. Corrcspondonco botweon tho Provincial Govornmont and tlio Bank of Now Zealand. Lottor to A. O. Oily woll, Ksq,, appointing him ns noting Emigration Agent, dated Sth Juno, 18M, Lottors from tho Provincial Socrotary to Thomas Cass, Esq., acting Kngliah and Emigration Agont, dated Oth April and Oth May, 180 b. Lottors from his Honor tho Superintendent to H, Solfo Solfc, Eflq,, dfttcd Cth April and (Ith Juno, 1808. Papors rolatlng to tho contract for tho construction of tbo Lyttolton and Christchurch railway from Novombor lflth, 1800, to July, 1808. mJBIN)!88, Mr MoNTaoMisiiY stated that cortaln bills would bo Introduced ou Tuesday next { that on that day ho would mako a statement of what had beon dono with regard to tho railways i that ho would ask tho Houso to go into Committco of Supply, In order to take a vote for agricultural Btftllstlca, On Wednesday, tho Houso would be askod to tako what courso it considered best for tho interests of tho country with rogard to tho amount whioh tho Government would ask thorn to voto for tho settlement oi! tho outntandlng liabilities of tho railway. Tho Appropriation Bill would ho brought In on Thursday, and tho duporlntcndorit would proroguo tho Council on Friday— 'that was, If lion, momborß nnd tho Govornmont workod comfortably together, NOTIOKB OIT MOTION. Notices of motion woro thon glvon, aud tbo Council adjourned until Tuesday noxt, at S p.m.' rXX ,■*'•' • limmmtmmmmmmmmmmmmmammtmmmmmmmmmTmmmmmmmmmmm,