Provincial Council

Star (Christchurch), Issue 49, 10 July 1868, Page 2

Provincial Council

Thursday, July 0. The Council met nt 5 o'clock. The following members woro prosent : — Messrs W. Williams, Bclflcld, Buchanan, Johnstone, Montgomery, Peter, Jollie, Wylde, Moore, Kennawny, Buckley, Knight, Fyfe, Aynsley, Stewart, Wilson, Matson, Dixon, Brown, Hargreavea, Hawkes, A, Duncan, Wueckerle, Rhodes, Leo, Delamaiu. Mr Jom.ir laid the following papers on the table ; — Preliminary report by G. Thornton, C.F., on the protective work-? of the WaimakorirL Correspondence In reference to commission claimed by the Bank of Xow Zealand on £00,000 of Canterbury deben- . lures. Return of the revenue and expenditure of the districtof Westlaml, from 1863 to .10th March, 1868, shewing the amount duo to the province of Canterbury. StfMr Ivmoiit called nttention to the scale of charges on the Great Southern Railway, with a view to their reduction. Ry the published schedule, merchandise was charged for at the rato of Ms a ton, but any parcel below half a ton wns charged as half n ton, in consoquenco of which mnny persons wero pro* venlcd from making use of tlie line. In answer to Mr Buo.ki.ky, Mr MoxTOOMKnv said that tho sum which he had stated on tho previous evening waa placed nsidc by the Government for main roads, Some of the money had been given . to Road Board* ; and the Government were waiting for applications from other Road Boards for n portion of tho amount for their respective districts. Tho Govcrnmont would immediately pay to these districts whatever proportion they were entitled to receive respectively, fcikhig tlie whole of them into consideration. In nnswor to Mr Buckley, Mr Jolliu replied that during the recess tho Government . would consider whether it was necessary to amend the Scab Ordinance, and if bo, a bill would be brought In next session. In nnswor to Mr Buckley, Mr W, Williams said there was no promise made last session _ to prepare n Cattle Trespass nnd Fencing s Bill for the General Assembly. If such a bill were required, it was the duty of the : Attorney General to bring it into tbe Co- . lonial Legislature. Mr Wir.sox iwkcd what stops the Provincial Secretary bad taken to enforce tbo con- " ditions of the lease with regard to tho occupation of the western portion of Hagley Park. Mr W. Williams said ho had obtained sufficient information, however, to enablo him to advise his Honor tho Snpci* Intendent not to -proceed to eject tho present tenants. If the lessees committed any breaches of the covenant, thoy could of course bo ejected by law. Ua felt certain that the Government would not bo justified in taking proceedings now to eject them, for be was quite satisfied, on present information, tliat they conld not succeed in any action of the Supremo Court having that object. In reply to n question in Mr Brown's name, Mr Joi.ur. said it was the intention of the Government to continue the grant to superior schools, Mr Kr.SN.vwAY asked if It was the intention of the Government to bring in, next session, n bill to amend tho Road Board Ordinance. Mr W. Williams gave a similar answer to that which he bad given with respect to the Cattle Trespass and Fencing Ordinance. Mr Dixon withdrew the notice of motion standing in his name, the Government stating that their waa no necessity for It, os tho matter would be taken into their consideration, Tho motion was as follows . — that bis Honor the Superintendent bo requested .to cause to be reserved from snle, by proclaims tlon or otherwise, ns expedient, nil tbo riverbed of the Walmakarlri, having special reference to tbe old river courses on tlio south side. Mr Jollib moved, and it wns agreed to that it is expedient that the -Government Tininrn Landing Service, at present leased to Mr Crawford, should be transferred to tbo Timaru ami Gladstone Board of Works. On tho motion of Mr Wylde, all correspondence in rcfcrcnco to any action now being taken by tho Government ngalnst the lessee of the reserve fronting on Norwich Quay, was ordered to bo laid on the table. Mr W. Williams said that the Government were going to defend the action instituted by the lessee for £7000 damages. Mr J.mtfsTONK moved that the Council resolve itself Into Committee to consider th© following resolution :— " That a respectful nddrcHS lie presented to his Honor tho Super* intendent, praying that a sum of £10,000 bo placed upon the estimates of supplementary expenditure for Immigration for the financial period ending 31st of December, 1868." A good deal of discussion ensued, in the course ol which, Mv Montoomkut paid he thought it likely that tbe Council would be called together in tho month of October, and it would then be quito time enough to decide on introducing immigrants, for cvcn-wiiio it now decided to send home for nn additional number, tbey could not possibly arrive In time for next harvest. lie also thought It proliable that the Government would bring in a plan sotting down a ccrtnin proportion of tho proceeds from the sale of wnatc lands for immigration, and another proportion for the outlying districts, (Hear, bear). He did not promise this, but it was probable that tlio Government would do what ho had indicated. He thought it dcsirablo that a certain proportion of tho proceeds from thcfialo. of waste lands ahonld

bo applied to Immigration SuppoHlng tho Council voted the amount which ivan now asked. It could not ho put to any uso no far as Introducing immigrants in timo for noxt harvest, wan concornod, 110 wont a Ulllo further than this, namely, to «ay thai; tho balanco of (ho loan should be left; unappropriated until It was ascertained what amount would ho available, and until this wan known, the Government would object to Ibis money boing voted, If thoy sen I; homo for Immigrants now, and the proceeds from the salo of waste lands fell off, the expenditure must; bo paid out of some fund, nnd thero was no othor fund bufc the loan j and II; would be a violation of Iho promise which was given to tho Council IP the Government sanctioned this #10,000, Therefore he was obliged to oppose tbo motion, Afc tho same time, ho thought It likely that tho proposal of the lion, member for 'Riccarton would be carried out as effectively next session, and besides* thoro would bo no violation of promises, (Hear, hear,) The motion for going into Commlttco wan negatived on the voices. Mr Buli/mjld moved that Iho Govern men ti bo requested lo tako immediate slops 10l charter and send a vessel wllh Immigrant^ direct from London to Timaru. After considerable discussion, tho motion was lost om a division— Ayes, 10 j noes, 10, MiißitMfii'.M>,by request of tho Government, withdrew his motion for Iho rc-eon-sldorallon of the resolutions agreed lo In session XXVII In reference to Iho expenses of members, Tho Government wished to finish tho business of, the session thai; evening, and he would therefore consent to thoir request, 110 would bring tho mutter forward when Mm Council again met, On Iho motion of Mr Jolllc, tho Council wont Info Committee of Supply. The follow Ing .Items were passed:— Kaiapoi Bridge, £(100 ? Malvern Hills Exploration, &W i maintenance of Government Plrc Engine, di/Kij Charitable Aid, £700 j adjustment, of account with Iho Bank of "New Zealand, M 1,000 17n Id. Mn .Torxn. proposed Iho mm of. d.,100 as compensation to Mr Grlgg for ulxiy bend of. cattle which were destroyed without a certificate from the Inspector that thoy were diseased, Mr Grlgg had paid £8 10s.iu.head for Iho ealtlo in question. Mr Montoomijuv said that tho Government were not bound by any promise, either verbal, or lv writing, to Mr Grlgg, The Govcrnmont killed what cattle were diseased, and the Government decided on enclosing in a paddock those whioh were suspected of being diseased, Mr Grlgg behaved exceedingly well In tho matter. Ho said to tho 'Government that ho would sooner have them ■slaughtered ho as to stamp out the disease, and that lie was willing to lake his chance of tho Provincial Council giving him compensation, The Government, had no powor to destroy the catile, as tho Inspector could not certify that they were d lncased, Mr Grlgg consented to allow I he cattle to bo destroyed, naylng that ho would leave lh« question of compensation entirely to tho Provincial Council, the Government merely promising lo bring the matter under their notice, and recommending the payment of a reasonable amount of compensation. It wan now for the Council lo say what compensation Mr Grlgg should receive. Mr ICiinnaway moved iho substitution of tho figures ifilW). Considerable discussion ensued, resulting in no money whatever being voted, tho motion' and amendment being negatived on the voices. . , ■ Mr Sthwaut asked the Secretary for Public Works whclhor tbo Government Intended to givo lolboAvon Road Hoard any sum out of Iho amount voted for main roads. The road was In a very had condition somo distance from Papanui upwards. Mr Jorxir: replied thai, ;>iloo had been paid over to the Hoard, and that the Government would contribute a further sum If good reason were shewn that they could do so In fairness to the other districts. On the motion of MrW. Williams, tholnlurprclntlon Ordinance, J AOH, tho Riilnpol Bridge Ordinance, IflfiU, Iho CalUo Rating Bill, lflOH, tho Diversion of Roads on the Great Southern Railway Special Bill. 1808, tho Railway Reserves Leasing Bill, 18(18, and the Appropriation Bill, 1808, were passed through all their stages, Tho minutes of tho evening's sitting wero read and confirmed, after which his Honor the Bupcrlntendeut delivered tho following prorogation address s~- ' Mn Kri.Aici.it and Gkntlhmbn— In cloning tho pawnl- short bcsslou of the Provincial Council, I have lo oxprens my thanks to you for the roartltionß with which, In cflinpilanoo with my request, you have attended in your plnccc, nnd for tho cordial co-operation which I havo rccolYcd from you in Iho tninnnotlon of tlio Imihliicsi submitted to you, I triiflt that when I again moot this Council I shall be nblo to announce Unit a satisfactory HOttlemont of tho olalini of tho Hallway contractors has been ofl'eoti'd, and that the full extent of our past liabilities being wtwirtiinud and nalMled, you will bo In a position to consider tho lit nt course lo bo adopted iv the dlnpomil of no much of the balanco of the loans aa remains available, Tho supplies which you have voted i-hall bo carefully, and cconoiuleallv denlt wllh, I have loiteutc.d ou behitlr of liU Kxoollonoy tho Governor to the following bills i— ' " Tho Cattlo Rating Bill, 1808." " Tho Diversion of Roads on Groat Southern Hallway Special Bill, lPOfl." " Tho Railway RusorvcH Leasing ' Bill, 1808." "Tho Kaiapoi Bridge Bill, 1B08" " The Interpretation BUI, 1808." « The Appropriation Hill, No. 2, 1808." I now declare that this Council stands prorogued until Priday, the Uh day of September, 1808. ' • WM, ROLLHBTON, Superintendent,