LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1729, 30 May 1862, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Last session Mr. Wright moved a resolution relative to the necessity for recovering the amounts due by immigrants on promissory notes. Last night he put the following question : — "What steps the Government proposes taking for the collection of Immigrants' Promissory Notes and guaranteed passages overdue, agreeable to previous resolution, and on what ground the Government anticipated, receiving £2000 for the current year, which during the past twelve months has only amounted to £613 17s 3d from the same source. ' To this the Government replied that it was their intention to press where practicable, and that as a result of such pressure it was thought £2000 might be recovered, The Government had the good sense to exercise a discretion in carrying out ihe resolution of last session — they pressed no one, and we sincerely trust that before they adopt a system of pressure they will consider the mutter in all its bearings. The system of Immigration by Promissory noles was a perfect one in theory. Nothing could be better than to spend £20,000 in assisting Immigration, all of which except some two or three thousands of bad debts, was to be repaid, to be again spent and again repaid, and so on ad infinitum. The excellent in theory has, however, worked badly in practice. The amounts signed for have proved a burden iutolerable to be borne in a country where almost every man has a voice in the election of the Government, and 99 out of every 100 have therefore no hesitancy about repudiating the debt. Many men in the upper walks of life, as well as these pro-missory-note immigrants think it no sin to get out of a Government debt the best way they can ; often even boasting that this or that " never paid Queen's duty." Wrong as this is, the fact remains that

while A. B. mid C. would as a matter of

course pay a promissory note due to a ship's agent, they will not, if they possibly cau help it, pay one to the Government. The attempt to collect these monies has been more thau once the signal for an exodus, and the Government should seriously consider whether they had not better lose the money, rather than lose the money and men too, as will certainly be the case the moment pressure is brought to bear. Admitting that pressure is only to be brought to bear on those who can afford it, is there not an incentive thereby created, the very reverse of that which ought to be encouraged. A, who owes £60, is not to be pressed because being an idle, drunken fellow, he is not worth powder and shot ; but JB, who by his industry and economy has proTided himself with a few appliances fori future progress, is pressed for the £20 standing against him. There are some honorable members who can tell the House that ihey have had workmen who, living in fear that their savings might go towards the payment of their promissory notes, have left the Province as soou as they had the means, for no other reason than to escape from the payment of them. We cannot think that with the golden inducements other provinces have for drawing population, our Government will do anything which will have the effect of driving away settlers, who, despite their* inveterate animosity to the liquidation of their promissory notes, are good and useful men. If instead ot pressing residents, the Government would take steps for collecting the moneys due from those who have taken up their abode in other provinces, they would be doing what is just to all parties, and would have the hearty support of the public. As some strictures were made on Tuesday night relative to the mode in which the wharf piles were being driven we give below a letter from. Mr. Bragg, Sen., who is in charge,jwbich was read to the Council last evening. Wellington, 28th May, 1802. Youu Honor, — In answer to the complaints made in the Provincial Council, at the Sitting of Tuesday, 27th May, 1862 permit me to state, in the order of the Queries addressed to me, regarding them by the Provincial Secretary. 1. The piles are driven to the distance of 275 feet, and from the first to the last pile there is not more than six inches out of the direct line, and that is brought back, when the caps are placed on by a very unimportant pressure. So far as the waling pieces are concerned, there can be no difficulty, as the caps regulate the piles for receiving the same. 2. At the first J the piles are driven in every way according to the plan, and do not form any curve from the proper line. I 3. That the sea wall is being a little damaged, to the amount of not more than five shillings. The groundlessness of the first complaint may be seen by the manner the first caps are placed on ; and, I have no doubt that the whole of the works will be executed in a proper and satisfactory manner. Should any one or more of the piles, as tlie work progresses, prove out of place, so as to form any difficulty, they must be removed and replaced by others. I am, Your most obedient servant, . Henry Bragg*. His Honor the Superintendent. The Town Board Bill was read a second time last night, only two opposing it. Whatever may be the merits or demerits of this Bill, and however much it may be altered in Committee, we cannot conceive why it should be spared the ordeal of a reference to the public. Because Mr. Fitzherbert taunted the Mover of the Corporation Bill with not appealing to his constituents for support, Mr. Wallace did so, and failing to obtain it, his measure was thrown out; Mr. Stokes utterly ignores the constituency he represents, and yet the Couucil prooeed with the Town Board Bill as if it had met with the endorsement of the public. We cannot but hope that in Committee it will be effectually smothered. If its provisions are ever so good, no very great barm will result from postponing it until next session, and the public will have an opportunity of meanwhile expressing their opinion on it —an expression which if it was worth auything with legard to the Corporation Bill, is worth fully as much as regards the Town Board Bill.