PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2383, 3 July 1866, Page 6

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Monday, Jvly 2nd, 1866. Tho SpbX'B&r took the chair at 5 p.m. WESLEYaN EESEUVJE. In reply ttf Mr, Bunny, Mr. HICKS ON said that lie would btf ablcf to give information on this matter the next evening. PETER BfetTCE'S PETITION. Tho Council went into Committee on this" matter. Mr. W. S. MILNE moved;" That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to' plaeo on the Estimates tho sum of £15, to bo awarded to Peter Bruce as compensation for the loss and trouble caused by the refusal of the Crown Lands Commissioner to comply with the recommendation of this Council with regard to Mr. Bruco's petition." The Council divided on the motion without discussion. Ayes : — 6. Noes : — l6. The motion was therefore lost. PEOVINOIAL RIFLE PMZE3. On the motion of Mr. LUDLAM the Report of, Select Committee on Provincial Rifle Prizes was adopted. APPROPRIATION BILXi. The introduction of this Bill was postponed till the nest day. WELLING-TON CITY BOARD OF WORK 3 INCORPORATION Bill. The Council wont into Committee on this Bill, aftor which it was reported with amendments. MESSAGES NO. 7 AND 8. The SPEAKER said ho had rocoived Messages No. 7 and 8 from the Superintendent ; the former containing amended estimates for Inspectors of Sheep and Slaughter Houses ; the latter returning the Loan Act with amendments. The Messages were ordered to be considered the next evening. INDEMNITY BILL. On the motion of Mr. BORLASE, a Bill to indomnify tho Superintendent for the expenditure of certain monies for tho service of province, was road a first time. PETITION OP GEORGE BELL. This was referred to the Private Grievance Committee. jir. Morrison's agency. Mr. HALCOMBE brought up tho report of the Select Committee, appointed to consider Mr. Morrison's charges. It wns to tho effect that Mr. Morrison was entitled to 2} per cent, on the contract, for having 'negotiated the Wharf and Slip contract, and to other payments. Tho report was ordered to be considered next evoning. WALLACE ANNUITY BILL. This Bill was read a second time and committed, after which it was reported without amendments, and ordered to be read a third time' next day. WAIRARAPA RAILWAY BILL. Mr. BUNNY moved tho third reading of this Bill. ■ Mr. JOHNSTON said that he was strongly opposed to the Bill, as it would pledge. the revenues of tho province at a time when it could ill afford it. H,e would not repeat the arguments he had used before, but simply move that the Bill be read a third time that day six months. Mr. W. B. RHODES seconded the motiou pn> forma. Mr. FITZHERBERT said that the arguments of tho last sponlcer wore not of any moment ; he then referred to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on railways — especially on boto© in Scotland, which had been made and worked ' at a cheap rate in thinly populated districts, and had paid well. His own opinion "was strongly in favor of tho present BUI. He -.thought it was trifling with tho Executive aiid the' Superintendent for. the Council to"advocato the feasibility of a railway, arid yet refuse to carry it. lout. The people hero had the, eiatfiplp of other colonies to profit by, and iniglxt avoid danger. He objected to hoar' members' talk of " financial • embarrassment j" he

hoped the province -would always be in as pros- j perous condition aa at' present j-cMren the largest ! firms were sometimes obliged to overdraw their accounts, yet their position was secure. • The , province had been spending much money lately in various improvements, and wanted this railway to develop its resources. One' disadvantage of the town was that it was encircled with hills, but .oven this might be- overcome by science. The hon. member concluded by saying that he would support bho Bill. Mr. BORLASE said that those who objected to railways were like persons who were suddenly brought from darkness into light. The opening up of the country by roads had been carried out, not so much for the purpose of gaining any direct interest from the outlay, but for the purpose of enabling population to settle successfully. A railway would bo of even greater benefit ; where then was the consistency of those who objected to it ? ; Mr. W. S. MILNE spoke against the Bill. Mr. HALCOMBE said that it could not be ' expected that any Company would undertake a railway unless if; was certain of due interest either by government guarantee or otherwise. He hoped to sco the difficulties of passing the hills near the town ovorcome by science, in which ' case the plains lying between TavanaM and Napier would be reached. On the question, that the Bill be read a third time, the Council divided. A_y C 3 .—l6. Messrs. Borlase, Brandon, Bmmy, Crawford, Dransfield, Fagiw, Fitzherberfc, Halcombo, Hickson, Hunter, McDouivll, Masters, Pearce, Pharazyn, Tiirnbull, Wallace. Noes;— 9. Bryce, Burt, Galloway, Johnston, Kolk, Ludlani, W- Milne, Rhodes, and J. Taylor, Taylor. The motion was consequently agreed to and the Bill passed; after which the Council adjourned for the usual time. i lOAN HIM. Mr. HICKSON in moving the second redding of this Bill, said that no announcement in the Superintendent's speech had pleased him so much as that stating that he had agrood to purchase the Manawatu Block. The Bill was a- very simple one and required no explanation. It was for the purpose of raising the purchase money, about £25,000; he would .therefore content himself ■with moving the second reading. Mr. BUNNY asked what was meant by land in the Forty Mile Bush ? Mi-. HICKSON explained that it was land i close to the Manawatu Block, fco which tho native i title could also be extinguished. ; The Bill was read; a second time and committed, after which it was reported with amend- > ments' SCAB Bftlr. This Bill was committed, after which it Was" i reported with amendments. 1 FENCING- BIU. ! Mr. s£Ml>(3N brought up the Report of the Committee dfl tin's 1 Bill. Ifc was to the effect that any alterations ill iWe present Fencing Act would involve questions of tdd much importance to be considered during the prcs'erit se'srsioh. ADJOURNED DEBATE. — MANAVATU BLOCK. . Mr. BRANDON said that there WeYo' tVo persons in tho last session who had petitioned in vain for pre-emptive rights in the Manawatu Block, yet they were not entitled to any benefitunder the present resolution, which showed inconsistency. He was of opinion that it would interfere with the Small Farm settlers, would work unjustly, and would create confusion. Although ho thought that many persons on the purchasod. and unpurchased land might lay claim to seme indulgence, yefc the resolution would work so unjustly to other persons that ho could not support ifc. Mr. BORLASJB said that sufficient information kdd not been famished "i explanation of the resolution; moreover, tho passing of .the i resolution would embarrass tho Government in purchasing. If anyone should hereafter feel aggrieved, he might appeal to the Council. j Mr. MASTERS said that ifc was not shown how 'many -persons would be included under the respiration ; he would oppose the resolution^ . Mr. BUNNY said that this resolution! would create confusion and work injustice; ho would therefore- opposo it, 1 Mr. PHARAZYN" said that there had been a , certain number of persons, who had been settled for years in the Manawatu Block, and had greatly improved tho value of ifc by laying out money on improvements. On this ground they were entitled to considerations ; the settlers in the Wai■rarapa had had preemptive rights given to them, which had been productive of much benefit, and the settlors on the Manawatu should have similar rights granted to them. It might be said that the law had been broken by Europeans occupying native land, but that law was no longer in existence. Moreover the breaking of it had produced good by causing the establishment of friendly relations with the natives and preventing war. He did not believe that the passing of the resolution would work at all unfavorably for the Small Farm Settlers. Tho number of persons included in the resolution were eight, so that, as the amount of land withheld from general sale would be srnnll, he did not sco how tho Government would be embarrassed. The question was this ; would the Government grant the fair request of a small \ number of persons orallowtheland to bopurchased over their heads. In conclusion, Mr. Pharazyn said he would support tho resolution. Miv WALLACE said that the persons, whom it was intended to include under this resolution, could petition the Council if they were suffering from any grievunco. He then referred to the petitions of Mr. Cook and Mr. Robinson, the settlors, who had petitioned the Council on a former occasion, and said that although they had shown a claim to pre-emptive rights, they were not granted to them. But on tho present occasion no sufficient grounds were shown for the passing of the resolution. Mr. LUDLAM said that tho circumstances of the old settlors of the Wairarapa were very .different from those of tho persons included in tho resolution. Tho former had asked that their claims should bo considered, and they were heard after the small settlors had been satisfied. The latter should be treated in the samo way ; ho could not Tote for a resolution so genoral in its terms as the present one. Mr. W. S. MILNE opposed the resolution, as he considered that these irregular settlors lmd done more harm than good. Mr. HALCOMBE, in replying, said that ho was grieved that he had not had time on>a. previous occasion to fully explain the resolution ; ho hoped that some who had spoken against it would reconsider their opinions. Ho had proposed the resolution as a more matter of justice. Tho. men included under it had already fulfilled the conditions required from the small fnrm settlors, but there was this difference, that while the former had already beno/itted the country, tho latter had yet to do so. He had supported tho petition of Messrs. Cook & Robinson, and could not therefore be charged with inconsistency, but tho men included in the resolution were even more worthy of consideration. Messrs. Cook & Robinson had not improved native- -land to nny groat 'extent, whilo tho latter had. There might be one ov two exceptions, bub he did not wish to draw any invidious distinctions and therefore thought that these irregular settlors should be all treated alike. In many cases where tho balance was hanging evenly between peace arid war, tho presence and occupancy of these men' had turned the seale 1 in favor of peace. They might have: acted contrary' to law, /but ifc was well known .that the law was practically inoperative,- having only been -enforced" jn ( tha,t district in. one Those settlers,' seeing the inaction of the Government, hadinade^ the improvements, and the Government' should" 1 "

not now turn against them. He had taken every -areiaution with ., regard, to^wnds, mmjtnm Tho ' case of the. "Wairarapa was : not .paraUel to the present} he therefore only asked •■ for two hundred acres. .'The' majority- of^ those settlors had not been obstructive, but had favored the purchase of land By the Government. He aid hQt wish, to embarass tho G-overameut or hinder, the small farm settlements, in the Manawatu, and did not perceive how his resolution could do either. But if these 1 preemptive 'rights were not granted, the improvements would.be very embarrassing in apportioning the land to the stfiallfarm settlers/ Even if this resolution was not passed,- he did not think 'these men rwould' Be in any way obstructive to tho Government in purchasing^ He trusted, therefore, that the Council would not throw out this motion. ; ; i On the question being put, " That in the opinion of this Council, all' settlers on the Mahawa'tu Block who shall, on the completion of the purchase of that Block, have already fulfilled the conditions of occupation required by tha Small Farm Association Begulations, '"should bo allowed a preemptive- right over a rectangular block of 200 acres, enclosing their homesteads, at tho price of Si an acre. Such blocks to be so taken as not unduly to monopolize water or bush, and subject to suoh regulations in force m the district as to foihn right of roads, surveys, &c. ' The Councildivided. ' ; ea _Burt, Fitzherbert, Halcombe, Hunter, Pharazyn, Ehodes, and Turnbull. _ Noes— Borlase, Brandon, Bryce/Bunny.Dranafield, Fagan, Galloway, Hickson, Kells, L^"la m ' MeDouall, Masters, Milno, Pearce, Taylor, Wai^ lace; ' • • ' . -n ' The Council adjourned at 20 minutes to 11. *