PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 26 November 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

FBIDAY, NOVEMBER 22. Mr Brookfield presented a petition from James Mc'Kcrras for compensation for losses sustained by a landslip ou tlic Auckland and Drury liailivay line. A.bill to rcsei-\;e certain lands for the purpose,of an Industrial School was received from, tlie Superintendent, read a first time, and tlie secoud reading lixed for Wednesday next. the Council went into committee to consider.- the Estimates, Mr Hamlin in tlie chair. Harbouis, £3,ol'3.— The Chief Hrrbour-master for the province, i'so, was agreed to. Manukau Harbour ; Harbo,ur-ma."ter and Pilot, £200. Mr Tanks, did not see why the Manukau harbgur affairs could not be managed by the Auckland Harbour Board. The merchants of-Auckland paid all-the harbour clues there, and the shipping interests of the Manukau and Auckland were identical; By transferring the management of the harbour to the Auckland Harbour Board they might save about £'GOO. Mr Lundon was opposed to the suggestion of the lion member. The Auckland harbour had robbed the province of £!)l),O00, for which they had done nothing, and now it appeared they wanted to get possession of the endowments of the Manukau harbour. It was not the merchants of Auckland, but those down South, who paid all the harbour dues. Mr, Macreacly thought, that the Harbour..Board, had enough to do to manage its. own affairs without, having anything to do with the Manukau harbour. Mr Brookfield said the people of Onehunga were quite capablo of managing their own affairs without the assistance of the Auckland Harbour Board. Not very long ago a proposition was made from an influential part of the Auckland Harbour Board to the inhabitants of Onehunga that the Manukau endowments should be handed oyer to j the Board, and certain, suggestions were made, one of which was that the Harbour Board should consist of a certain number of members by which the Manukau representatives would be outnumbeied two to one. Having had about 20 years' experience of the kindly feelings of the merchants of Auckland towards the Manukau, the Onehunga people did not feel at all inclined to,accede, to such a proposition, which was protested against very strongly a,t, a public meeting called for the purpose of considering it. It was felt that the endowments if handed over would be mortgaged, and the whole of the money spent in the town, while Onehunga would be left to.,get what it cpuld. They had- some very valuable endowments iit the Manukau, and they had on one or two occasions endeavoured to, get permission of.*he Superintendent.to utilise them by handing them over to a local board, but without success, the application,being refused, he believed entirely through the influence of the Auckland merchants, who were jealous and afraid the Manukau would be made a valuable part, and that some of the, shipping connected with the Auckland harbour might eventually go there. If the present Government would only bring down a bill vesting these endowments in a local board, they would be able .t% carry out work* just as well as the Auckland Harbour Board. Mr Boylan— as a member of the Harbour Board—had never had any idea of taking over the Manukau harbour. It only paid something over 5s in the £1, and the Executive had not placed upon the Estimates anything like harbour-master there required. Mr Philliips said, with regard to the alleged propositiqn from the Harbour Board, that one or'two Quixotic members had brought the matter forward, but it had not been entertained by the Board.

Mr O'Eorke 6aid he had no desire to renew the discord which at one time,existed between .Onehunga and Auckland, but he felt bound to state that persons in the highest position in the province had, in his own hearing, expressed a wish that by some possibility they.'could close the Manukau harbour, in order that all the trade might come into the "Waitemata. Therefore it woidd be unfair that the, liarbour should be under the control of residents in Auckland who, no dpubt, had sympathy with the wish he had heard expressed. He trusted the harbour w.ould be kept imder the control of, the province. Mr Tonks thought Sir O'Eorke had misunderstood the feelings of the Auckland merchants. They looked upon the Manukau harbour as of very great use to Auckland, and he was in great hopes that when the railway to Onehunga .was finished the Melbourne, vessels would all come into the Manukau harbour. The harbour was a far better one than was generally supposed, and, if some people from interested mo-, tives had maligned it, he did not think the merchants of Auckland should bo blamed.

The following items were agreed to ■ —Harboars: Chief Harbourmaster for the province, £50. Manukau Harbour.: Harbourmaster and pilot, £200; chief boetman, at £7 per month) £Sl-; three boatmen at £5 per month each, £180; contingencies, £300. Kaipara Harbour: Harbourmaster and pilot, £150 ; chief.boatman ai.£6 per month, £72; two boatmen at £3 per month each, £120 ; contingencies, £75. Hokianaga Harbour ; Harbourmaster, and pilpt,. £150;. chief boatman, £7 per month, £72 : two boatmen at £5 per month each, £120 ; contingencies, £60. The item signalman, £100, was postponed;. Monogonui Harhcur : Harbour-, master and'pilot, £100. Mr Shnnaghan moved that this item be reduced by £75. —After discussion the motion was negatived.. | Mr Beyeridge then moved, tha,t, the item be reduced by £50, which was also negatived, and on the item being put as printed the euinniittee divided, and the item was carried by 14 to 7. The folowing items. were agreed to :—Eussell Harbour: Harbourmaster and pilot, £150 ; two hpalmen a.t, £5 per .month each) £120 ; cpntingen.cies, £10. Shortland Harbour: Harbourmaster and pilot, £150; contingencies, £5.0; buoys and beacons, £200; improvements in small harbours, £100. Lightkeepcrs, and supplies for lighthouses. Thames District: Warden (also Resident Magistrate), £500. agreed to ; Clerk to Warden's Court, £175, agreed to. Chief Clerk to Warden (also Mining Registrar), £300.

Mr Lusk explained that these two offices had been amalgamated owing to the great falling off, in the amount of work in the Courts and at the suggestion of the Warden, and a saving of £200 was effected thereby,.

Mr Lundon moved, "That the. item bo reduced to £200." After some discussion, the item, with all the remaining i ones under the head of Goldiields Department, was post- f the head of Miscellaneous, £25,r»00, the flowing items wore agreed to : r -Inspeetor of Weights mid Pleasures, Auckland, £150 ; Inspector of Shuighteriunises, ln " spec' r or of Sheep (including landing in.speel.ion), .t'7oo ; Ferries, £150; Auekland Dispensary, £150; Provincial Council Library, £100 ; in aid of Libraries in Country Districts, £250 ; Kent and Insurance, £150. Progress was then reported, and leave given to sit again. On \ho motion of Mr Swansea it was resolved, " That, a respectful addroes.be presented to his Honor the Superintendent reijuestinsr him i<) recommend the appropriation of the sii'-ii of £25 by the Council in order that a sum of money should be at the disposal oi' the Uovermuent to recognise, the services rendered at the late lire by the llobson and Engineers Companies of Volunteers and others in .saving provincial documents and other projerty," On the motion of Mr John Ale.Le.bd it -was resolved,. " That the report of Messrs Barry and Jvolan of thoir expedition into.tho. Taupo district in search of gold bu printed, together with any correspondency with natives upon the same subject."