PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 282, 7 May 1875, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, May 6. The Speaker took the chair at 5 p.m, PETITIONS. Mr Webb presented a petition from Mr Nalder, relative to a purchase by him of a section in the Ellesmere district, which, after a lapse of years, he was informed by the Waste Lands Board had been included in a section previously purchased. The petitioner, therefore, prayed for compensation. Mr Jebson presented a petition from residents in the Horarata district, praying for improved means of communication in the district, and a bridge over the Horarata. The petitions were read and received. OXFORD AND RANGIORA RAILWAY. Mr Higgins, without notice, asked the Secretary for Public Works whether the Oxford and Rangiora line to the Carleton station had been taken over by the Provincial Government, and whether it was now open for public traffic. The Secretary for Public Works said that the line referred to had been taken over by the Provincial Government, and had also been opened for traffic to the station referred to by the hon member. inaccurate reporting. Mr J. N, Tosswill wished to call attention to an inaccuracy in the report appearing in the daily Press of the reply of the Provincial Secretary in the debate on the Financial Statement on the previous evening. The hon gentleman was reported to have said—- “ Now with regard to matter of the extra contributions by districts under the Education Ordinance for buildings, &c, the Government thought that if the people had to put their hands into their pockets and pay their quota of the expense incurred, there would not be such an extravagant expenditure of the public money. To give hon members an illustration of what he meant, he might say that they had a number of schoolmasters' houses proposed to bo erected, ranging from £3OO to £1350. | ‘ Oh, oh !'] This, it would be seen, was utterly absurd, and so the Government thought it, [Hear, hear,] This was the reason why they wanted to make the people contribute more than at present, in order to check the extravagant notions now in vogue.” Now he (Mr Tosswill) was not aware that the remarks of the hon gentleman bore that construction, as he understood it to be only one schoolmaster’s house which was to cost £1350. Of course if they took the report as correct it meant something like an average of £6OO or £7OO for the erection of these houses, which was not the fact. He had that day obtained a return from the Board of Education The Speaker called the hon member’s attention to the fact that he was out of order in proceeding further. The Provincial Secretary said that he had mentioned one schoolmaster’s house which had cost £l3s2—that at Tjmanj—and

I of course they could not strike an average, nor did he mean this to be so. The report of the newspaper was very nearly correct, though in different words to what he had used, and conveying a slightly different idea to what he intended to convey. ADVERTISING CHARGES. Mr R. Turnbull asked the Provincial Secretary what was the cost of advertising the railway time-tables, and also the cost of placing the royal arms to the advertisements issued by the Governments. The Provincial Secretary gave the required information. PAPERS. The Secretary for Public Works laid a number of papers on the table. DALY’S WHARF. Mr Pilliet moved—“ That the papers now laid on the table referring to Daly’s Wharf, Akaroa, be printed. The motion was agreed to. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr Pilliet moved—“ That a copy of the correspondence which has taken place between the Government and John Glynau, referring to an alleged wrongful survey of section 4140, be placed on the table.” The motion was agreed to. GOVERNMENT DIPS. Mr Harper moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that Government Dips should be erected in various parts of the province, and be under the control of the district inspectors.” He thought that it would be of great service to the country generally if these dips were established, as it would certainly tend to the suppression of scab.. The Provincial Secretary pointed out that, if these dips were established as recommended in the districts where they were needed, the rate now paid by the sheepowners, viz., 12s, would have to be increased, as the expenses would be added to by these dips being provided. Messrs Dixon and Walker urged upon the hon member to withdraw his motion. Mr Harper said he would withdraw the motion for the present. If, however, he found that the new Bill did not contain any provision for sheep-owners having dips on their land, he should move the motion again. The motion was then withdrawn. CORRESPONDENCE, Mr Pilliet moved—“ That a copy of the correspondence which has taken place between the Government and Messrs Fades and Fluerty, with reference to a claim for com' pensation made by the latter for damages arising from a wrongful sale of Crown Lands at Okain’s Bay, be laid upon the table.” The Provincial Secretary said that the correspondence would be placed on the table as soon as copies could be made. RETURNS. Mr JEBSON moved—“ That copies of ap-. plications to purchase rural sections 3717 and 12371, with all minutes of the Waste Lands Board, and correspondence relating to the same ; when and by whom the said sections have from time to time been surveyed ; with all reports of the Chief Surveyor, and the dates at which each survey was made ; also, whether a surveyor was employed, and under whose direction of the lands contained in rural sections 14219 to 14225 inclusive, the original and amended applications relating to the purchase of rural section 14225 ; and all minutes of the Waste Lands Board, and correspondence relating to the same ; and stating if the boundaries of the above and also sections 16639, 19042, 19043, and 19044 have been altered since the purchase of the same ; and how many different copies of maps there are of this portion of the province, describing the rural sections before mentioned, be laid on the table.” In the year 1861, section 3717 was purchased, but in the year 1872 an old map was found out, and a load was discovered to be marked upon it. No such road, however, had been found on any other map of the province, but notwithstanding this the Waste Lands Board had sanctioned the laying out of a road across it ; and further than this, the Road Board had also carried out works on a road on another part of the section: The plea set up was that there was more land in the section than had beehrpaid for, but this was the case in many sections in Canterbury, The hon member proceeded to explain the circumstances leading to his asking for the returns and correspondence mentioned in his motion. Mr R. Turnbull seconded the motion. He thought the hon member was quite justified in bringing down the motion he had done. It seemed to. him that the time had come for a committee of the Council to be appointed to consider the changes which had been made from various sources. [Hear, hear.] He hoped that the Government would, as they had promised to do, go thoroughly into this question, with a view to affording redress where it was found to be fairly due. The Provincial Secretary said the Government had every desire to give all information on the vexed question of surveys, so as to allow of hon members arriving at a right conclusion on the matter. The Government had no objection to the motion, but as the returns would take some time to prepare, he must not expect to see it on the table for some days. The matter should at once be attended to, and the returns laid on the table as soon as copies could be made, [Hear, hear,] Sir Cracroft Wilson suggested that sketch plans of the sections referred to in the motion should be added to the papers. Mr Jebson had no objection to this being done. It would certainly add to the information conveyed by the papers. Mr Dixon moved—“ That after the word ‘ mentioned ’ the following words be inserted ‘ with tracings of such sections.’ ” Mr Tosswill seconded the amendment, which was agreed to, Mr Wynn Williams said unfortunately he had not seen the hon member for Rakaia before he rose, as he knew from the very voluminous nature of the papers it would be impossible to get them on the table of the House under three weeks or a month. He thought the best way for the hon member to do would be to allow this motion to lapse, and have a small committee of three appointed to consider the matter, and report to the House, Mr Jebson would much prefer, under these circumstances, that the matter should go to a small committee. He would with this understanding withdraw his motion, and give notice next day for the appointment of a committee. [Hear, hear.] Both resolution and amendment were withdrawn by leave. EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS. Mr W. B. Tosswill moved—That there be laid on the table a statement showing the amount expended during the past nine months on each educational district in the

province, both for the erection of buildings and the maintenance of schools, and also the amount raised within each district.” The return he required was an important one, inasmuch as the Board of Education had recommended and the late Government had intended to adopt the system of rating property for the purposes of education. He quite agreed with the proposition of the Government in the financial statement, and they deserved their thanks for the way in which they had met the very difficult question. He thought that the remarks of the hon member for Christchurch (Dr Turnbull) last evening were absurd, because to say that it pressed hardly upon a man to pay £3 per annum for the education of his children, for that was the maximum he could be called upon to do, was an absurdity. [Hear, hear.] Dr Rayner seconded the motion with great pleasure, as he thought the return would give the Council a great deal of valuable information, which it was desirable they should possess. Mr Dixon thought that it would be desirable for the Government to give the Council in the return the information extending over the whole period during which the Ordinance had been in work. The Provincial Secretary moved as an amendment that the words “ during the past nine months ” be struck out, and the words “since the passing of the Education Ordinance in 1873,” be inserted in lieu thereof. Dr Turnbull said that he would like to say that he thought the policy of the Council was to make the population of the province bear burdens which ought to be borne from other sources. This he stated most distinctly. The amendment was agreed to on the voices, and the resolution as amended was then put and agreed to. LAND SALES. Mr W, B. Tosswill moved—“ That the return of the land sales for the month of April, 1875, be laid on the table.” The motion was agreed to. CONDITIONS OF WORKING THE RAILWAYS. Mr Walker moved—“ That a copy of tne conditions under which the railways, constructed by the General Government, are worked by the province, be laid on the table.” It was highly important now more than ever—that they should know the exact condition upon which the lines were being worked. The Government had also complained that before the Provincial Government could put the lines in proper working condition they had to expend large sums of money. He hoped therefore that the Government would lay the papers asked for by him on the table. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government would lay the papers asked for on the table as soon as possible. He might say that the hon member was in error in supposing that he (Mr Maskell) had said anything about the unfinished state of the. railways. Mr Walker explained that he had said that something to that effect had fallen during the past few days from some member of the Government. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government would see that the conditions were laid on the table as soon as copied. INSPECTION OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Mr Harper moved—“ That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that the Inspector of Weights and Measures should be instructed to visit the centres of population periodically, for the purpose of testing weights and measures free of expense to the residents in the country districts.” It was a matter of very great hardship to residents in the country to have to take their weights and measures many miles for the purpose of having them tested. In case this was not done, which in many cases was impracticable, the persons were liable to be fined. Mr Walker seconded the motion, and bore testimony to the hardship inflicted upon residents in the up country districts. Dr Rayner also supported the motion. Mr Wynn Williams desired to call the attention of the Council to the fact that this department was under the control of the General Government. If, therefore, the Council passed this resolution, the Provincial Government would see that it was forwarded to the law officers of the Crown. The motion was agreed to on the voices. SURVEY CONTRACTS. Mr R. Turnbull moved —“ That copies be laid on the table of all tenders received for surveing contracts south of the Rangitata, south of the Rakaia, and the Peninsula, and the names of the unsuccessful tenderers to whom appointments have since been offered in the Provincial Survey Departments,” The Speaker pointed out that the hon member had already on a previous occasion moved a resolution similar in character, which was against the standing orders, Mr Turnbull said that the Government had not complied with the former resolution of the Council, hence he had moved this one. Under the circumstances he would withdraw the motion, and call the attention of the Government to the fact that they had not laid the papers referred to on the table. The motion was then withdrawn. FIRST READINGS. On the motion of the PROVINCIAL SECRETARY leave was given to introduce the Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No 6, 1875, and the Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No 7, 1875, and the Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No 8, 1875. The Bills were read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second readings fixed for next sitting day. THE MUSEUM. Dr Turnbull moved —“That there be laid on the table a copy of all correspondence relative to the building of additions to the Museum since the last Session of Council. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government would lay the correspondence on the table. The motion was agreed to, RETURN OP SCHOOL PEES. Dr Turnbull moved—“ That a return be laid on the table, showing the amount of fees paid by each school district during the twelve months ending 31st March, 1875, and the amount still remaining unpaid in each district for the same period.” The Provincial Secretary pointed out that the motion would involve the obtaining from every school district in the province a return, which would take a very long time, though the Government had no objection lo the return being furnished. Mr Knight would move as an amendment, that the words “31st March, 1875 ” be omitted, and the words “ 30th September, 1874,” inserted in lieu thereof. [Several hon members: “ The return is already on the table.” 1 After some further discussion, the amendment of Mr Knight was agreed to, and the resolution as amended, adopted.

PAYMENT OF INTEREST. The Provincial Secretary said, before proceeding to the orders of the day, he wished to read a telegram dated 4th June, 1874, relative to the amount charged against the province for the interest and sinking fund on the lines of railway taken over by the province. The other evening, a question was asked on this matter, and the only information the Government possessed, was the telegram from the Hon Julius Vogel, which was as follows:—“The present charge for interest and sinking fund is £3515 5s per mensem , which, multiplied by nine, equals £31,637 ss. This sum may be increased by charges in respect of railways opened for traffic; but I can form no estimate of the amount.— Julius Vogel.” This telegram was the only information the Government possessed. CANTERBURY FENCING ORDINANCE, 1876. On themotionof Sir Cracropt Wilson, the House went into committee on “ The Fencing Ordinance." Clauses 1,2, and 3 were passed, with amendments. On clause 4 considerable discussion arose, after which Mr W. B. Tosswill moved —“ That the chairman report progress.” The motion was declared to be negatived on the voices. Mr Tosswill demanded a division, which took place as follows: Ayes IB Noes ...' 15 Majority against resolution ... 2 The motion for reporting progress was consequently negatived. After some further discussion, Sir Cracroft Wilson moved that the chairman report progress, which was carried on the voices. Progress wag then reported, with leave to sit again on Tuesday next, THIRD READINGS, The following Bills were read a third time and passed:—The Quail Island Ordinance, 1875; the Classical School Keserves Ordinance, 1875; the Reserves No 1207 and 1208 Ordinance, 1875; the Reserve No 168 Ordinance, 1875, SECOND READINGS. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, the Reserve No 62 Ordinance, 1875, and the Educational Reserves Leasing Ordinance, 1875, were read a second time and considered in committee without amendment, reported to the House, and the third readings fixed for next sitting day. Notices of Motion having been given, the House adjourned to noon this day, Friday, May 7. The Speaker took the chair at noon. PAPERS. The Provincial Secretary laid several papers on the table. RAILWAYS. The Provincial Secretary said that since last night he had ascertained on what conditions the railways were taken over by the Provincial Government, of which he would now inform the House, viz. all the railways were taken over on the same conditions as the Northern railways. Mr Montgomery asked whether the Provincial Government had had any communication with the General Government with respect to this matter since taking office. The Provincial Secretary —None whatever. TEMUKA CEMETERY. Dr Eayneb asked the Government if any steps have been taken to enclose the old cemetery at Temuka, adjacent to the,Main South road. He pointed out that the graves were in a disgraceful condition; and asked further if no steps had been taken whether the Government intended to do so. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government would look into the matter. GLADSTONE WHARF. Mr Pilliet asked the Secretary for Public Works what amount of repairs, if any, is required for the Gladstone Wharf, Lyttelton, and the reasons for such repairs. The Secretary for Public Works said he believed some repairs would be needed at a cost of between £IOOO and £ISOO. The reason for these repairs was that some of the piles had sunk. bank’s peninsula. Mr Pilliett moved — “ That a return be laid on the table showing the names of all surveyors employed by the Government in surveying works upon Bank’s Peninsula during the last five years ending March 31st ultimo; the sectional acreage surveyed by each, and the cost of such surveys’per acre.” He said that his only reason for moving for this return was to find out whether there was any foundation for complaints that were being made as to the manner in which the work was being performed. • The Provincial Secretary said he would have the return made as correctly as possible, but he believed there would be some difficulty in preparing the latter part of it, as the sectional work had been mixed up with the road work by the surveyors. The motion was agreed to. OXFORD DISTRICT, The Provincial Secretary moved — “ that a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, recommending him to make the follow reserves :—Two acres and one rood in the Oxford district, bounded on the eastward by section 6843, on the north-east by section 7573, and on the westward by the road east of section 12480. Deserve for gravel pit.” The motion was agreed to. RURAL SECTIONS. Mr Jebson did not move the following notice standing in his rame, as it was his intention to move for a Select Committee on the subject: —“ That there be laid on the table conies of applications to purchase rural sections TreObl, 21228, and stating if the purchase money was returned to the purchaser of section 21228; also, copy of an amended application to purchase 16604, together with the report of the chief surveyor, and the minutes of the Waste Lands Board relating thereto. DIVERSION OF ROADS SPECIAL ORDINANCE. The following Bills were read a second time, passed through committee, and were ordered to be read a third time on Tuesday next; Diversion of Roads Special Ordinances, Nos 8, 7 and (i, 1875. THIRD READINGS. The Reserve No 62 Ordinance, 1875, and the Educational Reserves Leasing Ordinance, 1875, were read a third time and passed. THE I’UBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The Secretary for Public Works said that he hoped on Tuesday next to deliver the public works statement on going into committee of supply. The Council then adjourned to Tuesday, at 5 p.m.