REPORT OF DOCK AND HARBOUR ACCOMMODATION COMMITTEE.

Your Committee beg to report that they have examined competent persons, and from all the evidence produced, your Committee are of opinion that protection for small craft, and better accommodation for discharging vessels in the Port of Auckland is required, and can be procured by a Tidal Dock, and inner Harbour.

Your Committee would therefore respectfully recommend that an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent requesting him to move His Excellency the Governor to grant as an endowment for Dock and other Harbour Accommodation purposes, that portion of the City water frontage from the Western point of Freeman’s Bay, to the Eastern point of St. George’s Bay, and extending from a certain inner line hereafter to be determined on, out to a sufficient depth to accomplish the object your Committee have in view.

Your Committee are of opinion that the endowment should be vested in Trustees, such Trustees being persons elected from those interested in such matters, together with Commissioners appointed by the Council. The power given to them should be to fix and levy all necessary rates from time to time, and also, to borrow money by and with the consent of the Council specially applied to for that purpose whenever required.

W. F. PORTER,
Chairman.

Committee-room,
2nd November, 1853.

Mr. Williamson brought up an amended report from the Onehunga Road Committee, which was read. Mr. Williamson moved, and Mr. Dilworth seconded, that the report be adopted. Debate ensued. Mr. Busby moved, and Mr. Lewis seconded, as an amendment that the report be printed. Amendment put, and carried.

Mr. Dilworth brought up the report of the Committee on diseased sheep. Report received, and read.

Mr. Connell brought up the report of the Provincial Officers Committee, recommending the immediate appointment of a Provincial Law Officer. Report read, and moved that it be adopted.

Mr. A. O’Brien, moved as an amendment, and Mr. A. O’Neill seconded, that the Council take into their consideration, on Thursday next, the appointment of a Law Officer for the Council.

Mr. Busby moved, as a further amendment, and Mr. A. O’Neill seconded, that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to refer such bills as may require the supervision of a Law Officer to the Attorney-General of the Colony, in order to their being put into a suitable form and arrangement. Mr. Busby’s motion put, and negatived.

Mr. O’Brien’s amendment put, and negatived.

The original motion put, that the report be adopted. Agreed to.

Mr. Porter moved that the minutes of the Superintendent, relative to the Estimates, be read. After a portion of the Superintendent’s minute had been read, Mr. Porter withdrew his motion, and upon motion, the Superintendent’s minute and estimates referred to the Provincial Officers Committee.

Mr. Hill, according to notice, moved the adoption of his motion relative to emigration, and requested permission to add the words “Exclusive of the Pensioners.” Motion, as amended, put and agreed to.

Mr. Hill, according to notice, moved the appointment of the Committee relative to the Pound, at Newmarket. Agreed to.

Mr. J. O’Neill, according to notice, moved for a Return of the amount of the Notes of the Colonial Bank of Issue, that have passed through the Treasury and Commissariat. Agreed to.

Mr. J. O’Neill, according to notice, moved for a statement, shewing the appropriation of the £4,700 for the General Government, and the sum of £7,000 for Native purposes. Agreed to.

Mr. Powditch moved that the Superintendent be addressed on the subject of the best means of procuring labour for public works. Agreed to.

Mr. Powditch moved that a statement of the proceedings relative to the erection of a Government House, be laid on the Table. Agreed to.

Mr. Boylan, according to notice, moved for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the sale of Arsenic. Agreed to.

Council adjourned at ten minutes past five o’clock.

THURSDAY, 3RD NOVEMBER, 1853.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

Mr. Gilfillan gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he would move that the Interpretation Bill be re-committed.

Mr. Gilfillan gave notice that, on Wednesday next, he would move that the Interpretation Bill be engrossed, and read a third time.

Mr. Powditch gave notice that he would, on Tuesday next, lay on the table an address to His Honor the Superintendent, on the subject of the best means of providing labour for the Public Works. Also,—An address to His Excellency the Governor through the Superintendent, on the subject of the new Government House.

Mr. Porter, according to notice, moved that the Estimates be printed.

Mr. Williamson moved, and Mr. Bain seconded, as an amendment, that the Estimates be read. Amendment agreed to.

His Honor the Superintendent’s minute accompanying the Estimates was then read.