Nelson Provincial Gazette – 1861 – No. 5

Page 27

✨ Provincial Council Prorogation Speech

NEW ZEALAND
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
(PROVINCE OF NELSON).
Published by Authority.

By His Honor's command,
ALFRED DOMETT, Provincial Secretary.

VOL. IX. NELSON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1861. No. 5.

SPEECH of His Honor the SUPERINTENDENT, on the Prorogation of the Eighth Session of the Provincial Council, of Nelson, on the 18th June, 1861.

MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL—

In bringing the present Session to a close, permit me to thank you for the assiduity with which you have attended to the numerous and important questions which have been brought under your notice.

I desire to announce to you that I have given, on behalf of His Excellency the Governor, my assent to the following Acts, passed by you during the present Session, viz.:—

"Waimea East Road Alteration Act,"
"Gorse Hedges Act,"
"Nelson Board of Works Debenture Amendment Act,"
"Thistle Act, 1861."
"Impounding Act, 1861."
"Protection of Animals Act."
"Appropriation Act, 1861."

And I have reserved the following Acts for the signification of the Governor's pleasure thereon, viz.:—

"Custom House Site Act."
"Electoral Districts Act."
"Patent Slip and Dry Dock Act."

Amongst the various measures which have received your consideration was that of supplying the town with water by means of Water Works. This interesting subject has received the careful attention of the Government, and I may also remark that the requisite reserves of land were sometime since made by me for that purpose.

It is, however, in my opinion, very doubtful whether, so long as Nelson has its present abundant supply of springs and streams, any undertaking on commercial principles would satisfactorily accomplish the contemplated object without a considerable subsidy from the Public Revenue, or the imposition of a forced rate upon the inhabitants. The latter course I should regard as exceedingly oppressive and unjust under existing circumstances, and is one to which I could not give my assent, without a clearly expressed opinion on the part of the inhabitants generally, of their desire to be taxed for that purpose. Moreover, the passing of such an extreme measure would have pledged a considerable portion of the future revenue of the Province to those who might advance capital for the construction of the requisite works. This, in my judgment, would be, so long as the New Provinces Act is permitted to exist, not only unwise but decidedly wrong, inasmuch as the lapse of a few months may lead to a further division of the Province, should insufficient reflection precipitate an expedient so dangerous to our common success,

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