34

most immediately available in the vicinity of the
mouth of the Buller in sections suitable for actual
settlers. These, of course, I cannot prevent from
falling into the hands of mere land speculators, who
may desire to become possessed of them. This might
indeed have been done, to some extent, had the assent
of her Majesty been obtained to the amended Waste
Land Regulations embodying the resolutions passed
in the last session of this Council. Those amend-
ments, you are aware, enabled the Government to
place actual settlers on land to be paid for by them in
road-making, and would have been especially suitable
to the lands I am speaking of, and to the class of set-
tlers who may expected to become their first occu-
pants. When I learn that these amended regulations,
although they are much more limited in their opera-
tions than I or the previous Council desired, have be-
come law, I will take every proper means to make
known to intending immigrants or others, through
every channel open to me, whatever advantages this
district possesses for settlement.

12. The coal-field in the neighbourhood of the
    Buller has been proved, from recent examinations made
    for the Government by Mr. Burnett, to be of consider-
    able extent, and to contain coal of the very best
    quality, fully equal to that found at the Grey; while
    it is so situated as to ease no doubt of the possibility
    of working it so as to secure a highly remunerative
    it will be seen that there are four seams,
    varying in thickness from five to twelve feet, most
    of them so situated as to be pronounced by that
    gentleman highly favorable for working; the dip
    being such that the mines will be self draining once,
    thereby apparently obviating the necessity of the
    costly pumping machinery generally necessary for
    such purposes. The farthest of these seams is not
    more than about twelve miles from the port of the
    Buller.

Mr. Burnett is now actively engaged in a closer
examination, than could be made during my stay in
that neighbourhood, of the mountain range in which
the coal referred to is found, in the expectation that
seams may be found even nearer to the port. I hope
ere long to have such a report from him as will jus-
tify my sending the Provincial Engineer to lay out
a line of road to connect the nearest coal-seam with
the port. The great extent of these coal-fields, and
the fact that vessels of shitable build, of from two to
three hundred tons burthen, can enter and leave the
port at the Buller river with safety, warrant the
opinion that not only may the coal be made emi-
nently useful to the whole of New Zealand, but that
from its geographical position, the City of Melbourne
may also be supplied with it, as I am informed that
the voyage may be made in as short a time from
that place as from Newcastle.

13. In the last session of the Council the sum of
    £3,000 was voted for the erection of a bridge over the
    Wairoa River; this sum being considered sufficient
    for its construction on the plan proposed by the Pro-
    vincial Engineer. The lowest tender received by the
    Government amounted to £3,950. Shortly after the
    receipt of the tenders, plans for the construction of
    an iron bridge were submitted to the Government,
    and, as the lowest tender received was much in ex-
    cess of the sum voted, I have considered it advisable
    to refer the matter to you for your decision, as to
    whether the superstructure shall be wood or iron,
    the foundations, which will suit for either, being pro-
    ceeded with in the meantime.

14. I have again to call the attention of the repre-
    sentatives of the Province to the claims of those who
    came to this settlement, under promises and engage-
    ments made by the New Zealand Company, in most
    cases nearly twenty years ago, during the most of
    which time their claims to compensation have been
    before the public, and each successive Governor of the
    Colony. The justness of most of the claims made I
    have never doubted. It therefore affords me the
    greatest satisfaction to find that the claims, which were
    enquired into and reported upon by the Commis-
    sioners appointed under an Act of the council five
    years ago, have, within the last few weeks, been again
    investigated by commissioners appointed by the Go-
    vernor, under an Act of the General Assembly, and
    that, with very few exceptions, the previous decisions
    of the first Commissioners have been confirmed. A
    copy of the last Commissioners' report will be im-
    mediately laid before you for approval in accord-
    ance with the requirements of the Act; having ob-
    tained which, it will only be necessary for me to as-
    sent also to it, when the Governor will at once be em-
    powered to grant the compensation awarded. I
    therefore, ask you, on behalf of the claimants, to give
    your earliest attention to this subject, in order that a
    long delayed act of justice may be done to the pioneers
    of our settlement.

15. A few bills only will be laid before you by me
    this Session for your consideration. Among these
    one of considerable importance is an act for the pre-
    vention of scab in sheep, based upon the principles
    of the Act in force in the neighboring Province of
    Canterbury.

This Act, which has been much called for by some
of the flockowners of the Amuri district, will, it is
hoped, among other beneficial effects, have that of
facilitating the export of sheep from this Province to
Canterbury and Otago.

16. Reports on the various explorations under-
    taken, and public works completed, during the last
    year, will be laid before you; and I shall have the
    honor of addressing you by special message on any of
    these or any other subject requiring it, to which I
    have not adverted on the present occasion.

17. Gentlemen, I feel the greatest confidence that
    you will, as the representatives of the people of this
    Province, be actuated by no other desire than that
    of promoting its happiness and prosperity; and you
    may rest assured that I will most cordially co-operate
    with you to the fullest extent of my power in the
    accomplishment of these objects.

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