106

Session. The evidence that has been taken, together with the temperate yet earnest manner in which the propriety of opening it by means of a railway has been discussed, will, I feel assured, satisfy your respective constituents, as it has done me, of your anxious desire to advance the permanent welfare of the Province.

The nearly equal division of opinion on this important subject, naturally places me in a position of some difficulty as to the course I ought to pursue in reference to it.

I cannot divest myself entirely of the impression that the effect of the conclusion arrived at is weakened by the want of further evidence as to the nature of the country which either a road or railway ought to be made. It may be that the best line has not yet been discovered, and there appears also to be a lack of data, the want of which will doubtless weigh with his Excellency's Government in arriving at a decision on the proposed undertaking. Nor must it be forgotten that, so far as our present knowledge extends, nearly, if not the whole land revenue of the Province will be required to pay the interest and sinking fund on the loan proposed to be raised for the construction of the works, thereby leaving every other portion of the Province without aid from the revenue for the public works necessary for their development and prosperity. These are matters which have, doubtless, received some portion of your attention, and the gravity of which has contributed much to that near equality of opinion which appears to have resulted from the discussion of the subject.

I shall, with as little delay as possible, submit your views on the matter to the General Government, who will doubtless, give them their due consideration, and act as they may consider best for the public welfare.

I now prorogue this Council, and it stands prorogued accordingly.

J. P. ROBINSON,
Superintendent.

Provincial Secretary's Office, Nelson,
August 18, 1863.

HIS HONOR the Superintendent directs the publication of the following Order in Council, fixing the maximum price of Rural Land in the Province of Nelson, at Two Pounds per acre.

J. C. RICHMOND,
Provincial Secretary.

At the Government House at Auckland,
the Fourth day of August, 1863.

PRESENT—His Excellency the GOVERNOR in Council.

WHEREAS, by an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, intituled "The Waste Lands Act, 1858," it is enacted that if at any time the Superintendent and Provincial Council of any Province shall recommend to the Governor that an augmentation should be made in the price at which the Waste Lands of the Crown within such Province shall be offered for sale, either by selection or by auction, it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council if he think fit, to fix such price accordingly. And whereas, by a writing under the hand of John Perry Robinson, Esquire, the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, bearing date the Tenth day of June, 1863, it is witnessed that he the said Superintendent, did recommend the Governor to augment from twenty shillings sterling, to two pounds sterling, the maximum upset price at which Rural Waste Land of the Crown within the Province shall be offered for sale by auction, as provided for by the Waste Land Regulations of the said Province, mentioned in the schedule to the said Act: And whereas, on the tenth day of June, 1863, it was resolved by the Provincial Council of the said Province of Nelson, in Session assembled, that the said Council do concur with the Superintendent in recommending the Governor to augment from twenty shillings sterling, to two pounds sterling, the maximum upset price at which Rural Waste Land of the Crown within the said Province shall be offered for sale by auction, as provided by the said Waste Land Regulations: And whereas, it is expedient to make such augmentation in the price at which the said Waste Lands of the Crown within the said Province of Nelson shall be offered for sale:

Now therefore, his Excellency the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the Colony, doth hereby order and fix that the maximum upset price per acre at which Rural Waste Land of the Crown within the said Province of Nelson, shall be offered for sale by auction, as provided for by the Waste Land Regulations of the said Province, mentioned in the schedule to the said Act, shall be the sum of Two pounds sterling.

And doth declare that this Order shall come into operation and take effect on the First day of September next.

FORSTER GORING,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

PRINTED FOR THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NELSON BY R. LUCAS, BRIDGE STREET.