The Press. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1867.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1478, 5 August 1867, Page 2

The Press. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1867.

We have received from' Wellington a copy of the long looked for Local Government Act, which was read a first time on Tuesday last, and the second reading fixed for to-morrow. The Bill is entituled "An Act to establish Eoad Districts and generally to provide for the administration of local affairs without the limits of boroughs." It is of immense length, being divided into twenty-one parts, containing altogether 406 clauses, followed by sixteen schedules, and extending over eighty-seven pages of of print. Of course the greater part is occupied with details, and with regulations for the practical working of the District Boards, the mode of conducting elections, the - making appeals against, and recovery of. rates, and so forth. For these we must refer to the Bill itself; but there are three points on which our readere will no doubt wish to be informed, namely, the formation of the districts, their revenue and whence that revenue is to be derived, and the powers to be exercised by the District Boards. On these three heads the following abstract will give some idea of the provisions of the Bill.

Firstly, as to the constitution, division and union of districts. Any original district—that is, any district formed under an Ordinance of a Provincial Council —or any part of New Zealand not included within the boundaries of any such, and being of an area of not less than fifteen square miles, may be constituted by the Q-overnor a district under this Act on receipt of a petition from not less than ten inhabitants possessing rateable property within it, unless a counter petition is presented, bearing an equal or greater number of signatures, within two months from the publication of the first in the General Government Gazette and in some newspaper ordinarily circulating within the .district. Petitions may be repeated from time to time till granted, and very strict provision is made for the scrutiny of the signatures. A district may be subdivided by the Superintendent into two or into three parts, or into two separate districts, in each case upon the petition of not less than twenty inhabitants. Also two- or more adjoining districts may, upon petition of the Boards, be united by the Superintendent into one district. .An outlying area not forming part of any original or proclaimed district, Jnay be annexed by the Governor by proclamation to any district or subdivision of a district. A county may be constituted in precisely the same manner as a district, provided it contains an area of not less than sixty square miles, and the'total value of the saleable or rateable property amounts to £10,000.

A District Board is to consist of six members, or of nine if the district is divided into three subdivisions ; if two or more districts are united 1 the number of the Board is proportionably increased. ; If a district 'shall have been constituted a county, the Board shall be called the " Council oi the County," and its members councillors. A person to "be qualified as member must be enrolled as possessing rateable property within the district to the amount of £25, and must hold no place of profit or contract _under the ..80ard.... JOne-Jiird. .ofLthe members retire every year, but, except under special circumstances, are capable of re-election* Th& annual meeting of |;he Board is to be held in Jfovember, and ordinary meetings as may be appointed. The Board may make bylaws, and impose a penalty for breach of them of liofc less than £20; but the Superintendent may disallow any bylaw, or ita legality may be tried in the Supreme Court. The Board is to be elected by the ratepayers within the district, who shall have one vote if rated upon a rateable value of less than £100, two if euch rateable value amount to £100 aud is less than £300, and three if it amount to or exceed £300. -(Die provision for the prepara-

*ion and revision of the voters' rolls and for the conduct of elections goes into minute details and occupies some seventy clauses. The rules for the election, of auditors and for regulating the proceedings of the Board are also very minutely given in the Act.

We now come to the revenue of the districts. The ordinary revenue con- j sists of:—1. Eates, not being special rates, and tolls, not being tolls levied on main roads. 2. Moneys received by the Board by any grant or appropriation of the G-eneral Government or Provincial Council. 3. All other moneys received by the Board under or in pursuance of this Act, not being the proceeds of a loan. The Board of every district shall once at least in every year, and may from time to come, make and levy rates to be called " general rates " equally upon all rateable property within the district ; but no such rates made in any one year shall exceed the amount of one shilling in the pound of the full net annual value of such property. The council of every county may make specia? rates, of which hereafter. About forty clauses are occupied with rules for the valuation of property, and the making, recovery of and appeals against rates. Land is exempted from rates if the property of or in the occupation of the Crown, or of the Government of New Zealand, or of the Superintendent of the province in behalf thereof, " and mines, hospitals, benevolent institutions and buildings used exclusively for public charitable purposes, churches, chapels, and other buildings used exclusively for public worship, dwellings of ministers of any religious denomination, and buildings used as schools, provided they be inhabited only by(the master or the mistress of such schools, or his or her family, and such schools be echools receiving aid from the General Government or from the Provincial Government of the province in which they are, or otherwise of a public character." Lands held from the Crown on lease, or contracted to be sold or leased, are to be liable to be rated.

The endowment of the districts is the most important part of the Act, and we give the clauses relating to it in full :—

On or before the thirty-first day of January in each year the Board of every district shall cause to be prepared and transmitted to the Colonial Treasurer a true and detailed account of all moneys actually received for such district and if the district be a united district for each and every single district of which such united district shall either at one time or successively have been composed as and for general ratea payable in respect of property lying within the same respectively in the year ending' on the thirty-first day of December then last past and as and for subscriptions or voluntary donations to the district fund in such year. No such account as in the last preceding section aforesaid shall avail for the purposes of this part unless it have the solemn declaration of the treasurer of the district appended thereto and sigoed by him testifying that the said account is to the best of the knowledge and belief of the aaid treasurer true in every particular. . Upon the receipt of euch account by the Colonial Treasurer it shall be lawful for the Governor by warrant under his hand to authorise and direct to be paid to such Board out of the ordinary revenue a sum equal to twice the amount so actually received by such Board during the year ending on the thiityfiret day of December then last past or if the district be a united district a'sum equal to twice the amount actually received in respect of each single district of which such united district shall have been composed during such year: Provided that moneys actually received after the constitution of any proclaimed district by the Board thereof in respect of any rate or assessment made under any of the Acts or Ordinances specified in the first schedule hereto shall be deemed for the purpose of such account and payment as last aforesaid to have been actually received as general ratee of the proclaimed district into which such original; district is isontertecT hereunder.

In addition to the endowment hereinbefore authorized by this Act there shall be payable half-yearly and every <half-year after the constitution of each district out of the land revenue reoeived .by any receiver of land revenue the proportions hereinafter specified of land revenue received during the half-year preceding on account of Crown .lands sold within such distriec after .the constitution thereof under this Act that is to say — (1.) Where three-fourths or- more of the Crown lands within any district shall at at the time of the passing of this Act have been sold such proportion bo payable as aforesaid shall be thirty per centum of the moneys so received. (2.) Where one-half or more but less than three-fourths of the Crown lands within any district shall at the time of .the passing of this.Act have been sold such proportion £0 payable ". as .aforesaid shall be twenty-five per centum of the moneys so received. (3.) Where less than one-halfpfthe Crown lands within any district shall at the time of the passing of this Act have been sold such proportion so payable as aforesaid shall bo twenty per centum of the moneys so received. And such proportion shall be paid by the receiver of land revenue in the province in which such district is situate to.the Colonial Treasurer in pursuance of warrants from time to time-granted by.the- Governor and addressed to such receiver.

It shall be iawftil' for the Governor from time to time as occasion may require to call upon the Commissioner of Crown Lands or Chief Commissioner of the Waste Land Board or any other member of the Waste Land. Board of any province or any other person or persons that the Governor may think fit to inquire and report to him within such time and in such manner as he shall appoint on the following matters:—

(1.) The acreage of land within any district or any part of any district (2.) The acreage amount of Crown lands sold within any district or any part of any district at the time of the passing of this Act or at any time or during any period thereafter together with the sums of money at or for which such lands have been or shall have been sold And such report shall be accompanied by a declaration under the Justices of the Peace Act 1866 of the person or persons making such roport that to the best of his or their knowledge and belief such report is true and correct and it shall be lawful for the Governor at any time either with or without requiring or receiving any such report or declaration to decide for the purpose.of ascertaining the proportion of land revenue payable on account of any district what amount, of Crown lands have at any time being been Bold

within any district and what earn is payable for or on account of any district out of land revenue by the receiver "of land revenue under the provisions hereinbefore contained and euoh decision shall be final and conclusive for all purposes whatsoever and if anyCommiseioner'of Crown Lande or Chief Commissioner or other Commissioner or member of any Waste Lande Board or any other ptrson or persons ehall refuse or neglect to make any euch report us aforesaid within such time as shall be appointed as aforesaid every such person shall for every such neglect or refusal forfeit and pay a penalty of one hundred pounds to be recovered on summary conviction before any two justices of the peace. All moneys paid over to the"Colonial Treasurer from land revenue on account of any district shall be paid by him into such bank as the Governor shall appoint to a separate account to be called " The Public Works Construction Fund of the District of

and at the .expiration of the period of six months the Colonial Treasurer shall forthwith pay over the same to the Board of the district on account of which the same shall have been received unless the Colonial Treasurer shall have received under the provisions hereinafter contained a certificate from the Superintendent of the province in which such district ie situate authorising him to retain and pay any moneys thereout.

Mention was made some time back of special rates. These can be levied by the councils of counties only, subject to the following conditions : —l. The money can only be borrowed for permanent works. 2. The amount shall not at any time in the aggregate exceed five times the whole amount which could be raised by a rate of one chilling in the pound on the rateable property within the county. 3. It may be borrowed for not more than five years, and be repaid either by annual instalments or by investing the rates, as a sinking fund, in securities issued under Act of the Assembly. Permanent works are defined as . meaning the formation or alteration of roads, the construction or establishment of bridges, ferries, pounds, <fee. The special and general rates taken together for any county shall not at any time exceed two shillings in the pound. No lender on the security of a special rate shall have any claim on the revenues of the General or Provincial Grovernments.

As regards the functions of the Boards, they are entrusted with the entire management of roads, bridges, tolls, pounds, drains and culverts, &c, within their districts, with the exception of main roads, over which the Superintendent retains some power. They may take any land found necessary for the execution of permanent works, after full investigation and compensation made to the owner. The Council of any county may establish markets and make bylaws for their regulation ; it may also devote its funds to the maintenance or aid of hospitals, asylums, and other similar institutions. Subject to the approval of the Superintendent, any Council or Board may co-operate with any other Council or Board for the better management of affairs within their districts. Finally, the Colonial Secretary is to cause a report to be annually laid before the General Assembly on the execution of this Act, and for that purpose may appoint persons to inquire into its working.

■ StrpBKMB Cotjbt.—To-morrow having been declared a public holiday, his Honour the Judge will hold a sitting in Chambers this morning at eleven o'clock. The Godley Statue. —The ceremony of unveiling the first publio statue erected in the Province of Canterbury will be performed tomorrow, in Cathedral-square. M.TJ.l.O.O.F.—Members of this society wishing to take part in 'the proceedings on Tuesday next are requested to meet at the Oddfellows' Hall on that day at eleven a.m. Gba,in Ekpobt.—The committee in connection with the intended Grain Export Company are requested to meet at the Pier hotel, Kaiapoi, on Thursday. High Tides.—The spring tides have encroached beyond the usual sea line at Saltwater Creek, and have floated some staoks of timber belpngipg to Messrs Pavitt, but no serious injuries have been sustained by any one. The Sottthebn Railway.—The late heavy rains hay« flooded a portion of the Southern Railway near the Selwyn. The damage done is very trifling, it being confined to washing out a portion of the ballast from under some of the sleepers. The Voltjnteebs.—During the absence of Lieutenant-Colonel Reader Major Packe will take the command of the Militia and Volunteers, and to: him all reports and communications must be made in the usual manner. The 'order for the general parade on Tuesday next has been countermanded. Kaiapoi Lahd and Building Society.— Almost the required- number of shareholders have been obtained, and a public meeting will shortly be held to form the society on a proper basis. All intending shareholders who have not secured shares are advised to do so as soon as possible. TELEG3APH. —On Friday last, during the gale, three of the telegraph posts beyond the Ashley bridge were uprooted from the shingle, and ; thrown across the track, causing the, traffic to diverge from the ordinary route. 'They?ires for some distance have been torn .from the posts, but' projbably by this the damage will have been repaired: Hokitika.—The "West Coast Times,'! of the 26th July, says :—" Later accounts from Piper's flat \ Waimea) confirm the good intelligence received a short time since from that, -locality. The rush is extending every day, and promises to be most important. Several parties _oC.digg.ers were seen wending their way_along the beach to-day en route for the new rush. New Rush at the GEBY/DiaTBiCT.-j-The | "Grey River Argus," of 25th ultimo, says : — " A rush, which is stated to be of considerable importance, has taken place at a terrace about two miles from Razorback, distant about twenty miles from Cobden, on the road to Fox's. The workings and prospects are similar to those at Welshman's terrace at Fox's, and large numbers of men have proceeded to the spot during the last few days." Accliiiatization.—A quantity of magpies, parrots, and cockatoos have lately been added to the stock in the Society's gardens. They have been imported by Captain Thompson, t) whom the Society is indebted for a collection of seed of that beautiful, though tender plant, the Norfolk Island pine. The kangaroos which were imported previously by the same captain still remain unsold, and afford an additional object of attraction in the domain enclosure. Flßß.—On Saturday evening [a fire broke ont in a chimney in a central part of Kaiapoi, ibnt was speedily extinguished. Had thefire

caught the largo premises of which this chimney formed a part, (ho eong, and tho " Kaiapoi Firo Brigade," with their handsome steam engine the '' Myth/ would have been required, whou the gong uud tho Brigade would probably hare been found as great a myth as tho engine. COSCHRT. —A. vocal and instrumental concert, under tho direction of Mrs Lloyd, will be given in tho Town Hall on Tuesday evening. A. very attractive programme, which will be found in another column, lias b<eo announced. Mrs Lloyd lias, we :iol ice, secured the assistance of several amateurs as well us professionals, and no doubt (should tho weather prove fine) there will be a good attendance. PAPEE3.—By the arrival of the steamer from Wellington yesterday we have received the latest file of the Northern papor3 and oopies of the third number of the " Colonial Hansard." Tho debate with which the Hansard conoludes is broken off in a most abrupt and unaccountable manner, not only leaving the debate unfinished, but breaking off in the middle of a sentence with the first syllable of the next word as a connecting link between this and a future number. Assault. —At the Resident Magistrate's Court, at Lyttelton, on Saturday last, J. Millett, passenger, was charged with having assaulted F. Wiggins, second steward of the ship Lancashire Witch, on May 28 last, duriug the passage from London to this port. The defendant acknowledged the assault, but pleaded provocation, and produced witnesses to bear out his statement. The evidence was very conflicting, and after hearing both sides the Kesident Magistrate inflicted a fine of 40s, and costs. Kates. —If any of the ratepayers of this city are delaying the payment of their rates in consequence of therocent decision in the appeal case from Picton, we would draw their attention to a paragraph that appeared in the " Wellington Independent," of the 3rd instant: —" By a reference to our report of the cases heard yesterday in the Resident Magistrate's Court, it will be seen that the clerk to the Commissioners, acting under his instructions, is taking legal proceedings against suoh of the community as are still in arrears of rates. There are still some ratepayers in this category, and we advise them to avoid the certainty of being mulcted in costs by liquidating the demands made by the Boa-d of Works." West Coast Maid.—The coach which left town for Hokitika on Friday morning last returned yesterday morning at four p.m., bringing back the passengers and mails. Porter's Pass is said to be impassable, tho snow in many places being from ten to fifteen feet deep. The coach which left on Tuesday last, whilst attempting the ascent on this Bide ( broke the pole, and tho passengers returned to the nearest accommodation-house. It is stated that it will probably take several days, even should the weather prove fine, to clear the snow so as to allow of traffio being resumed. The passengers from Hokitika, amongst whom is wo believe Mr Sale, are no doubt staying at the Cass hotel, if they have not ere this returned to Hokitika, about which there would be j little difficulty provided the road in the Otira! gorge was not very seriously damaged by tho flood*. The DtrKß ov EDnrßtrsoH. —We learn from the " Wellington Independent," of the ! 3rd instant, that a circular letter issued from the office of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Australian and New Zealand Governments, states that his Royal Highness I the Duke of Edinburgh will visit the following j places : —Rio Janeiro, Cape of Good Hope, Western Australia, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobarton, Van Dieman'e Land, Auckland, and Wellington . and may probably proceed from hero to Tahiti, calling at Rio or St. Helena on hia return to England via Cape Horn in 1868. We believe that his Royal Highness will arrive in New Zealand about November. The circular does not appear to refer to Christchurch or Dunedin, but while his Royal Highness is in New Zealand it is more than probable that, he will visit other places besides Auckland and Wellington. The Riveb at Kaiapoi.—The tidal flow .up this river is still very great, and the land nearest the beach, about two miles distant from Kaiapoi, is in some instances flooded. Lands in the occupation of Messrs McClelland and Feldwick, as well aa the farm of Mr W. Harris, have been flooded near the town, but not to any serious extent. Mr Saunders's farm, near the beach, is still flooded. Mr H. "Ellen's has been flooded, and it waß stated his house had been washed down, which is quite incorrect, as it hao not even been: Materially damaged. At the Church Bush, from the same cause, a large tract of country is some few inches under water. Any wouldbe alarmists who, by magnifying.,tlie fact pi the tidal flow of this riter being higl\er usual, and leading; $he public to the supposition that some disastrous floocf had happened, will merit but a small share of thanks from the public of Kaiapoi for their pains. SCHODAB9HIPB.—-In the General Assembly, on the 24th ult., a petition was presented from the Rev. F. C. Simmons, praying the House to inquire whether it would not be convenient and advantageous to the public interests of this colony that scholarships should be established, by means of which boys acquitting themselves with credit at the principal elementary schools of the country should have £n opportunity of receiving the highest education which could be given at the Universities in England, and of not only gaining distinction for themselves and opening a way to honourable professions, but also reflecting credit upon the colony by representing the intelligence and the talent and the willingness to study of the young people who have been born and trained up in the colony, the conditions on which such scholarships should be established, and the best means by which such an object could be obtained without giving offence-to the various classes in the. different communities. On the motion of Mr Dillon Bell the petitionwas referred to a select committee, consisting of .Messrs. Carleton, Fitzherberfc, Haughtpn, Joule, and Ormond. Their report is to be brought up to-day Sudden Death.—An inquest was held at the Canterbury hotel, Lyttelton, on Saturday last, before W. Donald, Esq., coroner, and twelve jurymen, of whom Mr John Grubb was chosen foreman, on the body of Matthew Coulglan, who died suddenly whilst on board the brig Windhover. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was heard. Samuel McLaren deposed that ho and the deceased were, the only men on board the vessel on the night before the deceased's, death. He asked the witness to give him his prayer-book, and as soon as lie had dono bo he it Was .the last night they would be together, as he "was sure,he was going.to die. Witness.asked if he should give him any medicine, of if he siiflbredany pain. Deceased replied no, he did not want anything, he was'going to die, and hoped God would look after his wife and children. Witness told him he thought he would.be all right in the morning, and turned in. three in the morning he heard a noise," as if some One was on board, and got up, but saw no one. At daylight witness got up ami went and shook the deceased, but he was quite dead. Thejury, after consulting, agreed it would be desirable to have a post-mortem examination of the body, and the inquest was accordingly ad-, journed until this day at twelve o'clock. —

An Amebican " Notiok."—Scientific lecturing pays well in America. Professor Agaesiz lately delivered.a course of lectures under the auspices of the New York Association for the advancement of science on the Natural History of Brazil, for which be demanded and was paid 500 dollars «aeh, or 3000 dollars for the course of six lectures. Taking the time he devoted to each lecturethat is to aay, an average of one hour and forty minutes—it thus appears that he received five dollars a minute tor every minute he spoke. It appears, however, that the association which engaged his services did not lose. The Ijipebial Tboops.—The following is the latest published despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies on this subject:— "Downing street, June 1, 1867—Sir, —I havo : received yonr despatch Nol" 30, of the 4th of 1

April, m which you enclose a memoriin*,,*, from your responsible advisers refcrri,! ? Lord CarnarvonV despatch No 40 ./ , ° December, ISGo, and Veu.u,,., t the conditions proposed in iU it dV«n ti° respecting one regiment of hnZ ■,' forces which it was proposed to w in tho colony. It appears Cx T second paragraph of the memorandum 0 f your Ministers that a further eip re ,,i on r , their opinion may shortly be expecto-l , this and other subjects connected with milit™! operations. 1 therefore delay ending 81 3 answer to various important despatches which have been received iron, you on those miUter3 in the expectation that I hIiuII at an early A? be in full possession of the views 0 f voiS and your advisers. Tho regiment which 2 to remain in tho colony, and which by tw time, I presume, will bo the only portion 11 her Majesty's Imperial forces in Now Zealand will continue thero for a time, until it ultimate destination has been decided unon by her Majesty s Government, when furth«- , instructions will ho sent to you regardine it —I have, &c 5 Buckingham and Ciuxaoa "