Thursday, January 15.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 997, 16 January 1857, Page 3

Thursday, January 15.

The (\iuni il met pursuant to adjournment Present,- The Speaker and twenty members. Mastiff ■• from the Superintendent. TheSi'EAKKH announced receipt of the following: — No. '20— Transmitting cop}- of a letter from the agent in Lo ul m hr A lcklaud, respecting immigration to the Piovmce Referred t-> the Committee on Immigration. There being neither notices of motion, petition, nor report, the Council pioteoded to the ( r Icrs of the Day. No 1--R»port ot Kuan's committee to be brought up. — Time extended till Tuesday on the motion of Mr. Hrexnan. No 2— Report of "Wonga Wonga" Subsidy Committee to be brought up. — Time extended till Tuesday on the motion ot Mr. Boyl'vN. The Council was then declared in Committee upon the

Local Boards Bill. Clause 11 was agreed to. On Clause 12 being moved by Mr. Bucklaxd, Mr. Dilwok'ih moved the insertion of the word "unoccupied" between "all" and "land" in the «ixth line ; and the words "and hi eient of such sum being insufficient for the contemplated -wovka, then a further sum ot 3d per acre upon all land within the district," between the words "district" and "accVpt." Mr. Dignan opposed the amendment. It was levelled at a class, and would assuredly bring the Government into disrepute. The Government had offered to lower the tnx to 3d., which he hoped they would ad here to. Mr. Boylan also opposed it. Even if it passed the Council, it would not be practicable. Mr. DtLwoiiTii admi t d that the motion was levelled at a class— that of land sharks ; and he thought the sooner they were reached by a heavy tax the better. Mr Kelly suppoit dMr Dil worth. Nothing would gne him more pleasure than sheeting it home to the class of hnd sharks. Mr. Graham said theie were lands in the country not worth 9d per acre. It a tax of 9d. was imposed upon it, it would fall into the hands of the Go\ ernment before two ye<us Mr Biu-xxax supported the ampiidment. Mr. BrDGGOOD opposed class legislation in any shape He knew land which, if taxed 2d . would become confiscated. A desultory and \ery amusing conversation here took place in which the Bay regatta, the pheasants of Mr. Bi-odie, and several other tO|)ii:s kept the Council in roars of laughter. Mr. Bbodie opposed the amendment, and defended land speculation as legitimate. Mr. May also opposed the amendment. Mr. Carllion *aid that the cause of so much land being uncultivated was the proceedings of the Governm -nt Mr |Mi;riumain stated - the first opportunit\ he had been "able to get — that the Executive would vote ag.iinst the amendment. The amendment was then put, and negatived on the following division : — Ayes, 4,— Messis Lewis, Brennan, Kelly, Dil woith. Noe% IS — Messis Mntson, J O'Null, Meniman, May, Carleton, Dignan, Boylan, Hay, Bedggood, Schultz Graham, Taylor, Brodie. Hendeison, Buckland The Clause, as read, was then agreed to. On Clause 13 being mo\ed, Mr. llrxnEitsov opposed it as being class legislation with a \engeance. Mr. Bucklaxd explained that the object was *imply to take labour us an equivalent for money. Mr. Bed&good thought the airaiuemcnt an excellent one ; it had been .theady successfully piaetised at the Bay. Mr. Gkaii vm opposed it. It would do away with the system of contract, and would swell u;> the expense of works. Mr. Meuriman ren inded the 'h on member of his strenuous suopoit, la--t year, to a n>easuie veiy similar — the Highways Kill. Mr Gkaham denied having been a warm supporter of that bill. Mr. Km,Y had gieat pleasure in supporting the clause It was one that gave the poor man every chance. Mr. Hevdeusov said that the cry about the pool man was sickening A man was pooi c lough if ho couM not piy rid. per ane to make a road before his own door. Mr J. O Ntill thought the clause was one that would suit all cl isses. It was the best feature of the measuie. Mi Brennyx also thought it the be-.t clause in the bul. Mr. SciiULiz pointed out a difficulty, where the woik w >uld le taken by a contractor, pio'w.led with his ow i laboui and teams. Mr. Gkaiiym said that th* obvious tendency of the bill was to do away with contracts altogether. Mr Mcrrimy* said that thii was a complete fallacy. Mr, May said that the pnnuple was an old one, and a good one The Clause, as i cad, was then agreed to. On Clause 14 being read, verbal amendments were made, at the instant c of Mr. 4 iuum), i educing to 14 and 28 days the time tor notice specified therein, and the Clause rigieeJ to. Clause 1 15 was agreed to. On Clause 16 being moved, Mr. Bvcklvxd moved the eiasure of the woids "within seven years after the date of becoming due." Mr Ma\ asked if there was to be no end to the taxation ? Messniye fiom Supn wfenrlcnt. The Spi aki k announced receipt of the following: — No. 21- Transmitting copy of a letter leceived fiom Mr. St. Clair, covering copy of two icsolutions passed at a pub ie meeting held at Papakuia, on the subject of the Local Boards Bill The revolution in question were read ; they objected to clauses 16 and 3 of the Bill— the latter especially. Local Boards Bill The discussion having betn resumed, Mr. Bucki.avd moved the postponement of clause 16 Mr. Xi lly said that the notice of one week before levying for rates, was insufficient, It. was a regular trap to nab a man's goods at such a notice. The clause was then postponed. Clause 17 was agreed to, after a verbil emendation, on the motion of Mr. Meuiuman. Clauses 18, 19, and 20 weie then agreed to. An additional clause was moved by Mr. Merrimax, having reference to the T-a)ment of sums voted by the Council for districts under the management of Local Boards. Mr. May siidthat, as the present Government had commenced the system of consiiltuig the Executive Council, they should di so in this c iso He had more confidence in the Executive than in the Superintendent. Mi. Bcckl\nd said that the language of the lion, member was an insult to every member in the community. He regarded the Superintendent as the very soul of honour. Mr. Merriman and Mr. Bucklyvo twitted the late Executive upon being meie instruments md utensils Mr. Ghaiiam, on the other hand, said that the late Executive was a fixed one ; the present changed so often, that no one knew this clay what it consisted of. After a little more sp irring on this subject, the new clause, to static! as 21, was agreed to. Clauses 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 were then agicod to— No 24 with the insertion of the words "by destruction of noxious weeds within the district." Clause 27 was amended by the insertion of the word "any" between "before" and "such." Mr. Merriman moved, on this Clause, that the chairman of the Local Boards should have a vote in addition to a casting vote. Mr. Dion ax protected asjainst this ; he thought it entirely wrong in piinciple. Mr J. O'Neill had always objected, and would always object, to giving a chairman two votes. Mr. Boyl\n could not see the force of these objections. It appeared to him that, to allow a chairman no other than a casting vote, was virtually to disenfianchise him. Mr Mvy thought it unfair to "place a chairman in such position as the Clause unamended would leave him. Mr. Buennan was of opinion that giving the chairman two votes would be consistent with sound policy. Mr. Buckland could not ngree with those who would confine the chairman to a casting vote. It seemed to him that a chairman should not be denuded of his rights as a citizen. Mr. Schultz disliked bestowing upon any individual a plurality of votes. Mr. Kelly would not agree that any chairman should have more t 1 an a casting vote. Mr Merriman sain that a chairman would lose one half of his interest in the Boa d, unless he were allowed more than a mere casting vote. Mr. Kelly iterated and reiterated his former objections. Mr Burnnan said that if the- amendment should be lost, the best speaker would be put into the chair to stop his mouth. After some further discussion, it was agieed to that the chairman ahould have a deliberative, as well as a casting vote. The Clause, as amended, was then carried Clauses 28, 29, 30, and 31 were agreed to with discussion. On Clause 32 being moved, Mr. Graham thought it hnrd that European setters should be heavily taxed, while natives and Crown lands should be exempt. It was particularly hard in case of natives holding under a grant from the Crown. Mr. Merrtman said that, to tax the native, would be to discourage their industry, and throw fresh difficulties m the way of obtaining land. Mr. Gkaham entered at some length into the importance of levying a tax before it be too late to do so. Mr. Bucklaxd said that they mi^ht introduce an amendment to this effect, but could they entoice it. Mr, Bignan considered that the natives, ciicumstanced

as they were, were sufficiently taxed already. "Mr. . MiV admitted the justice of taxing natives who held under the Crown, but did n>t think it expedient. Mr. ITpndeksok tfiought_the natives had too much lieen*-'\ and scarcely paid their iair shaie of taxation. As holders of Crown grants their case should not be exceptional. The Clause was then agreed to, also the remaining clauses of the bill (except thosa postponed) — Nos. 33, 34, 35, and 36, and the Chairman, on the motion of Mr. Buckland, reported progress, and asked leave to sit on Fiiday. (thi« day). The Council then adjourned.

o Auckland Choral Socibtt.— We learn from our contemporary, to the columns of which we were indebted for the notice, in our last, of the proceedings of this Society, that in consequence ol the 29th instant being the Anniversary of the Colony, and the Regatta and other commemorative sports having been fixed upon for that day, the ppifonn.mce of the Messiah will have to be postponed for a wpek.