Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, THURSDAY, MAY. 16, 1878.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1069, 16 May 1878, Page 2

Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, THURSDAY, MAY. 16, 1878.

There seems to be apparently a deal of mis" apprehension as to " The Slaughterhouse Act, 1877"—a measure which repeats many conflicting Provincial Ordinances. The Act is on its first trial and may require amendment, but we hardly think that this is likely to take place for some time to come, and that therefore the intentions and law of the measure are, under such circumstances deserving of notice. As preliminary remarks, we may observe that the Act is applicable to the whole of the Colony. To the Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch butchers, who daily slaughter their cattle by scores, and their sheep, ifcc.. by hundreds. To small outlying districts, the law is not so even, and, yet if examined, will be found elastic enough. The want of a good slaughter-house Act was apparent, evidently on account of the numerous conflicting and defective ordinances in operation. The Slaughter-house Bill, brought up last session, and "The Slaughter-house Act, 1877," as passed are altogether different things. Mr Donald IJeid was responsible for the first; and the Assembly as a whole, for the Act as it now stands. The " lords" amended it considerably, but they took cara to reserve their own rights and to some extent rendered the bill a more general one. In doing this, they relieved the Slaughterman from a number of trifling forms, that would not only prove vexations, but were liable to be forgotton. For instance, it was previously necessary in this Province to give six hours notice of intention to kill, and state the brands of the animal. Now, a weekly re-

turn of all animals killed suffices. Tbe grazier and farmer, can kill any quantity of stock and sell the some, keeping a record of cattle, sheep, &c. This latter clause (27) is a veiy protective one, and covers many previous grounds of complaints. Among other things it provides that " Any person. . . . not carrying on the trade of a slaughterman or butcher. . . . . .at or upon his own residence, run or farm" may kill not more than two head of large cattle and sell portion of same. Above that ext nt be must keep a record of quantity sold and of the brands of the cattle slaughtered. Indeed farmers, graziers and others can, under this clause of the Act, enter into competition with any licensed Slaughterman provided that the cattle, sheep <£c., "are his own bona fide pro perty." The charge for a license is not fixed by the Government, but by the several local boards. Very curiously they have generally inipossd high fees showing a protective or some other policy. Besides this fee can be under the 34 th section by an Inspector at a for sheep, and 3d for bullocks. The license fee of £5 is an offesnive one, and not so protective as might as first sight appear, considering the conization that the slaughterman can by clause 27, be submitted to a very severe competition.

| We have received from the Government printing office, a number of papers and returns 'laid before the General Assembly, just prior to the close of the session. We note a few of these as worth examination. Tlie conditions under which the Pastoral Leases and Licenses in Otago are held, are set forth in a return, marked C 11a. The information given in the number of the run ; name of the lessee ; original And present aroa of run ; date of expiring of lease; term of same ; if on gold fields; in what County ; quantity of stock and assessment of each run ; areas of land taken from each run during eight years ending 30th June last and remarks. We have in this pajier a return replete with information and making a good reference book. Keturn 815 gives the amount of duty collected on ad valorum articles for the year 1876 and 1877 ending 30th June. The figures given are interesting and shows how largely we yet import foreign and British manufactures. In the item of boots and leather, we imported in 1877, £17,850 worth against £12,837, in 1876, yet we have a larger number of boot and shoe manufactures distributed through the colonies. The return A 9a gives a list of the names of the Provincial officers dispensed with and the amount of compensation paid them and the term of service they filled. They appear to have been well treated. The interesting account of the trial of New Zealand coal as a fuel for locomotives is contained in paper H 38. A long list of persois drowned in New Zealand rivers, for the two years ending 30th June 1877, is continued in paper H 42. It is a long and gloomy record. The total cost of the " Hiuemoa" is given at £29,587. Those who think that the " Luna" steamer was sold too cheap, should peruse return I 13a, and they will also gain information why a certain class of steamers are unsaleable. The cost of mi isters r* for the financial year 1876 and 1877 is given in paper H 41, but though a return to an inquisitive question it should be collated with previous returns published of ministerial salaries, travelling and other allowances. Those who desire to read of a smart passage-of-arms between Sir George Grey and the Governor, should take up a paper numbered 29 Legislative Council, and also read the debate in that chamber as reported in Hansard, pages 680 to 687.

We are unavoidably obliged to hold over some correspondence, report of last evening's meeting of Municipal Council, as well as notice of several matters of local interest. With this issue is published a rather voluminous list of persons whose names are objected to as not being entitled to be placed upon the next Electoral Roll. The extensive character of the compilation is the fruits of a clause in the Registration Act, 1575, which enacts that Municipal bodies shall send in to the Registration Officer an alphabetical list of the names of all citizens who have paid their rates, in order that the same may be placed upon the Roll. As the great majority of those persons are already on the roll of course their names have to be objected to before being struck off. One of the heaviest and most continuous rainfalls has just been witnessed in the district—lasting, with slight intermission, from Sunday morning e.irly till mid-night last night. The full moon seems to have brought about a welcome change to fine weather. Down county the floods have been rather serious, and traffic on the Gore-Clinton section partially suspended. The Jane Williams steamer brought no Southland mail from Kingston this eveniug, a heavy fall of snow, it is said, having prevented the coach from getting through. In another column it will be noticed that Mr K. Campbell, the travelling agent of the Australian Mutual Provident Society will deliver a lecture in the Town Hall, on Tuesday evening. The subject is one that should interest all classes of society, and we trust the attendance will be large.

Dunn's Newmarket Hotel at Balclutha was burnt down on Sunday last, and a man named Patrick M'Grath burnt to death.

At the first meeting of the Southland Education Board on Monday (nearly all members present) Mr T. M. Macdoiiald was unanimously elected chairman. Some correspondence wad dealt with and a few matters iiscussed, after which the Board adjourned for a fortnight. Last week we stated that the Lake Countv had completed arrangements with the owner, Mr R. D. Owens, for the opening of the Morven Ferry ar.d punt, Kawarau River, free to passengers and traffic. The Council have since concluded terms with Mr M'Cormack for taking over the Victoria bridge in order also to open it free to the public, and we learn, from a telegram received by Mr Malaghan that the transfer was duly completed to-day. The tax which haa always been felt as such a drawback between Cromwell and this place is now removed. The thanks of the general community are doe also to Mr Pyke, M. H.R., and Chairman of Vincent County for his valuable co-operation.