Wednessday, 5th July.

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 19

Wednessday, sth July.

I understand that an official summary is in course of preparation, showing at a glance tho purport of the replies given by the various tooal bodies to Major Atkinson's interrogative circular. As mentioned yesterday, some 200 replies have been received to the circulars sent out, which numbered over ' 400. The large majority strongly approve the Colonial Ireaeurer's scheme. Roughly speaking,! should say that 60 or 70 per cent, of the local bodies cordially favour the Government proposals, and only some 15 per cent, objeot, the remainder eiviog a qualified approval. There seems to have been considerable difficulty in driving into the heads of some of the local bodies what was really required of them. _ Accordingly, some have returned conf usingly irrelevant and inconsequent answers taparticular queries. For instance, in reply to the question as to the best mode of electing a county chairman, one body entered into an elaborate dissertation on the merits and demerits of the system of county government. There is, as might be expected, a marked difference between the views of the rich county councils in the South and those of the starved bodioy in some parts of the NOl th. The latter object to the dual form of local government involved in having both county councils and road boards, but all agree that mere money is the oue thing needful, and that if that only could be provided they would manage to get on very well. It is evident that Major Atkinson made a capital coup when he sent out those circulars, for the result has been to arm him with a very powerful weapon in defence of his local government ficheme, in the shape of distinct proof that there is an overwhelming majority, m 'iavour oi it among the bodies exclusively interested iofche question; consequently, however hon. members may protest and denounce, the astute Major has only to point to his replies as proving that those same members are at any rate not representing the views of the local bodies in their own districts. A return was furnished to-night showing the respective borough and county valuations under the tend tax and property tax. The totals are as follow :— 1 Under Land Tax (unimproved) : Boroughs— ln Auckland, £1,381,945; Hawke's Bay, £505,170 ; WeiliXi, kz,9il,9U-, Kpl«oh. £376,032; Cnte-hury, JWTW0(l«: OtV, £s,2:tf,<Uw;-total, £14.301,078. Coiiilti'-s In Auckland, £4,a21,31»; Hawke'a Uay, £4 036.*74J WelKii|ft.n. JW.07M69; N.-bon, 1**857 020 Canterbury, £UI 8-JO,BSB s Otagn, 2li, I00l7o; total, £45,212,290. Lav I Tax (impr ned).— boroughs -In Auckland, £2 7*o 230; llawkuS U>y, £1,012,137; Wellington, SmW*)* 1 Nelson, & ,87C,8-i6 ; Canterbury, £of(O73Vn'0 f( O73Vn' Ota-.'o, £f1,4f10,«7 ;• total, £20,958,510. Colnuie* -I" Aiwfe.lii.mJ, £7,862,012; Hawke's Bay, -C 5 *>53 010 ; Wetiisijcton, £1".439,55tf ; Nelson, 'li'inSW O'litarbmy, £23,311,898; Otago, ia0,v01,767 {-total, mfi^W. ...... Under Property Tiv.x. - ASproOtfhs In Aucld-u.d, £2 8 H 775 ; llawkc'a Bay. £847,950 ; Wellington, *i&-iV7&>; *Sebon, £1,270,640; C.interbu y. auWIOS; Oia.ro. £7,03:1,081; total, £82,428,93!. Counties In Auckland, £I,U\Uf>\ HawkeN liny, £-1 473 0U ;We lin»to»i,£7 (iVJ, 1 90; Nelson, £<,BUl, 7U>. CAiit-rbury, £17,2n7 504 ; Otajjo, £10,93f1,25d ;— to'al, £51,531,2ui. U-and tola's.- -Land tax (unimproved), £02,573,868 ; OiUo (improved), £99,568,079. Property Tax, i£7i,f158,152.

TSiero are now no fewer than 70 bills on the liowvr House order paper in various stages. JV.lt- iiick 1 * Luaseholdcis' Qualification Bill gives the fnanehise to leaseholds of £10 annual value, having; three years or more to run. Mr Hutchison's Contagious Diseases Act Repeal Bill, after the pattern of Mr M'Donald's measure on the Gaming Act, consists merely of the following operative clause : " 'The Contagious Diseases Act, 18G9,' is hereby repealed ''

THE FISHERIES BILL wns recommitted on the motion of the Hon. Mr Is' J USE, with a view to making an amendciuiut providing that a single licenso to fish ahuuld run through the Colony, instead of a iicense*l>euig required for each district. After some debate the question was deferred.

KAITANGATA BELIEF FUND.

Mr EUTKERFORD presented a petition ■praying for an inquiry into the administration •of the Kaitangata Relief Fund, and expressing the belief it would be found to have been unfairly administered.

NOTICE.

Mr HUTCHISON gave notice that he would move that it is expedient to abolish, tha Grand •$*ry system

DOG EKGISTBATION.

The ' House went into Committee on " The Dogs Registration Act, 1880," Amendment Bill, which was reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed.

VAGRANT AOT AMENDMENT.

On the question for going into Committee on the Vagrant Act Amendment Bill the House divided— ayes, 47 ; noes, 24. . In Committee, Mr HTJRSTHOUSE moved that the power of inflicting whipping be not, as proposed by the bill, entrusted to ' two J.P.'s. He argued that it would be unsafe t» entrust such a fearful punishment to the hands of J.P.'s.

Mr FELDWICK movod — " That the punishment be provided for on a second conviction." Ho could understand that such a penalty might lead to the most dire conse-

quences. • The Hon. Mr DICK proposed that it be restricted to male persons. As the Act stood it applied oqually to females. Mr TURNBULL moved that progress be reported. He argued the bill was totally uncalled for. As the law stood 12 months' imprisonment was provided for, and that was enough. The motion for reporting progress was. withdrawn. Mr MOSS moved "That the Chairman leave the chair,"' expressing his abhorrence of the bill. Tho Vagrant Act as it stood was a blot upon the statute-book. If such a bill as this was required it ought to be brought down hy Government, and not, as it had been, in a surreptitious manner. That, he thought, was a sufficient reason for pausing, and not allowing irresponsible persons to bring in a matter of such vital import to the subject. Mr FISH concurred that the responsibility ought to rest, and in fact did rest with Government. The punishment of the lash was the most frightful that could be inflicted, and they ought to pause before allowing snch a provision to pass iuto law. * Mr MACANDREW thought something was required to put down the evil aimed at. Still lie did not approve of the bill as it stood. Air .rOVG III supported the motion for leaviug the chair, contending that the law as it stood was sufficient to meet tho requirements of the case. What was wanted was a more healthy state of public feeling, which would induce thoso cases, when committed, to be prosecuted.

Mr TAWHAI desired to know if the bill was to be applied to tlio Native race. With the view of gaining information on that head he supported the motion for reporting progress. Mr O'CALLAG-HAN, who was in charge of the bill, stated that it was intended to iiuply to both races. Mr MUNRO suggested that it should be made an indictable offence, in order that the question of commission might" be decided by a jury. Colonel TRIMBLE supported the proposal to make it an indictable offence. That was the only safe course he could see if the bill was to be passed. Mr MOSS said that the bill included women and children, and such a power ought not to be entrusted to minor judges. He had been ap dealed to to withdraw his amendment, but he would not. He felt strongly on the subject. Mr HUTCHISON was disappointed with the tone of the debate throughout. It was the punishment to which he objected, no matter by whom it might be inflicted. Sir GEOItGE GREY also intimated that it was the character of tho punishment to which he .objected, no matter by what tribunal i.t might be inflicted. The motion for leaving the chair was put, and the Committee divided — Ayes, 22 ; noes, 53. The motion for insertion of the words "male persons" was put, and carried on the voices.

After considerable further discussion, Mr O'GALLaGHAN, accepted an amendment by Mr Sheehan, providing that if the resident magistrates or Justices were of opinion that the present legal punishment was insufficient to meet any case, they might commit the offender for trial, and the Judge of the Supreme Court should have power to add flogging to other punishments. The bill was reported as amended. THE EIGHT HOURS BILL was reported and agreed to, read a third time, and passed. ' OTAGO HEADS. In Committee, an address to the Governor was considered requesting that a sum of_ £500 be placed on. the Estimates for completion of the road to Otago Heads. , The Hon. Mr ROLLESTON objected, aud progress was reported. «, The Employment of Females Act Amendment Bill, School Committees Election Bill, and Small-birds , Nuisance Bill were committed. After the School Committees Bill had boon discussed, » Mr STEWARD moved that progress be reported. , ' ' The Committee divided— Ayeß, 26 ; noes, 20. ' The Small-birds Nuisance Bill was discussed at some length. Captain MACKENZIE moved that progress be reported.— Negatived on the voices. > , [Left sitting at 1.35 a.m.]