MUNICIPAL REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2428, 26 September 1900, Page 32

MUNICIPAL REFORM.

On th-e motion that the Municipal Corpora- : ois Bill be committed, The Right Hon. Mr SEDDON said the bill was designed to consolidate and amend the laws relating to boroughs. Existing boroughs were retained. The qualification for new borough's was to be an area oi not more than nine square mile?, with a population of not less than ICOO. There would be a general election of councilloib e\ery two years. The bill also provided for public works and public ■health and other acts affecting the boroughs, 31 acts being in whole or in part repealed in xhe bill. Foi drainage purposes boroughs may become parts of special district?. The till enlarges the powers of borough councils in relation to drainage and ranit.itioii. It provides for workers' dwellings and the prevention of overcrow ding of land with houses and houses with tenants. The motion for committal was carried. Clause 4-5. — The amendments made ( by the committee were not agreed to, and the clause passed as printed—" And any publican or holder of an accommodation license is debarred from being axopointed to the commission of the peace." Clause 56.— Mr NAPIER moved that in the case of a divided borough the number of councillors be 20 instead of 15, where the population exceeds 30,000. — Lost by 42 to 17. Subclauseb, " there shall be not more than two councillors for each ward " was rejected, and the original subclavse retained. — " There shall 'be at lea«t one councillor for each ward." Clause 230. cotuicil may contribute to adjoining borough.— Mr WILFORD moved to insert '' shall.*'— Lost on the voices. ' Clause 245, private streets may be declared public— Mr WILFORD moved to add "notwithstanding that any such private street or right-of-way is unformed." — Lose on the voices. A new subsection to clause 454, providing for issuing rate notices by post free of charge-, was struck out. ' . The new clause 24b, "candidates to deposit a sum of money."— The PREMIER'S" .(notion to reduce the deposit for a candidate vis councillor from £5 to £3 was agreed to. • The new clause 207 a was striifck out. It provided for giving a warden power to grant on endowments any mining privilege or lease for coal-raising purposes. In clause 224 a, a«~ to the definition of private streets, o provision was inserted that no ri<?ht-of-way shall exceed 20ft in width. In clause 323, penalty for altering the index or a gas meter was reduced from £50 to £10. Clause 387 a, prohibition against holding a public meeting or lecture on Sunday was utruck out. The bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. 'HONEY-LENDERS— A BILL TO DISCOURAGE HARSH" BARGAINS. A bill has been introduced by the Premier to amend the law with respect to persons carrying on business as money-lenders. The \oreambie states that certain persons trading as money-lenders inflict, by harsh and unlonfcionable bargains, great injury upon thode T.ho borrow money from them, and it is expedient that such money-lenders and their \ methods of carrying on business should be subject to control. In the bill " moneyI'erider" includes overy person whose business ,'s Jiat of money-lending, or who advertisao or announced himself or holds himself out in any •\fc-ay as carrying on that business, but does not i'n chide — (1)" Any duly licensed pawnbroker in lespect of buFiEebs carried on by him in accordance with the provisions of "' The Pawnbrokers Act, 1868 " ; (2) any society registered under " The Building Societies Act, 1880 ' ; (3) pny society registered under " The Fr'endly Societies Act, 1882"; (4) any body corporate, incorporated, or empowered by a special act of Parliament to lend money ; or (5} any peiaon bona fide carving on the business of bankinrc, or insurance, or any 'business

not having for it? primary object the lending of money. Where proceedings are taken in a court by a money-lender for the recovery of money lent, and the couit has reason to believe that the inierebi charged exceeds the rate mentioned 1 in the ichecUile, or that the amount charged for expenses, fines, and premium are exeeshh c, and that the transaction is har»h and tmconscionable, the court may reopen the transaction and relievo the person sued from payment of any sum in excess of the sum adjudged by tho court to be iaiiiy clue. If such excels has been paid, the court may older the creditor to repay it. The court mty ai«o «ct a&ide, either wholly or in part, or revise or alter, any security given, or agL-eoment made, in respect of money lent by the money-lender ; and if the money-lender has parted with the security, may order him to idemnify the borrower or other person sued. Any court m which proceedings might be taken tor the recovery ot money lent by a money-lender shall have, and may, at the instance of the borrower, or surety, or other person liable, exercise the like power,-; as may he exercised where piocaedings arc takian for the recovery of money lent. A money-lender (a) fchall register himself as a money-lender in accordance with the regulations under the act, under his own or usual trade name, and in no other name, and with the address at which he carries on his business: (b) shall not | enter into any agreement with respect to the ud'.anca and repayment of money othcrwi&e than in his registered name; (c) shpll, on reasonable request, and on tender of a reasonable .sum for expenses, furnish the borrower with a copy of any document relating to the loan or any security. If a money-lender fails to comply with- any requirement' of the above section, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £LOO, and in the ca=e of a second or subsequent conviction, to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding three months, or to a penalty not exceeding £100, or to both, provided that if the offender is a body corporate, that body corporate shall be liable on a <-econd or subsequent conviction, to a penalts* not exceeding £500. If any money-lender by any false statement, attempts to induce any person to borrow money, he shall be liable to imprisonment, with or Without hard labour, for a term not exceeding two years, or to a penalty not, exceeding £500, or to both. In the schedule ?vbove referred to the rate of interest is fixed as follows:— In respect of a loan (whether made by one or more ad\ ances) not exceeding 40s, 15 per cent, per annum if secured, and 25 per ceirt. per annum if unsecured ; exceeding aos,a os, but not exceeding £10, 12 per cent, per annum if secured, and 20 per cent, per arr.um if unsecured ; exceeding £10. 10 per cent, per annum if secured, and 15 per cent, per annum if unsecured. TH-E MIDLAND RAILWAY. The Midland Authorised Area Land Settle- ! incut Bill, introduced 10-nioiit, pio rides that j all the cour.try knawn as the authorised Mid- j land land area, of 6.193,000 acres, may. li-- ' eluding 239,400 ac:c_ ol land sold and 150,100 acres of reeervc, be declared open for election, but not within three months ot the pasping of the" act. The rights of all who hold under temporary license under " The Land Act, 1892," or without more legal title than an arrangement made with the Midland Railway Company, are protected by being allowed i to opply for their holdings boiorc the rejtnc- j tions are taken off — viz., within the three , months specified. The Land Board is empowered to deal with the applications, fix all conditions under the Land Act, and grant the land on being satisfied they, the applicants, are in possession. Further, all applications made before the passing of tbe act under tho Mining. Coal Mining, or Land Acts shall have priority over thocc made later. j THE NEW ZEALAND FLAG. The New Zealand Ensign Bill, which, after being amended, finally uassed the House la&t night, or rather early this morning, provides 1 that the New Zealand Ensign phall be the blue ensign of the Royal Naval Reserve, having on the fly thereof the Southern Cross, as ■ represented by four five-pointed red stars, with white borders. It is also provided that every person who defaces the New Zealand Ensign by placing any sign, representation, or letter thereon shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5. The act is reserved for ihe signification of her Majesty's pleuHue thereon, and will come into operation on a day to be fixed by the Go\emor by proclamation in the Gazette, provided that such proclamation shall not be made unless it contains a statement that her Majesty ha^i been pleased to approve of the act. The preamble of the act is interesting, as a matter of history. It was drafted by Mensrs Monk and Atkinson, and runs: — '"Whereas by proclamation under the hand of his Excellency the Governor, dated 23rd October, 1859. it was declared in accprdance with the Queen's regulations, made under the provisions of an act of the Imperial Parliament, intituled " The Colonial Defence Act, 1865,' that the flag described should have the distinctive seal or badge of the colony of New Zealand for all vessels belonging to or permanently employed in the service of the colony ,: and whereas the said flag has since been in general use for the service of the colony ; and whereat the aforesaid i* also the recognised ensign of the colony, and whereas it is desirable that the same nagshould be by law established as the ensign of the colony for all purposes, be it enacted, etc." THE BRITON'S PRIVILEGE. Mr Hone Heke, M.H.R., f.-uours the introduction of licensed houses for tho sale of liquor in the Maori country. Speaking on the pubject in the House this afternoon, he asked what were the privileges of the Eng-lish-speaking race? " Long beers," interjected Mr Pirani, who holds opposite views to Mr Heke. "Yes," added Mr Heke, " beer ha» really been the milk that has nourished the English race,, and led to its present grcatiies--." "What about whisky?" interjected another member. '" Whisky," said Mr Heke, '" was. also a liquid, but it was attached to the Scotch race." "And the Irish." added yet another member amid some good-natured banter. CANDLE FACTORIES. There are four candle factories registered in New Zealand. In these there are 90 male and 2 female employees. The maximum wages, paid to workers is £6 per week, and the minimum 6s- per week. Fifty-six of the employees are over 21 years of age. EXPORTED GAME. total value of frozen hares exported during the past five yearn amounts to £3547, and of other kinds of game £92 worth was scut away. The hares are sent mainly from Timaru and Oamaru. The largest number exported was 17,484 in 1898. PETTY BOROUGHS. There are no fewer than IS boroustha, with a population of le?s than 150, in New Zealand." The smallest is Hampden, in Otago. Its population is only 320. Gladstone, in Southland, has only an area of °.O acres, and its- inhabitants ojlly total 380; yet these boroughs have ull Hip official paraphernalia ot much larger towns. It is felt that Ikey

should be merged in road boards or town districts. FIRE ESCAPES IN PRIVATE HOUSES. New claubes in the Municipal Bill provide for the iippomtment; oi an inspector ol buildings, who.se duty it is to inspect annually eveiy building in the borough lor residential puipoaea, and to decide whether such building is. pro\idfd with proper fire es^capep. It so, he w"ill give a certificate to thai effect. The owner ol any building shall not ie--ide, or permit any person to reside, m such builuing unle&s he j& the holder of a certificate. For a breach ol the law lie will be liable to a penalty ol £10 a, any for every day he commiLs such breach. The clauses may be passed to-night.