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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue I, 14 November 1862, Page 2

PUBL'C MEETING.-ROVD** BILL. Ou Tuesday evening last i meeting 'ook place At the School-house,- ii pursuance of an advertisement signed " I. DalrjmpW," wh'ch appeared in the Sodhlmd Aern, " to take into consideratiiri the Koata* Bill as framed by the I'roviicial Counci, | imposing a tax upon all improved rurJ lands within the district." 'Ihe buildiujwas crowded to excess, ancl geat interett appeared to be taken in the proceedings by those present. Mr. Dalrymple moved, and Mr. Pearson seconded — '• That W. H. Cdtler, Esq., lake the chair." The Chairman said lie considered that a misconstruction as to the opetation of the Koarls' Ordinance might rem in on the mind of the public owing to tie worling of the advertisement. The Orlinanie itself did not impose the obnnxio-ts oi any' tax ; that rested with the District H»ards. He concluded by asking thp rceeting to give a patient hearing to those speakers who would address them. Mr. James Wilson rose, atriiSt applause, and said that the course ptoposed to be taken by the meeting that ni'ht was the only constitutional one left opei, since the Superintendent had, by proroguing the Council, acknowledged his concurrence in the principles of the Hill. He cotr.eridt-d that the object of legislation shovld \e to encourage improvement of the and, but he believed that the Konds-Ordinince was calculated to have an opposite lendincy — (hear, hear.) Mr. \V. then dludel to a letter which appeared in tha In'ercaroii.l Times of that morning, sijned '• Common Sense," which took an opp»*ite view to those entertained by tho speiker. Common sense, as had been well ohseted, " was not an article that could he inrchased at a store." He (Mr. Wiljon);haracterised the opinions of the writr of l that letter (whose identity it would nit be difficult to discover) as possessing it tie title to any claim to the mental qually in question beyond the signature — (tear, hear, and laughter.) Mr. Wilson qwed at some length from the letter, derting the insinuations of personal motives **ich had been sought to be urged sgainsl the promoters of the meeting. Hecouldwell afford to smile at the chnrg* broght against himself as hnving offered facious opposition to the Bill whilst before the Council. He considered the companion which it had been endeavored to instiute between town and country Isnds ras absurd. He believed the man *»»io, through Jm posspssing large tracts of ltid whirh had miles of frontage along tie main road, was thereby benefitted, ought'o contribute an equivalent towards the cqstruction and maintenance of that paricularrnad. He was quite certain no pitson objected, as wan alleged against hs opponents of this measure, to the intoduction of capital amongst thtm, but tley (the meeting) would agree with him tiat there were two descriptions of capital, vz, money and labor, and it was apparent t» them all that the capitalist was dpnendmt upon labor. He strongly objected to tie hurried manner in which valuable and important measures were hurried througf the Council. He thought that the Oc rernor would withhold his bssent totb Bill, and concluded, amidst applause, \ moving the following petition :—

the felingof thi meeti^^^^B nniecfi , rv for apngther^^^^H M r lilson saiftbat the^^^H art«nd| nt was 'ovious—^^^B , bent? fen untilU w-* 8 rhe lend ment wm the -^^H l B nne lighter, and lost,, thc^^^H m tltmofr and seconder in fa^H 1 Mit itirymple {onsidered^^Blg lana ifod moved • resolutid^HD|l fct \at His HonV the Sn*^^M» V . |c rtHettully reqatsted lo I^^Hp | [)etitfcto His Excellency Jr«y. Sefeded by Wr. lind, and •^■l J A tie of tharis ta the . Ch <Mftl I thenfcrried «»* *2he petition ■ j f diatfj sigj^/'p* 5 deiirousM ,| •BheetVogJlfen adjourned. H J I

To His Excellency Sir George Grey, 1 v of Ne* Zealand, Ac. j \ The Petition o the utktersignud— Owneifsl cupier* of Land in tho Province of ffol That in the '1 bird Session of the IPa Council of the Province of e*outhland,i]L?i\ nance was passed intituled, "Theߧ '■ 1862." I * Tbat amonpst the clauses contained . in tl Ordinance is the folding:— "The Road T\ of any district shjaTl, as soon as convenient!, be after their ejection, estimate the ainoi expenditure withU the district for the year following, and slUll thereupon levy a rate \ fill lands suuatc within such district, accord*, the annual value-t o.letof0 .letof such lands : p-ovided lands reserved frp m sale by the Governor or Superintendent not b«S liable to bo rat After mature deliberation of theabove clauses the subsidiary clauses based thereon, your p tioners feel that the principles therein embcx are unjust, for the following reasons :— That the rate to be levied upon tlie lands is annual valuc-to-l.jt of such lands, and tberet would operate as a direct Ux upon the capital i industry of tbe colonist, retarding the onw, progress and advancement of tie Province. That in levyint the tax on tlie annual value-i let, nearly the whole tax would be thrown or* bona Jide settler and improver of lands witbirfae Province, whilst the owners of unimproved 1 Is would almost entirely escape. That thus the innual value-to-let princip of the Roads-Bill is a direct discouragement toSndustry and legitimate investment of reproduce s»P.»al. v -->-^ "^ Thalyour petitioners respectfully submit tiat a uniform rate per acre, levied on al. lands sxd by Government within the settled district .-f*?f the Province, would be just and simple in its opTTto ration, and the intrinsic value of large esfe If with long road frontages would be proportional Ir enhanced, according to area, with small est* I 9 with short road-fronta^os ; and that ence 'p roads are made, toll-dues may justly be leviM upon the produce of all lands whose ownf rs make use of the roads. j Wherefore your petitioners most respectfu)''* request that your Excellency will be pleased' *" refuse your absent to the above-mentioned »RtJ ads ' Bill, 1882," or at least to withhold your asK n ' thereto urtil su?h time as the Ordinance can *' reconsidered *nd amended, with respect to '*)' above complomod of principle of rating, in *"' next coming jession of the Provincial Counci ° Southland. And your pfti tioners will evo pray. Mr. Dalrymple had great pleasure 1 > seconding tbe resolution. He would c detain the meeting long, but would conl | r himself by characterising the Ordintl/c as embodying direct taxation of indul*'* —(hear, hear.) He regretted that I'h i Council had acted so precipitately in jjai i sing the Bill without^consulting the intejei J of the public. f Mr. W. H. Pearson (Commissioned ol Waste Lands) next addressed the mcc" n ff He commenced by stating that he lab*t ed under a great disadvantage, as t | n ¥ g almost the only one present who **| m favor of the Bill, thereby taking the Jp 0 * pular side of the question. As al~l lon had been made that evening by a pre(,.r n g speaker to a letter, signed " Comi' on Sense," which had appeared in the In er , CA-totLL Times ; perhaps the meeting w "id allow him to read a letter which appej rea in the. fyuthlani New* some time (rewritten by Mr. WiNon. [The spei« er here went into an elaborate criticism o» , !> tJ letter, with a «'«** to wove tbat the mA^L menia contained and asked the writer if he waa prepared to ! prove the correctness of that letter.) He considered he took the right side of the question, and contended that pnsiion alone gave value to the land, addudng ' several reasons to show that unless agricultural land was in close proximity to a market town, it would in reality be of little value. He stated that no Government could with fairness legislate for individuals, and was proceeding to substantiate this assertion, when he was interrupted by criis of '• sit down," "i>hut up," &c, and sorre degree of uproar here ensued. . .._.„. Mr. Wilson said— Mr. Chairman, I think it very necessary that the meeting should give Mr. Pearson a full hearing to allow him to /jet out of his difficulty— (great laughter.) Mr. Pearson resumed, by observing that a practical result would be obtained by taxing the absentee at an annual value— (\ roice— Does the money derived goto the squatter or the agriculturist.) He (the I speaker) thought that the expression just made use of must have emanated from a nnrrow-minded individual. The Chairman said he would not allow interruptions of such a nature. Mr. Pearson, in continuation, said he could not compliment Mr. Wilson on his facetiottsness with regard to the letter signed " Common Sense." He was sorry to say he could not call the production of Mr. W. common sense. The speaker toneluded by observing that he only wished the public to give the Government scheme a fair trial. Mr. Wilson would say a few wordi. He cr.nsidered a plain common-sense view of the question was the right one, and far more intelligible than the elaborate statement of Mr. Penrson— (hear.) The Executive should consider both sides of the question in legislating for classes — (hear, hear.) Mr. Penrson wished to correct ..Mr "rVilocn. When mentioning thfe right side" !*.e meant the popular side. If/ the meeting bought he was wrong he was very willing to confess his error— (cries of '* sit down.") Mr. M'Kie said that ihere had been i good deal said about common sense, and mt it to the meeting that as British sublets thpy were fully competent to j idge or themslves. He thought that the Govern mpnt ought to bave given the public •irae to exprrs, an opinion before bringing in the bill. Th* acreage principle was the •••meet one, as it would act fairly towards til partic-s Improvements on land were ttxjd ou* of all proportion. H<» did not fic.ee with Mr Pearson in allowing the Hill to come into operation. The Chairman said, as there was no amendment, he wruild consider the motion carried— (ct.es of " put the motion.") Mr. Pears/.r. rose to propose an amendment, (amidst loud cries of " chair," "order." •* sit down,'* and confusion.) S.lence being somewhat restored, a' gentleman from the body of the room (Mr. Stirliig) said h« co.ild no* agree with Mr Pearsm in the di«t 'toriai mnnner in which that gentleman hehaved that evening. He condenned the prat - ice of alloying paid officiaß to have seats in the Council— (hear, hear.; Tlx Chairman said the remarks of Mr. Stirliig were foreign to the subject. Mr. Pearson, after making some sar casfic illus ons to Mr Stirling, said that, in order to test the feeling of the meeting, be woiJd move the following amendment : — " Tilt this meeting take time to consider tie subject of a road rate before signingthe petition against the Road Ordinances lately passed by the Provincial Counci " Mr ). M'Kie seconded the amendment, and sail be wished to call the attention of the meting to the principle of ad valorem duties, which, he said, bore some similarity to the annual-value-to-let, and pro ceeded to demonstrate that some of the opposiion to the Road Ordinance arose from a desire to drive the capitalist out of the field, and at the same time annihilate the poor settler, who could ill-afford to expend large sums of money in the cultivation rf bis land, as his richer but ixore narrow-minded neighbors (Tbe meeting did not appear to, anpreciate the views pot forward hy this speaiUi.' judging from the disapprobation which was very forcibly expressed during their exposition.) The Chairman considered that, fiom