The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1871. LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XV, Issue 669, 25 October 1871, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1871. LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Wellixufon, Saturday, 8 p\m. Mr Gisborne has given notice of the followingresolutions : — "That the amount allotted to the several Provinces out of the £100,000 appropriated to Hood Boards by the payments to Provinces Act, shall bo appropriated m accordance with tlie following rules : — jl) Tlie Superintendent of each province sliall divide the Province into three classes. (2.) Class I. shall comprise the road districts m tlie vicinity of towns and comparatively populous places. (3) Class 11. shall comprise road districts outside Class 1. or less populous places. (4.) Class 111, shall comprise the outlying road din-

| tricts/ih which thepopnln.tion is scattered. ■ (5.) /tliAt se lf- rating shall be an essential condition to any - contribution from the fund, and tftat. ho money shall be paid thereout until ■•Highway or Road rates are levied and paid : Provided that m outlying districts m which it may be difficult or inconvenient to constitute lload .Boards voluntary contributions shall be deemed equivalent to rates. (6) That the amounts appropriated to the several provinces shall be divided m tho following proportions : — 1. Districts m Class 1. to be entitled m proportion to the amount raised by local '•ales therein to one half ns much as districts m Class 11., and one-fourth as much ns districts m Class 111. 2. Districts m Cliiss 11. to bo entitled iv proportion to tho amount raised by local rates thei'uin to twice as much as districts m Class 1., and one half a-j much as districts m Class 111. 8. Districts m Class HI. to be entitled m proportion to the amount raised by local rates therein to twice as much ns districts m Class 11., and four times as much .is districts iv Class I. (7.) That the money thus appropriated sliall lie expeuded exclusively on the formation of new roads, bridges, and culverts, and m the maintenance thereof for one year after completion, and m tbe completion of such works commenced last year as are not yet finished. (8.) That the amount appropriated to each Province shall bo deposited m some Bank to tbe credit of a special account called the Road Boards Account. (0.) That no money shall be drawn out of this account except by the Provincial Treasurer for an amount certified by the Provincial Auditor and authorised by the Superintendent's wantint ; and the cheque drawn for the same shall bo countersigned by the Chairman of the lload Board on whoso account the money is drawn, or iv the case of voluntary subscription by SvJine person appointed by the subscribers. (10.) That before any moiioy is thus paid the Superintendent shall satisfy himself that the money is duo, and that the work m respect to which the money is applied for, is m accordance with these resolutions and satisfactorily performed. (U-) That onetenth of the sum allotted to each Province shall be held m reserve for the districts m which the Road Boards are not yet established, but m which such Boards may be established before the lirst day of July, 3872, and shall be payable to such Boards on the same term* and iv the same manner as to the before-mentioned Boards. (12.) That if any portion of such above-mentioned sums, whether reserved or not, shall remain unapplied on the first day of July, 1872, such sums shall be applied m the succeeding year in 'addition to and m the same manner as the amount appropriated for that year. (13.) That accounts, according to forms from time to time prescribed by the Governor, of the amounts levied, received or subscribed, and the expenditure m eacli district, shall be furnished by the lload Boards or voluntary subscribers, and such accounts, being certified by tho Provincial Auditor and approved of by the Superintendent, shall bo published m the Provincial <«'ovcmuient Gazette, three copies of such Gazotte to be forwarded by the Superintendent, to the Colonial Treasurer. (14.) That the accounts of Road Boards sliall be audited by the Provincial "Auditor of the Province m which they are respectively situated." In Committee on the Payment to Provinces Bill, Mr Yogel said that .seeing that hardship would be involved by depriving tho Provinces of fuvds they had ■ expected to receive, and on the strength of which arrangements had been made, the Government had resolved that, at the request of the Superintendent, half of the Road Boards grant coming to a Province, out of the £100,000 for that purpose, should bo given to the Provincial Government to pay for any permanent works, such as roads and bridges, which the Province might be under an engagement to construct. The Government could not this year consent to make the carriage of inland mails a Colonial charge, but they hoped to do so next year. Mr Macandrew thought the Government proposed a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. It would be still more satisfactory, however, if the whole giant to Road Boards were paid into the Provincial Treasuries. Mr Thomson thought some special allowance was due to Otago on account of its union with Southland. Had the latter province still existed, it would have lost £4060 by the new arrangement, and 'it was not fair to throw that additional burden on ( )tago. Mr J. Shephard claimed a special allowance for Nelson, on account of its Goldiields, to the same extent as that proposed to be given to Westland on the same account. Mr Reynolds proposed to strike out Clause 5, and all the special allowances. Mr White wished Westland's special allowance increased from 2s 6d to 7s Gd per head. Mr Curtis said lie would move for the same allowance being made to the Nelson Goldfields as to Westland. Mr Yogel said that Nelson gained last year and lost this year, and was about quits, while on the two years Westland lost £0000. Mr Peacock protested against the special allowance to Wellington. Mr Gisborne explained that it was given on account of the natives. Mr Famall said that Mr Yogel first proposed to bolster up tho General Government at tho expense of the Provincial Governments, and now to bolster up the Provincial Governments at the expense of the Rood Boards. Mr M'Lean protested against any attempt being mode to mulct the Road Boards for the benefit of the Provincial Governments, and thought the allowances to the latter should not be altered during the present year. The first eight clauses of the Bill were agreed to, and progress was then reported. On the motion to go into Committee of Ways and Means, Mr Stafford moved — "That, having regard to the existing position of the country, the House is of opinion that the aggregate taxation of the people of New Zealand should not be increased, but that rigid economy should bo practised m the administration of the Government, so as to ensure that the expenditure for tho ordinary sorvices of the year should not exceed tho amount of the ordinary revenue of the year." Mr Thomas Kelly moved an amendment to tho . effect that it was not the amount, but tho inequality of the taxation that was felt by the country, and m favor of the imposition next session of property and income taxes. After a long 'art interesting debate, and a speech of an hour'B duration from Mr Reid on the general financial policy of the Government, Mr Stafford's motion was negatived by 40 to 22, Mr M'Leod, as he afterwards explained, voting with tho majority b,y mistake, after .pairing. Mr Kelly's amendment was negatived on tlie voices. In Committee), the first item m the now stamp duties was passed, the amount payable on new Government and Municipal appointments being altered to one

j per ceirf; T|ie second jfcem was carried I : after several' amendments. In the case I of the annual license fee of joint-stock companies of Is 'per cent, on the capital, the maximum of £50 was altered to £200 per annum. The report of the Committee on Clarke's land purchase hns been presented. It recommends that it should be advertised throughout the province that the sale is supposed to be illegal, and that petitions to both Mouses might assist m quashing the sale.