LATEST TELEGRAMS;

West Coast Times, Issue 2463, 22 August 1873, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS;

Wellington, August 21.

In the House, last night, the consideration of the clauses of the Licensing Bill, in Committee, was resumed.

Clanse 9, specifying what licences shall be granted, passed with the following amendment, moved by Mr Rolleston, " and such as may be provided by any Act or Ordinance of the Provincial Council of the Province in which the house for which such license is to be granted, is situated."

Clauses 10, 11, 12, and 13, providing forms in which wholesale and retail licenses shall be drawn out for houses having only a bar opening on to a public street, and for packet licenses, were passed.

In clause 14, the paragraph was struck out fixing the amount of the fee to be charged for wholesale licences, and the clause passed as amended.

Clauses 15 and 16, regarding notices of applications for licences, and posting lists of same, passed.

Clause 17, one of the new ones providing Licensing Courts, passed, after discussion.

Clanse 18 (with 17 sub-sections) fixing the constitution of the Courts 9 the number of members thereof, the mode of their election, and other details, evoked a warm discussion. The clause provides for the Courts to consist of not more than seven, nor less than three members; all presiding officers being magistrates for the district) to be elected by the inhabitants. After a long discussion, a motion by Mr J. L. Gillies was carried on a division, by 17 to 13, removing the elective principle and substituting 'nomination by the Governor.

Progress was then reported.

A resolution passed in Committee regarding the Governor's Salary Bill, was agreed to.

To-day, Mr O'Neill proposed the reduction of sixpence in the gold duty. The discussion was interrupted by the dinner hour.

A meeting of Otago and Canterbury members was held yesterday morning, for considering the various questions raised in the Financial Statement. Amongst them were the proposals to take security in land for future lines, and in the construction of branch railways the power of provinces to borrow, and the raising' a loan for the purpose of purchasing native lands in the North. Island. A sub-committee consisting of three members from each province, were appointed to draw up resolutions for consideration at a future meeting, which are in the direction that main lines of communication named in schedule to Railway Bill, 1871, be completed out of loan without land security. That the proposal to take land would be resisted ; that the two provinces would of themselves construct various branch linesj that the meeting was not unfavorable to a loan charged upon the Colony for the purpose of purchasing landed estate for North Island provinces.

The coal barque Ann Melhuisb, missed stays and went agrounU at the Heads. The steamer Wellington, then coming in from Auckland, went to her assistance, towed her off, and brought her into harbor. Part of the barque's keel is broken, and there are two and a half feet of water in the hold, but there is no serious damage done.

The Golden Fleece Company sent 1600 ounces, and the Wealth of Nations 400 ounces of retorted gold to Greymouth this morning.

The price of gold has been reduced by agreement amongst the Banks from £3 18s to £3 16s per oz.