THe GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Dunstan Times, Issue 957, 20 August 1880, Page 2

THe GENERAL ASSEMBLY

in tlie Legislative Assembly the Hon. Captain Fraser gave notice for a return of the total number, cost, and work of tlie Otago Goldfields Wardens and Resident

Magistrates The Hon. Mr Waterhouse moved that the New Plymouth Harbour Board should refund its illegal expenditure from the Land Fund, and that failing to refund it the members should he proceeded against individually. He thought this course was necessary to stop the growing habit of all local bodies to spend money contrary to law.

The motion was carried. In the House of Representatives, reply ing to Mr Beeves,

The Hon. Major Atkinson said there was no power to recover the beer duty at law simply on a resolution passed in Committee of Supply, and as this tax still rested on such a resolution, at present it could not ho enforced. So soon as the bill passed, however, it became retrospective, covering the date from the time the resolution was passed in Committee of Supply. So soon as the bill passed the tax would ho enforced and brewers refusing to pay just now would have the penalties enforced against them, so that by refusing they did so at their own peril. Replying to Mr London,

Tho Hon. Mr Rollestou said that the boroughs unendowed under tho Municipal Corporations Act, IS7C, which declined to take the endowments offered them, or for which they did not apply, are conaidend by tho Government to have no other claim under the Act.

Mr Pyko moved as an amendment on the original question— That in tho opinion of the House tho reduction of 10 per cent, should not apply to the salaries ot L2OO per annum and under. Tho amendment was negatived. In Committee of Supply—Otago Central Railway, LBS,OOO. A motion to reduce tho vote by L 20.000 was carried.