AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 203, 3 September 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

DR. LOGAN CAMPBELL’S GIFT. SPEECH BY MR CARROLL. (Special to Times.) Auckland, last night. During the discussion of the Charitabli Gifts Bill in the House of Representative: several references were made to the gift o the Cornwall Park. The Hon. Jame: Carroll, Native Minister, in introducin' the Bin, 'aid : “I do not propose to take up much of the time of the House in introducing this measure, which is called into necessity through the gift by Dr. Logan Campbell the other day to the people of tiiin colony. .He donated to the public S iO acres of very valuable land within the surroundings of Auckland, but on going into the matter it was found that the Led conveying the said land had to 'tamped to make a legal document, therefore, was subject to taxation j.post .by the Stamp Act. Now I think everyone will agree with me that any gift o; nature given to the public, or to pubtic institutions lor the benefit of the public, should come within the province of the statutory exemptions; that is all similar gifts in the future. It will be seen, however, that the Bill does not cover the particular transaction referred to. The reason of that is, though we provide to free all such cases in future, we consider it undesirable to have retrospective legislation. We can place a sum of money on the estimates sufficient to cover the amount of the stamp duty required under the Act, and in that way free this gift from the burden imposed. Transaction of J)r Campbell’s gift is one that comes within the spirit, although not within the strict letter of the law, providing for exemptions, and to set that point clear in respect to all future transactions of the kind this Bill is absolutely necessary. I may add that we cannot view the act of Dr. Logan Campbell in too high a light. As a public donation it was really a magnificent deed. He is a gentleman of very high standing in the colony, long associated with its history, and this is only one of the many noble works he has performed on behalf of the people. It is one of those instances where individual merit is crowned by acts which enable many to reap to universal advantage. I am sure the House will be making very graceful acknowledgment to those who arc benefactors to mankind by passing this Bill."

Messrs Monk, Massey, Lawry, Mills, ami WarJ spoke in most eulogistic tonus of Dr. Campbell's gift to the colony. Mr Jiollard said : “ I see no good reason why Cornwall Park should not have been expressly referred to in the Hill. It is a noble gift given by an old colonist to the people of New Zealand, and more especially to the people of Auckland. Its present value is about .C10u,00l), and in probably f>o, or say IUU years, it will ho the centre of a large city and be a property of enormous value, f can see no good ronson why the Government should not have provided for remission of duty in this little Hill. With regard to tho remark made by the Minister as to the necessity for special legislation, I do not see what difference it would make if this particular property was specially mentioned hero. The evident intention of tho Hill is to prevent parties in future from compelling the Government to refund certain duties, as happened in tho IHlworth case. I think it would be very much safer for the trustees in the Cornwall Estate to have this Hill made to specially apply to that gilt. If the duty has to be paid in tho first instance, and then to be refunded, the trustees will have to get money to do this from some outside source, for they havo no revenue available for the purpose. It won id he much hotter if the Hill were amended in committee so as to include Cornwall l’ark amongst exemptions from duty. 1 hope the Minister will see his wav to do this. 1 ' Mr Carroll (Native Minister) : “ I regret that the lion, gentleman who last spoke should have been rather sceptical as to the intentions of the Government with regard to this Hill. I can assure him that it is not the intention of the Government to exempt itself from any of its liabilities. As to the 'proposal to make this Hill refer specially to the Cornwall l’ark gift, all that 1 can say is that the committee can settle that point itself. On the broad ground I consider that it is not desirable to have retrospective legislation, especially in matters of this kind, but if the committee insist on any special clause being put into the Hill to deal with the Cornwall Hark gift I should not oppose it, but I think the other course, namely that a sum of money be placed on the estimates to cover amount of stamp duty, is preferable. 1 can add very little to what lias already been said by lion, gentlemen in their remarks with regard to tho munificent and noble act of Ur. Campbell. I can only say that any country would be rich indeed if it had in its possession men of his high character and generous instincts.”

LAUNCH FOR GERMAN GOVERN- - MEAT. Mr R. Logan, sen., of Auckland, has the new oil launch which he is building to co the order of Mr G. Kronfeld, for the ) lc German Governor at Samoa, almost ready pj for hum.dung. The vessel has a very Yn handsome appearance on the stocks, and nl , the workmen aro now busy with the th interior arrangements. The launch is on 0 f the diagonal principle, and all the timbers w ; used are of kauri, nothing but the best of S p material being used in iicr construction. cl - Sho is SOft long. 16ft beam, draught Oft. t j, She is to be a twin-screw vessel, fitted with two Union oil-engines of 30 horse- ac power each, by Messrs V . A. Ryan and g] Go., and is expected to develop a speod of q eight knots. On decks amidships is the w main saloon, the officers’ quarters being 0 f aft, which arc to be handsomely fitted up. \ The vessel will bo rigged ns a fore-and-aft al schooner. n< SPORTING. C; The spell of line weather with which C 1 we have been favored during the past fort- w night has enabled trainers at Ellerslic to L send their horses along. The Hawke s s e Bay Guineas candidates in training at y other centres will have to be at their very “ best to beat the Auckland-trained Xonette, B who is at present in tip-top condition. C Gisborneites will be interested to hear s£ that- the hurdler Hairtrigger, whom I wired a , as having changed hands last week, has fc gone to Invercargill, Mr Baird being the a . purchaser at TleO. n On the subject of paying dividends on X. the first and second horses. “ Pha-ton," in q the Auckland Herald, states : —“ When L the question of paying dividends on the t ’ first and 'second horses was mooted, titc a probability of the new system bringing *• about a marked increase in tot-alisator I receipts was not, I think, very generally t anticipated, but the results at the recent c meetings promoted by the W ellington ;1 Racing'Club and Canterbury -Jockey Club q respectivelv have clearly established the , fact that such willfollow. A iewed from a f revenue-raising standpoint, therefore, it is j quite in order to find the authorities of | the various clubs making announcements ( to the effect that they intend to adopt the new system. It will be very interesting ] to note the effect the paying of two divi- . fiends wili have when a race is popularly , summed up in favor of one particular horse. On occasions, even when fields have been large, one horse has been made a strong odds-on favorite. Now, my impression is that in many cases under the two-dividend system the pressure—or. it l would perhaps be more correct to say, the favouritism —will be less pronounced, for many speculators will let the presumed moral go unbacked, and risk their money in the endeavor to find the second horse. PERSONAL. Mr F. Teat has recovered from his recent indisposition, and leaves for Sydney by the Elingamite to-morrow. ' Miss Florrie Barns, a leading lady of the Sheridan Company, now playing at Gisborne, is a well known visitor to that place. . . . Mr Sheridan has not previously visited Gisborne, although he has been several times through the colony. Gisborne is not held in favorable repute by theatricals owing to the danger of the boat passing on, although this danger is much exaggerated. THE BILLIARD CHAMPION. There is a prospect, I understand, of Roberts, the champion billiard player, visiting Gisborne at an early date, the necessary guarantee asked by him having been assured,