POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 79, 13 December 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(own correspondent.)

Wellington, yesterday. The Gisbortis Harbor Sill, the rating clauses being excluded.

In reply to a question Major Atkinson said it was impossible to introduce a bill this session for the purpose of imposing a license fee on tobacconists. In reply to another question he said that the Government would carefully consider the question of endeavoring to make absentee owners of property in New Zealand Hontribiitc a proportionate share of taxation, but nearly the whole of the £5,000,000 of property so owned by absentees was money leut on mortgage.

a SIINIBTBMAL SIATSMENT.

Major Atkinson on Friday said ba desired to make a statement with respect to business which the Government said he would ask the House to agree to this session. The Public Works Statement would be delivered on Monday evening at half-past 7, and the Government hoped to be able to resume the financial discussion on Wednesday, together with the consideration of the Estimates. There Were several bills oh the order paper; but sdme of them were not of. great moment. Four policy bills which the Government considered of considerable importance, would be proceeded with, namely, the Land Act Amendment Bill, the Government Railways Bill, the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, and the Naval Defence Bill. There were also the native policy bills coming down from the Legislative Council. It was proposed to drop most of the other billa-on the order paper, but the Slaughter-house Bill, the Pharmacy Bill, the Civil Service Reform Bill, the District Railways Purchasing Bill, and the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill, would ba proceeded with if possible. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill and the South Island Native Reserves Bill would also be proceeded with, and he would ask the House to pass the Property Tax Bill referred to in the Financial Statement, The Municipal Corporations Bill would be dropped, but there was another bill coming from the Legislative Council, which the Government would ask the House to consider. The Government hoped the business of the session would be concluded by Tuesday week, so that members could have an opportunity of reaching their homes before Christmas.

In reply to questions from several members Major Atkinson said the Government would proceed with some other bills if time permitted.

Sir Julius Vogel said he was at a loss to understand how the Premier would be able to transact all the business he had indicated by Tuesday week. They were asked to do in ten days what should take a whole session.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEASVBBS. The Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill provides, inter alia, as follows:—“The provisions of the 21st section of the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1886, shall apply in cases where a part only of a district desires to raise a loan under the original Act. Where under the original Act it is desired to raise a loan for the benefit of part of a district within which such loan is to be applied or expended, such part of the district shall form a 'continuous area.” A proposal to raise a loan under the original Act is to bs deemed to be carried if not less than three-fifths of. the votes of the ratepayers are recorded at the poll. The Council of any borough of not more than 4000 inhabitants may borrow, or combine with any other local body conjointly to borrow, £2OOO in one year for sanitary or water supply purposes. The Bating Acts in force are to extend to rates raised under the original Act. Loans are to be secured on a special rate to be levied for securing payment of interest and sinking fund. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill provides that th< Treasurer shall only advance loans to loos! authorities after approval of the plans of the public works to be constructed. Rates receivable under the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, 1882, are to form part of the security for the debentures issued under the BoaCe and Bridges Construction Act, 1882, and are to be available in respect to debentures converted tinder the original Act, and rates struck under the Bonds and Bridges Construction Act are to continue to be raised in respect of debentures converted under the original Loans Act. The Local Bodies Loans Act, 1886, or any other Act empowering a local authority to borrow money, is to be read with the original Act, The final clause reads as follows:—" It is hereby that when a local authority has adopted, or shall hereafter adopt, the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1886, the power to borrow money under the original Act, and raise a special rate as security shall be deemed to to have been exercised under the original Act and the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1886, without complying with the provisions or requirements of any other Act relating to such power."