AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 10 January 1855, Page 6

AUCKLAND.

It is rumoured that the sSth regt. has been ordered horre: but that Col. Wynyard is to remain temporarily to administer the Government. It is also stated that he has received orders from home to resign the Superintendence*, and that the vacant office will be contested for by Major Greenwood and Messrs. Brown and Beckbam. We bare received Auckland papers to the 24th j Dec,, up to which date we can find no mention j of the above important intelligence. ■ The question of the legality of taxes imposed by the city council has been raised by Mr. i Brown, who refused to pay the sum of one j pound claimed by the city clerk for the fire rate i under an act of tie city Council. The case was heard before the Eesident Magistrate. Mr. j Brown argued that the city council were not a body incorporated by charter. That they had exceeded their powers iv imposing taxes* and that the Provincial Council had no authority to give them such powers as they claimed. He said that he did not wish to oppose the payment of taxes for the improvement of the town, but that he opposed the illegal assumption of power by such a body as the city council. Mr. Brown argued that the question was beyond the jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate's Court, and that tbe Resident Magistrate should not have granted a summons. The Resident Magistrate i said that he conld not entertain Mr. Brown's objections, that it was enough for him that an Ordi- j nance had been passed by the Provincial Coun- i cil and assented to by the Superintendent. He gavejudgment against Mr. Brown; who said that he must allow an execution to be levied in order to be able to bring the case before a superior court. A great many cases have since followed of refusals to pay the tax: in each case judgment has been given for the city council, and a distraint levied on the recusants. The ease will not rest here. The Southern Cross is preaching resistance to the tax, and arguing the question very ably. The Neiv Zealander contents itself with vituperating those whom it calls the disturbers of the public peace. The Resident Magistrate is likely to have a good many actions brought against him on account of judgmeut in these ca«es. KELSON. The result of tbe a;tempt which has been n a?e to .supply ourselves with labour from the colony of Victoria has, to a certain extent, been successful. Within a week two vessels have arrived here from Melbourne, bringing between them 115 souls, for whom free passages were provided, and at a cost of little more than onethird of what would have been the expense of iheir passages from England. As An" as we can judge from i er-onal appearances, tbe majcrhy of these immigrants are a respectable body rf people, and we shall be <clad tv welcome "a few more of them in the " Spray," the owners <^f that vessel having, as we understand, entered into an errangemenl to bring persons down here on terms similar to those made with the owners of the " Alexander" and " Marchioness;" and from the present condition of the colony of Victoria, there is no doubt but thai plenty will be found willing to accept tbe free passage offered them to a Colony which, although not possessing a golden soil, has one which will more certainly yiel'l *r«hl to those who will labour t<» acquire it. — Nelson JSxatniner.