THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1874.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 278, 3 July 1874, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1874.

The ' Otago Daily Times ' last week informed its astonished readers that it had been from time to time urging the reduction of the gold duty, but " we " have been but partially successful." Then, wo suppose, because the redaction has been obtained without its ef-

forts, and while it was dreaming about Sabbatarianism, ecclesiastical abuses of power, and the like, it—-rthe great leader of opinion—does its best to destroy what has been done, not scrupling to make self-ignorance the groundwork ..P.f.its attack upon.the Gold Duty Repayment Urdinance just assented to by the Superintendent on behalf of the Governor—saying, in as plain. language ns.it dare, .that the Bill should nevei'theless.-be: disallowed.'.Our' encyclopedical contemporary states that, although the Bill, has been assented to, it was not before the words of the original, "'the passing of thW "Ordi- " ' nance,' had been; made to give place " to 'the Ist day of August,; 1874,' " .which will prevent its operation until "then, the assent of the Supdrinten- " dent notwithstanding." / "The fact was so far from anything having been madeto'give way, that the amendment referred to was introduced by those in favor of the reduction, so that the Banks should not be. allowed to reap the benefit oh all the gold in hand; which benefit the Government and those opposed, to the reduction—including the ' Daily Times ' —were most anxious they should get* in-order, to be able to "damn the same, motion, when it came up agaiu the- year, following." There was no occasion to pass an Ordinance at all. The item voted by the • Council shouldphiiye been? placed on ;the Supplementary"Estimates, and included in the Appropriation Bill, for it , was merely a voting of a portion of ; Provincial land revenues for a special (purpose. Our contemporary istates the position as being tantamount to this :< " You (the General Assembly of " -New Zealand) won't further reduce our gold duty, and so we will take " the matter into our ow,n hands and, in spite of you, reduce it for our- " selvesand then appeals to its readers, asking, "Is it likely the Go- " vernor will allow thevexpressed de-. " cision of that body to-be'ridden over "or evaded in -this manner ?"•: .iNqw, as there has been no express decision !on the point-''by - the Assembly,; we hardly see howJ it can be ridden over or evaded. To give our new Goldfields advocate—it' is--refreshing bow such crop up nowadays—a little information on the point, we will state the exact position of the Statutes on this matter of gold duty. . First of all, ,we i find that the Public Revenues Act of i 1867, clause 5, states that "all reve- " nue now or hereafter so legally; pay'f able, which shall be'derived from .the '• following sources, that is to sayi:—l. " —(All loans, &c.) 2. All the reverb nue arising within any-Province iin- " der the provisions of the® Goldfields i' " Act, 1866,. and -the Gpld''Duties! Act, l \ 1858, whenever 'and so 4 long as .the ,£ i powers vested in the Governor under "the provisions of'the Goldfields; Act,: " 1866, shall not be delegated td the " Superintendent or.Executive Council "i of such Province. 3. . . .1. " .

4. .■ shall be vtakem and "• deemed '•to, >})e- part v of; b>ei\-Majesty's ". revenue of the Colony of New Zealand, and the Pub- " lie Account to the credit of the Spe- " cial Fund,' and shall be.a'ppropriated '" jin the manner directe'd" by. any Act' "or Acts appropriating the same, or '".in such manner as the General;As- " sembly shall direct." Clearly implying that where, such powers are delegated the provisions of the Gold Duty Act of 1858 are simply applicable to, and to be regulated by, the Provincial The Gold Duty Act of 1858, clause. 3, enacts that 1 " The; revenue arising from ' such duty shall ''■ not be deemed to be J Customs reve"'uue within li fche meaning of the Ordi- " nary 'Eeveuue Act of 1858,: but it " shall be lawful for'the Governor, to " defray thereout all the expenses authorised for the government of the " IGoldfields, and the surplus "(if any) " shall be deemed and taken.to .be re- " venue arising from the disposal and " occupation:- of waste" lands' of the " Crown within the Province Jin which " such Goldfields are situated," clearly showing that the duty is to be Provincially levied, .to.refurid to Provincial account thejeitraordindry.®charges incurred in the management of new Goldfields. The reason why this last clause is* inserted in : the Gold .Duty Act, exemptingthe dutyfroni the operation of the Ordinary lieyenuerAqt of the same year'is- that 'that-Act enacts, inclause 3, that " all- costs,' charges, " and, expenses of or incident to -the management, " of the ordinary,"revenue o£ : the Co- " loay as defined;b ; and of " every part thereof, shall 1 b'e 'provided " for. and regulated, frdm 'tim,e.,tovti me,> " by laws to be passed by the General " Assembly for that purpose." Many seeing that clause in ari Act in constant reference would, at. once assume that the Provincial Council had ex- ? ceeded its power in rebating a portion of-the gold duty-—being ignorar? l of the special exceptiou under Duty Act of 185 s, ratified again in the Duly, Act of 1870, clause 2 of which stales ''that-Wherever in tie Public " lie venues Act, 1867, or any Act " amending the same, or ia the County " of Westlaiid Act, or any Actamend- " ing the same, or in any other Act, " the Gold Diityj4yifrT)f iSSB is men- " tioned or referred to, then, on and " after the coming into "operatiphj of " this Act, sucli'Act shall be' deemed " to apply a>ad ( rePer to ; this. Act," , laying down quite'clearly tb^t"the exception of "gold revenue collected 'under the Act of f'rom the'special con- . trot of the .Assembly un I'er the Ordinary Eeveiue Act of 1858 and' the Public Revenue Act of 1867, is distinctly applicable to the amended Gold Duty Act oj 1870. The framsrs of our Statutes have most jealousy endeavored to prevent the great abase we have allowed ourselves to « into, ;„pf contributing some £30,G.)0 direct taxation in the

Province cf Otag.o' in excess of the special expenditure necessary. This anfortunateposition the 'Daily Times'' of the period would willingly keep the Goldfields in for ever. Such professions of zeal for the Goldfields can now > be better estimated at their true value, and for this we are indebted to the Government for endeavoring to get, the. Provincial -Council's decision burked by .introducing a special Ordinance. instead of introducing the sum into the Appropriation Bill. Fortunately, the effort is not likely to be SUCCeSSfuI.

The Claimant has lost four stone since his incarceration. Is Queensland the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill has pa&sed. '

Late English telegrams report that the Bank rat eis reduced to per cent." -

A Bill has been introduced at Adelaide for a free interchange of colonial products. The English mails via San Francisco and Suez may be expected at thedistrict post offices on Tuesday morning next. ; The ' New Zealand Times' says that the Hon. Dr. Buchanan has resigned hisjseat in the Legislative Council. ■ ' Fish and faction may well take heart We note in an Australian Legislature no less than Jive no-confidence motions - have been

negatived. _ -' ■■■■■: Aproposal was to be discussed in the Canterbury Provincial Council' this week that Sunday trains should run on all lines of rails way in the Province.

The New Zealand horses who have been no- : minated for the Melbourne Cup have been weighted .as follo'ws : :0-Lurline, Bst 111b. ; Ca-, lumpy, Bsfc.j Papapa, 7st 51b ;• VV aimea, 6st. Messrs. Inder and George will sell next week the goods damaged at the late'fire on Mr. Busch's premises; and, on Saturday, shares in the Naseby Water Works Go." and a variety of sundries. •

Last week the Superintendent visited Riverton to turn the first sod of the Eiverton railway;-. . .The contractors are the Messrs. Proudfoot, who, by an advertisement |in our columns,: are calling for hands. •; .-,i i ! Dubxng the ensuing session at Wellington we have arranged for the supply of the very latest Parliamentary intelligence direct from Wellington on our publishing nights, for our Friday and Saturday mornings' editions. - Through the courtesy, of the PostmasterGeneral, we are in receipt of a most complete 1 postal card, folding for the waistcoat giving all the mail information for 1874 by all " routss to England and the Continent - also, with complete scale of postal charges, almanac, &c. . ... ; ■ .

A PUBLIC MEETING is called for, -Monday evening, at the Masonic Hall, .at 8.30 p.m. We understand the meeting is called more particularly in reference to .the Eailwaiy Eeserve proposed to be the security - for the large Provincial w;orks proposed by the Eeidi Government. ' = i

During the yeai*, the report ;of the Otago | and Southland Investment, Company; shows' fan available'total of £6,156, including j£4lo i brought ironi last accounts, and recommends : a dividend at the rate ■of : 10 per cent.' per an- ; num, and an appropi iation'of £SOO as a reserve.; " .' ■ . - : i.-- i

- Cartayne, the mariager of th'e Union Bank, has been fined £lO, for disobeying,an 'order under the Matrimonial Causes Abt, by neglecting to up money in the bank: It was contended that the money -was : not goods or chattels. The case was appsale'd against. ' :

The ship Otago, on her passage Home, encountered a terrible gale on 10th April. r She lost all boats,'spars, stock, and portion of bul : warks. >; The- ship was lying some time iwith her lower yard-ams, under water. On the following day she rescued the crew of the barque Arthur in a sinking condition, j and landed fchem at'Dai'tmoufch. I

The severe dry weather we have experienced throughout the winter on Wednesday last broke up, a steady rain' setting in, ; followed up at night by a slight fall of snow. It is to be hoped that we shall have a cohtin-; uation of broken weather, otherwise l the prospects for mining in the spring and sum- - mer cannot be considered at'all promising.-

The first anniversary of the Naseby branch 'of the H.A.C.B. Society will be celebrated by a ball and supper in the' Masonic Hall, on Tuesday,-21st July, 1874. . The members are so well known for their successes in social entertainments that a pleasant meeting may be counted upon—inaugurating many Ano-ther-annual commemoration of the-young Waseby branch. i,; ■ ,

The days for the nomination of Mayor; and Councillors for the Municipality of Naseby are fixed by advertisement in another ': column. The retiring Councillors are Messrs . Brookes, Wilson, and de Lautour. Tt is time .our civic burgesses were showing their colors.' It would be a very unhealthy state of matters civic if there were to be no interest displayed "in the matter. Ratepayers should remember that they have to pay for their whistle, at thef same time having'the choice in their own hands.

... Oujb cori'esponden i at Maerewlienua .writes from that fieldlho frost here has'-been more severe than the: oldest resident remembers. The races are all frozen up, and consist quently no water is coming in. is exceptionally drr, no rain havin \/?iillen here for some time—scarcely domestic pm-poses since Christnxyjvr i 1 ti is field requires water brought some of the main' streams, such -is the Otekaike ?or Kakanui. We have plenty of payable ground, but no adequate water supply. i We have 1 been shown by Mr. M'Connochie, of St. Bathans, some admirable gum boots, spe/r.lly ordered from the best markets at tj*jme by that enterprising gentleman. The - ippers are double, and made of an entirely new style, to special order, as being more suitable to the. requirements of the district. Having laid in a very heavy stock of drapery and other goods, Mr. M'Connoshie informs us it is his intonuon to start a wholesale warehouse as soonas the much delayed "sale of the St. Bathans township is a decided fact. The drapers of Naseby have laid in a stock of the first consignment of goods. We should recommend an inspection, as future shipments are expected.

Messes. Lees ahd Moore, an enterprising firm at Oamaru, who. .have. largo and wellconducted meat-preserving works at that town, have turned their attention to the supply of plum puddings for the G-oldfields.' It appears that a, very great deal of line suet is obtainthese works, 'and it is thought that it can be better turned to account in the .manufacture of puddings, to ba tinned and cooked, only requiring ten minute's boiling over the camp fire to give off the actual .beingand full aroma of the Christmas plum-pu'dding. The experiment made turned out a complete success. .Whether it will be followed up on a large scale we cannot tell.

An extraordinary meeting of the EA 0.8. Society was held on Monday i last in St." Joseph's schoolroom, Dunedin. There was a large .number.-of the brethren present. The President, Brother Bunny, occupied the chair. Three new members were initiated. It was announced that the Rev. Father Oowley was appointed chaplain to the Society by his Lord-

ship Bishop Moran. The announcement "was warmly received, as was also Father Crowley himself, who was present during a part of the proceedings, and expressed his gratification at being connected with the society in this capacity. After several other matters of a routine nature had been discussed, the meeting adjourned.— * G-.iardian.' Fbom Maerewhenua we learn that on the 25th Howe and party: received a communication through .their,..solicitors from-' -Messrs. Borton and M'Master, making an overture to come ■to terms—offering, if. the miners at. Maerewhenua will cease work for from three to.five weeks,- they, will einploy-what menthey may require at current rates. We do not see much in that j necessarily, in the busy season, they must employ what men they may re--1 quire at current'rates. Messrs. tßorton and M'Master are evidently afraid ot the bogie they-have,raised,and "would now readily, if they could, get. out of the difficulty. It would certainly appear to us:.that'.theyi(would"have acted more candidly in at once accepting the overtures made by-the Government: to sendthe case—which is not an exceptional one : —to the Appeal Court. We do-not know whether Messrs. Howe and party intend to, accept the overture made them. <

The ' Guardian 'of .Tuesday-last understands that.it.has been decided by the committee of management, of- the Colonial Sank of Uew Zealand to name i a 1 uniform day i throughout the. provinces for closing the lists > iof applications for shares. This decision has been arrived : at in. consequence of representations by the deputation to the Northern provinces-,,. The feeling appears general that the applications 1 from each' of ■ the • provinces* will ! be fully equal to-the number to which, upon : the basis of-population, they would;-be'en-' ..titled;, thus, it ..would ;Jbe' unfair to allot'to Otago the whole number applied for, until it I is. definitely known what the--requirements of >th? otherprovincesjamo'unt to.. The applica-; I: tirins in Dunedin alone yesterday amounted to over 12,000 shares, making a grand total for this province of over 100, COO shares applied for. The prospects so far, we .hear, are most en'-' couraging, and promise 'that the bank 'will start with a--widely spread proprietary, emr, ■ biacing every- claBS iin the' community. The' day fixed for finally closing the share'-lists is Tuesday, the 21st July. S i•. The . following note -.of Hamilton gold'has' l 'been kindly handed to us:—Proceeds of 31.860z5. gold,- forwarded to the Royal Mint,'? Melbourne,-by the Provincial Government of iOtago,;;for, mintage, s on account of Messrs. Nicholls and Udy, Mount Ida:— s i , , j . Amountas per. mint note -;i '; '';V.t'.-v£s28 4 17 4 " Less charges as under:— ' Duty on 32ozs. } at 25.... £3 4 0 Freight . 0 4 0 Insurance and stamps ... 0 7 9 • Exchange .... .■■■■.:■ 012 10 —4 8 7 Ifett proceeds' .. ' ... £124 8 9 Dunedin," 10th Juiie, 1874. .Mint Note:— ; !' Rough—Weight before melting ... 31.86 • ~ ■ ' Do. after ' do' '... 31.62 ' Standard-gold: .<■ ■ ... 33.304 i * Silver- 030; ,! ' ■ Assay report 19655- { Standard gold at £3l7s. 10|d.... £129 jl3 7 Fine silver,-at 55... j. O'J. 7

; ■ 129 jlo 2 Mint charge - 0 >l3-11-i .Li j Mintvalue... ' 129' 1 3 Deduct discount, 7 per cent. 8 <• 1 : days .. ' "... ' ' ... ... o 3 11"

■ , £l2B 17 -4 The Naseby* A-thenasum Committee met oil Monday, evening last. .Present Messrs. •Barron, -Inder,; George, ■ Cooper, Lory and Woodhill. -Mr.- !Barron was voted to the Chair.—The' minutes; of last meeting were read and An, apology for absence /was received from Mr. Uusch, - the permanent Chairman.—Accounts to the amounts, of £7 7s. were passed for payment. —Resolved, That all cheques be signed'by the Chairman and Treasurer,' 5 and that the other rules be adopted. : —Resolved, That r a deposit of ss. be made on ■ each-boob taken from the< library, 5 instead of 10s., as formerly:—Resolved, That three weeks be allowed to read a book, instead of !two-weeks, as formerly.—Resolved, That the subscription be 15s.' per annum, Bs. .'halfyearly,: and 55.; in advance. —Notice of motion by Mr. Cooper, That an.nual subscribers-have - the 1 ; use ,of ; the : library freej providing that not less than two of the ; Committee sign the recommendation, ;and be responsible for 1 the works .taken out of the 1 of motion by Mr.- Woodhill, . That the-annual subscription to'i the reading-room be'. 108.,-: and- that .the annual | subscription to..the library be 10s.—Notice of i motion by Mr. Woodhill, That the benefits of this institution, be extended to youths under eighteen years of age on payment of an annual subscription of lOsi—Resolved that the Secretary send invitations to the resident clergy:men, asking them to become 'honorary members • of the Naseby • Athenajumi—Resolved, that the Secretaiy, advertise rthe ' new- scale of charges for reading-room and library.—A special meeting was held the same evening, when it was resolved that the annual to' the reading-room be 10s., and to thelibrary: 10s. " -

.Last'-week.- our paper. bristled witWriyrC' pounding notices:? Gn: instance, the threat was Stray? horses and . cattle on Ithe Mount Ida Paptcrt&T ■ Company's run, iten horses being to'the Ewebum Station yards focJsSie night, to go on through Hyde Pound tlie next s day ; . The o^wners "appeared noi to be'very anxious in i ter, preferring to release. their animals through, the •! poundkeeper in' the usual way rather than accept the terms. • Of"' course. a pastoraltenant—and. the compauy ; is merely a pastoral tenant—has a perfect right to protect the grass .he pays a rent for, and can quite legitimately impound' trespassing stock. , In this case we hardly think the* manager acted-wisely in pouncing on ten horses, the owners of whom do their best to keep them near the town. , Horses .that are used legitimately for, business and packing purposes might 1 very well have been left un-" disturbed. ■ At any rate, the abuse has not been very great,-considering that every township must employ a number of horses, and that Naseby. existed long before the Mount Ida Pastoral and therefore the liability of the run to have, to graze a certain amount of stock"was'well known at the time of sale, and, no doubt, affected the price. The position seems -more to be, from the manager's point of view: You people are agitating for land that you do not want—tliat is not good for you. You cry to me for more liberty. My predecessor scourged you with whips, but 1 "will scourge with scorpions. The Company, . at ; their outset, proposed to be intending benefactors of the whole people "We even hear.officially that the whole of the' Jijveburn and Eden Creek runs belong to the people of Kaseby. Really, if this mg continues, as threatened, it will be almost believed that the interests of the Coinpany and. those of the people of Naseby, though both bona fide, are not quite one and the same thing—a fact that we-lon* ago ventured to hint. The charges claimed on the horses by the manager are, -we learn, £6 rKI a • eS i & "- ' w wil lf o me to about 13s . , • -An intended raid over every part do not know—for next week. '