THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1875.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 335, 6 August 1875, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1875.

To die or .not to die is the sole question of general interest in .Wellington at ■"present.-'. An. implacable and stolid '-Government say die, and fix the date of ! expiration the Ist of November. iThe devoted, if not: entirely , disinterest edj 23, say Never, -arid-Select their strongest to by all means impede the •passing,of. the. Abolition Bill. Not, however, content with assertion, Min- r isters submit'to'Parliament and th£ country most elaborate and carefuliy. 'framfedaneaswesSto attain Jthe much desired end.

'After the delivery' of the financial -Statement on Friday, evening last all -deubt -was afcan end. No. .Ministry could detain office if.tb.ey were defeated Qifc.the- rejection of ..a ..measure which would ;necesatate,an entire. : recasting of their financial proposals. Dr. Pol-, len's statement,Ahat his Government were anxious to' lift the question of, Abolition out jOtfjithe region. of party really meant nothing but polite small talk. -It does-not seem that there is. the Blightest-Qhance of the Government b.eing j defeated .on the principle pf Abolition. The Opposition are too much ■in? earnest to "trifle. ;It would; be trifling to court defeat on a popular measnumbers of members will vote for in the hopes of saving their sday, - while-all the time they hate the Government as cordially as Sir George Grey or Mr. Fitzherbert. More debateable ground will be selected than Abolition for the struggle. A conve-. the fate of the present Ministry will depend. The latest telegrams indicate thsi the Pinaacial Statement will be tie battle grourid over which thekmghta actual and the - -knights prospective TWiiliplay their lances,' Mt. Eeader Wood's defection from the Government color to this prabai33ity: ;f: The excuse for his defection^.that it is-proposed to localise the is so hopelessly Quixotic, that it cannot he accepted as genuine j but rather as a nice scruple brooded on over mtich'for'the ; present convenience of Opposition-consolidation. i 1 i The rb» ; all6wed. ; to apprbpnjate pl-ovisipnribr sustaining--therProxincial services for- eight months -the'present financial year, eomtnen-' : cing on : IS T ovember Ist. ' Prom-Major - Atkinson's statement the intent'bn ; must .be taken to b.e the irnmediate ' gazetting i<jf Provincial. dissolution, when the Abolition Bill receives the" sanction ofrthe .Governor; It, will jbe in the power-of the Superintendents to 1 suiripion special- meetings of their Councils before*then if such meetings are or, if they hope to : obtain assent to measures.; 5 'Be that rasy the* Abolition Bill is-not yet lawv'and will -be most tenaciously opposed-;; so much so as to very seriously 'cripple its "VStliie, if it -ever succeeds in arriving at a third reading. A imn£'organism"is Tffiot'to be snuffedout by a little human breath. Tori insect on the Vail,. ; : f r - Which moves this, way and that its Hundred - limbs, ,v '(: : <:d'yy'v'-'-' Were it a toy of mere mechanic craft It were an infinitely curious thittg! 'But jit has lifei Ordoniq,; life L . War will not be waged .directly against the "Bill; but at other 'targets, With ,a view -of placing stumbling-blocks in t ,the way of the rejd enemy; - ~ The ' iNew.Zealand Times ' of Saturday last says:—"The debate .on the -Financial Statement was- adjourned till when: it is to be resumed. Meanwhile the subject of-the Budget; and of the two Bills altering the form, of within Provinces, will be brought before the country, and an expression ,of opinion may soon be expected., The change proposed is a sweeping one.'- It is certailii to, provoke very , long and earnest debate. With such measures before the House, not to speak of other Bills promised in the .Governor's: Speech,-it would be idle io anticipate a short. session. Of course something may occur to bring the session to a close suddenly, but that is a contingency one should scarcely speculate upon."

The-Abolition of Provinces Bill and the Local Government Bill have been .described as revolutionary., measures, Ifj by. revolutionary is meant a com 7 plete uprooting-of an old system for the introduction of a new, the word is rightly-used. The Abolition Bill pro';videp that within ninety days after the' commencement .of this Act, all the iProvipces; ahali be ? abolished by proclamation. . Prom, the Financial Statement the'date of proclamation is; evi-' deniJy-.fi,xed for : Npvember Ist. of the current year. The Province of Otago wiirthenceforth be known as the Provincial District of Otago, and the other like manner will become districts. ... j

■Provinciatl Ordinances already assented to, if imaffectod by the Aboli- : tion. Bill, or not subsequently repealed by the Assembly, will continue in'force

in the respective districts in and for which they, were,framed. i..ltlis-.prdvi-.: ; l ded that all by/Superintendents will vest in the Governor, who may delegate such powers to defunct Superintendents, or any one else. So that the position would merely a change from an irresponsible and indeto a nominee and controllablS~ofi& ~ * necessary for clearness to state that the. words .Governor arid Superintendent, when used WtKfs same as Colonial Executive Council and Provincial Executive .Council. : Under the /provisions of the'^Lpcal r Government Eoad Boards arid Highway .r Districts T already m forcel are fto be distrietfe, and; are to.be converted j)y 3 proclama- ' tion into proclaimed Certain new districts are to be created under the Bill. . Each; district .ist to ihaye an elective. Board of six members, whose Chairman is to' be; appointed a Justice of the Peace. " Two,, or more districts may, on be constituted a Shire Council; such -districts from thenceforthbecoming ridings .of I the. Council.' will be endowed.with very considerable '■powers; -/r"■-:■■■'■■■{or.il * t; ■ \ Turning now- to i^dnsider:4he' - ways arid' meansiorthe maintenance of dis- J •,j^ct?,aiaa';sldiw,\'.wernfeke R <first,. ; be.;kept of the lan,d fund arising within, each Provincial District;liable to .charges r as r fonp.ws :-r-Ist. To pay charges for interest"a,nd '"sinking fund on all loans, debts, and other liabilities which at the date ~ of abolition were chargeable against th§ Prbvince.- 2nd. Cost of surveys-and land administration within i k uch -Provincial District, i .3rd;,. Subsidy. to,; governing bodies; bf ! roadvdis tricts, by way of endowment, of. ;£l-for-every.£lcollecteci_in- J rates, provided no subsidy be pair for sums received'in excess of a rate struck at- Is- in -the £. .. The residue is to be" divided into two parts —one part tp go towards promoting; and., maintaining immigration into the district, and the support arid mairitenarice of charitable institutions, iri proportion as may ba fixed. by the , consolidated fund of the Colony is jto pay a further subsidy of for £1 to the funds-of road ; districts" an<f Ttriunicjpalities on . sums. collected •by rates up to Is. in the £. Thus, in road districts wilL get £2. for £.l, arid municipalities will receive £l.for £l, and the -license fees collected!".in their boundaries.

Lastly, we turn to. Gold Eevenue., All such revenue " shall ia no'case be deemed to be from the occupation of the' waste lands -of the . Crown,, but all such revenues., shall be applied to defraying the cost, and expenses incident to the manage : ment and administration of the Gold-' fields within Provincial- District.. The Governor, in may, until the end of tte session next after the"! abplitipii, by. Order in 1 Council,'. regulate such cost, charges, and expenses." (-We quote'-fromsfchei Bill ; itseif:)i At present the revenue collected-? is in Otagoabdiit three 'cost iof management / and ; administration;; What is,to "of Jthe balanW; F I It., is notby ; the Act ..'to. be appropriated for" the; purposes of - districts, jland; The Treasurer in .his statement ; fells' us what is ■ to becbme ;: of : it' "."With regard to the Gold' Butyl may SLate that the .Government has no in-■ tention at present of abolishing or even of reducing that imposition (the italics are ours). The goidmining community are'the pioneers of th<e district' to which their pursuits lead them, and their .demands for ihe means of intercommunication are necessarily large and imperative... .The.. Government recognises the necessity of meeting these demands, and it proposes to apply the - whole of the Gold Itevenue, including the Export Duty, to the maintenance' of the roads and public' works upon the Goldfields," : : ; : " I As. so far explained it is clear from the'Bill and Statement together, . that -the goldmi ners who do not hap- • pen to be within - a Road Board District jire to be taxed.' in perpetuity 5 :per cent, onitheir-earningsjtd make roads and bridges for the tenants of -the Crown, who are to escape' scot free.. It is true there-is a,clause in the Local Government Bill that " Government land, leased or occupied under license, 'not exempt from rates," but that is' within road districts'. ' Now the majority of; goldminers are • without. road of course.all within the; Provincial District. The continuance .of special taxation under 'so plausible' a pretence of returning it, is a blot upon otherwise "a very.comhiendable scheme. This is a blot so serious that, with our present information, we are forced tb come to the conclusion that the. heaviest blo«v ever aimed at the goldminers of New Zealand 1 was the delivery of the Financial Statement ! on Friday last., • ; ■

We are in receipt, from the "Government printer, of copies of Parliamentary Papers. , The,day, of,Hall's,popular quadrilie; class has been changed from Wednesday to Thursday. ...y.,.-'; :•' : a man named Neilson was; accidentally killed in the Deborah Bay Tunnel; on Monday last. : The Notification of a ball and refreshments on Friday, the 20th inst.v by; the Naseby branch of the'H.A.C.B.S. appears in our advertising columns. i, ; The estimated revenue, for the current year is £2,355,747, to which add s.urplu's from last year, £120,466; total, £2,476,193; leaving-a; surplus over proposed expenditure of £70,793. , The sale- at the parsonage,. Ifasebyj" of household furniture; i&c.j- is fixed for[2 p.m. on Wednesday next,: the llbh.: j ■. From Tuesday's 'Guardian' fre learti that an Opposition has'been' formed, under the. leadership, of. Sir George Grey, and that' it has been ' 'to' "ris&- aIT meads tio pres-ven-frthe: passing of-'the abolition measures by a policy of obstruction. • -

Mh. de LAUTOtni, M.P.C., invites the electors to meet him at the Town Hall on I Mbndayjevening next. . A lecture will be given, under the auspices of tfie"Athenaeum Committee, at the Town Hall, on Tuesday evening, by the Rev. E. Williams. Some very daring robberies from tail races are still going on at the Naseby workings. Wepurposelyabatain from further comment The small block of land, so long surveyed, between Macraes and Hyde, is at last gaon -and after August 23rd <• The area ofthe block is"abouT 1242 acres. . ! announced by- the Blackstone Hill Committee in aid o£ the school was given on Tuesday evening The was tendance, and'the' evening passed ofif witK ■WM'.U Orl-T V 7 {, '. , : We are requested to. state-that the sutn realised! byjMeaais. - Jacob land Stephens for a ben evolerit .purpose amounts to close on £3O. •The lists still remains open', and any further contributions will b& gratefully -received by the collectors.- The collectors take this op- : : portunity: t&.:thank the public for their generosity. ;; r."i !■ r si' 7 : : ,• r Thß monthly- meeting of the'NdsebyiEire Brigade was held on Thursday night last. ." The business of tHe usual chapter.rj -A special meeting is caUed for Friday, evening (tonight),- at 9 , at: the. the object of which is to present Captaiii, Stephens -andD. Langmaak with substantia! recognitions of their services on the occasion,' >bf the fire on Mr. Busch's premises. ' TflH entertainment given on Thureday night by the Brass Band, assisted by a perfecb furoVe of talent',. wasii ;grCat success. Over 200:persotts'wcre present." Our reporter had to teare before the first part of. the i s: thrdtigh, but theaudieuce'appearedhighly pleased—Mr. Field's debut aS an amateur being especially appreciated. ' " •irn-JI ! V English . Ministers. ,have withdrawn : the Merchant Shipping in defdrericfr to' 'the strong shipping interest among their Supporters. Mr. Plimsoll said lie ' determined ;to . unnaask- the villians.vwho. ■yijerei' sending,, sailors to"' certaindeath.The . Premier .moYjed that, the ' offending "member bis'reptimahded by" Mr. ' Speaker. It was arranged he should be alloived a daylupon whicli to appear and apolc^ise— ; that is,'to sayifedidnot, what.he did, which is the mode Adopted ' l>y "public bodies,' with dignity to sustain, 'to preserve the code of individual morality. ; ;■ . The Government; intend -to leave.jEduca; tionrthroughout the Colony as it is at .present. In the Financial Statement it is said:—The (government jecognises education to be of vital importance and Colonial concern, aiid ; they; thereforsi desire to feel their . way most carefully before moving in it". "Education! is now being carried, on more, or less, success-'; fully throughout- the Colony, 1 and tile .'Government do riot desire to alter it until' they; are. satisfied they, can improve it. ' For the present year it'.is proposed to let' education matters remain .practically, as they dr'e—seeing, however,;' that proper '.provision is'made where it'is now wanting. ", While' education i? properly , a charge on the consolidated Revenue,'it is proposed thfe year tcr defey-Hhis charge, if necessary, outrf.theland'fuhd. |A 'vote for £50,00.0 takenoutof tKe 'rarpiirposes mediately satisfy the want -existing';# some part^of ; 'the poib'hy: : . 'X \' " l \v' At the weekly meeting of St. Bathans Lodge"," No. ; 78, ;; L&GtT., held joirr Tuesday, the 26th July, five candidates were j : duly: initiated as .mpmpers of the Order, t After which the following members were electecL for ;n the .ensuing quarterJßro -Richard Bro. .H. W-F.S. (fp-elected); Broj !fexy?¥es(JOtt,; -JW.y}., -' (re-elected.) ;J3ro. : G. Hastier, W.C:; Bro; D./Dakera, W.M.; Bro. iJ-- .MJKenzie, ; W.I. G.; Bro. J. Matheson, W.O. G.—the non-elective to-.be appointed next . meeting., 8r0..' John iEagle itookhia,';seat as P/W. C. T;, he filled the W. C .T.'s ' chair, with , credit,.'for two •.terms/;- Bro. ; J." M'Eachan: informed the Lodge tljatj his resignation as D.G.W.CLT. 'having .'been accepted, ,hehad,much pleasure ■in introducing- Bro. John Ewing as his suc-i-cesspr,,,his commission., having, arrived, that evening. The usual routine of business hav- ; ingfjljeen disposed, of>. the : Lpdge, waa then ".closed _m due

r . The installation of newly-elected officers,, of the Ark of Siafefcy Lodge,.'lvO.G.T.,''took place on Monday evening last: Bro. Raven, IL. D. , acted as Installation officer,; and performed the ceremony with his wonted'' ability, Despite the unfavorable state of the weather, a* good number of members assembled.'l The following are the officers for the ensuing quarterßro. : M! N. Gooper, W.C.T; ; Sister Nicholas, R.H.S.; Sister Lory, L.H.S.; Sister Green,. W.Y.T,; Bro. M. M'Nicol, W.S.j-Bro. J.-Lory, W.A J. Sped--ding, W.F.S.; Bro. W. H. Ash, W;T. elected); : Br6. "33. Nicholas, W.U. (re-elected); Bro. N. Heed, Sister Roberts,' W.ifcMfj- Bro. Mountain,' W.T.G.; Bro. Donnelly, W.O.G. Bro.'D. Barron fills i the office ; of P. W. C. T. for the current term. The 'reports of' the 'various < officers, - were.-.read, showing that -the number of members had increased to i a ;very. considerable extent; land that the Lodge, in financial matters,;, was in a very position. '■ > .r.-.1