AUCKLAND. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, March 6, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 26, 5 April 1845, Page 4

AUCKLAND. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, March 6, 1845.

Present all the Members. , The minutes of the last Council being read • and confirmed, Mr. Donnelly rose and wished, before the, business of the Council commenced, to make enquiries as to the disability, according to the' Rules and "Orders of Council, of non-official members introducing any Bill, find what course should be pursued, presuming such desire to exist. The Governor, in reply, read- the 'Bth 'clause of the Royal to 'Jhitn, in which it is directed that-all Bills must emanate from, or hinv'alone ; but, he observed, any Bill - emanating from any member of the Legislative 1 Council, thafccould conduced the benefit of the' colony and -would always receive his; serious* attention, and he nvould with pleasure «übmit ft to the discussion and decision of the! •whole Council. r The Governor then laid before the Council a copj|Df the Report and Resolutions of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on New Zealand, and likewise* Extracts from- a Dispatch of Lord Stanley 'to His Excellency Captain Fitzroy, dated 'llth August 1844.— -The latter was read by the- clerk of the Council, and was of considerable length, disclaiming by his* liordship, the opinions and views of the Com-f mittee, as regards the Was of the Aborigines; i. The Governor then 'said* in risiagto propose^ the first reading Spf *fike Rate Amendment Billy-he would £$Mfc the attention^? the Council for aiewjmi^^'to explain his views, which 1 were^t^awfeiiJlfe^wenue without Customs. By the mac^ii^^M^Wstoms a frame-work^ was thrown a*oum?f|fef Colony. To those acquainted with the pajkkm Df the coasts, it must be apparent that freqdpjn of access devoid of all . restrictions, would ifce^the greatest indncement to shipping, and; tfti "best mode of promoting the future commerce and prosperity of the Colony. His anxiety was, to form such a direct taxation as should lead more to future than present revenue. He was , perfectly aware that now the amount of revenue was small, but five years hence he trusted the result would be widely different. His object was not how he should' • raise the largest revenue-; but how he< could • raise sufficient for an economical- expenditure of the Colony, with a view to its furthenprosperity.; He believed it was 'thought by many, and alsoV wished by others, that the -Customs would be 're-established, but he conceived that such a measure would be most ruinous in its effects on the future commerce and progress of the Colony, and he certainly should not countenance any deviation from direct taxation. It was usual in Colonies to complain of the Home Government; -but he thought this Colony had no ground of complaint. A grant of money had been ..guaranteed annually by Parliament, Troops had been sent : and in a very few months he -reckoned -upon considerable addition in both •respects. The reason why the Home Government had not commenced on a large scale at >first, was that the expense of a steamer and troops was very great ; however, he had every just reason to expect increased assistance, and he therefore thought it incumbent to raise as much as possible among ourselves. &t had been suggested to increase the revenue by a Pdll Tax, but to that he 'thought there were very many objections, particularly as It would affect the poorest labouring classes. The Bill which he now moved, should be read a first time, ♦proposed that the rate should commence afeove £25, whether income or property. There were objections to property paying on the same rate as income, but it was impossible to avoid some evils, the endeavour was to select that measure which had the least, and he would give his concurrence to that, from whatever source it ongiiiate. The present Property Rate Ordi.nance had been anticipated to yield between £7;O0O s ahd £8,000, ljut not above £4,000 had "been realized on account of the settlers in the ''Southern settlements, excluding' from their returns all land and crops. It must not be supposed that the douWe rates in the proposed amended Ordinance would realize double the amownt of revenue. In the first year he anticipated not more than £6,000, but as soon' as the -settlers to the Southward were possessed of

their lands, which would be by tbe next yeai , the sum of £10,000 maybe fairly expected, and every succeeding year the revenue from such source would increase. The revenue from Customs had shewn very different results, for that had been decreasing. — The returns were,

In 1845, it was very probable the net revenue would not have been 9,000, with a prospect of becoming •less the following year. With respect to the amount to be named for composition in the new Bill, it had been thought that £12 was. very low under theformer Act ; he had inserted the sum of £20 in the Bill about to be read, but it Was for the Council to decide on its permanent insertion. The scale in the schedule had been carried to £30. It was quite clear, that persons would compound rather tfcan pay on the Jtl/iOO, but the schedule was so formed to determine the scale of sercharge in case of persons not compounding making false returns, yet possessed of Income and Property exceeding £1000. It had been thought that half-yearly and annual returns should' 'be made, in order that the rate should be paid by persons coming in the Colony during the tmrrent year : but lie thought that the -amount that would arise from such alteration would be but very trivial in comparison to the trouble and annoyance it might be to the general body of 'the settlers, in addition to compelling-persons'to pay taxes immediately on their arrival in the Colony ; his great desire and object were to render the Ordinance as little inconvenient as possible. For the same reasons harsh 'measures had not been taken against those who had neglected to make proper returns ; his wish was that the measure should be adopted by the settlers themselves, on account of its justice, and, if approved, become a permanent law fdr<raising a revenue, but if not, to be rejected forborne more preferable measure : but he believed -there was a general feeling in the colony te pay liberally on this tax, as the ] best source of -direct taxation,— ThcrGovernor concluded by moving, that the Property Rate j Amendment Bill be read a first time. Mr. Donnelly rose and observed, that before the question was put, he begged to submit to His Excellency and the Council, that this was not the proper time to discuss a bill for purpose of increasing the burthens of the settlers. The practice in all other colonial legislative assembrare was, to have the Estimates discussed , and settled bftfore the supplies were granted, If bills, such As it was proposed to proceed with to-day, produce teo great or too small a revenue, theTe wduld be many evils attendant: — in the former case;there would be unnecessary taxation, and in the other insufficient revenue, — but the greatest wonld be, that there would be • no means of checking the extravagant expenditure of the colony, if k the Estimates were not at once laid upon the table and considered. The Council would then have the opportunity of reducing tha expenditure to the smallest possible sum, and then they might proceed to disctigs the best means of raising the supplies; any other coarse he conceived would be unsound and unjust, and therefore he begged to move that the first reading of the Property Rate 'Amendment Bill, and of ' Licensing 'General Dealers Bill be postponed until after the estimates have been considered and passed by the Council. The Governor said, he agreed with the honor^. able member. He thought it better to discuss the estimates before the ways and means. Mr. Whittaker observed, that according to the standing rules and order in Council, amendments were to be proposed on the first reading, bat for want of information it was impossible for him at present to make them. He quite agreed that the estimates should be considered before these two Bills, as they might on discussion be much reduced, and thus they might avoid the evils of raising too much or too little revenue. The Governor said, that he so fully agreed with the two non-official members, although contrary to the practice at Home, that he should always be an advocate himself for such a course of proceeding. He had a copy of the estimates belore him, and they were likewise in a the hands of the printer, and would be ready for the houorable members by Saturday. He would just state that the proposed, amount of total expenditure for 1845 — 46, would be £26,565. The certain Parliamentary grant is £7,565, bnt he fully anticipated and reckoned on €2,435 additional, making together £10,000 from England; consequently the sum to be raised in the Colony would be £16,565. He would suggest that the Clerk should read the estimates for the information of Council. The Clerk then read the estimates in detail. Mr. Whittaker then moved for the following returns: — Amount collected under the present Property Rate Ordinance. An account of the duties paid, distinguishing each under the late Customs, on Spirits, Malt Liquors, and Wine. Sums received from Land Sales, and how applied. The Governor then laid on the table, — A Bill for authorizing Rates or Tolls, &c. To be read first time orisThursday next, the 12th March. — A Bill for levying a charge on Deeds of Grant not taken'up; to be read a first time on Thursday

the 12th March next. The Council then adjourned to 1 1 o'clock on Saturday next.

1842 1848 1844 Gross receipt. . . *1 8,000 16,000 14,000 Charge. J £4,000 a €1 Net reveuue. £14,000 12,000 10,000