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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4177, 10 August 1874, Page 2

The Hew Zealand Forests Bill, as amended and reported to the House of Representatives by the Committee on Friday night, was printed and circulated on Saturday, The Bill as it now stands consists of sixteen clauses. Its short title is “The New Zealand Forests Act, 1874.” It provides that a sum of £IO,OOO shall be paid annually, in quarterly instalments, out of the Consolidated I und to a special fund, to be called “ The State Forests Account;” all receipts from the forests shall be paid into the same account, and the laws relating to the issue of public money shall be applicable to it. The money appropriated by the General Assembly for the forests may be expended in and about their management, including planting, road making, bridge building, rents, purchases of land for forests, education in forestry of persons employed in connection with them, establishment of institutions for teaching forestry, formation of nurseries, and otherwise in the creation, improvement, and extension of State Forests. These forests are to be in the care of one of the Responsible Ministers of the Crown, who is called “the Commissioner of State Forests;” a Conservator is to be appointed (or removed) from time to time by the Governor, the engagement of the first Conservator to be for four years, at a salary to be fixed at or prior to his appointment by the Governor, and after that period to be the subject of an annual vote. There are also to be two Assistant Commissioners, engaged in the first instance for three years, at a fixed salary, and after the expiry of that term to be paid as the General Assembly shall determine. All salaries are to be paid out of the State Forests Account. : The State forests are to consist of such lands as the General Assembly may from time to time determine, and of such lands within any province as the Superintendent, on the recommendation of the Provincial Council, may recommend to be set apart for the purpose. Should it be desirable to take up any lands now under lease, the Commissioner is empowered to arrange with the holder of such lease or license for its surrender, _ any rent derivable from land so taken to be paid into the Forest Account; but if the holder refuses, the land so set apart is to continue in his occupation until the expiry of his lease or license. Portions of the forest may be leased for a period not extending beyond the year 1884, and towns may be proclaimed within their' bounds. Surplus revenue from the forests, not required for expenditure within thirteen months, may be invested as the Governor in Council shall direct, but not for a period beyond the year 1904. By-laws may be made by the Governor-in-Council for the management of the forests in every particular, and for facilitating the carrying out of the purposes of the Act, or of any one of the forests; and penalties may be imposed not exceeding £SO in each case, by any justice, for breaches of those regulations. The forfeiture of leases is also provided for, and power given to Conservators to apprehend offenders against the forest laws without warrant, and for the recovery of penalties. The Public Revenues Acts Amendment Bill introduced by the Premier is a brief measure, providing for the appointment of two Commissioners of Audit, .instead of an Auditor-. General and Comptroller of the revenue, as the offices may become vacant. The Commissioners, who must not be members of the Executive Council or of the Assembly, will hold office during good behaviour, and can only be removed upon an address to the Governor in Council from the General Assembly. The Governor in Council may suspend them during, the recess, and such suspension, if not revoked; shal 1 continue in force till the end of the next session, the Commissioners meanwhile drawing their salaries of nine .hundred .pounds per annum each. : The salaries of the'Comptroller and, tjie Auditor-General are raised one hundred pounds per, annum. The third clause of the Act provides that the balance of interests unaccounted for in the .Colony may be one, ' hundred and twenty thousand pounds of Special Funds in lieu of seventy-five thousand, 1 as provided by the Act of 1872. , Hon. members may procrastinate with business, and they may move resolutions and make, speeches which really-amount to little beside: • delay,, but; with the . Government there > is; decision and promptitude. The Immigration; and Public Ayorks Jhoan Bill .now .before, the; House is an instance of this. Only on Friday night,some,inquiries were made respecting, it,' and now we have it in print. It provides , for the appointment by the Governor in Council of two agents,, who .may borrow bn bonds, debentures, or, .upon, short, dated r debeutures| which may be exchanged for bonds debentures, the. sum of four millions, sterling, ,at a rate of, interest not to.exceed six, per cent, per annum. | Of this three millions .are proposed to’be ex-j pended:in the..construction of . railways nowj authorised, fifty thousand. pounds on public; works or goldfields, sixty thousand pounds on. ; road? in. the North : Island, five ; hundred ■ thousand pounds for immigration,' and' three: hundred and ninety thousand on other public works, such as buildings, telegraph lines,, light-; .houses, etc.- .. .. , ....... ■ .