The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 168, 18 November 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1876.

In order that our readers may be kept au courcmt with late legislation, wo propose, from time to time, to give abstracts of the Acts passed during the late session, and shall do so till wo have exhausted all that can have any interest in this part of the colony. Amongst the most important, next to Abolition, are the “ Financial Arrangements,” ami the “ Waste Lands ” Acts. The first, as a sequence to the “ Abolition Act.” wo give the pas to. In the first place the Laud Fund of the various districts is subject to charges for survey and the cost of Native Courts. Also, to interest and sinking fund of the permanent debt of the district; with interest on moneys expended on railway construction with subsidies to County Councils, Road and River Boards; with General Assembly uppropiiations to primary education, the maintenance of hospitals and charitable institutions, and museums. As far as railways go, oar land fund will not be liable for some years to come, bhould the Laud Fund of any district

not bo ecj_Ui.il to the above charges, theColonial Treasurer is authorised to make up such deficiency by the issue of Treasury bills, and debit the district with the same. After all charges are paid, the balance is thus to be disposed of: “ Three-fifths in the proportion of ..he several counties, or parts of counties in the district ; two-fifths in proportion of the subsidies payable to such several counties.” This is, to our thinking, a somewhat hazy explanation, but we quote it entire for our readers to understand as best they may. The permanent debts of a district are all outstanding provincial loans on Abolition corning into force. Provision is made whereby all River Boards—we presume the term embraces Harbor Boards—will receive annual subsidies from the General Government equal to the amount of rates collected. Each County Council will get a sum equal to one-half of the rates received, or one-half of the total rates received by the Road Boards within the County, whichever of the two sums bo greater. Road Boards will receive n sum equal to one-half of the sum so received by them. For five years, “ but no longer,” to quote the exact phraseology of the Act, Borough. Councils, an annual subsidy equal to the rates collected is to be paid from the Consolidated Fund, and to County Councils and Road Boards; a sum equal to that payable to them out of the Laud Fund. At the same time the Colonial Treasurer is authorised to deduct from such subsidies, pro rata, such sums as will make up the sums appropriated by the General Assembly for the maintenance of hospitals and charitable institutions within the several districts, The Patea district will not trouble the Treasurer's calculations much in this respect. Temporary advances may be made by the Treasurer to any of the above public bodies. Provision is made fur taking over provincial buildings or other property, and crediting their value as against any existing liabilities. Gold, duties are payable to the several counties in which they arc raised. Revenues accruing from fees, or other similar payments in respect of publican’s licenses, licenses for billiard rooms, for music or dancing halls, auctioneers’ or hawkers’ licenses, dog taxes, &c., are to be paid to the County or Borough within which they may be taken out. Dog taxes are to be exacted throughout the colony. Fees or rents from powder magazines are to bo paid to the Consolidated Fund, but fines in connection with diseased sheep are to revert to the County, as also any penalties paid for breaches of Oovmfcj bye -lawn, Jjoi'ouftho ating any lines paid for offences against their bye-laws. Provincial railways are to be valued and taken over. The first subsidies payable to the various bodies are to be calculated this year half-yearly, that is to say till the 80th of Juno next. Should the whole of the Counties Act not be in force in any districts, the County Council are compelled to divide the County fund between the various Road Districts. On the olst of January next, and on or before the Ist of May in every year afterwards, Councils uad Boards must transmit a correct return of rates received, and also of all rateable property within their several districts, and in default of doing so will receive no subsidy. All subsidies payable to Boroughs and Road Boards within County limits will bo paid through the County Connell. On the Abolition Act coming into force it is provided that all Provincial officers become General Government officers, and the Government have power to retain their services at the same sahrics as they have previously received. A sum of £45,000, charged on the late provinces of Nelson and Marlborough, is to bo deemed a loan to those districts, —to Nelson, £35,000 ; to Marlborough, £IO,OOO, The above is a fair abstract of this impovtaut Bill, which will no doubt bo of great interest to the residents in the district. There is one matter that it might ho advisable for the Town Boards of Carlyle and Hawera to enquire into. As will be seen, provision is made for subsidising County Councils, Road Boards, and Boroughs; but Town Boards arc not nu ntioned, and they seem to occupy the position of being neither fish, flesh, lowl, nor good red herring, as the old saying has it. Whether they will be classed as boroughs or not is doubtful, avid, should they not bo, they will be out in the cold as far as subsidies go. The matter is one that, we have no doubt, the bodies in question will take up without delay, for it is an all important one. In our next issue we will give an abstract of the now Waste Lands Bill, a measure that will materially affect this distinct.