The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 186, 20 January 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1877.

Ajioxost flie chief .sources of revenue that the newly-created County will have may bo set down licenses of various hinds, all of which will go to swell the County fund. Included under this general head will be publicans’, auctioneers’, and others. At the present tune a great deal of doubt exists as to what the future privileges of licenseholders will be, and we wish to dray/ the attention of members to the fact, prior to their next meeting. Taking auctioneers’ licenses as a beginning, it will be necessary, we perceive, for Councillors to definitely ascertain whether they must make new regulations and fix fees, or whether the old Ordinances obtain for the present. The new Acts are so complicated, that, we confess ourselves unable to decide the mat tor in any authoritative way. As far as wo can see, the Council will have power to make any new rules in this respect that they tVnk fit, Lut we may ho in error notwithstanding. As the fees, whatever they may he, come into the Comity exchequer, it would he only reasonable to suppose that such was intended by the Legislature. Another difficulty will arise out of the license question, which is that the County consists of portions of two provinces, in which considerable. variation, under their respective Ordinances existed, and the difficulty of reconcilement would he great. It would seem reasonable, then, to infer that the arrangement and adjustment of licenses of various kinds, must he one of the first duties of the Council. It is also fair to suppose that any licenses issued under the sanction of the Council will run throughout its length, and this being admitted, there will bo a great increase in their number, and consequently material additions to the County revenue. With reference, to publican’s licenses, the same remarks will apply. As a matter of course the Licensing Court will sit as usual, and the Act he carried out as usual, but the question agsin comes, whether the County Council has, or has not, a right to alter or amend Ordinances in force, or lately in force? We only refer to these matters in order that members, before meeting again, may bo prepared to deal with them. Like Columbus’ egg, standing on end, it may ho very simple to deal with, whim explained, though puzzling till a clear exphm.'ilmn ?< afford.-]. County jv;i■ s■ is all on all u.eec;-.;ary mov tact

Provincial fun is have luilotl; and pro s i don fur raising them is materially necessary, so as to obtain the largest amount with the least taxation. The question of income, is one that must materially engage the attention of mam bars, for there are nuinlrn-loss works to do, and any amount of funds ran be profitably expended . As licenses generally will f'nn a very large portion of that income, their arrangement should he one of the first duties of the Council.