COLONIAL ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 79, 16 August 1873, Page 3

COLONIAL ITEMS.

[From Southern Papers.] AUCKLAND. August 5. The Bay of Islands election resulted in the return of Mr. Williams, who obtained 119 votes ; Lundon, 85 ; Macfarlane, 30. Mr. Buckland reports store cattle at 2s per 100 lbs. lower ; fat lambs of this season fetched 17s 6d; fat cattle dull at from 25s to 28s per 100 lbs. ; fat sheep fully 4d per lb. ; long-woolled ewes 33s 6d. TAURANGA. August 6. Mr. Commissioner Clarke’s report to the Government has produced feelings of indignation amongst the Ngatirangi tribe. The chiefs purpose communicating their sentiments to the Native Minister. Mr. Bodell reports a sale of medium hacks at £4 to £J per head. There is a large enquiry for land, especially in small farms ; 20,000 acres are enquired for. 'l'he native news inland is unsatisfactory, particularly at Rotorua. The Government having prohibit’tl land speculations and suspended land courts, the effect is to encourage C. O. Davis to obtain lands, overriding agreements made with the natives by bona fide settlers. It is creating great excitement, and engendering bad feeling amongst the tribes. WELLINGTON. August 5. The Education Bill of the Hon. the Premier has been circulated. Its main object, apparently, is to enable provinces to impose rates on the annual value or on the capital value, or a uniform householder’s rate. The latter rate would range from 10s to £3 per annum. Houses letting for £2O in town or £lO in the country, to pay 10s. Houses in either exceeding in annual value £l5O to pay £3. *

Mr. Evans Brown has introduced a Bill to prevent provincial officers, that is, Superintendents, and their secretaries, &c., from holding seats in Parliament—the present Superintendents and others exempted. The Hon. the Premier read extracts from a telegram received from the Agent-General, to the effect that immigration was promising. 1,200 immigrants in all had left in June for the colony, and five more ships were to leave in July. Colliers and tailors were to be sent out.

The Christian McCaulay [? McAusland] had sailed for Napier.

Messrs. Brogden refuse to carry out their immigration contract, and will make no concession.

Mr. Walter Johnston presented a petition from the Provincial Council of Hawke’s Bay, praying that no second Land Alienation Commission should be appointed. Iron is falling. _ The Native Lands Bill has been read a second m. ' < August 6. The Chamber of Commerce met yesterdav, and passed a resolution against the ad valorem duties.

To-day the Premier said that a payment of £1,500 was expected from Colonel Fielding, when 10,000 acres would be conveyed to him.

August 7. Last night Mr. Fox moved the second reading of the Permissive Bill. The Bill was in two parts —the one referring to public-houses; the other containing the prohibitive clauses. It is proposed to vest the power of issuing licenses in Boards to be elected by the ratepayers. In the second part it is proposed to give power to prevent the erection of public-houSes or the granting of a license, in districts where twothirds of the residents express their opposition. The argument, that the Maine Liquor Law had broken down in America was bad; the permissive principle had never been tried there.' Katene ’gave Mr. Fox credit for zeal, but doubted the practicability of the measure; he feared its effect on the revenue. ■

Mr. Vogel said that the argument in favor of power of licensing being given to the people was unsound. Licensing courts were courts of justice, which should be nominated not elective ; still he liked much that was in the Bill.

The Bill was finally read a second time on the vcices.

The Marriage with Deceased Wife’s Sister Bill passed its second reading on a division—26 to 17August 9.

The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce met yesterday to receive the report of a committee previously appointed. The report shewed that the new ad valorem duties would double the receipts. The chamber adopted a resolution in favor of a more equitable adjustment of the tariff without increasing the scale.