The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1882.

Temuka Leader, Issue 926, 11 March 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1882.

The manner in which Mr Wills had everything cut and dry for the Licencing Committee yesterday showed that he understands the new Act tnorouglily, and that he has assiduously studied it. The care and attention which he evidently has given this new measure is characteristic of him as shown by the zealous manner in which he performs all the duties appertaining to his office. Every obstacle had been thrown in his way, and he had to complain of it to the Committee. From the report of the meeting published elsewhere it will be seen that Mr Will? did all in his power to have everything ready for the Committee. He first wrc te to the Under Secretary to the Justice Department for the Licensing Act but was told the Council should provide ic. The Council refused, and a certain member of the Council told him he (the clerk) would have to buy his own copy. He had ordered from the local printing office the necessary forms, bqfc the certain member of the Council acain inteifered and obliged Kim to counter.nand the order. He did not name the medding number whose interference. was so vexatious. Possibly lie thought the name was painfully familiar to every man in the district, and not wholly unconnected with everything that is calculated to mar its success. The result was that the clerk had not a copy of the Act when the Committee met yesterday, and had not a form to grant a transfer of the license of the Orari Hotel. The cJerk also pointed out that members of the County Council provided the ;:selves wit free copies of the Licencing Act. Of course they did j the chivalrous public spirit of some of these gentlemen never goes so. far. down as their, trousers pocket. Touch their honor, or their.---well, anything 1 but, oh 1 don't, don't touch their left hand trousers, pocket. They can dictate to others how self-sacrificing they should be., how, if they have ambition to serve the, public, they should pay for everything necessary to carry out their c!uties, but they take good care that they will have their " pound of flesh" themselves. The clerk also quoted the following portions of the Licensing Act to show that the Council was bound to bear all expenses :. Clause 53.— <; All costs and expenses incident to the taking of any poll of ratepayers under, this Act shall be paid out of the fees accruing in the Licensing District in respect of any license granted by the Licensing Committee, and shall be defrayed out of such fees by the person receiving the same on the written authority of the Chairman of the Licensing Committee of such district." Clause 109.—" The fees for all licenses granted in respect of premises situate in each Borough, or County as here in defined, aril each Road District outside of such Boroughs or Counties, shall respectively be paid do the person acting as Treasurer for such 80/ough County or Road District, and shall form part of the Borough, County, or. Road Board fund, subject, howevi r, that the Council of such Borough or County respectively, and the Road Board of mch Rond District shall, out of such fees, pay the cost of all charges for printing and advertising the necessary notices relating to the meetings of th,e Licensing Committee in such Borough, County, or Road: Pjstric-., respectively, as, also the annual cost of the travelling expenses incurred by any member of the Licensing Committee, or the Clerk thereof, in

attending any 6uch meeting." On, learned savant 1 Oh, sagacious exexplainer of intricate points of law 1 whose lucid interpretations of Poundkeeping Ordinances has bewildered the brain of a certain poundkeeper, how will you get over this ? See you not that the Council shall receive the fees subject to the payment of the necessary expenses ? We sympathise with the respectab'e members of the Council, who, no doubt, must feel humiliated, at the action taken in their absence, and against their will. We a-e glad to find that the Licensing Committee mean to insist on getting what is due to :1k m as a matter of courtesy as well as Uw, They are perfectly independent of the County Council, or any othe body—have different functions to perform—pnd it is only right that they should have power to act independently. The Committee need only order what they want, certify that the bill is correct, and the Council must pay if, and we mistake the gentlemen who constitute it tiny will not insist upon receiving the respect that is due to them as a body of men elected to administer law, as well as whatever else is necessary for the proper discharge of their duties.

Those whose habit it is to predict all m nner of calamities to this colony may possibly find the following informati<-n token from the Wellington Evening Post, somewhat soothing : —The Stamp revenue for the current year was estimated by the Colonial Treasurer in his last Financial Statement at L 150,000. But the sum actually realised for the eleven months ended 28th ultimo was no less than L 157,152, or as much as L 7,152 above the estimate for the-whole year. [f this average is maintained during the current month, the year's estimated will be exceeded by something like L 25.000. In that case, the Treasurer will have about L150,Q00 to the good on Customs and R tamps alone. To some extent ass >ciat-.'d with th' Stamp Department is that of Land Transfer and Deeds Registry, which was estimated to produce L 40,000 during the current year. The sum realised during eleven months has been L 37,047, which at the rate will be just above the estimate for the complete year. So far as we have gone the revenue is in eac 1 case on the right side —-Customs and Stamps very largely, Lanl Transfer and Leeds Registry slightly. Our next item is the other way. 'The Bi'er Duty was ca'culated to bring in L60,00Q xor the year. That would be at the rate of L 55,000, foi eleven months. But the snm realised is only L 52.840, which is L 2160 below the estimate, representing a probable deficiency of about L 2300 for the whole year. It wi Ibe remembered that last year the Beer Duty failed by L 2013 to reach the sum expected to. bo produced. Beer is evidently not such a profitable subject of taxation as Major Atkinson imagined, whether because New Zealand colonists to not drink; so much as they theoretically <>Ught, keeping in view their British origin we cannot say. The deficiency, however, is a very trifling one It may be mentioned by the way, that the Beer Duty is the only one for which the new stamps (Jescr.ib.ed in our last issue) may not be used. They may be erm>]oy.}d for payment of every other tax which is payable by stamp, but for the Beer Duty only its own special stamp is permitted to be used under heavy penalties.