The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 725, 18 October 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1870.

Striking evidence of the amount of legislation got through during the last session of the House of Eepresentatives is to be found in the fact that upwards of 130 Bills were introduced, of which something over 100 were passed. We have received copies of the vai'ious bills, but it is not our intention to follow step by step the various Acts of the Session. It is certain that from the hurried manner in which the greater portion of the business was rushed through Parliament, much of the legislation will be found defective, and the business of a future session will be partially taken up in remedying the errors of the last sittings. The Payment to Provinces Bili, the Immigration and Public Works Bill, and the Defence Bill, are among the more important Acts of this Session, and a comprehensive statement of their provisions, and what they are to effect, may prove interesting. The Paj Blent to Provinces Bill alters the arrangement uuder which the General and Provincial Governments, since 1867, have divided the customs and stamp duties, and other sources of revenue generally known as the Consolidated Fund, and provides that the payments to Provinces shall be based upon a capitation grant in proportion to their respective populations. Provinces containing goldfields are to receive a special allowance in consideration of the large adult population, and the North Island Provinces are also specially treated, on account of the Native population. The payments are on a reduced sliding scale, commencing at 40s per head per annum, and decreasing 2s for five years, until the minimum and fixed rate of 30s per head of population is reached. One of the provisions of the Bill, and an important one as affecting outlying districts in which Eoad Boards exist, is that a sum of £50,000 for seven years shall be divided among all these institutions in tho Colony. This sum will be apportioned according to the relative population of the various districts and it is also provided that at least one half of the entire sum shall be distributed by the Provincial Councils according to the amount of rates collected. This provision is intended to counteract any undue political weight held by a particular district which might otherwise secure to itself a sum altogether disproportioned to its requirements or to the amount of its contributions. The propositions of the Government included in the Immigration and Public Works Bill are—to expend £200,000 in purchasing land'from Natives in the North Island, and £IOO,OOO for two years in making roads in the North Island. In the Middle Island it is proposed to expend out of moneys to be raised under " The Immigration and Public Works Loan Act, 1870," £400,000 for railways, £200,000, for goldfields' water supply, £OO,OOO, for the extension of telegraphs, leaving £140,000 unappropriated. A sum of £1,000,000 is made applicable te immigration purposes, and of this sum not more than £150,000 is to be expended on immigration prior to December, 1871. Afier that date the amount to be annually devoted to the introduction of immigrants is to be voted by Parliament.

Under "The Defence Act" the Government propose to spend £IBO,OOO during the present financial year, £160,000 for the next year, and for the three following years £150,000 per annum, At the expiration of that term the Government anticipate having permanently disposed of the Native difficulty.