ECCENTRIC LEGISLATION.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1168, 17 April 1874, Page 4

ECCENTRIC LEGISLATION.

["WESTIORT EVENING STAB.]

The gentle inhabitants of Taranalri are at tlie mercy of a peculiar brood of provincial legislators, or haply they may, in their gentleness and simplicity, have faith in the eccentricities of their wise men in Council. At any rate they have been of late made subject to eccentric legislation. The Provincial Council of Taranaki, by the way nearly all Devonshire or Comishmcn,and evidently not unmindful of the old customs of their counties in making every novice in trade " pay colt" or footing, have passed a bill making it compulsory on every stranger opening a shop for the sale of goods within the province to pay a license of £lO. A bit of quiet despotism, but still arousing little commotion within the Province,ho\vevermuch it may be a matter for comment in other quarters. The Otago Daily Times in a recent issue says : —" Looking at the dictum of the Council from a political point of view, this is certainly one of the most arbitrary measures ever passed, we should say, in any country in the world. It isia matter of opinion if even the fthah of Persia—and lie is the most pure-bred despot we know of—would not blush to think himself a man if he '

had to sign ;v bill like this New Ply. mouth one. To look &t tho matter in a jocular senso, one would imagine that the frarner of the bill was a well-to do pawnbroker, anxious to keen outsiders away from New Plymouth, and prevent opposition in his cent, per cent, business. The idea of any stranger paying £lO to open a shop in that province, is so ludicrous that we are almost inclined to think that the message must be a joke at the telegraphist's expense. If all we hear of the shopkeeping in ]>iG\v Plymouth is correct, there are many persons there who would bo only too glad to " take in " any stranger and give him £IOO instead of £lO to take some of the shops off their hands."