LICENSING AND DOG TAX FEES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1724, 24 July 1883, Page 2

LICENSING AND DOG TAX FEES.

CfiE/, dispute between the Waikato, bounty Cduncil and the Cambridge T6wn' Joard on "the question of which are^.the jroper authorities to receive the licensing ees, has been referred to so often^in these solutiins that our readers must be- fully icquainted with the case. Mr J. B. iVhyte, the member for Waikato, has orwarded to the chairman of the Camtridge Town Boardiihe following opinion if the[Solicitor-G[eneral, which sepins to ;et the whole "matter at rest. The ipinion, it will be seen, is favourable to he Town Board as against the County Council : — In answer to the question stated by Mr iuthcrford on the Order Paper of the- House of topresen'tatives of to-day, an'd which jou have efcrred to me, I am of opinion that Town boards, and not County Councils, are entitled to icense fees payable under " The Licensing Act, 881," and also to the fees payable under " Thr )otr Registration Art, 1880." The grounds for this opinion are as follow :—: — 1. As to License Fees. — The 85th section of 1 The Town Districts \ct, 1881," is to the effect hat every town district shall be deemed to be an 1 incorporated town '' within the meaning of any mactment extending; the definition of the term 1 borough." Section 109 of the Licensing Act irovides that fees for licenses granted in respect •f premises in a borough, are to be paid to the treasurer for each borough. Section 4 of the atne Act extends the, definition of the term ' borough "to any " town incorporated under my Act of the Legislature." 2. As to Fees /oi Dog Registration. — The )og Registration Act is administered by local uthorities, and what local authorities arc within ts scope are mentioned in the First Schedule, ["his schedule includes boroughs, and section 2 lefines a "borough" as including every "town ncorporated under any Act of the General Asembly or of any Provincial Legislature." The schedule referred to also_ states the fund to irhich these fees are to be paid. These enacticnts, coupled with section 35 of the Town Disricts Act, seems to make the matter clear. W. S. Reid. Crown Law Offices, Ist September, 1882.