South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 28 September 1850, page 3


THE ANTI-DRAY AND LAND-TAX LEAGUE.

Pursuant to notice, a public tuerting of the members and suliii-riiifrs was held at tho ' Devonshire Hotel.' in the Wiliuuga district, on Tuesday evening last, 1 when Mr James Clift was unanimously called to the i

chair. The Chairman requested the Secretary, Mr Norman, to open the business of the meeting by stating to the members and subscribers present the reasons for calling them together. Mr Norman said that, since their last meeting in May, nothing particular had occurred to render it necessary to call them earlier together- The very general approval expressed by all parties of the steps taken by the committee appointed in May had rendered any intermediate meeting unnecessary. They all knew that since their last meeting a general organization of the hundreds forming the League had taken place ; that, as then anticipated, their Commissioners had attempted to enforce the payment of the odious land-tax, but that | they had subsequently been compelled to abandon the attempt. The results were the same in every instance where resistance to the tax was properly carried out. Some solitary cases might possibly be adduced, when persons not belonging to the League might have paid, but those were very few. They had before them an example of 'what mi^ht be achieved by union. In everything they had been victorious ; the dray-tax, which from time to time was threatened to be enforced, was ultimately abandoned altogether. The various memorials from the different hundreds, backed by the memorial of the united delegates, had caused the Government to introduce an amended Act, which promised almost everything they desired. The Governor, at all events, had shown a desire to make the new Act just what was wanted. His Excellency had given up in the progress of the new Bill almost all the objectionable clauses contained in the old one. But hour was the ' Governor to know to what extent he was aciiug in accordance wi'h their wishes, unless they took some direct means of letting him know what those wishes were ? One part of the business of the meeting then called was to consider the propriety of sending in a memorial stating in plain terms how much of the new Act was consonant with their wishes, and what was wanting to make it thoroughly acceptable. As far as the new Act went it promised that the new Commissioners could not declare a rate without the consent of a majority of the ratepayers : here we have the very essence of the representative principle. The new Act did not positively compel the appointment of Commissioners at all ; but as it was agreed on all hands that good roads were very desirable, it would be better to have the management of such as must be repaired in the hands of persons appoiuted by the peop'e themselves, who would have an interest in doing them as well and as cheaply as possible, instead of leaving them in the hands of the poor tools too often employed by the Government. Another part of the business requiring their attention was to examine the accounts and authorise the payment of expenses already incurred, as well as to provide for the district portion of the general expenses of the League. The other matters for their af er consideration he would leave until these wore disnnaed of.

Mr E. Loud, the Treasurer of the Association, then rose and said that he considered the first business of the meeting shnu'd be to examine the accounts, aud pay their liabilities as far as they could be ascertained. He held in his hand the list of the subscribers, which he read to the meeting. He thought, as far as the general expenses were concerned, that at the next meeting of delegates their accounts would be audited, and a fair proportion of the amount paid by each hundred. Until that was ascertained they could not tell their share of such expenses ; but he would move at once the the payment of such expenses as they did know of. The motion was seconded by Mr Win, Colton, and carried unanimously. The accouuts were then examined, and declared satisfacti-rr. Mr Loud, after some prefatory remarks, desired the meeting would appoint a person to receive the balance left iu his hands, as he was afraid circumstances would prevent him from attending again for some time. Thi«, however, the meeting declined to act upon, and reauested him tocoutinue his office as Treasurer.

Mi* Norman then proposed that a memorial be pre- J pared by tho Committee, to be forwarded to his Excel- j lency the Governor, praying hia Excellency to forward I the passing the new iioad Act, leaviu^ the power of fixing the amount of the rate to a majority of the ratepayers, and enacting that the nonpayment of the old rates should not t.e allowed to interfere with the right ef voting under the new Act, as the retention of an untoward clause would inevitably consign the new Act to the same fate as the old one had undergone. The resolution was seconded by Mr T. Colton. He considered that it was nothing but right that the Governor aud Council should kuow their sentiments upon the proposed new Act ; a memorial was therefore necessary. After some further observations the resolution was carried unanimously. Various other matters more immediately connected with the locality were discussed ; and during the evening several well-timed remarks complimentary to Mr Fisher for the ingenuity he displayed iu defending the cases put into his hands, were made by different speakers. Mr Norman was requested to continue his attendance at the Central Delegate Meeting on behalf of the Wiilunga branch ; and a vote of thanks h iving been given to the Chairman for his conduct in the chair, as well as the interest he had always evinced for the public good, the meeting adjourned until after the next delegate meeting should have been reported. A meeting for another purpose immediately followed. A committee, consisting of Messrs Loud, Stacey, Clift, Norman, Prior, Wm. Colton, T. Colton, Eagle, Grubble, and Jones, was appointed, to make the necessary arrangements for forming an association for the purpose of building a union giiat- mill, for the di-trict of Wiilunga, Macluren Vale. &c. ; considerable dissatisfaction

having been expressed at the cost and loss to the settlers for the want of such an accommodation It was also resolved that 2C0 shares should be issued, at £2 10s each towards the object. Some considerable number of shares were immediately subscribed for, and the meeting adjourned. Aidb Toi —The Irish newspaper* state that (he celeb »led literateur Adyf wh» hsa dev»:ed htruself to letters wth greater assiduity than any man of his time, has j-ist commenced operations on the inhabitants of Limerick. We underftmd be has taken quite a fresh -tart, and U as vigorous a.« if he Were j«i*t nu«r in the Joseph Hey Day of his existence. We tear that there are uct many persons who have been enriched by the great d seoveries of this individual, and it would be better for every one receiving a communication from him !-» cheritih n» hope of g-tin, but to perse ere. quite irrespective of Ady, in his own un-Ady'd eff»rt* —Punch. The Morning Post announce 'he decease ot one of the Patriarchs of Poetry— the Rev. W. Lisle Bowie— *» ha - ing takeo place on the 7th, at Salisbury, in the 87th y*-ar of hi* age.

A glaring proof of the immorality ot the Viennese is furnished by the return of births during the p*»t year. The teal number ot children born wa- 19 241 ; of irie»e 10,360 were iHogiita»a'e. *od only d.t«8l le_i«ioiaie. Munich «nd ParU hive hitherto borne the worst »-h-« r etera in this renpect, but this return throws them iu'o the shade. libenezer Elliot, writing to a gentleman who proposed to e»!I and taste bi* hie*«-bre»ed, said,—** When 1 marrieQ-,nay wife agreed »h»t we should have two bairns, a l*d and a lass, aad the best hone brewed ale in England. She m- re than fcept Ler promise aa to the bsirns. for they came to fa*i that ihej stopped tk* brewing.* The Auttriao Minister of Trade offers a prit* of 200.000 daeata (bet«e«n £9 000 aad £ 10.000 sterling) for the engioe best qualified for w-:rktug on the Sensoieriog railway. The priucipai coodiiiuo made H, that the engine shall he ?tile to draw a weight cf 2.500 Vienna e*l-. (about the same weight as the English) etclus'Ve of ibe tender, an Austrian mile and a half I (about 7£ £ogli«b) as hour.