The Corporat
n of
Victoria can, under Sec 24 of
their Act of Incorporation (
1862), make by-laws for raising
funds—An Ord
ce to comprise those by-laws is not
required, but this Ord
ce has been passed
(as I understand)
for the purpose of enabling the Corporation to give full
effect to the By-Law, by testing the returns, examining
Witnesses &c, which the Act of Corporation does not enable
them to do. From the wording of sec. 1 I think it quite
possible that there has been some irregularity in making
the By-law. But we have no means of proving whether the
provisions of sec 24 have been fully complied with.
It seems a little doubtful whether the 7
th paragraph
of the By-Law is not in the nature of a Tax upon personal
Estate, which is forbidden by that section. But this is
a matter for the Colonists. The Act is only for a year,
& the A.G. states that a proper Incorporat
n Bill is to
be prepared. Sanction it.