THE COUNTIES BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 968, 8 November 1910, Page 8

THE COUNTIES BILL.

(By Telceraph.— Special Correspondent) ' Auckland, November 7. Two matters of vital interest to suburban, government in Auckland arid possibly in other cities, too, are now before Parliament in the "rush" hours of the session— (1) The undermining of road boards'bylaw powers through Mr. Justice Sim's decision as to building site limits. (2) The. Bill reviving the Counties Act in Eden and Manukau. The Eden County includes the following important road and town districts, most of them suburban and some of them practically urban:—Remuera, Epsom, One Treo Hill, Mount RoskiU, Mount Albert, Eden Terrace, Arch Hill, .Orakei, Ellerslie, Avondale, Point Chevalier, Tamaki West, Mount Wellington, New Lynn, and Panmure Township. The Government has evidently seen, the necessity for wiping out this multiplicity of local bodies, and it is whispered in some quarters that the threat of the revival of the county is simply to drive the small bodies into amalgamation with the more important ones. At any rate, the usual protests went forward, and information has now been received that legislation dealing with the building sites question is. being prepared for this session, and the revival of the Counties Act in Eden will ba deferred for fifteen months.

An assumption expressed in some quarters that the Counties Bill will wipe out the road boards within those counties, in which it will bring the Counties Act into operation, appears to be erroneous. Interviewed on the point last night, Mr. Massey, M.P., explained that the Bill would not abolish road boards, but contemplated the dual form of local government coming into existence in these counties, the county councils .maintaining the main roads and the road boards those of secondary importance. Of course road boards could merge, if they so desired; and allow the county council'to do the whole of the work, but this would be optional, not .compulsory. In othei parts of the Dominion (tho Waikato, for instance), Mr. Massey pointed out that road boards were to be found within tho counties.. Personally, Mr. Massey thought that it would be advisable for some of the districts in theoe counties to amalgamate, as'the road board areas were tap small, but there would be no danger * of the suburban local bodies being abolished. Under the Bill as' it now stands the Governor may bring the Counties Act into operation in the counties affected, any time after the beginning of next year, but the Minister has, it is understood, expressed his willingness to accept a provision that if the majority of the local bodies express a desire, the Act shall not come into effect for twelve months from March 31 nest.