GOVERNMENT BILLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1369, 21 February 1912, Page 5

GOVERNMENT BILLS.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM

Reform of tho constitution of the Legislative Council is proposed by the Legislature Amendment Bill, introduced by tho Prime Minister in tho House of Rcpro■sentatives yesterday afternoon. The Bill proposes that the Council shall consist of forty-eight members—twenty-four elected by the House of Representatives, twelve elected by the members of all the Provincial Councils proposed to bo constituted under the Local Government Bill, and twelve appointed by (he Governor-in-C'ouncil. Every member will hold office for seven years. The Bill proposes to terminate the appointments of the present members of tho Council, but provides that they shall be eligible for election or appointment-under the liow system. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. A NEW SYSTEM. There are 411 clauses in tlio Local Government Bill, which was read a Hist lime in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. A complete reorganisation of the system of administering public affairs by local control is proposed by the measure. The Prime Minister explained that tho purpose with which the Bill was introduced this session was that it might be circulated throughout Ilia Dominion for the information of local bodies. Tho abolition of all hospital and charitable aid boards, education boards, cortain harbour boards, to bo specified, all river boards, and all drainage boards is proposed. The functions of these bodies will bo assumed by the Provincial Councils, to which all their powers, properlv, and liabilities aro to be transferred. Harbour, boards which are not superseded by the provincial body will remain as at present, except that an amendment of tho methods of election of those boards will bo necessitated, The existing* counties aro to be continued, but all road districts and road boards are to be merged into counties and the controlling county councils, and the divisions into ridings aro also (o be abolished. Town districts which aro sufficiently important will be transformed into boroughs, and the others merged into tho containing counties. Tho Bill proposes the establishment of a Local Government Board consisting of the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Under-Secretaries of Internal Affairs,"of Crown Lands, and of Public Works, and three other persons appointed by the Governor. The function of the board.will be to exercise certain powers of supervision, control, and administration.

/I'll© whole of New Zealand is to l>o divided into twenty-four areas of local goveminent, each province comprising all boroughs included within ils boundaries, which will bo defined by Parliament after recommendations have been- made bv n Special Commission. Each province "will 1m governed by a Provincial Council consisting of elected representatives of the various counties and boroughs, representation to bo in proportion to the value of the rateable property in each of the constituent district,?. Members of the councils will be elected on the snmn day every second year, and each council will elect annually a president who will receivo an allowance not exceeding ,£.' 100. The Provincial Councils will hnvo power to impose general or separate rates which will be collected by the subsidiary local authorities and the provincial general rates will carry a.State subsidy of 15s. in the pound. The division of powers between Provincial Councils on the one hand and Borough Councils and County Councils on the other is based on the principle that all powers which can bo adequately exercised within the limits of a, singlo borough or a single county are vested in the Borough and the County Council. Those powers which for their effective exercise require (o bo extended beyond the limits of a single county or boroug/i are entrusted to the Provincial Council.

The Bill proposes that county electors may possess cither a rating or a residential' qualification, each of which will confer a single vote, but _ any elector who possesses both qualifications will have two votes.

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Tho last sale of the Wellington wool se.rins will bfl hold in the Concert Chamber of the Town Ilnll on Tuesday, March 5, at 2 p.m.