ABOLITION FINANCE AR- . RANGEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4176, 15 July 1876, Page 4

ABOLITION FINANCE AR- . RANGEMENTS.

[By Tei r,graph.] -Wklljngtok, July 14. , > ’Th > x r ro'Vincial Abolition Financial Ar-; ifangemehts' BUl*' introduced to-night, provides that if. ; come'into operation on September 29. The land revenue within each district to be chatged with, expenses of surveys, and general administration of waste . landa within such district; .such expenses to ’be aportionedby the Commissioners of Audit, la the cade bf ahy waste land'sold (not being town, lands), at a price aboye 40s per acre, the amount realised in excess to be expended -in fth?r- construction of roads and bridges, tech money to be-paid either to the governiagbody of; County or .Road District, or to be divided between such bodies astheGor. retnbT thiiiks fit. If the amount available ‘ be hot sufficient to catry put such works the Govemormay cause the same to be retained Itntil moneys have been derived &om the, like. source, or the Governor ~ xstay direct it to be . expended, as may nearest!.'; to the above provision. .TacUiaki-land revenue shall only be subject to the Act after deducting the percentage provided, by the Harbor Board Act, 1874. The land, revenue of each district is 'tjjtebe further charged as fbllows :—With a ' thdir Superintendent of two years’ charges imposed hereafter for education, with subsidies to Cpiinties and Read Boards, one pound to,one ponnd; with subsidies to River District Boards, one poun,d to one pound received from rates ; with expenses of construction of railways, vis., for first three years after coming into operation of the Act, two per cent, on sums expended; next three years, 1£ per cent. ; next three, H per cent. ; balance to be divided as follows : three-fifths in proportion that the area of each County bears to the whole district, the other two-fifths in- Mhe proportion that the general rates redeived by any County or Road Board bear tc the general rates raised in the district ' from the whole of the. Counties am Road Boards therein* If the land revenm in any district-is insufficient to meet th< above charges, advances are to I e made on - of : the ’conhpfidated fund. Such advancei are to beVepaid to the consolidated fund a:

the land -revenue accrues. Treasury bills Tpa.y be issued to meet such advances. LI ‘ is to be paid annually for five years to every Road District and Borough for every LI of general. rates received, during the year, such subsidies to be equally apportioned by the Colonial' Treasurer between Districts and Counties. No subsidy to be paid bn airy rate in excess of the scale provided by the Act, that is, , a shilling to a pound. The Colonial Treasurer may make advances to Boronghs and Road Districts. AH licensing fees to be paid to County or Borough within which licensed premises are situate; rents from powder magazines to ho paid to public account; fines and penalties for scab in sheep to be.paid to a County ' 'Within which same are incurred (provided only cost of and charges of administering enactment are borne by the County) ; all ‘ fines for breach of bye-laws to be paid to that .governing body whose bye-laws have been infringed ; goldfields revenue to-belong to County Within which it , has arisen; .. Colonial Treasuer to apportion revenue, where same has arisen to: more than one County according to-the proportion of miners’ rights and business licenses to respective . Couhties; charitable institutions to be maintained at cost of County or Borough, if governing body fail to provide for same Governor may withhold payment of subsidy; charitable- institutions are not to include ixmatic asylums ; out of consolidated revenue a subsidy of five shillings for every pound raised by private subscription is to be paid • for maintenance of charitable institutions; cost and charges of providing primary public education within Counties and Boroughs, after deducting fees and other revenues received by the Board of Education and con- - solidatedrevenue, shall be charged on revenue received within each Provincial District, provided by sub-section three of section nine, and one-third thereof on the consoli- ‘ dated revenue. All charges for in- • roection of schools provided by the Education Boards Act, 1876, are to be born 2 by the consolidated revenue. After this Act hasbeenin operation fiveyears; so much as the General Assemblyshall determine of the charge of keeping school buildings in repair and erecting new. buildings shall bo borne by the Counties and Boroughs in which school - ■ buildings are situate. With respect to schools for higher education, the revenue o’f which, from endowment or school-fees, may from time to time be added to by votes the General Assembly, such votes shall from time to time be charged against the |a.'nd revenue of districts, as soon as ccn( venlently may be, after coming into operation of said Act; the Governor in Council • shall cause an account of debts and liabilities of each district to be taken from time to time, as occasion may require. Debts and Liabilities, —Each district shall comprise the followingmatters and things:—Payment (f interest and sinking fund—All loaus which, at date of the Abolition of Provinces, comprised within the district, were chargeable against theProyince; payment of all other debts, lia- : bilities, engagements of every whatsoever, together with interest thereon, at rate not exceeding 5 per cent, per annum, payment of interest and sinking fund (if any), loans raised for purpose of paying off or otherwise providing for such debts, liabilities,. and engagements of such district, any expenditure made under The Provincial Appropriation Extension Act, 1875, on which, under said Act, the Governor or Governor in Council has authorised any Superintendent to make up to the 30th day of September, 1876, and which expenditure has not been made, shall be held to be a liability of the district in which it is incurred, and the Government shall accept same and take all necessary measure, to ensure that the amount, is expended in accordance with the original intention. No person employed as above is to acquire any right Under the Civil Service Acts. The balance of Provincial liabilities to be raised by Treasury Bills on loan. Amounts so raised to he added to the L’roviucial debt of the district. Any cash in hand in excess of Provincial debt to be expended in Provincial Districts, as agreed upon between the Government and the late Superintendent. Clause 32 makes provision for the extbiguishment of Provincial loans. Permanent Provincial officers are to become officers of the General Government, though not to acquire any , rights under Civil Servico Act, 1876. Members of the House of Ropsesentatives . holding office under the Provincial Government are not to ho liable to disqualification, provided they resign said offices. All railways are to bo tho property of tho Colony, and Provincial districts arc to be relieved of Eahility in respect thereof. With respect to Canterbury branch railways, L 49.000 paid .‘by'tjip Government for such branch railways -;'! is to bo considered in arriving at amount to be deducted from permanent funds of the district. The Provincial railways in Otago and Canterbury are to be taken over by the General Government at a valuation to be fixed by three valuers —one appointed by the Minister of Public Works, one by the Superintendents, and the third by the other two. The unexpended portion of the Middle Island railway fund is to be credited to district water races and such like, to be vetited in tljc governing body of the County. ji such works extend into more than one

Comity, the control and management is to bo vested in such governing body as the Go--vei ’iur shall think fit, or jointly in the control of both. Such works are to be kept in repair by the County, and, in case of neglect, the Governor may withhold subsidies. The Governor may agrve to pay LIO,OOO towards the completion of the Mikonui water racej in addition to the existing appropriations* but on condition that the governing body of the County complete said race. Sections 14 to 16, 18 to 22, and 24 of ;the Abolition of Provinces Act are repealed.