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Evening Star, Issue 4279, 13 November 1876, Page 2

A circular has been issued from the Colonial Secretary's Office addressed to Chairmen of Road Boards directing their attention to certain clauses of the Bating Act, the Regulation of Local Elections Act, the Financial Arrangements Act, and the Public Works Act, all passed during the session of the General Assembly which has just closed. We hope the members of the Boad Boards of Ofcago will enjoy themselves while mastering the provisions of these voluminous statutes. They might, however, have been well spared a portion of the labor. It is very desirable that a uniform system of valuation and rating should be established throughout the Colony, seeing that the Government subsidies to the Counties and Municipalities are to be given in proportion to the amounts raised by way of rates up to one shilling in the pound on the annual value of property in the various districts, but still the matter could have stood over for another year without much harm being done. Country settlers have something else to do than studying complex Acts of Parliament, and it must be remembered that they do not possess the same facilities for obtaining assistance in interpreting new laws that are enjoyed bv residents in town. The Counties Act in itself is a formidable mealfor a layman ; bat to connect it with four other Acts—one of them, the Public Works Act, being equally lengthy and abstruse—is piling on the legislative agony with a vengeance, iiowever, they have been passed, and those persons who are more immediately interested in their working will have to make the best of the ch-ciunstancea. What the UnderSecretary points out with regard to the Bating Act is that, after the 31st March next, it will not bo competent for any local body (which includes Municipal Councils, like that of Duncdin) to make any rate except under the provisions of this Act ; while valuers must also bo appointed in time to onabls thorn to prel are a valuatiou list by the 15th January. These provisions are imperative Then, by the 32nd clause of the Financial ArrangeI meats Act, the council of every county,

borough ,road|dißtrict,|or river district is debarred from Receiving any subsidy unless the returns specified in the clause are furnished to the Colonial Treasurer by the 31st January next. One of these returns is to state the total amount of all the rateable property within the district, and the other the amount of general rates actually received during the year ending ou the 31st March, 1876. The latter return will form the basis for computing the amount of subsidy payable to the Board during the six months euding the 30th June next; the subsidies for the present financial year only covering the six months terminating at that date, on account of the Provincial appropriations having been extended until the 31st December, 1876 Matters will afterwards fall into their right order; and the Under Secretary suggests that, for the sake of convenience, the financial year of each local body should, fer the future, be made to terminate on the 31st March—a suggestion which will doubtless be adopted.