Summary of the Local Government Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 47, 23 August 1895, Page 2

Summary of the Local Government Bill.

ITS OBJECT. In the preface attached to the Bill it is stated that the chief purpose aimed at by the Bill is to prune and simplify the present overgowu and unwieldy system of local government. The number of local bodies of all sorts now in existence exceeds five hundred and fifty. The cost of management alone (that is to say, office salaries, advertising, and other purely management expenses, altogether exclusive of engineers aud works) is more than £107,000 a year. In some instances it amounts to 60 per cent of the total revenue— that is to say, it costs .£6O to collect .£IOO. Under the Bill it is anticipated that the number of local bodies will be reduced by more than three-fourths, and the cost of administration by more than, one-half. The bodies that remaiu will have larger powers, with assured finance, aud direct responsibility for all local expenditure— conditions under which it is reasonable to expect that efficiency of government will be combined with economy of administration. The division of the colony into districts will be effected by commissions to be elected by the existing local authorities. DISTRICTS. The Acts relating to counties, municipal corporations, town districts, river districts, land drainage, water-supply, and hospital and charitable aid are to ho repealed. With the exception of certain cities and boroughs enumerated in the first schedule, and such road districts as the commission may retain, all local bodies constituted by these Acts are to be dissolved. The commissions are to reclivide the colony into coanfcies, in the councils of which will be vested all the functions of the dissolved local bodies. Existing boroughs not included in the first schedule may be declared " borough districts." A borough district will be a riding of its county ; but all the powers of the Bill applicable to boroughs may be exercised by the county council. | Power is given to the commissions, in including within a borough any contiguous area, to reduce the general rate leviable by the borough Council within such area. Existing road districts may be retained, but no new ones are to be created after the first division of the Colony is effected. SPECIAL DISTRICTS. At present the powers exereisable in river districts aud drainage districts overlap. Moreover, the existing powers of the county council overlap those of each of such districts, The Bill directs the commissions to lay out special districts, to be called " river and drainage districts." The special district is under the control of the council oi the county in which it is situate. If situate "within several counties or boroughs, the councils thereof exercise a joint control by means of a standing Joint Committee. No difference is made in the Powers as to river protection and drainage exercisable by the council within or without the special districts. The special districts are created for the following purposes only, viz., (1) For striking the special district rate ; and (2) for imposing upon the council certain specified duties repeated from existing legislation. REPRESENTATION. The franchise is extended to occupiers by virtue of a tenancy of three months, and to householders who have paid rent in the disti-ict for twelve months under any tenancy. In view of the improved representation, the powers given by the Bill to the council are wider and less restricted or qualified than has been the case in the past. The practice now in force in boroughs for the election of chairman has been adopted ; though in boroughs the chairman will be styled " Mayor." The chairman is to be elected aunually by the electors of the district on the the same day as the general election of councillors, and receives a salary. The council holds office for two years, and all councillors go out together. Their number is not less than six nor more than 15 (exclusive of chairman), aud in "bor-oaghs, as l'Qgulated by the population. I'INAtICE. The councils received the same land and goldfields revenue as at present, but subsides on rates, <.tc, are abolished, and in lieu thereof provision is made for an annual capitation grant to each county of 4s 6d and to each borough of 4s per head of its population. In addition to this, the Bill provides that certain main arterial roads shall be maintained by the General Government. The total contributions from Government will be larger than at present, and thus local finance will be both strengthened and simplified. Hospitals and charitable aid are maintained by the districts. Afier pavment of general expenses, and cost of necessary works benefiting the whole district, the rates levied in each riding or ward are to be spent exclusively therein. A special ratepayers roll is to be prepared lor voting on special loans. Provision is rnarje for the erasure from supb roll of the names of deceased persons and absentees. The voting power is reduced. A special loan may be raised, and exclusively spent, in any portion of a district. Special loans under che Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, 1886, may be raised to pay off overdrafts existing on the Ist July, 1895. Existing liabilities for special loans remain chavged on the properties that formed the original security. ROADS AND STREETS. Power is given to the Governor to proclaim any of the arterial roads of colonial importance as Government roads ; also to transfer a Gpvornrnentroad to a CDuntycouncil and hand over to the county council whatever moneys have been appropriated for the repair of the road bqt remain unspent. AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. Power to establish technical schools is given to borough councils, and the existing power to establish agricultural schools continued. OVERCROWDING IX BOROUGHS. The Bill contains stringent provisions to prevent overcrowdiug. A minimum open space is prescribed for new building. WORKERS' DWELLINGS. Power is given to acquire dwellings and plots of ground in or near the district for occupation by workmen. For the same purpose workmen's lodginghouses may be equipped and managed by the council. FIRE INSURANCE. This part of the Act can only be adopted by special order, and with the consent of the ratepayers, to be ascertained as in the case of a special loan. It applies only to boroughs. RATES. The existing limit of rating powers is retained, but provision is made for rating on the unimproved value in the event of that system being enacted. BY-LAWS. Wide powers and discretions are given to the council as regards the making of by-laws ou matters of municipal concern generally, including the conservation of the public health, and the prevention ami abatement of nuisance^. In view qt this extended by-law making power, numerous existing statutory enactments, creating and punishing minor offences, have been omitted from the Bill. By section 555, the .more important of these omitted enactments are temporarily retained in force, pend-

in» the making by the councils of bye laws on the subject matters thereof. LOCAL ENACTMENTS. Of the 81 Acts repealed in the whol< or in part many are studded with clause; of a purely local character, and such a; should more properly have been made the subjects of local Acts. Some oi these local enactments are necessarily superseded by the scheme of the Bill whilst, as regards all others, the Bit provides that they shall remain in force though contained in an Act expressed to be repealed as a whole, and shall be earned oufc subject to the provisions oi the Bill. Local Acts are similarly dealt with. INTERPRET ATION. In the interpretation clauses, and other parts of the Bill, explanatory matter has been introduced, in view ot the fact that the measure will be largely administered by non -professional readers ; and, with the like view, the use of Latin and Norman-French expressions has been entirely avoided. (Per Press Association.) Duxedix, August 22. The Mayor of Dunediu has given notice of motion with reference to tne Local Government Bill, setting forth that the changes are of so widespread aud grave a character, aud if given effect to are calculated for weal or woe to largely influence future local Government, and that it is not desirable that the Bill should pass this session.