Trie Counties Bill.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 194, 23 August 1901, Page 4

Trie Counties Bill.

I lie AVharaupoko Road Board met yesterday morning to discuss the Counties Bill. ' Present: Messrs A. F. Matthews (in the chain. W. Sicvwright, I>. M. Orr, \V. D. Lvstiav. and Captain Ferris. | Mr Sievwright moved, and the Chairnun. seconded, that the following telehe sent:—" The Wnataupoko Hoad Board are of opinion—(l) That the franchise- as in Counties Bill is the minimum of reform to give tiro inhabitants any confidence in local administration : (2) every Ho d Board, doing efficiently the work for whi h Hoad Boards were intended, should he retained ; (3) any such Road Board, whose district largely comprises suburban residence sections, with a population of 1000, should (a) control and maintain that portion of any county road which runs through the district, the expense of maintenance to he payable to Board out ot County general rate; such control is necessary for draining district streets, etc., and to prevent conflict of authority ; and (b) on approval by a poll of the electors taken, and without further procedure, be empowered to exercise, either over the whole road district or within some defined area specified in the poll proposal, all the powers given by Bill to Councils in re-

g;u-J to town districts under sub-sections 11, 1-2, and lei of section 4. And such proposal having been carried, the district or defined an a should lease to pay county general rate wholly, or at must should only be liable to contribute one-third of the expense of maintenance of county road within such district or dofiued area; (4) councils’ administrations under said sub sections, as to town districts, will be unworkable as not sufficiently localised.'’

Mr Lysnar moved, and Mr Orr seconded,' that the following be substituted as an amendment : —“ (1) It is un- | desirable and unnecessary to extend the franchise us proposed by the Counties Bill hc-yond freehold and ratepayers’ qualifications ; (2) while approving of the proposed abolition of small road boards, this Board protests against all existing boards of over live hundred population being merged into the County Councils, and also protests against retained road boards being made ridings of the County Council, but instead, the road board so retained should exist distinct from the County Council, with full power to rate up to lid, and have sole control of all matters under their jurisdiction ; (3) that the Board also protests against any town hoards that may be consolidated under the Act being made ridings of the County Council.” The amendment was carried, and it was telegraphed to Mr McNab. The franchise was the point of the difference.