COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2620, 30 August 1882, Page 3

COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

[Bx Telegraph.] fPROM THE "PRESS.”] WELLINGTON, August 29

The Counties Aet Amendment Sill just circulated provides inter alia that where the Governor in Council or a Council is empowered by this Aet to issue a proclamation, or to make a special order respectively “ upon petition,” it shall mean that such power may not be exercised, unless (1) a petition asking for the issue of such proclamation, or the making of such special order, is presented to the Governor or to the Council as the case may be, signed by at least three-fifths of the county electors of tho county if the object of such proclamation affects the whole county, or by at least three-fifths of the county electors of such riding or tidings as may be affected by such proposed proclamation or special order if the same will only affect one or more riding or ridings. (2] The purport and object of such petition, and a statement of the intention to present it, is publicly notified at least one month before presentation to the Qovernnor or County Council, as the case may be. The provisions of sections 16,17 and 18 of Counties Act apply to all petitions presented under this Act when the Oounoil empowered to act upon petition. If the petition be duly presented the Governor may act if the Council fails to do so. When the Governor or Council is empowered to act on the petition, then action may be taken without petition, but the same shall not have the effect if a petition be presented against it within three months. The stb section of the Counties Act Amendment _ Act, 1880, is repealed, and the Governor in Council may add part of ono county on to another on the petition of four-fifths of the electors of such part, and of the Council of the county to which the part is added. The Governor in Connell may proclaim the whole of the Counties Act, 1876, not in force in any county. The proclamation is to state how the property and liability are disposed of. If the Road Boards and Town Boards agree as to distribution the Governor is to carry out the agreement. Upon proclamation, outlying districts must become road districts, or be added to road districts. All ridings hereafter are to consist of one or more road districts, or one or more subdivisions, or if one or more town districts, and either together with or without one or more road districts, or one or more subdivisions or of outlying districts, or parts of outlying districts. The County Oounoil may levy tho general

rates np to three farthings in the £ on rates that are due in counties where there-ere road districts, but to six farthings if not. “ Separate rates ” may be levied in different ridings, to be spent in euoh ridings. “ Special works rates ” may be levied over the whole or part of the counties, but not to exceed three farthings in the pound. A Council may either make by-laws for its own county, or it may join with any one or more councils, or with the councils of one or more boroughs, or with one or more County Councils, and the councils cf one or more boroughs in making by-laws which shell ba in force throughout all the counties in the boronghe, the councils of which make such by-laws; provided that this power of joining with a Borough Council or Borough Councils taell only be exercisable as regards subjects on which councils of counties and of boroughs have similar powers of making by-laws.