The Local Authorities Bill.

Manawatu Herald, 14 December 1897, Page 3

The Local Authorities Bill.

The Local Authorities Bill was circulated last week. Tho Bill follows generally the lines of the Local Government Bill introduced in 1895. It does not, however, deal

with boroughs. Commissions are to be set up to divide the dolony into J3ot more than 40 counties. A county under the Bill must have not less than the minimun population necessary for constituting an electoral dii trict for the eleotion of a member of the House of Representatives. For land drainage and river protection purposes special districts are to be constituted which may, where convenient, include boroughs. The Councils of the counties and borough included in a special district, will exercise a joint control over the same. Provision is made for constituting parts of counties as •• borough dis tricta," within which the County ' Council may exercise borough

powers. This provision will meet the case of the smaller boroughs and of the town districts that become

Absorbed in the county. Option 13

given the Commissions to retain any existing road districts. The franchise is extended to the case of a 12 months' householder. The whole Council of a county goes out of office every two years. In view of provision being thus made for the Council being in touch with the great body of the inhabitants of the district, and of the size and importance of counties under the Bill, it has been felt safe to entrust the County Council with wide powers of discretioc, and to remove the. existing hampering restrictions on the power to make Buch by-laws as the needs of each district require. The Bill contains the powers given to counties by the Public Health, Public Works. Land Drainage, River Boards, Water Supply, Hospitals and Charitable Aid, and many other Acts, which accordingly will be repealed. The provisions as to Hospitals and

Charitable Aid are necessarily dependent; upon the passing of the Municipal Corporations Biil, or some other measure dealing with the question. Every effort has been made to shorten and simplify the legislation comprised in the Bill, having due regard to its numerous and important provisions,— Post.