LOCAL BODIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2397, 25 February 1922, Page 4

LOCAL BODIES.

\ ■■—‘ AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW. There was the usual big crop of amendments to the law affecting local bodies last session. The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Act. contains several important provisions. The time within which authority to borrow, in pursuance of a loan poll, may be exercised is estimated from 2 to 5 years. The limit of £I,OOO on the face value of debentures issued by local bodies is removed. It is provided in the principal Act that pending the raising of any special loan, the local authority may borrow any sum of money not exceeding the total sum authorised by hypothecating or mortgaging of the debentures authorised to be issued. The amendment provides that the personlending money on'such hypothecation or mortgage shall be entitled to possession of the debentures until his advances, interest, and charges have been repaid, and that the debentures may exceed in face value the sum borrowed. It further provides that the local authority by agreement may confer Upon the lender a power of sale of all or any of the debentures. The rate of interest that may be paid to a lender under this heading is increased subject to the consent of the Minister of Finance from 6 per cent, to 7 per cent. This increase is made retrospective to March 31st, 1921.

The Governor-General is empowered to guarantee any portion of a local body’s loan.

Sinking funds held by the Public Trustee on account of loans raised by local authorities may be invested in any manner authorised by Order-in-Council instead of being held for investment in the common fund.

The Municipal Corporations and Counties Amendment Acts contain no important new provisions, but a number of amendments, which have been asked for by the respective conferences of local bodies.

In both Acts power is given to the local authority to clmrgh a rate higher than 51 per cent, with the approval of the Minister of finance, as interest on advances made to workers for the erection of workers’ dwellings. The disqualification from holding office either in a county or borough because of directorship of an incorporated company of more than twenty persons having transactions with the council is removed. The other more important alterations in the Municipal Corporations Act include the following:—Residential or occupier’s qualification shall not entitle an elector to vote on any loan or rating proposal. The limit of la cent, of depreciable assets is withdrawn with respect to the establishment of renewal, and reserve funds for trading undertakings. In boroughs which are not part of a fire district a building inspector may be appointed to inspect residences and buildings of more than one story to decide what fire escapes are necessary. The fee for collecting vehicular license, fees in boroughs which combine for that purpose is raised from 10 to 15 per cent.

The Counties Amendment Act contains the following more important provisions: The Arbitration Act is not to apply to inquiries conducted with respect to the appointment of assets and liabilities when the boundaries of a county have been altered. The disqualification arising from non-payment of rates is extended to disqualify an elector from nominating or being nominated for election. Expenses may be paid to councillors within the limit of distance (three miles) formerly imposed.

PUBLIC DOMAINS. In the Public Reserves and Domains Amendment Act the Gover-nor-General is empowered to increase from 10 to 15 the number of days on which charges may be made for admission to public. domains. Sites for public halls may be set apart on public domains. The Gov-ernor-General may make regulations for the exclusion of undesirables from public reserves and domains.

PUBLIC CONTRACTS. The definition of a local body under the Public Contracts and Local Bodies’ Contractors Act is amended to include the governing bodies of secondary and technical schools, and *to exclude harbour boards and county councils. The principal Act, as now amended, makes for any member of a-local body to enter into a contract with that body except as a member of an incorporated company in which there are more than twenty persons, and of which he is not the manager. The principal Act also provides that payment of the usual rates of wages and observance of a. working day not exceeding eight hours shall be implied in contracts entered into with public bodies governed by the Act.

HARBOUR BOARD POWERS. One section of the Harbours Amendment Act empowers harbour boards to provide waiting-rooms, re-ading-rooms, dining-rooms, and meals for waterside workers and others. The boards given full power to acquire for this purpose, and to. make arrangements for the supply of meals. Another provision enables boards to. make bylaws regulating traffic and conduct on foreshores under their control, limiting the parts of the foreshore that may be used for bathing, and regulating the dress to be worn by bathers. A third section enables the Government to lease mud-flats outside llie area of harbour boards for agri-

cultural and other purposes, on condition that the lessee reclaims the land. FINANCE. Under the Finance Act the maximum amount of unauthorised expenditure for road boards in suspended , counties is increased from £ls to £SO. The rating power of town boards is raised from lid to 2d on the unimproved and 2s to 2s fid on the annual value. In the. Finance Act (No. 2), local bodies are exempted from the requirement that they shall collect tax from holders of their debentures, provided they supply to the Commissioner of Taxes the names and addresses of persons to whom debentures have been issued. MISCELLANEOUS. Local authorities are empowered by the Country Telephone Lines Amendment Act to arrange with the Government to erect lines, indemnifying the latter against loss. For this purpose extended powers are given the local authorities to levy rates. In the Electric Power Boards Amendment Act the most important provision is to allow boards to levy a special rate over a part of the district. There are other machinery amendments. There are also machinery amendments to the Road Boards Act. Evening Post.