THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4788, 27 July 1876, Page 3

THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BILL.

This Bill was tabled on Friday, July 14th. The following is a precis of its xirovisious : The Provincial Abolition Financial Arrangements Bill, introduced last night, provides that it shall come into operation bn September 29.Land revenue within each district to be charged with expenses of surveys and general administration of waste lands within such district, such expenses to be apportioned by the Commissioner , of Audit, Any waste lands sold (not being town lands) at a price above 40s. per acre, the amount realised in excess to be expended in the construction of roads and bridges ; such moneys to be paid either to the governing body of the county or road district, ; or divided betweensuch bodies, as the Governor thinks fit. If the amount available is not sufficient to carry out such works, the Governor may cause the same to be retained until other moneys have been derived from a like source, ■ or the Governor may direct it to be expended as may seem nearest to the above provisions. The Taranaki laud revenue is only subject to the Act after deducting the percentage provided by the Harbor Board Act, 1874. The land revenue of each district to be further charged as follows /.—With payment to.the then Superintendent of - two years’ salary ; with charges imposed hereafter for education; with subsidies to counties and road boards, one, pound . to one pound; with subsidies to river district boards, oue pound to one pound received from, rates; with expenses of construction of 'railways, .viz., for first three years after coming into operation of Act, two per bent, on sums expended ; next three years, 1| per cent.; next three years, 1£ percent.; balance to be divided as follows;—Three-fifths in proportion to the area that each county bears to the whole district, the other twofifths in the proportion that the general rates received'by any county or road board bear to the general rates raised , in the district from the whole , ef the counties and road boards therein. If the land revenue in any district should be insufficient to meet the above charges, advances are to be made out of the Consolidated Fund, such advances .to be repaid to the Consolidated Fund as the land revenue accrues. Treasury bills may be issued to meet such advances. One pound to be paid annually for five years to every road district and borough for every pound of general rates received’ during the year, such subsidies to be equally-apportioned by the Colonial Treasurer between road districts and counties ; no subsidy to be paid on any rate in excess of the scale provided by the Act, namely, one shilling in the pound. The Colonial Treasurer may make advances to boroughs and road districts. All licencing fees are to be paid to county or borough within which the licensed premises are situate. Bents from powder magazines to be paid to the Public Account; and fines and penalties for scab in sheep to be paid to the county within which ,the same are incurred ; provided only that the cost and charges of administering the enactment are borne by the county. All fines for breach of by-laws to be paid to that,; governing body whose, by-laws have been infringed. Goldfields’ revenue to belong to the county within which it has arisen. The Colonial Treasurer to apportion' the revenue where the same has arisen in more than oue county according to the proportion of miners’ rights and business licenses in the respective counties. Charitable institutions to be maintained at the cost of the county or borough; but if the governing body fail to provide for the same, the Governor may withhold the payment - 0 f - the subsidy. Charitable institutions are hot to include lunatic asylums. Out of the Consolidated Revenue a subsidy of five shillings ' for every pound raised by private subscription’. is to be paid for maintenance; of charitable institutions. The icost and charges of providing primary public education within counties and boroughs, after deducting the fees and other revenues re-: ceived by the Board of Education and Cousoidatod Revenue shall be borne as follows: Two-thirds to be charged to the land revenue received within each provincial ’district provided by sub-section three of section nine, and one-third thereof on Consolidated Revenue. All charges for; •’ inspection of schools provided by the Education Board Act, 1876, to be borne by the Consolidated Revenue. After this Act has; been in operation five years so much as the General Assembly shall determine of the charge of keeping the school buildings in repair aUd erecting new buildings shall lie borne by the counties and boroughs in which such school buildings are situated. With respect to the schools for higher education, revenues of which from endowments or school fees may from time to time be added to by-votes .of--General-Assembly, such votes shall from time , to time be charged agaifist '•'{££ land revenue of the district. As soon as conveniently, may be after the coming into operation of the said Act, the Governor in Council shall cause an account of debts and liabilities .of each' district to be taken from time to time as occasion may require. Debts and ’liabilities' l ofeach district shall, comprise the following matters and things Payment of interest' and sinking fund; aU loans which at date of abolition of provinces comprised i within the district’ wbre chargeable against the I ! proyittce,-payment. of_all Other...debts,Jiabili- ; yes, and engagements of every kind whatsoever, I together with interest thereon, at a rate j not : ekcfeeclirig five p'or cent'.’ per annum; payment Of' interest and’ sinking fund of any I loans raised for purpose of paying off or otheri wise providing for such debts, liabilities, and engage'menta r of such district. Any ’expenditure which under the Provincial Appropriations. Extension-Act, 1875, or under the said Act, the i Governor’ or; Governor in Council ihas authorised any Superintendent to make iup to 30th day of September, 1876, and which j expenditure has not been made, shall be held (to be a liability of the district in which incurred, and the Governor shall accept same and Cake all necessary measures to insure that the money is expended in accordance with the origi■nalmtention. No person employed as above is to ’acquire any right under the Civil Service Act. 'The Balance of provincial liabilities are to be -raised by Treasury bills on loan; and amounts Sao raised: are' to be added to the provincial ’debt of the district. Any cash in hand in iii excess of the provincial debt is to be ex-r pended in the provincial district as agreed upon .between the .Governor and the late Superintendent. . Clause 82 makes ’provision for the extinguishment of provincial loans. Permanent provincial officers are to become officers of the General Government, though hot to acquire any : right . under the Civil Service Act of 1866.' ’ : Members of ’the House " df rl ; Beprisentatijds ;'- holding office imdor7 the' Provincial Government , are s hot;to,' teriiaWe disqualification,• (provided ; tlhat’they’ifesighpttfeli Ufficq. 1 > All-railways are'* ‘to be the, property of'thoeolohy, and provin- ‘ ciqd aroto bo relieved of all liability, in respect thereof. With respeot to tho Ganter.BuTy~btaaeh 'xfulway0 > :tko £49,0007 paid .by’! (tk^'Government'for branch railways is. to bo considered ini arriving at the amount to

bededucted from. the. permanent debt of, the district. The provincial railways in Otags and Canterbury are to be taken over by the General Government at a valuation to' be fixed by three valuers—one to be appointed by the Minister for Public Works, one by the Superintendent, and a third by the other two. The unexpended portion of the Middle Island railway fund is to be credited to the district. Water races and such like to be vested in governing bodies of the county; and if such works extend into more than one county, the control and management is to be vested in such governing body as the Governor shall think fit, or jointly in the control of both. Such works to be kept in repair by the county, and in case of neglect the Governor may withhold subsidies. The Governor may agree' to pay £IO,OOO towards the completion of the MikoUui water-race, in addition to existing appropriations, but on condition that the governing body of tbe county must complete the said race. Sections 14 to 16,18 to 22, and 24 of the Abolition of Provinces Act are repealed.