NEW BILLS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5823, 27 November 1879, Page 2

NEW BILLS.

The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill, prepared by the Hnn. Mr. Hall, contains ninety-one clauses. The colony may be divided into hospital districts by an Onh-r-m-Council, and they may be altered or abolished afterwards, if deemed necessary. The Governor may declare that local bodies within the district shall be liable to contribute to the support of the hospitals or charitable and may also appoint the proportion of the contribution to be made, in proportion to the population in the localities uud.-r the control of the local bodies, and the time for payment. The Boards are to be elec; ive, and shall he termed “ Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards.” Bach Board shall be elected by the Councils of the contributory local bodies comprised in a district. The time for holding the first meeting, and the number required to form a quorum, to be fixed by the Governor. Any person qualified to be elected a member of a County or Borough Council or Road Board to be eligible as a member of the Board. The contributory bodies shall be entitled to one vote, if the contiibution amounts to less than £100; if less than £2OO, to two votes; if not Kss than £2OO but less than £3OO, to three votes ; if not less than £350 but less than £SOO. to four votes; if £SOO and upwards, to five votes. One-third of the members are to retire annually, but are e igible for re-election. Districts may be subdhi led, and new ones constituted, and an apportionment of liabilities, &c., may be apportioned between the Boards uf the new districts. All real and personal property belonging to any hospital or charitable institution brought under the Act to be vested in the Board, and lands now or hereafter to be reserved may be granted to the Boards. The Board may utilize lands for hospitals, and shall have all control of hospital management, and the appointment of the. medical staff, and all salaried officers. All contracts over £2O to be by public tender. Power is given to make by-law?, and any person offending against item shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £lO. The appointment of inspectors is to rest with the Governor, and inspections may be made whenever the inspector sees fit. The annual reports of tho inspectors are to be submitted to Parliament. Persons maintained in the institutions shall he liable to contribute a sum not exceeding 20s. per week, according to their means. Near relations of inmates are to be h< Id liable for contributions. The contributions from local bodies to be in proportion to the population, and contributions in arrear may be recovered as a debt. The local bodies may pay the contributions out of the ordinary funds, or may‘levy a rate for the purpose. At every hospital or charitable institution a contributor’s book shall be kt-pt, < n which the names of all contributors to the funds shall be entered. The Colonial Tieasurer may deduct arrears from the subsidies of the local bodies, and pay the amounts to the proper funds of the hospital or charitable institution. Separate accounts to be kept of the proceeds of land or endowments, and also of moneys received or granted for special objects. A balance-sheet must be prepared at the end of each year, and l*e laid before audi-

tors. Aa abstract of the accounts must be published at least once in some newspaper circulating in the district, and a duplicate must be sent to the Colonial Secretary. The auditors a:e to be appointed, aud the amount of remuneration fixed by the Governor, to be paid out of the bo-pital and charitable aid fund. A special audit miy be ordered by the Governor, if deemed necessary. Auditors are to have suns powers as iho e conferred in reference to County Councils, aud may recover money illegally spent by the members of the Board. Branches of hospitals or charitable institutions may be established and regulated by the Boards, who may delegate the duty tb branch committees, to be elected by the contributors. The Boards may make grants for out-door relief out of moneys granted or collected for the purpose of affording charitable aid. Institutions supported voluntarily may be brought under the Act. Actions may be brought in the name of the Treasurer, and goods, chattels, &c., are to be deemed the property of the Treasurer ; but that officer is not to be personally responsible. The two last clauses are very important, aud we publish them in full. Clause 90 provides that out of any moneys voted by the General Assembly in that behalf there may be issued and paid to each hospital or charitable institution during the financial year a sum not exceeding one pound for every pound of grants by local bodies, subscriptions, receipts, or donations, received by such hospital or institution exclusive of receipts from the proceeds of lands and endowments. Clause 91 provides that the maximum sum to be paid from the Consolidated Fund towards the support of any such hospital or institution shall not exceed the payment in any one year of one-half the net cost of maintaining the hospital or institution respectively, remaining after there is deducted from the gross cost of such maintenance the proceeds received in such year of all lands and endowments belonging to such hospital or institution respectively. A number of Acts of the General Assembly, and Ordinances of some of the Provincial Councils, are repealed. Under the Rabbit Nuisance Bill, introduced by Mr. Waterhouse, and passed through the Legislative Council, boards of five trustees are to be elected by the landowners of the district. Under clause 15 these trustees are empowered to do whatever may appear to them proper and necessary to insure the destruction of rabbits in the district. All rabbits are to be destroyed on notice being given by the trustees to the owner of any landed property in the rabbit district, or the trustees may enter upon the land and undertake the work. A proviso protecting the interests of the landowner is inserted in this clause. Provision is made for the payment of all rates or other moneys received under the Act (presumably under powers granted in clause 15) into the bank, and for the audit and inspection of all accounts, &c. Every landowner whose name ia on the landowner’s list will have one vote at the election of one trustree. All dogs kept by trustees for the sole purpose of killing rabbits will be exempt from dog tax. Negligent landowners will be liable for the cost incurred by the trustees in destroying rabbits on such negligent landowner’s property.