Counties Act Amendment Bill.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 540, 1 July 1880, Page 3

Counties Act Amendment Bill.

The Bill introduced under this title by the lion Mr Hall aims at extending 1 the powers of the County Councils. It extends the meaning of the term “ public works,” so as to make it include “ works for the purposes of water supply, irrigation, and drainage of land.” It also empowers any County Council, or tv o or more such Councils, if they choose to unite for the purpose, to contract with any person or body corporate for the erection of a bridge or bridges, tbe contractor or contractors to have the tolls for a definite period to be fixed by mutual agreement, the tolls also to be approved by the County Council. The construction of tramways by the County Council is also placed upon the same basis as the formation of any other road, the Council being empowered to make by-laws regulating the fares, the rate of speed, the time-table, &c., and punishing misconduct on the part of the employees and nuisance on the part of the passengers. The Bill gives the County Council power to lay down a tramway of of this kind on any public road or street under the control of a Hoad Board, without asking the consent of the Board ; or in any street or roadway with the consent of the Borough Council under whose control it may be. Or the County Council may authorise a company to construct a tramway.—Wang. Herald.