Road Boards Bill.

Patea Mail, 26 July 1882, Page 3

Road Boards Bill.

Major Atkinson has introduced a bill for araendjng the constitution and powers of Road Boards. It is a large measure of 156 clauses, and is prefaced by a full summary of the changes it will effect. We print the greater part of the summary as follows :

The bill comes into operation ou the Ist January, ’B3. It repeals about forty Acts and Ordinances, which are specified in the First Schedule, and provides one uniform law respecting the Road Boards of the colony ; many, however’, of the provisions being so framed as to leave a considerable range of choice to the ratepayers of each district as to its' constitution, functions, and procedure in many respect of Road Boards. It is proposed by the Bill to use the name of Road Board for all these bodies, to call the persons forming the Board members, and their constituencies road districts ; and if divided, to call the divisions sub-divisions, so as to distinguish them from the wards of boroughs and the ridings of counties. Section 3 makes all existing districts and their Boards districts and Boards under the new Act, and all members of present Boards members still of the Boards under the new Act. It is desirable that the counties should always consist of so many road districts or outlying districts ; in other words, that no road district should extend over the boundaries .of a county. There are but few at present which are open to this objection. In the future, by section 12 no new district or alteration thereof, can be made whereby the district shall extend into more than one county. It is a generally-expressed wish that the boundaries of ridings of counties should beco-terminous with those of road districts. As far as possible an endeavor will be made to give effect to this wish in the Amending Counties Bill, it being considered that the riding should be made to suit the road districts or sub-divisions, and not the reverse.

Boards are, by section 24 to 26, to consist of four to nine members, the Boards having power .to alter their numbers within these limits, subject to similar conditions, as far as applicable, to those on which alterations are made.

The periods of election and duration of office are dealt with by sections 31 to 33. A.s this Bill makes considerable alterations in the powers of these Boards, it is thought well to have a general election next year. The day fixed is the last Monday of June, that day being thought suitable because the rural population have at that time more leisure to attend to local politics, and also because it allows of sufficient time after the end of the financial year to enable the existing Board to prepare its balance-sheet and have the audit completed. It is proposed to have a similar general election every three years, as in the case of municipalities. It seems desirable to give the ratepajmrs periodically an oppor- • tunity of choosing an entirely new Board, and the objection that it allows of a Board being wholly composed of inexperienced members is sufficiently' met by the assertion, that if such happens it will be because it is the wish of the ratepayers, for they are at liberty to elect the old members as often as they please.

For continuation see fourth page. %