ROADS AND BRIDGES BILL.

Patea Mail, 30 August 1882, Page 2

ROADS AND BRIDGES BILL.

LOCAL LOANS AND RATING. In the House yesterday Major Atkinson moved the second reading of this Bill. Heexplained that the main feature of the Bill was the setting apart of money in the Parliamentary vote, and leaving it to bo distributed by self-acting machinery. Whatever opinion might be formed of the details, he had no doubt they would agree with him that the provisions of the Bill must be accepted as a guiding feature of their administration, unless they were prepared to take over the main roads and provide for them by annual appropriation Mr Montgomery objected to the mode of finance proposed. He desired to see a more complete severance of general and local finance. The whole thing was designed to place the local bodies at the mercy of the Government, and he hoped the measure would be thrown out. Mr Wynn Williams objected to the Bill."^ Mr Sutton supported it. Mr Bathgate strongly condemned It, contending that £IOO,OOO would not meet the requirements of the case. He would much rather see the local bodies allowed to go into the money market to satisfy their own wants than see the General Government do so and then dole out the money* to them. Mr Hurst, Captain McKenzie, and Mr Smith supported the Bill, subject to amendments in detail to be made in committee, and Messrs Moss and Holmes opposed it. The Bill was supported by Messrs W.C. Buchanan and Fergus, on the principle of half a loaf being better than no bread. Messrs Pyke, Hutchison, De Latour, Macandrew, and Seddon, strongly opposed the Bill. Major Atkinson replied at length, and the second reading Was carried by 34 to 17.