LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 201, 22 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

SCHEME FOR REFORM. f.

IMPORTANT NEW MEASURE ' CIRCULATED.

In a Bill of nearly 420 clauses, introduced on Tuesday, the Government digclosed its proposals for thorough reform' of the Dominion's local government system. The main proposals are well summarised in, an offlcinl memorandum at- ! tached to theBBill:-{.(. :-{.( A local government board is estab-. lished, consisting of the Minister of Internal Affairs, three permanent heads of:. departments, and three other persons) appointed by the Governor. The function of the board is to exercise certain powers of. sujevvision, control, and admatters of local government.

The whole of New Zealand is divided, into areas of local government, with ,r provinces, twenty-four in number.' Eachprovince consists of groups of pounties, and comprises all boroughs "included within the boundaries of thosccounties I .'/ The boundaries of the provinces are set out provisionally by way of suggestion or illustration, but it is presumed that their actual boundaries will be finally determined by Parliament, after taking into consideration the report of a commission appointed to enquire into the' * matter. ,

Every province is governed by a provincial council consisting of elected representatives.of the various counties and' boroughs comprised in tho province. Representation is in proportion to the value of the rateable property in each of these constituent districts of the pro- I vince. Countiesjand borough's which are too small for separate representation will be grouped together into combined' districts and return .representatives in common. ' "■»

The provincial representatives of each borough are elected by the electors of the borough at the same time a 9 the general election of the borough 1 council./ Provincial representatives of each county* are elected by the electors of the county at the same time as the general election of the county council. County electionsand borough elections will take place on the same day every second'year. On' that day, therefore, throughout the whole of the Dominion an' election will take place in every county and borough, of county councillors borough councilI lors, and, provincial councillors. A provincial council is defined as a rating authority having power to impose general rates irpon the whole province or separate rates upon any portion of the province which; with the consent of- ' the local government board, is constituted a separate rating area. Pro- , vincial rates are imposed within each borough and. county comprised in the province on the same system of rating as is in force in that borough or county • and on the valuation roll of the borough or county, and are collected on behalf ' of the provincial council by the borough ' councils and county councils in the same manner as if they were borough or"! county rate?. A subsidy at the rate of .los in the pound is .payable from the Consolidated Fund to each provinco on the amount of its general rates. A' provincial council is given power' raise special loans for public works, "and to impose special rates accordingly. The division of powers between pro- . »iiicial councils on the one hand and .1. borough councils and county councils on I the other is based on the principle that '■ I all powers which can be, adequately exer- ' «ised within the limits of a single bor- , ougn or a single county are vested in the borough and county council, whiW' J the powers which for their effective exercise require to be extended beyond' , the limits of a single county or borough aro entrusted to the provincial council - • The chief functions of the provincial councils relate to the following mattered (a) hospitals; (b) charitable aid; (c) public health; (d) education; (e) harbors; (f) main roads and bridges; (g)' f rivers; (h) drainage water-supply. '"' As a consequence, all hospital anoV. .1 charitable aid boards, education boards,-' I certain harbor boards (not yet specified), all drainage and wa'ter-sup»lv boards, and all road districts and road boards arc to be abolished, and their powers, property and liabilities transterred to the provincial councils. Existing counties are continued, their powers 1' and functions remaining substantially as at present. The general rates levied by : '' them will be subsidised out of the con- "* -.solidated fund, the rate being based on a, V sliding scale varying from 20s to 2s «d : '' m the £. The subsidy is made to de- . pend upon the average capital value of j the rateable property in the county. NECESSARY PRELIMINARIES. , ' The Prime Minister remarked that no ,l doubt such a measure would take a session to consider, but it was only fair that all the local bodies interested should have plenty of time to comprehend the Bill. Before a system so big—. and fraught with so,many difficulties could come into operation, a commission would be required to finally adjust various matters between themselves and as between the local bodies and the State. A conference of local bodies to discuss the whole matter was also necessary.

The Bill was read a first time and set down for second reading next sitting day.