THE PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2498, 8 January 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1877.

The first meeting of the newly elected County Councillors has been fixed, as is elsewhere remarked, for to-morrow, preparatory to meeting the Borough Councillors, and talking with them over the advisability of uniting Borough and County together. Among other matters which will probably be discussed, will be the question as to whether the whole of the Counties Act shall be brought into operation, for by that Act certain clauses need not be brought into force. If, however, the whole of the Act is not brought into force, the position of the County Council is in many respects changed, but in order to bring this about the Council must within three months of its first meeting pass a resolution that such clauses as are contained in the third schedule of the Act shall not come into operation. If such declaration is not made, the whole Act will come into operation. If it be determined not to bring the whole Act into operation then, any time before the 31st of March next the Council may determine in what proportions the money payable to them may be allotted to theßoad Boards and outlying districts, and in the case of the latter on what works the sum allotted is to be expended, and under whose supervision. Though the County Council allots the money, none of it is to pass through their hands, but to be paid either, in one case, direct to the Highway Boards, or in the other to such persons as the Governor may appoint. The first distribution comprises money expected from all sources before June 30th, and before January 31st tlje Council must send to the Colonial Treasurer a. statement to show the total amount of all property on which, rates have been levied during the year ending March 31st last past, and also the amount of all general rates received during the past year. If such account is not furnished no subsidy. will be paid. A similar return must also be furnished by Road Boards. If the whole Act is not brought into force, the Council must hold its annual meeting on or before the 31st of March next and elect a Chairman, but such Chairman cannot be paid a salary, and holds office for one year only. Neither can the Council, if only a portion of the Act is brought v.into operation, appoint any salaried officer except a clerk. Neither can it appoint)! committees, keep officies, levy rates, borrow money, enter into contracts, make bye-laws, or do various other npcessary things, so that, as will be seen, if the whole of the Act is not brought into force, the powers of the Council are exceedingly circumscribed. The Council can, however, in a general manner—except in such points as we have drawn attention to—conduct business in much the same manner as if the whole Act were in force, and the Road Boards have the same powers of taxing and making bye-laws as they now possess. These seem to us to be the chief points to which attention should be drawn should the Councillors, or a majority of them, determine not to avail themselves of the whole Act. We trust, however, that the majority of the Council will be found to be favorable to giving the Act a fair trial, by availing themselves of all its powers. VnCer any other circumstances we apprehend that the Act would only prove obstructive, and give occasion to the enemies of local selfgovernment to decry the measure as passed, and so strengthen the hands of that party in the State, who by persistent opposition and factious delays prevented the Counties Act from receiving that careful attention which would probably have resulted in making it more suitable to the altered circumstances of the Colony. ,