Counties Act Amendment Act.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4263, 30 August 1882, Page 2

Counties Act Amendment Act.

[By Telegraph.]

(fbom otjb own cobbespondent.)

Wellington, This day.

The Counties Act Amendment Act just circulated contains 67 clauses. The rating provisions are thus altered : Clauses* 107 to 111 of Act 1876 are repealed, and ! these provisions to be substituted in lieu ' thereof: The Council may make and levy general rates on all rateable property within its county, but the total amount of rates for any one year shall not exceed three farthings in the pound on the rate* able value in Counties in which there are either road districts or town districts, or six farthings in the pound if there are no road districts or town districts. The County Council may either in lieu of or in addition to the general rate make and levy rates to be called " separate rates " equally upon all rateable property within every or any Siding of the County, and so that the " separate rates "to be levied in each Biding may vary from those in other Hidings, The separate rates made in any one year shall together with, the general rates not exceed in any Biding which is also a road district or town district the amount of three farthings in the pound,

or in any Riding which is not a road district or town district the amount of six farthings in the pound. So much of every separate rate levied within any Riding as may be necessary to defray the expense of making and levying such separate rate, and of the supervision of the said clerical work necessary in connection with the expenditureof the remainder of such separate rate, shall form part of the ordinary revenue of the country, to be applied in such manner as such ordinary revenue may be applied, and the remainder of such separate rate shall be wholly expended in the Riding within" which the same shall be levied and used.

The Council may in like manner, by special order, make and levy a Special Works Bate on all rateable property within the County, but the total amount of all,such Special Works Bates made for any one year in the County shall not exceed three farthings in the pound, and they shall be made subject to the following conditions, namely:—Before making such rate, the Council shall cause an estimate to be prepared of the cost of the proposed work and the amount of the rate proposed to be levied, and shall gire "^ thirty days' public notice thereof. Where' 7 it appears to the Council that any work which the Council is authorised to execute is for the special benefit of any particular portion of the County, the Council may make and levy a Special Works Bate on all property within the portion bo defined. The Act is proposed to come into""fotee.^ on the 31 st of March next.