RIVER BOARD ACT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 16 October 1913, Page 5

RIVER BOARD ACT.

JN IMPORTANT AMENDMENT. (By Telegraph—Preu Association.) v WELHNGTON, Last Night. In the House of Representatives to-night the Hon. A. L. Herdman moved the second reading of the River Board Amendment Bill, which provides for >the alteration of districts on, a petition signed by not less than onefdurth 'of the ratepayers. In the event of no Board being elected in a Rivers District, the Governor nay Appoint sufficient members to constitute a Boatfd. Rates may bo levied S. a. graduated scale, according to e classification of the land, which dassification is to be compulsory. Sections 88 and 93 of the Amendment i Act, of 1910 are repealed. Sir Joseph Ward objected to an alteration of the boundaries, or the abolition of a district oh'minority votes. •"' That''this was the law of the, land was ino justification. He knew of many! instances where' the system had created hardships. He also questioned the wisdom of the compulsory classification of land, and of the power given to the Governor to appoint a complete Board in the event of the people failing to elect one. This was local government by Order-in-Oouncil. Mr T. M. Wiford said the repeal of clause 88 did not affect River j Boards seriously in the matter of i , valuation rolls, but the proposal to j abolish a district on the petition of one-fourth of the ratepayers was &• serious matter. He proposed to move an amendment, making.the proportion two-thirds. Mr Russell said the introduction <i an amending measure was proof of the chaotic condition into which local ijovernment' had fallen. If the Government wa© going to carry out its promises to the people, it ought to stop this tin-pot patching of the system, and deal with the whole question in a comprehensive manner. The Hon. A. L. Herdman, in reply, said the age of miracles had passed, ' and on top of all the important measures which the Government had introduced, it was impossible to tackle. the large question of local Government. The matter was not, however, lost sight of, and the present Government would one day introduce a mea r sure whish would deal more effectively with the whole question than any Bill ever brought before the House. . • The Bill was read a second time.