The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1885. THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2020, 19 June 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1885. THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.

Among the measures which have been introduced in tho Legislative Council by the Government is one of 407 clauses and eight schedules, for the consolidation and amendment of the law relating to Municipal Corporations. It lias been prepared by the Statutes Revision Committee, All the existing general Acts relating to Municipal Corporations, being eleven in all, and a large number of provincial ordipnces which are still in force, are to be repealed. All the existing boroughs, and all the town districts which have an annual or upwards, are to be constituted horoughs under the new Act. The town districts proposed to be, dealt with number 25 in all, and include,jin the Provincial District of Wellington, those of Carterton, Featherston, Lower Hntt, Bulls, and Foxton, To meet a probable difficulty in small boroughs, clause 25 provides that a borough not containing moro than GOOO inhabitants may be divided into two, and not more than three wards, Clause 30 contains provisions for the adjustment of boundaries between contiguous boroughs. According to clause 74, existing rolls would remain in for.ce where new rolls have not been made wjthin the prescribed tiiue. The minimum number of the Council in small boroughs shall, under clause 84, be six members. The Victorian provision, that one-third of the net income of a borough shall be distributed among the wards in proportion to the rates received therefrom, and expended in them, has ■ beon adopted in clause 137. Eates may be leviod in the different wards according to their requirements, and so that they may vary in the different wards, The rates levied in each ward are to be expended exclusively therein, subject to a contribution from each ward towards the general expenditure, where separate accounts are not kept, Where separate accounts are not kept between the wards,-the general rate may be varied in the different wards, or separate rates may be levied' in supplement of the general rates. Under clause 145, special .rates maybe levied on any portion of a. borough to provide interest ot a special loan raised for the benefit of such portion, The keeping ot a separate account for each ward is, under clause 164, optional, and imposes upon the wards a uniform contribution towards the general expenses, and" the maintenance of boundary streets. The provisions of the Counties Act for the recovery of money illegally spent, are embodied in Clause 176. With regard to polling on tho question of raising a loan, the J

provision iii liio Act of 1880, tliat if the number of votes given for the proposal exceeds one-iiulf the total nvunber of burgesses, the resolution iu favor of the proposal shall, be deemed to be carried, has been struck out, and " three-fifths" substituted, so, that it would require three-fifths of tlfe total number of burgesses to vote in favor of a loan before it could be floated. , No overdraft shall be'granted in excess of one yenr's hicome. Undet; Clause 331 Volunteers nmy«.be enrolled as firepolice, and sworn jn as special constables, Public school buildings may be erected out of borough funds, under Clause 390, The power of making by-laws is proposed to be enlarged, and one of the schedules contains a list of subjects that may bo dealt with in this way. Public cemeteries may be affected by by-laws, even when tliey are situated out of boroughs. The provisions of the Counties Act for making by-laws have been incorporated, they being deemed more workable, while they also avoid the expense of publication when copies have been deposited for inspection. The crowding of houses, bad ventilation, and the overcrowding of people in houses is provided against in Clause 407. These are the principal changes which it is proposed to introduce. Taken as a whole, the Bill seems fairly workable, We are, however, inclined to doubt the advisableness of constituting town districts with an income of £250 or over, municipalities, whether they wish it or not, The Town Boards are worked in a most inexpensive manner, and many of them can afford to do without the paraphernalia which it is proposed to thrust upon them. We also think that the existing provisions with regard to taking a poll for a loan* are quite stringent enough. If Parliament determined to raise a loan for the colony by a majority of one, in a very thin house, the proposal would be carried, Why should not ratepayers ifl fi Borough have a similar right'! It would be much more reasonable if the majority of votes actually polled were tocarry the weight iu certain proportion to voters in the Borough. These and several other points that are objection' able, will no doubt be duly considered jl) both Houses, The measure is in the hands of the Hon, B. A, Buqkley, which does not argue well for its career,