THE COUNTIES ACT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3914, 16 September 1891, Page 2

THE COUNTIES ACT.

Disoussion in Committee.

The Counties Act Amendment Bill was discussed in Committee in the House yesterday. A proviso was added to clause 2 (new road board district may be formed on petition signed by two-thirds of ratepayers), providing that no new road board district may be formed unless the area contains 50 or more ratepayers, and has a rateable value of £50,000. —Clause 5, " Council may declare all district roads to be county roads," was struck out on the voices.—Clause 8, " County Councils may require owoer of laud to remove impediments to water courses," was amended partially, and finally postponed to allow of it being redrafted.—Clause 10, " County electors to have one vote only." Mr C. H. Mills moved an amendment that the limit of votes should be reduced to three according to the rateable value of the property: £IOOO one vote, £2OOO and not more than £3OOO, two votes and up to £IO,OOO three votes.—The amendment was lost by 81 to 18— Ultimately the clause was struck out by 38 to 14.- Clause 18, " Separate accounts to be kept for each riding," was excised trom the Bill on the voices, as was also clause 18, " crea* tion of new counties by petition."—A new clause was added to the Bill empowering county counoils contributing to institutions under the " Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885," to appoint trustees for such institutions, in case alt the trustees of such an institution shall resign the office.—Mr R. Beeves moved new clauses enabling County Councils to light streets, public buildings, et«., which was agreed to, and another clause was also added to tho Bill empowering County Councils fiKoutract

for such lighting.—Clauses enabling . County Councils to pay chairmen a salary and travelling expenses of councillors was negatived on the voices.—Other slight amendments were made, and the Bill then passed its final Btageß.