THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5109, 22 August 1895, Page 2

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

IMPORT AX T CHANGES PROPOSED. Tlio following is a summary principal features of the L® Government Dill as published by tho i\.Z. Times: its owrav , In the preface altachod to tho Bill it is stated that tho chief purpose aimed at by tho llill is to prune and simplify the present overgrown and uuweikly system of local government. The number of local bodies of all ; sorts now in existenco exceeds five hundred and fifty. The cost of management aloue (that is to say, oilico salaries, advertising, and other purely management expensos, altogether exclusive of engineer's and works) is more than £107,000 a year. In some instances it amounts to GO per cent, of the total revonuo-that is to say, it costs £6O to collect £IOO. Under tho Rill it is anticipated , that tho number of local bodies will be reduced by three-fourths, and tho cost of administration by more than one-half. The bodies that remain will have larger powers, with assured finance, and direct responsibility for all local expenditureconditions under which it is able to expect that government will bo combined 'Mr economy of administration. The division of tlio Colony into districts will be olfected by commissioners to be elected by the local authorities. DISTRICTS. Tho Acts relating to Counties, Municipal Corporations, Town Districts, River Boards, Land Drainage, Water-supply, and Hospital and Charitable Aid are to be repealed. With the exception of certain cities and boroughs enumerated' in the first schedule, and such road districts as tho Commission may retain, all the local bodies constituted by these Acts are to bo dissolved. Tho commissions are to re-diyido the Colony into counties, in tho councils of .which will bo vested all the functions of the dissolved local bodies

Existing boroughs not included in the first schedule may bo declared " borough districts." A boroujfl}\ district will be a riding of its coivW§r but all the powers of the Bill appTTo-"" , able to boroughs may bo exercised by tlie couuty council. Power is giyen to the commissions, in including within a borough any contiguous area, to reduco the general rate leviable by the borough council within such area,

Existing load districts may bo retained, but no now ones are to bo created after the first division of tlio Colony is effected.

REPRESENTATION. Tlio franchise is extended to occupiers by virtue of a tenancy of three months, and to householder! who have paid rent in the district for twelve months under any tonancy, In view of the improved representation, the powors given by the Hill to the council are v(ider and less restricted or qualified than lias been the case 111 the past. Tlio practice now in force in boroughs for tlio election of clmir. •< man has been adopted; though in boroughs the chairman will be styled "Mayor."

The chairman is to be elaetot i annually by theelectors of thedistijp on the same day as the general election of councillors, and receives a salary, „ The council holds office for two years, and all councillors go out together. Their number is not less than six nor more than fifteen t (exclusive of chairman), and in boroughs, as regulated by population, FINANCE. The councils receive the srtmo land and gohlliolds revenuo as at present, but subsidies 011 ratfts, etc., are abolished, and in lieu thereof provision is made for an annual capitation grant to each couuty of is bd and to eacli borough of 4s per bead of its population, In addition to this, the Bill provides that cortain main arterial roads shall be maintained by the General Government, The total contributions from Government will be larger than at present, and thus local ilnaiico will bo both strengthened and simplified. Hospitals and charitable aid are maintained by the districts, Afterpayment of general expenses, 1 and cost of neassary works beating tlio whole district, tho TSs lovied in each riding or wftrd aro to . be spent exclusively therein. WORKERS 1 DWELLINGS. Power is given to acquire dwell, ings and plots of ground in or near the district, for occupation by workmen. lor the same purpose, workmen's lodging houses may be equipped and managed by the couucil. ME INSURANCE. This part of the Act can only bo adopted by special order, and with the consent of the ratepayers, to bo ascertained as in the case of a speci'a> loan. It applies only to boroughs.' HATES. The existing limit of rating powers is retained, but provision is made for rating 011 tbo unimproved value, in tlio event of that system being enacted.