GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR TO ROAD BOARDS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 690, 16 November 1876, Page 2

GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR TO ROAD BOARDS.

The Government hare issued the following important circular to the chsirinen of Road Boards, drawing attention to the principal provisions of the Bating Act, Local Elections Act, Public Woiks Act, and Financial Arrangements Act, copies of which accompanj the circular. " Colonial Secretary's Oifico, Wellington, Noreniber 6tb, 1876. Sir,— 1 am dircoted by the Colonial Secretary to forward to you the iollowmg Aou which has been passed in tho Session of Pailiamont recently concluded :—: — The Rating Act. The Regulation of Local Elections Act. Tho Publio Works Act. Tne Fina. oiul Ai rangeinenta Act. And lam at tbe same time, to call your uttentiou to their tnoie niiportunt pro vi» ona »s aff. "ting Itoad B ards aud the inhabitants of the road districts. At to thb Eating act. 1. You will poiceirn that by the 35th section it will not now bo competent for a.R >ad Board to ti.ale any rate for tutj period bojond the 31=tof March next, excpt under the present Act ; although rutei raado beforo ihu pussing of the Act tor any period eudiug before or after that day, miy bo rooorered uuder the old law. 2. In order to make any r^te after* tti 'Slit Match, u wilt be necessary for the Board to put in force the indcuinery of t io new Act, iho mini object of which u toosiabhali m uniloitn sjscem for the valuation of rateable property throughout Now Zealand, and a uniform system for making and leuuViriig rat;s. lh« first s'ep it to uppoint valuers to niuke up tho YUluauon lilt of the district ; and as thid hit ruußt he ready by ihe 15ih of Jauuary, no time «hould be lost in making ihu appointments, ia in fpei'iaMy u> c ill your utteuuon to tho provi.-io . contain, d in tho 12th section, that a notice ol tno valuation of each property must be given to tbe ra epaver in tho munner descubed in the 2nd section in reluron'e to the seivmg of notices. 3 — The valuation li»t being in the hands of the Botrd on the 15 u Ja uar_v, is to remain on Tiew till (he 1-uii of beb runry •, and pubtio notice of tht> pine whe c it may be seen niu.t be given onu day in each weok during fie month. 4. — It will bo thu dwty ot ihe Judge of ihe AssiSiuoent Court, who wilt ibortly be appointed, to give proper notice of j the time and p ace when and where the Court will tit io hoar objections <\o the

vnitmious; ..ncl it is o H en to the B ard, b.v sccti, i) .14 t.ioij ct to anjr *nlHiii.n, or b> * olio. i 18, to 01-j c-> to tio whole >a nation list ; but iti t efi si case a copy" ot tb» objeo4oa nnuit be served on' lh# person afl'.ctrd thereby, andiw thaseoorid ca"eth« obj-'Otiim nia^t be publ shed. ' 5 You will perceive that by the<£Bth aec<ion, if the Board fails to have a valu t> t.on list prepareil, m becomes die duty of the Asunament Court to aupplj the deficienoy 6 — The prori ions of the Act in retpactto the m .king und rpcoveyof rates cali lor i o special renurk.

In kespkot to the RnoTTLATioir ov Looil fa.ltOTlON3 \OE. You will obterre that &• Act it to come into force, 1a respect to Road Board elections, only by the Proc a nation :>f the Uorernor, upon the request of at least •no-thirds of the member* of the Bond Board, and after the retepayer», assembled m public meeting, have aimiified Jheif appro v»l of iuoh stop. It u t therefore, for ratcpayert ihemielTeg to coiuider whfltlier the? m«h roting by ballot to be introduced in the Koad iioard election* la lieir district

Tub Pvbiio Wobks Acr. The Fifth Part of tbis Act, which consolidates the law as regards roadj, » n d tW Severn h part, which providts for drainage, are the parts which primipally nffect tlie powers and duties of Road Board By theSJ-t aecion all roads, wl ioh include (.ridges, ire in the fi--»6 m-tance iv charge of the Road B mrd, but the County or the Government uiay take under its charge any road, nnd relieve he Koad Board from lhe cost of maintenance.; nnd in respect of county roadß and Goverument roads, the duties of the Road Board oeise. It is heiioved that this Part of the Aot vesta in the itoud Board a lull power to onstiuot and maiutun the highways, and, wneru they Hunk fit, to eitabluh tolls. ' In respect to dunnage the Seventh P£H of the Act p i i-9i pub 10 drami prunaoif in thargu ot tlie counties, witli a view t» tsiabh6hinga system of arterial drainage throughout the country ; but the county may pl^ce any particular draum under thn control of the Koad Board ; and the Road Board may make and maintain any drains in connection with the gem-ral system of drainage, obtaining tlie consent of the County Council. iouwillfiul full powt-rs for stopping useless roads in the Fifth P»rt ; but the powers for obtaining land for tho purpose of making new load* over private pro erty are given by the econd part of the Aot lhe Hoard h»T ug fu ii led tbe sereral conditions required by tlie clauses 21, 22, 23, 24. and 25, the Governor is empowered to t<iUe the land required absolutely ; but as he is not compelled to do co unless ho thinks fit, an appeal virtually is scoured to the (Joveinjr in ( ou'cil by any one wh> may cons, ter himself wrong d by the action ot he B >a>d. The and being taken, the Board becorros liable for any couipensßtion which may be awarded by the Compens tion Court consti'uied by Pait J II oi this Act.

J hi Financial Arrangements Act. I am to call your special attention to tie 32nd section of this Act, by «hch ib iloud Board i* debarred from receiving any subsidy under the Act, m-less the returns specified therein are tout to the Colonial Treasurer at or before the proper tioio. Ihe sum ao uilljr receired in cash by way of general rate* duiing each year emlinß on the 3lst March. i§ the sum on *l>ich iho subßidy pay»ble during the year commencing on the l*t of July thereafter is (o be caleu ated and paid: It will therofore be moat conveuiem that the tiuuuual year of all local bodies should end on tue 31st Alureb. 'Ihe Board will tUcu know exactl; the sum which it will be entitled to moire from the Government during rhe fallowing year ; and tuo Colonial lroasurer will know, from the reiuriid to bo iurni^hed btfore the Ist of May, Ibe ciact sums for which he will hive to make provision during lh<> ensuing fitiant-itil year The roturu you are required to furnish, on ihe 3l»t of uexi January, will he ono of the Gkneral Kates actually .rocewed by the Board during the year ending on (he 31bt Murch, 1876, and *ill be the basis of d(tumiuing the subsidy for lha six momhs <jndiug on the 30th June 1877. I bulieve I haro noticed all the principal points to which it is neccssiiry to cull your attention ; and I hare to express the hope of the Government thai tho bßTcral Aon now tr n-mitted will enable tho Koad Boards to fulfil the duties intrusted to them with increased facility. 1 have the honor to be, bit, Your obedient »errant, Q. S. rc-OPER. Under secretary.