LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE (REPORT OF THE), TOGETHER WITH APPENDIX.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1889 Session I, I-09

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1889. NEW ZEALAND.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE (REPORT OF THE), TOGETHER WITH APPENDIX.

Report brought up sth September, 1889, and ordered to be 'printed.

OEDEE OF EEFEEENCE. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire and report as to what form of local government is best adapted for the requirements of New Zealand ; five to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of the following members: Dr. Hodgkinson, Hon. Mr. G. F. Eiehardson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Whyte, Mr. Pyke, Mr. Samuel, Mr. J. McKenssie, Mr. Macarthur, Mr. Tanner, and the Mover; to report in three weeks."—(Hon. Sir H. A. Atkinson.)

K EPOET. The Committee appointed to inquire and report as to what form of local government is best adapted for the requirements of New Zealand have the honour to report that they regret that the short time at their disposal has been quite insufficient to do more than collect general information and discuss the subject referred to them; and to decide that, in their opinion, it is very expedient that some new system of local government should be established, and that it should be framed with the following objects, viz.: — 1. Decentralisation. 2. Reduction in number of local bodies. 3. A definite and fixed relation between the finance of the General Government and that of the local bodies. 4. The establishment of local districts with elective governing bodies. The districts to be comparatively few in number, and to be defined with due regard to community of interest and the natural features of the country. The four large cities of the colony, with their suburbs, to be made separate districts, and the remainder of the colony to consist of not more than sixteen districts. 5. The constituting of local Councils by election by the Borough and County Councils (or Eoad Boards where "The Counties Act, 1886 " is not in force) within each district, with provision that the Governor in Council may, where necessary, alter, for the purposes of such election only, the boundaries of any borough, county, or Eoad Board district. Your Committee would recommend that a Committee should be set up early next session for the purpose of further inquiry and consideration of this subject. sth September, 1889. Samuel Hodgkinson, Chairman.

APPENDIX. Eetuens showing Expenditube for Year ending 31st March, 1889, on Hospitals and Asylums, Police, Pkisoneks and Gaols, Stock Department, &c. HOSPITALS AND ASYLUMS. Hospitals, — £ s. d. Additions to buildings ... ... ... •■. £2,877 1 9 Eepairs, &c 2,305 9 4 5,182 11 1 Asylums, — Additions and repairs out of loan ... ... ... ... 10,242 2 6 £15,424 13 7 Hospitals and Charitable Institutions, — Total amount contributed out of Consolidated Fund for year ended 31st March, 1889 ' 65,330 0 0 Cost of Lunatic Asylums for same period, net ... ... ... 35,973 0 0 Cost of Children supported by State, — Government contribution (approximate) ... ... £15, 000 Charitable Aid Boards contribution (approximate) ... 6,000 I—l. 9.

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POLICE. £ s. d. Cost of police for year ended 31st March, 1889 ... ... ... 94,482 0 0 Cost of building police-stations ditto ... ... £10.786 6 4 Cost of repairing police-stations, &c, ditto ... ... 5,277 1 4 16,063 7 8

PRISONERS AND PRISONS. £ S. d. Cost of prisoners (approximate) ... ... ... ... ... 30,000 0 0 Cost of repairs to buildings and contingencies (approximate) ... ... 6,000 0 0 The cost of maintaining prisoners and prisons for some years to come should not exeged £35,000 per annum, unless there is a considerable increase in population and criminals.—A. Hume, Inspector of Prisons.

STOCK DEPARTMENT. £ s. d. Salaries (of Inspectors) ... ... ... ... ... ... 8,628 6 8 Bailway-passes (about 21) ... ... ... ... ... 320 0 0 Destruction of scabby sheep ... ... ... ... ... 1,602 9 7 Bemission of rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 122 14 2 Erection of South Canterbury rabbit-fence ... ... ... ... 7,585 4 7 '^Contingencies, general expenses ... ... ... ... ... 22,751 1 1 41,009 16 1 Less amounts recovered ... ... ... 917 10 1 £40,092 6 0

* This item, £22,751, is made up of following expenses : — Payment of wages to rabbit-agents, say .. .. .. .. .. .. £4,700 „ to Inspectors as travelling allowance, say .. .. .. .. 3,000 „ to contractors and rabbiters for destroying rabbits upon Crown lands, say .. 7,000 „ for stoats and weasels imported, say .. .. .. .. .. 1,600 for ferrets purchased, say .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,500 „ for rabbit-skins in Waikato, say .. .. .. .. .. 800 Transfer of Inspectors (reorganization), say .. .. .. .. .. 300 Cost of New Zealand Representatives at Sydney Rabbit Commission, say .. .. 400 Loss of Court case, Brunter's Ferret-breeding Contract, say .. .. .. 500 Small contingent expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,951 £22,751

Payments made to Local Bodies out of the Consolidated Fund during 1888-89. Estimates, 1889-90, Page £ Subsidies (ss. to 20s. in the pound) under the Local Bodies' Finance and Powers Act ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28,630 7 Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act ... ... ... ... ... 65,332 7 Babbit Nuisance Act, 1886 ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,678 7 Greymouth and Westport Harbour Boards (railway revenue refunded) ... 27,961 7 and 82 New Plymouth Harbour Board, 25 per cent, of lands sold or leased ... ... 3,330 8 and 82 Payments of thirds and fourths of lands sold or leased (exclusive of Deposit Account moneys) ... ... ... ... ... ... 17,951 86 Bates on Crown lands... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15,497 14 Grant in aid to Dunedin Hospital Trustees ... ... ... ... 400 59 Education ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 377,858 67 Stock Branch Vote ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40,092 81 Police ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 94,482 67 Thames and Beefton Schools of Mines ... ... ... ... ... 1,238 67 School of Mines, Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... 500 85 Fees to Members of Waste Lands Boards ... ... ... ... 675 Financial Statement Tables, 8.-6, Page £ £ 5 Fees, fines, &c, collected in stamps ... ... ... ... 2,074 Endowments, principally Grey and Westport Harbours ... ... 9,309 Goldfields revenue ... ... ... ... ... ... 20,218 Gold duty ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21,092 Boad Boards where Counties Act is not in full operation ... ... 1,241 53,934 From Government Loans to Local Bodies Account. Counties ... %... ... ... ... ... ... 39,085 Boadßoards... ... ... ... ... 38,260 Boroughs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 800 Town Boards ... ... ... ... ... ... 600 Biver Boards ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,730 83,475

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Return showing the Amount of Subsidies paid to Local Bodies under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, and the Subsidies paid and Money expended on Roads and Bridges out of Loan Votes.

* The payments prior to the expenditure of this sum were made out of Consolidated Fund. Note. —The expenditure out of loan under the Local Bodies' Finance and Powers Act is not given in this Return, the amount having been furnished by the Treasury in a statement o£ expenditure out of Consolidated Fund.

SURVEY. Expenditure on Roads, etc., out of Loan for Years 1886-87, 1887-88, and 1888-89.

EDUCATION. Summary of Education Boards' Ordinary Expenditure for Twelve Years. (From Tables Nos. 4 and 5, Education Report, 1889.)

Subsidies paid under the Boads and Bridges Construction Act. Expi :nditure on Boi Is by Financial Year. Bates under Crown and Native Lands Bating Act. Total. Public Works Department. Survey Department. Mines Department. £ £ 212,500 109,800 119,500 111,000 102,100 101,700 110,400 68,700 54,600 £ 52,200 35,900 81,600 84,600 49,300 61,800 59,000 73,600 32,700 £ £ £ 264,700 145,700* 210,000 329,700 316,900 292,000 239,600 181,300 105,600 .880-81 .881-82 .882-83 .883-84 .884-85 .885-86 .886-87 .887-88 .888-89 106,400 149,900 98,300 13,800 5,500 1,000 8,900 27,700 15,600 30,200 31,300 25,100 7,000 *25,100 8,400 10,300 374,900 990,300 530,700 145,800 43,800 2,085,500

Roads, &c. 1886-87. 1887-88. 1888-89. Total Expenditure since 1870. loads and bridges north of Auckland [ain roads Eiscellaneous roads and bridges ... rants in aid oldfields roads... £ s. a. 30,738 2 6 22,294 4 6! 39,748 10 2 81,263 10 6 32,624 13 2 £ s. d. 3,137 18 10 13,755 16 11 25,988 15 7 57,631 15 4 25,053 9 4 £ 264 10,968 26,748 26,912 7,015 s. a. 0 o 1 n 3 4 5 7 0 10 £ s. a. 229,404 15 9 434,807 0 5 1,255,577 17 11 560,233 7 3 147,986 7 5 206,669 0 10 125,567 16 0 71,907 11 8 2,628,009 8 9 General Survey Department, 31st August, 1889.

Year, Management by Boards. Inspection and Examination. Maintenance of Schools. Schoolbuildings. Total, 1877 ... 1878 ... 1879 ... 1880 ... 1881 ... 1882 ... 1883 ... 1884 ... 1885 ... 1886 ... 1887 ... 1888 ... i£ ••• £ 10,485 10,226 11,109 10,038 8,109 8,459 9,663 9,448 10,551 10,695 9,893 9,567 £ 5,607 6,143 7,735 8,274 8,388 9,116 9,867 10,441 10,040 10,241 10,731 10,148 £ 173,726 192,737 221,053 247,121 243,257 258,683 272,484 293,748 310,986 325,597 340,407 327,146 £ 80,352 89,255 172,867 117,410 58,255 71,852 86,749 49,679 64,822 65,008 52,621 30,355 £ 270,170 298,361 412,764 382,843 318,009 348,110 378,763 363,316 396,399 411,541 413,652 377,216 24th August, 1889.

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Estimated Amount of Tax at Id. on all Eeal and Personal Property. No exemption. £ Eeal property ... ... ... ... ... 90,000,000 Mortgages ... ... ... ... ... 30,000,000 £60,000,000 Personal property ... ... ... ... ... 75,000,000 Debts 20,000,000 £55,000,000 Total real and personal, £115,000,000, at Id., £480,000.

Estimated Stamp Revenue, exclusive of the Postal Department, 1889-90. £ Native land duty ... ... ... ... ... 5,000 Deceased estates duty ..... ... ... ... ... 50,000 Fines ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,000 Impressed stamps ... ... ... ... ... 23,000 Companies'licenses ... ... ... ... ... 19,000 Bankers' composition .... ... ... ... ... 17,500 Miscellaneous 5 ... ... ... ... ... 250 Adhesive stamps ... ... ... ... ... 163,550 £279,300

Subsidies paid under "The Local Bodies Finance and Powers Act, 1885."

Statement showing the Expenditure on Roads out of Immigration and Public Works Loan to 31st March, 1889.

To Counties. To Boroughs. To Town Boards. To Road Boards. Total. £ £ £ £ £ 885-86 .886-87 .887-88 .888-89 28,974 46,814 39,879 19,860 14,107 19,670 17,506 6,346 1,689 2,284 2,429 746 26,494 30,845 33,529 13,141 71,264 99,613 93,343 40,093 Totals ... 135,527 57,629 7,U8 104,009 304,313

Expenditure to 31st March, 1888. Expenditure during 12 Months ended 31st March, 1889. Total Expenditure to 31st March, 1880. Liabilities on Authorities, Contracts, &c, 31st March, 1889. I Total Expenditure and Liabilities. SUMMARY. £ a. A. Roads, Bridges, &c., North of Auckland 229,140 15 9 Main Roads ... ... ... 423,838 18 6 Miscellaneous Roads and Bridges 1,228,829 14 7 Roads to gite Access to Railway, Marton-Te Awamutu ... ... 40,142 15 10; jRANTS-IN-AID ... ... ... 533,321 1 81 Roads to open rp Lands (see Table No. 4) ... ... ... 506,834 17 3i [mpkoyemext op Tillage Settlements ... ... ■■• ... 13,944 2 0! rHEOTJGH Lands recently purchased (see Table No. 5, 1S83) ... ... 21,527 14 5! 3-Oldmelds Roads (see Table No. 5) 140,971 6 7j Payments to Eoad Boards (see Table No. 11, 1877) ... ... ... 225,000 0 0 £ s. d. 264 0 0 10,968 1 11 26,748 3 4 £ s. d. 229,404 15 9 434,807 0 5 1,255,577 17 11 £ s. d. 340 0 0 7,379 17 10 21,231 12 1 £ s. d. 229,744 15 9 442,186 18 3 1,276,809 10 0 1,897 13 1 26,912 5 7 42,040 8 11 560,233 7 3 87 14 0 2,875 1 3 42,128 2 11 563,108 8 6 ; 21,954 2 8 528,788 19 11 25,433 11 2 554,222 11 1 10,770 0 11 24,714 2 11 38,429 7 6 1 63,143 10 5 ... 7,015 0 10 21,527 14 5 147,986 7 5 25,168 0 5 21,527 14 5 173,154 7 10 i 225,000 0 0 225,000 0 0 Totals ... ... 3,363,551 6 7 3,363,551 6 7 106,529 8 4 3,470,080 14 11 120,945 4 3 3,591,025 19 2 Less recovery on account of services of previous years 90 18 2 90 18 2 90 18 Guam} Totals ... 3,363,551 6 7 3,363,551 6 7 106,438 10 2 3,469,989 16 9 120,945 4 3 3,590,935 1

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Return showing the Total Amounts paid over to Local Governing Bodies out of the Consolidated and Public Works Funds in each Year since the Abolition of the Provinces also, the Total Amounts raised or levied by such Local Bodies during the same Period.

The Treasury, 10th July, 1888. James B. Heywood, Accountant to the Treasury. *

1876-77. 1877-78. 1378-79. 1879-80. 1880-81. 1881-82. 1882-83. 1883-84. 1884-85. 1885-86. 1886-87. Total. I Consolidated Fund — £ s. a | a. £ s. d. £ S. &. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. d. s s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. a. 1. Appropriations to municipalities and Road Boards 2. Endowments and lands made 42,393 1 7 " 42,393 1 7 over 3. Subsidies from various accounts and under different Acts 4. 20 per cent, of land revenue paid up to the year 1881 5. One-third proceeds of land sales on deferred payments 6. One quarter rent of perpetual leases under the Land Act of 1885 7. Fees, fines, licenses, &c, payable to local bodies 8. Gold revenue 9. Gold duty 10. Payments under Counties' Separate Account (included above) 11. Eates paid for Crown lands .. 12. Miscellaneous payments not admitting of classification I 97,516 8 10 33,868 4 3 10,283 4 11 17,539 10 4 52,771 9 10 27,230 10 4 12,416 5 10 10,448 19 4 40,215 U 6 33,514 0 0 335,804 8 2 35,570 12 9! ;205,823 8 8 220,777 15 7 304,767 17 8 116,122 12 1 137,638 3 5 926 18 4 6,644 9 7 3,970 18 1 75,616 3 5 107,494 7 9 1,215,353 7 4 .. ! 42,175 15 5 229,648 9 6 45,116 6 5 32,672 5 2 "" 55 0 6 349,667 1 123 15 6 2,713 9 8 5,252 1 4 10,817 8 2 11,759 10 2 15,432 9 11 23,358 11 8 18,852 12 3 14,521 8 5 14,568 4 2 117,399 11 3 39 7 0 284 19 3 324 6 3 34,577 5 7 5,601 0 0 13,911 6 8 66,209 13 6 19,691 5 2 38,899 4 3 51,983 5 8 13,840 13 4 27,055 18 0 15,052 18 3 9,250 13 9 21,971 19 2 47,119 17 4 15,838 15 2 29,794 18 2i 47,709 13 7 16,594 12 0 i 28,345 10 3 5,836 13 1 19,517 7 7 25,847 13 11 3,582 7 2 23,382 4 5 23,601 14 0 3,223 18 8 14,960 6 2 24,921 0 0 2,376 17 0 13,194 14 5 21,976 9 8 2,363 1 0 11,773 12 4 23,104 6 1 280,035 10 10 163,645 4 4 279,430 0 2 ,. 1,160* 0 0 50,892' 8 2 24,950* 12 0 34,524* 1 7 36,156* 0 6 147,683 2 8 0,978 12 1 124 2 7 601 1 7 1,064 13 7 282 0 0 j 1,274 10 4 800 0 0 1,050 0 0 1,131 5 0 3,939 10 10 2,959 14 2 20,205 10 2 Public Wobks Fund — 13. Payments to local bodies out of Public Works Fund under Eoads and Bridges Construction, Crown and Native Lands Bating, and Government Loans to Local Bodies Acts 106,398 10 1 |168,960 1 1 116,607 4 7 42,071 2 3 434,036 18 •• Totals 412,759 15 1 270,187 6 5 251,326 10 11 271,419 12 7 139,031 18 8 [470,563 13 11 J580,488 17 7 296,093 9 7 96,806 13 8 323,011 11 5 274,289 7 6 3,385,978 17 14. Total rates raised by local bodies in each year 1210,916 0 0; 234,988 0 0 266,937 0 0 249,087 0 0 397,327 0 0 327,128 0 0 398,659 0 0 401,392 0 0 410,638 0 0 434,236 0 0; 13,231,308 0 * •

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Return showing the Total Expenditure on Public Works and other Services out of Immigration and Public Works Fund to 31st March, 1889, and the Liabilities on that Date.

* Exclusive of value of provincial railways taken over by Government. W. A. Thomas, Public Works Department, 12th June, 1889. Accountant.

Number of Table containing Details. I Total Net Expenditure to i 31st March, 1888. ! Expenditure during 12 Months ended 31st March, 1889. Total Expenditure to 31st March, 1889. iatSi- Total Expenditure tracts, &e., T . £?!£. 31st March, 1889. Liabilities. Works. Works. £ s. d. 1*13.362,423 15 3 3>3 63.SS r 6 7 509,941 10 11 561,963 1 9 1,687,900 13 9 822,124 16 5 £ s. d. £ s. a. 13,634,5°° 18 4 3,469,989 16 9 509,996 1 5 574,010 6 2 1,722,493 o 4 869,718 1 9 £ s. d. 207,483 II 2 120,945 4 3 . £ a. d. 13,841,984 9 6 3.59°,935 1 o 509,996 1 5 577,601 6 2 ',745.94 6 19 2 876,184 4 o 2 3. 4, 5 7 8 6 ! Railways ... Roads Water-supply on goldfields Telegraphs Public buildings Lighthouses, harbour works, and harbour defences Departmental Coal - exploration and mine - development Aiding works on ThameB Goldfields Immigration Purchase of Native land Defence Charges and expenses of raising loans ... Interest and sinking fund ... Hates on Native lands Thermal Springs Advances to Westport Harbour Board 272,077 3 1 106,438 10 2 12,047 4 5 47.593 5 4 3,591 O ° 23.453 18 IO 6,466 2 3 Railways. Roads. Water-supply on goldfields. Telegraphs. Public buildings Lighthouses, harbour works, and harbour defences. Departmental. Coal-exploration and mine-develop- I merit. Aiding works on Thames Goldfields. Immigration. Purchase of Native land. Defence. Charges and expenses of raising loans. Interest and sinking fund. Rates on Native lands. Thermal Springs. 9 18 of 1878 I 308,153 1 6 10,835 8 o 21,458 o 8 329,611 2 2 10,835 8 o 329,611 2 2 10,835 8 o 11 of 1877 50,000 o o 2,133,668 17 o 1,141,287 18 7 429,718 19 3 916,561 5 11 218,500 o o 33,585 6 2 10,812 17 11 '4,335 '3 4 25,575,364 12 4 50,000 o o 2,142,460 1 4 i,'5°>359 H " 429,718 19 3 1,021,472 6 9 218,500 o o 43,889 6 2 11,748 5 11 50,000 o o 2,143,660 1 4 1,155,858 18 7 429,718 19 3 1,021,472 6 9 218,500 o o 43,889 6 2 11,748 5 11 ... 8,791 4 4 9,071 16 4 1,200 O O 5.499 3 8 ... 104,91 1 o 10 I 10,304 o o 935 8 o C'-- 14.335 l3 4 ... Totals 613,938 16 11 26,189,303 9 3 368,639 o 2 26,557,942 9 5 Totals.

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Return showing the amount of Loan Money expended in aid of Revenue in each Year since 1875.

Of the above sum of ... ... ... ... £2,477,200 There has been added to the permanent debt ... £1,432,000 And paid off out of revenue ... ... 532,300 1,964,300 Outstanding on 31st March, 1889 ... ... £512,900 C. T. Batkin, 23rd July, 1889. Assistant-Controller and Auditor.

ASSESSMENT 1888. Return showing the Total Value of Land and Improvements outside Boroughs; the Value of Dwellings and of Farm-buildings, Clearing, Fencing, Draining, &c., on Agricultural and Pastoral Properties; the Value of all Improvements on other Properties; the Total Value of all Improvements; and the Unimproved Value of Land outside Boroughs.

Year. Balances of Loans transferred to Consolidated Fund. Amount of Amount raised ' Consolidated by Treasury ! Stock created to j and Deficiency j provide Sinking Bills. ' Fund and Interest thereon. Total. £ s. d. 172,000 260,000 £ £ s. d. 172,000 0 0 260,000 0 .0 73,048 18 9 L875-76 ... L876-77 ... ■877-78 ... .878-79 ... .879-80 ... .880-81 ... .881-82 ... .882-83 ... .883-84 ... .884-85 ... .885-86 ... .886-87 ... .887-88 ... .888-89 ... 73,048 18 9 1,000,000 94,200 50,000 348,000 1,000,000 0 0 94,200 0 0 50,000 0 0 348,000 0 0 247,700 0 0 252,200 0 0 305,100 0 0 757,084 0 0 263,200 0 0 54,100 498,900 247,700 252,200 251,000 258,184 263,200 * Totals 73,048 18 9 2,477,200 1,272,284 3,822,532 18 9

Agricultural Pror 1 and Pastoral lerties. District. Total Value. Dwellings. Total Value Farm-buildings, '< other of all Clearing, _ Improvements. i mpl . ovemerits . Fencing, Draining, &c. Unimproved Value of Land. Auckland rlawke's Bay ... Wellington Sfelson Canterbury Dtago Southland £ 11,013,775 8,857,869 12,880,358 6,702,517 22,369,050 9,532,990 4,984,018 £ 676,287 239,259 738,782 270,499 880,227 449,040 236,117 £ 1,338,226 1,527,141 2,669,878 419,926 1,990,720 1,150,694 943,766 £ 1,284,584 427,790 859,357 405,039 1,834,910 424,750 204,159 £ 3,299,097 2,194,190 4,268,017 1,095,464 4,705,857 2,024,484 1,384,042 £ 7,714,678 6,663,679 8,612,341 5,607,053 17,663,193 7,508,506 3,599,976 Totals 76,340,577 3,490,211 10,040,351 5,440,589 18,971,151 57,369,426

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Return showing the Value of Land in Boroughs, the Value of Buildings and other Improvements, and the Unimproved Value of Land.

Comparison of Assessment for the Year 1888, with Corresponding Assessment for the Year 1885.

Total decrease ... ... ... ... £3,637,332 Less increase ... ... ... . . 1,634,397 Net decrease ... ... ... ... £2,002,935 15th July, 1889. _*__—_ [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,800 copies), £1 2s.]

By Authority : George Didsbuky, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB9.

Total Value. Buildings and other ■ Improvements. Unimproved Value of Land. £ 34,927,137 I £ 15,526,734 £ 19,400,403

District. 1888 Valuation. 1885 Valuation. Increase. Decrease. Luckland ... lawke's Bay Vellington TelSOQ Janterbury )tago iouthland... Joroughs ... £ 11,013,775 8,857,869 12,880,358 6,702,517 22,369,050 9,532,990 4,984,018 34,927,137 £ 11,928,510 8,391,533 11,712,297 6,917,192 22,898,595 10,020,702 5,924,276 35,477,544 £ 466,336 1,168,061 £ 914,735 214,675 529,545 487,712 940,258 550,407 Totals 111,267,714 113,270,649 1,634,397 3,637,332