A.—lo

16

Rieearton—On the petition of majority of ratepayers only. Templeton—Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers. South Waimakariri —Only on petition of majority of ratepapers interested. AlcaroaSo answer. Little River —Only on a petition of two-thirds of the ratepayers of each district. Pigeon Bay —County Councils might be suspended, and if not, they should only have power to create new districts or alter existing ones only on the petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Port Victoria —I think no alteration needed. Ashburton—Not without consent of majority of ratepayers. Wakanui—Only on a petition of the majority of the ratepayer. Mount Somers —On petition of ratepayers only. Geraldine —Only on the petition of the majority of the ratepayers. Geraldine —Only on the petition of a majority of ratepayers. Mount Cook —Eoad districts, if in existence, should only be altered by the petition of ratepayers affected thereby to the County Council; any petition should have weight by number of votes according toboldings and not by number of persons petitioning ; any such petition should be

Question 6— continued.

advertised, and in case no counterpetition was presented the Council should make the alteration petitioned for. Mount Peel—Only on a petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Temu'ka—Only on petition of majority of ratepayers. WeMand —No Eoad Boards on the coast. Waitaki —Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Kakanui —Only on petition of a majority of the rateyapers. Waiaveka —Only on a petition from a majority of ratepayers. Waitaki —Only on petition of majority of ratepayers. Waikonaiti —Only on petition of a majority of ratepayers. Palmerston South —Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Waikouaiti —Only on a petition of majority of ratepayers interested. Maniototo —No road districts in this county, therefore this question has not arisen. Peninsula —No answer. Peninsula —Only by a petition of a majority of the ratepayers should counties be enabled to create new road districts, or alter existing ones. Taieri —Only by a petition of a i;.;.jority of the ratepayers should counties be enabled to create new road districts, or alter existing ones.

Waipori—Only on a petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Bruce —Yes, on a petition by a majority of the ratepayers. Crichton —We object to any change. Glenledi —Only by a petition of a majority of the ratepayers in each district affected thereby should counties be enabled to create new road districts, or alter existing ones. Matau —By petition of the majority o£ ratepayers. Mount Stuart—Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Tokomairiro —Only by a petition of a majority of the ratepayers should Counties be enabled to create new road districts or alter existing ones. Chdha —Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Pomabaka —Only on petition of a majority of the ratepayers should counties be enabled to create or alter road districts. Molyneux South —Only on a petition of the ratepayers, irrespective of their rating powers. Tuapelca —Only on petition of ratepayers. Clydevale —On petition of ratepayers. Southland —No alteration from present process. Knapdalc —Only on the petition of a majority of the ratepayers. Toitois —No. Tuturau — Only on petition of majority of ratepayers.

7. Should the counties or the Road Boards have the power of altering the divisions and the numbers of the members of Road Boards ?

Mangonui —The Eoad Boards should have this power. Kaeo —No. Oruru—The Eoad Boards should have the power with the majority of resident ratepayers. Totara —The Eoad Boards should have the power. JTolianga —No anwer. Whangarei —None. Maunu—Counties on petition. Parua —No. Waikiekie —No answer. Waipu Middle —No. Waipu South —Such powers should be given to ratepayers. Holson —No anßwer. Okahu —Eoad Boards. Paparoa —No answer. Wairau —The Eoad Boards. Wairau (by ex-Chairman) —I think no such powers should be granted either to Councils or Eoad Boards. The Acts under which the Eoad Boards for the Provincial District of Auckland are constituted limit the number of trustees to five, which works satisfactorily. Whakahara School Committee —No answer. Rodney —Counties should not interfere with constitution of Eoad Boards. Albertland South —No answer. Arai —Neither Road Boards nor counties should have such power, except when requested by a majority of ratepayers. Probably it might be best for provision to be made by Act fixing the minimum valuation, population, and area of road districts. With those exceptions let ratepayers fix boundaries and divide the districts into wards not leßa than five or more than nine in number, each ward returning one member to Eoad Board.

Upper Mahurangi—Road Boards; the number of members is all right at present. Mangawai — Counties might have power of altering boundaries of road district as specified above. Number of members should not exceed five in number. Omaha —No answer. Matakana West —Eoad Boards. Puhoi—The Boad Boards. Tauhoa —Eoad Boards. Wharehine —Only on petition of the ratepayers. Wainui —Neither the counties nor Eoad Boards should hare such power; it would certainly be abused. Wailtmaia —No answer. Kaukapakapa —No ; the people are the best judges as to the divisions, tinder the present Act the present number of five seems to answer very well. Lake —Counties should have power to alter divisions of districts where desired. Present number of members sufficient. North Shore—No. Waitakerei West —The Eoad Boards. Waitakerei West (J. Cottlo)— The Eoad Boards. Waitakerei West (11. Hunter) —The Eoad Boards. Whangaparoa—The Koad Boards. Eden —No answer. Epsom—See answer to No. IG. Mount Eoskill—Not without consent of Government. Mount Wellington—lf thought desirable by a majority of the ratepayers Eoad Boards should have the power. Newton —Neither. Panmure —Yes; on the application of two-thirds of the ratepayers.

Ponsonby—This power also ought to be left in the hands of the people, and to be exercised as in last reply. Waikomiti —The counties should have no power to alter the divisions or the members of road districts ; it should be left to the ratepayers. Mav/akau —No answer. Mercer. —No. Hunua—The Eoad Boards. Karaka—Only the Eoad Boards. Maraetai —Yes; for altering the division. Opaheke —No. Otahuhu — Counties should have power to alter, but only on application from Eoad Boards. It should be determined by statute what Bhould be the number of members, as at present by the Highway Act. Papakura—Boad Boards should have the power. Pollock —Eoad Boards. Pukekohe East—No. Pukekoho West—See answer to No. 1. Waipipi—Eoad Boards. Wairoa—No. Thames —No answer. Parawai—Eoad Boards. Waitoa —Eoad Boards, subject to the approval of County Councils. Pialco — No. Waikaio —The Eoad Boards only should have the power. Kirikiriroa — Alteration should be made by county, but only on the application of the Eoad Boarc concerned. Waif a —No answer. Hamilton — Number of me Eoad Boards as at present. Kihikihi—The County Counui-i not make alterations; neither should they interfere with the constitution of Road Boards.