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1. Town Districts. —The Committee recommend that all town districts with a population o! five hundred and upwards be formed into boroughs; that all town districts with a population of under five hundred be merged into counties, provision being made in the Counties Act for the establishment of local Committees, by election or otherwise, to administer under the control of the County Council; that the counties should have the power now exercised by the present town districts, which may be delegated to committees. 2. Cemetery Boards. —The Committee recommend that the same provisions of administration as recommended to apply to Road Boards should apply to Cemetery' Boards. 3. River Districts and Drainage Districts. —The Committee recommend that river districts and drainage districts that operate within the confines of a county be abolished, and the duties of existing Boards be carried on by the County Councils or Borough Councils, or a joint committee, as the case may be. 4. Water-supply Board. —The Committee recommend that the same provisions of administration as apply to river districts should apply to water-supply districts. 5. Harbour Boards. —The Committee recommend that County Councils or Borough Councils be empowered to exercise the duties of Harbour Boards in such cases where there is at present no Harbour Board, but that in such cases the county should do this work in its capacity of a county instead of a Harbour Board. The Committee recommend that, in the case of the merging into the counties of any other class or classes of local bodies, all the powers and duties now exercised by such bodies be given to the County Councils. 6. Counties. —That this Committee is of opinion that the multiplicity of small counties is a mistake; that the number of counties should be reduced, and that a Commission should be set up to inquire as to where amalgamation can be made, keeping in view the size, population, valuation, and community of interest of such counties. The Committee recommends that a change in the basis of subsidies for counties is desirable, that the necessities of all districts should be fully considered, and is disposed to favourably consider the general lines of the scheme in force in New South Wales as referred to by the Minister in his speech. That the Committee affirms the desirability of retaining the present system of county franchise. That for representation purposes the present system of ridings in counties be retained, and the County Councils have the option of keeping riding accounts or not. That a uniform system of accounts be adopted for local bodies. That the present system of triennial election be retained in the counties, and be made to apply to all local bodies, the elections to be held on the same day. Resolved, That a vote of thanks be accorded to the Chairman. Local Government Conference Committee No. 4 The Committee to whom was referred "Hospitals and Education" have the honour to report that they have considered the same, and recommend that the resolutions annexed hereto be acceded to. Wellington, 23rd May, 1912. James H. Walker, Chairman. Hospitals. 1. That this Committee recommends to the Conference that Part IX be deleted from the Bill, the present Act, with some minor amendments, being satisfactory. 2. That it be a recommendation to the Department to give the following matters its serious consideration :— (a.) The alterations of boundaries, either by enlargement or otherwise. (b.) To place upon the estimates a sufficient sum annually to cope with consumption. (c.) That Receiving Homes be placed in the large centres for the reception of mental incipient cases, cost and maintenance of same to be borne by the mental authorities; also, that the treatment of habitual inebriates should be a charge on the same Department. (d.) That the Destitute Persons Act should be amended. Education. 3. Your Committee recommends that Part X of the Local Government Bill be eliminated. i. Your Committee suggests that the Minister should take steps to ascertain whether the boundaries of the various education districts cannot be improved. 5. Your Committee suggests that the Minister should consider the question of subsidies (or capitation) now being paid to Boards, and Boards of Governors, for technical and manual training and secondary work. 6. Your Committee suggests that the results of inquiries, if made, under Resolutions 4 and 5 should be communicated to Boards for consideration, and for further alteration, if necessary, before any material amendment in the law is made. Report of Committee No. 1. The President said he would call upon Mr. Middleton to move the first paragraph of the Resolutions of No. 1 Committee. It would, he thought, be in accordance with the wishes of the Conference if they took the resolutions clause by clause. Mi\ H. J. Middleton (Chairman of No. 1 Committee) moved the adoption of Resolution No. 1 —" That this Committee is in favour of the formation of a Local Government Board to take over and exercise the functions of the Minister and the Governor in Council."