LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 256, 4 November 1897, Page 2

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM.

THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS

BILL.

AN IMPORTANT MEASURE.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day,

The Municipal Corporations Bill, which was introduced in the House of Represenatives yesterday by message from the Governor, is a comprehensive measure containing 468 clauses and 15 schedules. The object of the Bill, as explained in the document prefixed to it, is to consolidate and amend the laws relating to boroughs and borough councils. The qualification for a borough is denned to be an area 01 not more than nine square miles, having no points distant more than six miles from one another, and having a poputetion of not less than one thousand. Existing boroughs that do not possess the necessary qualification are given an opportunity ot obtaining it by extension of boundaries or otherwise before the act conies into operation, otherwise they will become subdivisions of the county in which they are situated. The franchise for the election of mayors and councillors is proposed to be enlarged so as to extend to any householder under any tenancy whatever who for twelve months has continuously been a householder in any part of the borough. Elections are to be conducted in accordance generally with the provisions applicable to elections of members of the House of Representatives. There is to be a general election of councillors every two years. In cases of the voting of special loans a ratepayers' roll is to be provided giving one vote in respect of rateable property of annual rateable value of £5 or capital value of £100 and votes above that value. With view to embodying as far as possible all legislation affecting boroughs in one Bill, the present measure includes various provisions of the Public Works, Public Health and other Acts affecting boroughs, thirty-one Acts being wholly or in part repealed by this Bill. As regards river and drainage districts provision is made for boroughs becoming parts of special districts under the Local Government Bill should that measure pass.

The Bill further proposes casting upon boroughs the up keep of the hospitals and administration of charitable aid with the help of Government subsidies, but these provisions are contingent upon the passing of the Local Authorities Bill or some other measure dealing with the whole question of charitable aid.

In addition to the powers already possessed by borough councils, the Bill materially enlarges the powers of councils in relation to drainage and sanitation, and gives power to provide workmen's dwellings and to prevent the overcrowding of land with houses and houses with inhabitants. Very wide and comprehensive powers are given as to the validity of testing and enforcing bye-laws, and many other details are left to be provided by regulations to be made by the Government. Section 98 provides that each borough shall receive annually out of the consolidated fund of the colony a grant equal to four shillings per head of population. Special rates may be levied for hospitals and charitable aid payable by the occupiers of premises who shall deduct one-half from the rent payable to the landlord. Section 204 authorises the council to get works done on the co-operative system to any value or amount without calling for public tenders or to carry out any works itself without. the intervention of a contractor. The Council in such case must keep a list showing the rates of wages and hours of labour to be paid and observed on such works, the list to be based on the rates and hours prevailing generally in the particular trade or class of labour. By Section 332 borough councils are empowered to provide electric lighting for streets and dwellings.

The sections dealing with overcrowding are very long and comprehensive. Councils are empowered to purchase any portions of the Borough which have become overcrowded or fallen into insanitary condition, to pull down and alter buildings, abolish private streets, lay out new streets or open spaces. Persons erecting houses have to leave an open space not less than 150 square feet exclusively belonging to such house and having no erection whatever on it. The Council is to examine and classify all houses in borough and prepare list showing the situation of each dwelling house, the cvbic space in each room, the maximum number of persons who may sleep or live therein. This is to apply to hotels and lodging houses as well as private residences and any breach of Act is punishable by a tine of forty shillings for each day the breach continues.

The provisions with respect to charitable aid provide for the distribution of outdoor relief, and also for the reception of applicants in houses for the aged and needy, homes for incurables, homes for deserted children, and other institutions.

Important new provisions regarding workers' dwellings empower a council to purchase land inside or outside of borough to erect houses and furnish the same either as separate dwellings or lodging houses'and to rent the same to tenants or boarders. These dwellings or lodging houses are to be managed and controlled by the Corporation.