The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3955, 24 March 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1884.

TnE Napier Harbor Board Empowering and Loan Bill, a rough draft of which was approved at the last meeting of the Harbor Board, authorises the Governor to grant to the Board certain of the foreshore and land covered by tidal waters in Hawko's Bay. The Board is empowered to reclaim from the sea such portion of the land so granted, which shall become tho estate in fee simple of tho Board. The Board is authorised to construct such works as may be deemed necessary for tho requirements of the harbor at Napier. The Board is empowered to borrow in addition to tho sum authorised by any prerious Act any sum not exceeding £ at any rate of interest not exceeding £ per cent. ; Provision is made for the issue of debentures, and tho, payment of interest, and for proriding a' sinking fund. A district, to be called the; Napier Harbor Rating- District is to be constituted, and shall consist of the. Borough of Napier, the Riding of Mohaka in the County of Wairoa, the Ridings of Petane, Pukctnpu, Okawa, Meanee, Clive, : Havolock, Heretauiiga, and Maraokakaho in the County of Jlawkc's Bay, the Ridings of Waipawa, Patangata, Ruataniwha, Waipakurau, Tnmumu, and Epraiama in the County of Waipawa, excepting tho Makarctu Road Board district situate in the Riding of Ruataniwha in the County of Waipawa. Before the loan is raised the consent of the ratepayers in the district shall first be obtained in the mode hereinafter prescribed: Tho Chairman shall convene mcotings of the ratepayers to bo held within the Borough and several Ridings comprising the district upon a day not more than ;

days after tho last publication of a notice to bo ■ published ss hereinafter mentioned to consider the said proposal: such meetings shall be convened by notice published on three consecutive -days in a newspaper circulating in tho district, and every such notice shall specify the time and place in the Borough and Hidings at which meetings are to be held, and also the following particulars, namely:—l. Tho particular works proposed to be undertaken ; 2, tho sum proposed to be borrowed for such purpose ; 3, any special rate or tolls which it is proposed to pledge as 'security for such loan, not being moneys received by way of grant from tho General Government, or moneys thereto pledged as security for any loan or appropriated to any special purpose. The poll is to be taken in tho manner provided by the Regulation of Local Elections Act, but a separate poll is to be taken in the Borough and the several ridings comprising the district. If the number of votes given for the proposal within tho district exceeds tho number given against it by onefourth, or more than one-fourth of the latter, the resolution in favour of the proposal shall be deemed to be carried, and . tho Board may proceed with theproposal accordingly ; but if thcro is no such majority in favour of the proposal the resolution shall be deemed to be rejected, and the Board shall not so proceed. As soon as conveniently may be after the result of the poll lias been ascertained, the Chairman shall give public notice of the number of votes recorded for and against the proposal as provided, and shall declare the resolution to bo carried or rejected as the case may be. Tho Board, after the passing of this Act, shall, if tho resolution in favour of the proposal be carried as .aforesaid, make and levy a rate in tho proportions in tho different parts of the district hereinafter mentioned upon all ratable property in the Napier Harbour Rating , District, and tho proceeds of such rate shall be applied towards payment of tho annual charges to accrue in respect of any loans to be raised under this Act, and to provide for tho sinking fund hereinbefore mentioned. Tho amount to be levied by the Board in each year shall not exceed such amount as is required to provide for the payment of interest on the aggregate amount for which debentures shall at that time be issued, and in addition £1 per centum per annum on such aggregate amount to be appropriated for the purposes of tho sinking fund hereinbefore mentioned, after taking into account whatever sum of money may be available from the revenue of the Board for tho previous year for payment of interest and sikingfund on the loan hereby authorised to bo made. The rate ; to be levied under this Act on tho ratable property in tho Borough of Napier shall bo double tho rate to be levied on the ratable property in the several Ridings comprised in the Napier Harbour Rating District. No rate made under this Act shall be capable of being set asido or of being quashed by any proceeding of any Conrt or otherwise, and no defect in the same shall be set up as a defenco to any action which may bo brought to recover the same. The ratable value appearing in the Assessment Rolls under the Property Assessment'Acty 1879, and its amendments in force for the time being as regards all real property in tho district shall be tho ratable value of all such property for tho purposes of this Act.