The Star.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 34, 7 August 1880, Page 2

The Star.

SATURDAY, 7th AUGUST, 1880.

TEE TOWN DISTRICTS BILL.

The Town Districts Bill, introduced by the Hon. Mr. Dick, provides that no town district shall exceed two square miles in area, nor be distant more than four miles from any point therein. The inhabitants of any locality, where there are not less than fifty householders, may petition to be constituted a town district, provided that two-thirds of the residents concur, and attach their signatures to such petition. The Governor may alter, curtail, or enlarge the boundaries of a town district, within the limits previously mentioned. The districts are to remain part of a county, but not of a road district. Any town district, separating from a road district, shall be entitled to a portion of the assets, and be liable for a portion of the liabilities. The number of commissioners to be elected shall not be less than five, nor more than seven. No commissioner shall vote or take part in the discussion of any matter in which he is either directly or indirectly interested, subject to a penalty of £50 for every such offence, and on being convicted, his seat shall become forfeited. The meetings of the board shall be open to the public. The board shall have no control over any main or county road ; but shall have all the other powers conferred upon a borough council by the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876. The Board shall have all the powers granted to a borough council relating to auctioneers, cattle trespass, cemeteries, dog nuisance, publicans' licenses, impounding fees, &c. ; and shall be deemed to be an incorporated town, and shall have the jurisdiction of a local board of health. The board shall be empowered to levy rates not exceeding one shilling on the rateable value ; but a separate rate, not exceeding one shilling, may be struck in a particular district, if a petition to that effect be presented from the residents. Any town district may be proclaimed a borough, or may be dissolved in the same manner as a borough. Every Provincial Ordinance relating to the incorporation of the inhabitants of a locality, , shall, as soon as sujh place is declared to be a town district under this Act, be I repealed, in so far as such Ordinance

affects the said locality. Nos. 9 and 13, Session XL; No. 3, Session XXI.; No. 7, Session XXIII. ; No. 15, Session XXIV., of the Taranaki Provincial Ordinances, are hereby repealed. The following town districts arc included in the schedule to the Bill:— Bulls, Carlyle, Carterton, Featherston, Foxton, Halcombe, Inglewood, Johnsonville, Kaiwarrawarra, Lethbridge, Lower Hutt, Raleigh, and Waverley. In nearly all these — if we mistake not — only local boards, not town boards, were established. But the Act appears to be a simple one, and the Hawera Town Board acted very judidiously in telegraphing to the Hon. Major Atkinson to be included in the schedule. Our Normanby friends should do the same, and we would suggest to them that a public meeting should be called without delay to take action in the matter.