RATING BY COUNTIES AND ROAD BOARDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 1651, 4 August 1881, Page 3

RATING BY COUNTIES AND ROAD BOARDS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In the debate which occurred on the local bodies valuations, June IG, as reported in Hansard, No. 2, page SI, the following statement was made by the member for the Hutt, on the above subject:—"Mr. Mason wished to correct the lion, member for Auckland City East iu one respect. The hon. gentleman said that whore counties and Road Boards were in existeuce together, both'eounty and Road Boards had a to rate. Now, that was not the case. It had just been decided by the Court of Appeal that where County Councils and Road Boards co-existed the counties had no right to rate. Mr. Speight said that applied to cases where the Counties Act was what was called hung up. Mr. Mason said it was not where the Counties Act was hung'up. The decision ho spoke of had been given in respect of a rate made by the Uutt County Council, and the Act had been in force at the Hutt ever since it was pissed. Mr. Hutchison assured the hon. member for Auckland City East that the hon. member for the Hutt was perfectly correct iinvhat he said ; but, nevertheless, the decision was a very remarkable one, and upset all previous ideas as to the working ot the Counties Act." In many instances it has been thought desirable for the County Councils to forego

the collection of rates iu Highway Districts, but no one, I think, has hitherto supposed they hail not the legal right to do so.—l am, &c, Jonx Hl'Kndai.l. Maungaturoto, July IG, ISSI.