RIVER BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3103, 3 September 1913, Page 3

RIVER BOARD.

AMENDMENT BILL. From Ouh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 26. The River Boards Act Amendment Bill, which was introduced by the Hon. A. L. Herdman, extends the powers of rive* boads in classifying land for rating purposes and imposes rates on a graduated scale. The principal Act of 1908 gave the option of improving ratrs on a uniform scale or on a graduated scale according to the classification of the lands of the district. The present measure provide* that every rate or special rate hereafter made under the principal Act shall bo levied on a graduated scale according to the classification of rateable property mad* by the board. There is a proviso, however, that if the Minister of Internal Affairs is satisfied that if all the land* liable to be rated will derive practically equal benefits from works carried out, ho may authorise rating on a uniform scale. The system of valuing and classifying lands is also altered. Under the principal Act the Valuer-general was required to furnish to the boards rolls of valuation of the district concerned, and the board then classified these lands for rating purposes into: (a) Lands liable to great actual damage; (b) lands liable to less actual damage; (c) lands indirectly liable to damage. The new Bill provides that the board may appoint one or more fit persons to examine and classify all the rateable property of the district into classes; (a) Land* receiving or likely to receive immediate and direct benefit from the water works; (b) land receiving or likely to receive less direct benefit therefrom; (c) lands receiving or likely to receive only an indirect benfit therefrom; and (d) ill other lands.

The board is empowered to fix the proportions of the rating, but a rate may be imposed upon any land which is not likely to receive any benefit from the special expenditure. It is further provided that the Governor may, by proclamation, alter the boundaries to exclude districts or subdivide districts on the petitioh of one-fourth of tho ratepayers concerned, in lieu of tho “twothirds” stipulation made by the-principal Act. Four representatives of a subdivision may be appointed instead of three, and when an election fails the vacancies mav be filled by the Governor by proclamation.