RATING RELIEF

Southland Times, Issue 20527, 2 July 1928, Page 7

RATING RELIEF

NEW BRITISH SCHEME RE-ARRANGEMENT OF STATE GRANTS CHANGES EXPLAINED (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Rugby, June 29. A Health Ministry memorandum explains the proposed changes in local government administration to take effect when the Government scheme of relief from local rates,' which is now before Parliament, comes into operation. They involve the readjustment of the duties of smaller local government authorities and the transference of some of these duties to larger ones. The most important change is the transference of poor law administration from local boards of guardians of the poor to county councils and county borough councils, but it will be open to these local authorities to delegate the poor law functions to the existing committees. Under this scheme the London County Council will take over the poor law duties in London from the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and the cost of relief of the poor in London will be spread over the whole county area.

It is similarly proposed, in view of the changed character of road transport, that the county councils and county borough councils shall take over the duties of road maintenance, relieving the poorer local authorities of their responsibilities for keeping up important roads in their areas used for through traffic. In order to distribute local burdens more evenly a rearrangement and increase of State grants is provided for. —British Official Wireless.