LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume VII, Issue 230, 10 August 1867, Page 3

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

The following are the clauses m the Bill mentioned by our Wellington correspondent which relate to the endowment of the districts : —

On or before the thirty-first day of January m each year the Board of every district shall cause to be prepared and transmitted to the Colonial Treasurer a true and detailed account of all moneys actually received for such district and if the district be a united district for each and every single district of which such united district shall either at one time or successively have been composed as and for general rates payable m respect of property lying within the same respectively m the year ending on the thirty-first day of December then last past and as and for subscriptions or voluntary donations to tho district fund m such year. No such account aa m the last preceding section aforesaid shall avail for the purposes of this part unless it have the solemn declaration .of the treasurer of the district appended thereto and signed by him testifying that the said account is to the best of the knowledge and belief of the said treasurer true m every particular. Upon tho receipt of such account by the 'Colonial Treasurer it shall be lawful for the Governor by warrant under his hand to authorise and direct to be paid to such Board out of the ordinary revenue a sum equal to twice the amount so actually received by such Board during the year ending on the thirtyfirst day of December then lost past or if the district be a united district a sum equal to twice the amount actually received m respect of each single district of which such united district shall have been composed during such .year : Provided that moneys actually received after the constitution of any proclaimed district by the Board thereof m respect of any rate or assessment mode under any of the Acts or Ordinances specified m the first schedule hereto shall be deemed for the purpose of such account and payment as last aforesaid to have been actually received as general rates of the proclaimed district into which such original district is converted hereunder. In addition to the endowment hereinbefore authorised by this Act there shall be payable "half-yearly and every half-year after the constitution of each district out of the land revenue received by any receiver of land revenue the proportions hereinafter specified of hind revenue received during the half-year preceding -on account of drown lands sold within such district after the constitution thereof under this Act that is to say — (1.) Where three-fourths or more of the Crown lands within any district shall at the time of the passing of this Act have been sold such proportion so payable as aforesaid shall be thirty per centum of the moneys so received. <2.) Where one-half or more but less than tliree-fourths of the Crown lands within any district shall at the time of the passing of this Act have been sold such proportion, so payable as aforesaid shall be twenty-five per centum of the moneys so received!" (3.) Where less than one-half of the Crown lands within any district shall at the time of the passing of this Act have been sold such proportion so payable as aforesaid shall be twenty per centum of the moneys bo received. And suohj>w»portion shall be paid by the (receiver of land revenue m the province m which such district is situate to the Colonial Treasurer m pursuance of warrants from time to "time granted by the Governor and addressed to such receiver. It shall be lawful for the Governor from time to rttbne as 'occasion may require to call upon the Commissioner of Crown Lands or Chief Commissioner -of the Waste Land Board or any other member of the Waste Land Board of any province or any other person or persons that the Governor may think fit to inquire and report to him within such time and m suck manner as he shall appoint on the following ma Were-: — (1.) The acreage of land within any district or any part of any district. (2.) The acreage amoatnt of Crown lands sold wihtin any district or any part of any district at tibe time of the passing of this Act or at any lime or during any period thereafter together with the sums of money at or for wMch such hinds have been or shall have been sold. And such report shall be seeompanied by a declaration under the Justices of the Peace Act 1866 of the person or ■persons making such report that to the beet <of his or their knowledge and belief such report is true and ■correct and it shall be lawful for tihe Governor at any time either with or withont requiring or receiving any such report or declaration to decide for the purpose- of ascertaining the proportion of land revenue payable on account of any district what amount of Crown lands have at any time been sold within any district and what sum is payable for or on account of nay district out of land revenue by the receiver of land revenue under the provisions hereinbefore contained and such decision shall be final and conclusive for all purposes whatsoever and if any Commissioner of Crown Lands or Chief Commissioner or other Commissioner or member of any Waste Lands Board or any other person or persons shall refuse or neglect to make any such report as aforesaid within J such time as shall be appointed as aforesaid' every such person shall for every snch neglect j or refusal forfeit and pay a penalty of one hundred pounds to be recovered on summary conviction before any two justices of the peace.

All moneys paid over to the Colonial Treasurer from land revenue on account of any district shall lie paid by him into such bank as the Governor shall appoint to a seperate account to T>e called "The Public Works Construction Fund of the District of " and at the expiration of the period of six months the Colonial Treasurer shall forthwith pay over the same to the Board of the district on account of which the same shall have been received unless the Colonial Treasurer shall have received under the provisions hereinafter contained a certificate from the Superintendent of the province m which such district is situate authorising him to retain and pay moneys thereout