THE COUNTIES ACT

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14492, 15 October 1920, Page 5

THE COUNTIES ACT

RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMITTEE FOR IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. EXTENSION OF POWERS. Bv Telegraph—Special to Times, WELLINGTON, Thursday, i The Counties Bill has been returned ; to the House of Representatives from , a special committee with a number of . amendments. This Bill is a consolidation of the law relating to counties, and as originally presented to the House it made merely a few minor I alterations. The committee which look evidence has made some amend--1 ments of importance. A ratepayer is defined as “a person •wno.se name appears for ithe time being in the occupier’s column of the ratebook.’’ Various amendments have been made regarding elections. The roll is to be prepared on or before January 22 in each year in which a general election of councillors is to be held. 'l'lie general election of a county council is to be held tricnnially on the second Wednesday in May, 10 2! The limitation of (lie sanitary rate to one half-penny in the pound on the eapilal \nluc has been struck out, and I a now clause aulhorisos the council to levy a special rale of such amount as will cover the estimated expenditure. The power of a county council to borrow on overdraft is extended to include temporary loans from any corporation of persons. Public halls and mortuaries are added to the list of institutions that a county council may establish and maintain. Where the capital value of all Die 1 rateable property in the road districts in any county is less than two-fifths of the capital value of all the rateable ■ property in that county, the council may by special order declare such road districts lo be merged in Ihe county. Councils are empowered with the consent, of the Minister for Agriculture to establish cattle dips. They may also purchase and sell rabbit proof wire netting and may purchase and hire to road boards road-making plant of any description. 'l’he disqualifications clause has

been amended to cover some recent fli rn.-ullios. A poison who is concerned or interested in a contract made hy tho council is to lie disqualified from niomhorship if Iho payment made or to he made hy the council in respect of any such contract, exceeds !■'•') in the case of a single contract, of £lO altogether in any financial year in the case of two or more contracts, "except in special cases to lie approved by the Audit Office, which may authorise tiic payment and receipt of such amount as it, thinks fit, not exceeding the aggregate, £SO, in any financial year in respect of any contract or of two or more contracts.” I he Bill provides that voting power shall he based on the rateable value of the rateable property instead of merely on Mm rateable properly. This means that, a person cannot any longer vote on the capital value if he is rated on the I, nimpro ved value. When the Hill was being considered in committee to-night, Mr T. M. Wilford, leader of the Opposition, moved to substitute the municipal franchise for the present property qualification in county elections. He said the time had arrived to abolish plural voting anil the system of assessing votes on property as in counties. Many country, members opposed the motion. They said that the counties were quite satisfied with the present franchise, and that the country districts did not want to be dominated hy a limiting population such as public works employees. The mat ter was debated al some length, and with a certain amount

Mr .1. A. Hannn (Invercargill) saM that tlio property qualification in counties was tlie last refuse of Toryism. Mr V. Heed Hay of Isands) retorted '•that the country people wished to manage their own affairs without interference from townspeople. Eventually Mr Wilforii’s motion was rejected hy ftr, voles to 21. Labour voting with the Liberals.