A.—loa

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Waitaki— Otepopo —The Board suggests —(1) That all rateable property be exempt from the operations of the pro-perty-tax ; (2) that in the event of a land-tax being imposed, the proceeds be handed over to the local bodies ; (3) that in deferred-pay-ment blocks, and other newly-sold blocks, 25 per cent, of the land sales be handed over to the Road Boards to open up roads in the blocks. Vineeni —That, in the event of the present iources of revenue being by law taken away from the counties, or varied, the Government should substitute grants-ma-id from colonial revenue equal to such loss ; and this Council further expresses a, very decided opinion that in no case ■hould the county stand in a worse position with regard to its annual revenue than it did at initiation of the Counties Act. This suggestion is made, as, on the faith of remaining in its original position with regard to revenue, this county incurred liabilities to the extent of nearly £30,000, which would not have been un-

Question 16— continued. dertaken had it been known, for instance, that the land revenue and subsidies would have been taken away. Lake —The Council objects upon following grounds to the withdrawal of gold fields revenue : That nearly two-thirds of the revenue is derived and known as gold fields revenue. That the greater portion of this Council's expenditure is upon gold fields tracks and works for the encouragement of that industry, and aiding to become a settled one of a permanent character. That the withdrawal of such taxes would relieve a class who escape many general ones, and who do not contribute a fair return either to the colony or county, viz., the Chinese, yet they share in all the benefits of general and county expenditure. The charitableaid question in the present Act requires more exact definition. Council should have power to decide the number of institutions actually required, thus doing away with local rivalries. All lands sold within the county to be first referred to County Council.

Peninsula — l 3ortobello — A consolidating Koad Board Act, which would bring the whole Acts relating to Eoad Boards into one statute, would be a great boon to Eoad Boards in general. Taieri — Seaside —County Councils Bhould bo abolished, and each county riding should form a road district, and a portion of the Land Fund given in lieu of subsidies. Taieri —All subsidies to be stopped to local bodies. Such bodies to hava power to borrow a loan and to rate themselves to pay interest and capital of the same, provided that such loan is spent within the district in which it is borrowed and benefited by the same. A portion of the Land Fund should be used in opening up main roads in Crown lands before offered for sale. Bruce — Kaitangata—No answer. Clulha— Clutha—No.

Authority : GEOBGfB DidSBUBT, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.