5
A.—lo.
QUESTIONS.
1. Should County Chairmen be elected as Mayors are ? 2. Should counties be enabled to split up or amalgamate, or otherwise alter their boundaries, without the consent of Parliament, as is now required ? 3. Should the road districts in each county form the ridings of the county ? 4. Would you suggest any alteration in the mode of electing the Councillors ? 5. Can you suggest any new duties which, should be imposed, or new power which should be conferred, on counties, more especially as to power of making by-laws ? 6. Should the counties be enabled to create new road districts or alter existing ones of their own motion, or only on the petition of a majority of the ratepayers? 7. Should the counties or the Road Boards have the power of altering the divisions and the numbers of the members of Road Boards ? 8. "What rating powers should counties have ? 9. What rating powers should Road Boards have ? 10. If the operation of the Counties Act is suspended in any County, should Road Boards be enabled to exercise any of the powers of the county, and, if so, which ? 11. Should Road Board members hold office for a fixed time, and, if so, what; or should a proportion retire every year ? 12. Should Road Board Chairmen be elected as Mayors are ? 13. Is it desirable to allow of Road Board elections being held in open public meeting, like those of School Committees, in districts where the Road Board, by special order, adopts this plan? 14. What alterations do you suggest in the Rating Bill as sketched in the circular enclosed herewith ? 15. Please state whether the provisions of the Roads Construction and Crown and Native Lands Rating Bills would suit your district, and, if not, what alterations would you suggest which would make these measures more useful? 16. Have you any suggestions to make generally on the matters dealt with in the circular in which this is enclosed ?
REPLIES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO COUNTIES AND EOAD BOARDS IN CIRCULAR OF 13th MAY, 1882.
IUP° Counties are distinguished hy italics; Road Boards within counties hy being printed in inner margin.
1. Should County Chairmen be elected as Mayors are ?
Mangonui —Yes. Kaeo —Yes. Oruru—No. Totara —Yes. EoTcianga — Present system works well here, this being a mixed Council of Natives and Europeans. If the ratepayers had the power they mi ght return a Chairman unfitted for position. Whangarei —No. Maunu—No. Many elections are unfair to those residing far from polling places. Parua —No. Waikiekie —No answer. Waipu Middle —We deem such elections too expensive. Waipu South —Better as at present. Hohson —No answer. Okahu —No ; let the Councillors elect their own Chairman. Paparoa—No. Wairau —No; as at present. Wairau (by ex-Chairman) —I should think it would be most undesirable. Whakahara School Committee — I think as he has so much power the ratepayers should have a voice in his election. Sodnet/ —No; because the county constituency is too large and unwieldy, and the expense would be much heavier than any problematical advantage that might occur. Albertland South —If elected for same term as Councillors, and at same time (viz., three years), yes ; too many elections waste time, and should be avoided in local affiiirs. Arai —As a general rule, no; because in counties persons are not well known outside their immediate neighbourhood, so that the great 2—A. 10,
body of ratepayers would have no data to guide their votes. A permissive clause allowing this kind of election to be adopted, if petitioned for by a majority of ratepayers, would, however,not be detrimental. Upper Mahurangi —No. Mangawai —No ; the Chairman should be elected as at present under "The Counties Act, 1876." Omaha—Yes. Matakana West—No. Puhoi—No. Tauhoa—No; elected by Chairmen of Eoad Boards through the county. Wharehine —No, by the members of Council, as at present. Wainui—No answer. Waitemata —No answer. Kaukapakapa—No. It would be waste of time. Lake —No alteration in election necessary. North Shore—No; too expensive. WaitakereiWest —Abolish the county altogether. Waitakerei West (J. Cottle)—l say abolish the County Councils, and road districts to be enlarged by vote of ratepayers ; the Chairman to be elected by the Trustees or Councillors. Waitakerei West (H. Hunter) —My opinion is that County Councils should be abolished and highway districts enlarged by the vote of the ratepayers, the Chairman to be elected by his brother Trustees or Councillors. Whangaparoa —We do not believe in County Councils at all in this district ; they are useless and too expensive.
ISden —No answer. Epsom—See answer to No. 16. Mount Koskill—We think better as it is. The more elections there are1 the more time wasted. Mount Wellington—No. Newton —Yes. Panmure —No ; they should be ballotted for by ratepayers. Ponsonby—No. (1) Because a mul' titude of public elections consumes too much revenue; (2) the exist* ing arrangement answers well. Waikomiti —County Chairman should. not be elected as Mayors are. HtLanulcau —No answer. Mercer.—Present mode appears to me to be the least expensive, and gives general satisfaction. Hunua—Yes, if elected at all. Karaka—No. Maraetai—County members. Opaheke —No. Otahuhu—No. Papakura—No need for counties. Pollock —To remain as it is. Pukekohe Eaßt—No. Pukekohe West —The Counties Act is not in operation in this county (Manukau). We much prefer Road Boards. Waipipi—Not at all required. Wairoa —No. Thames —No answer. Parawai —No. Waitoa—No. Piako— No. Waikato —No. Kirikiriroa —No. The expense and loss of time incurred by these elections are very objectionable. Waiga —No answer.