11

A.—lo.

G-lenledi —The present mode of electing Councillors is very good. Matau —No answer. Mount Stuart —The present system is very good. Tokomairiro—No.

Question 4— continued.

Cluiha —The present method of electing Councillors is satisfactory, Pomahaka—No. Molyneux South —No. Tuapeka —No. Clydevale—No.

Southland —No. Knapdale—No. Toitois —No. Tuturau—No.

5. Can you suggest any new duties which should be imposed, or new powers which should be conferred, on counties, more especially as to power of making by-laws ?

Mangonui —That the issue and regulation of game licenses be a new duty imposed on counties, and the fees be county funds; also that the Councils be empowered to issue gum-diggers' rights on the same principle as miners' rights are now issued. County Chairmen should be authorized to frank letters on county business, as the want of this privilege often causes great inconvenience in country districts. Kaeo—That the issue of game licenses be handed over to the county. That the Council have power to issue gum-diggers' licenses on the same principle as miners' licenses. Oruru —Would suggest that County Councils have the entire management of the waste lands, and be empowered to issue depasturing and gum-diggers' licenses. Totara—We suggest that the regulations of game licenses, and revenue derived therefrom, be a new duty imposed on counties. That the local bodies be empowered to issue gum-diggers' rights on the same principle as miners' rights are issued. Where there are no Harbour Boards, the charge of harbour works, with suitable endowments, should be vested in counties. HoManga—The County Council should have some direct control over the waste lands of the Crown, either by returning a member to the Waste Lands Board, or so much land annually opened for settlement. The present system does not work well —too much delay ; intending settlers get tired out and leave the district. Whangarei —No answer. Maunu—County Councils should have power to settle disputes between highway district, and generally determine all local matters without reference to the General Government. Increased powers will bring out better men. Parua—No. Waikiekie—No answer. Waipu Middle —No; they have too much power. Waipu South—No suggestions to offer. Holson—No answer. Okahu —None. Papaora—No. Wairau—No. Wairau (by ex-Chairman) —I am not aware of any. It is possible, however, that such provisions may be necessary, as it is some time since I ceased to be a member of the Council. Whakahara School Committee —No answer. Rodney —No. Albertland South—No answer. Arai —Not sufficient information. Upper Mahurangi —No answer. Mangawai—The counties should be enabled to make by-laws affecting bird, animal, insect, and weed pests. Omaha—No answer. Matakana West —Road Boards should have the power to make by-laws; for instance, power to give a grant '

for the suppression of the introduced birds nuisance. Puhoi—None. Tauhoa —No new duties and no new powers should be conferred; and there is a strong feeling in this district in favour of the abolition of County Councils, as they clash with Road Boards in working—are very unfair in the expenditure of their revenue ; as, under the present system, the place with the most inhabitants, best roads and communication (in consequence of the powerful Road Board they can support), monopolize most of the money, while far-lying districts, as ours, are left totally out in all questions, owing to the very inefficient representation we have. And the general feeling with the ratepayers is, that they prefer to rate themselves, and have the whole control of the money raised. Wharehine —None. Wainui —No answer. Waitemata —No answer. Kaukapakapa—No. Lake —County Councils might discharge the duties of Licensing Commissioners under the Licensing Act; they should also have the issuing of game licenses, with power to receive fees, and also to pass by-laws for destruction of small birds. North Shore—No. Waitakerei West —No remarks. Waitakerei West (J. Cottle) —No suggestion. Waitakerei West (H. Hunter)—No suggestion. Whangaparoa—See answer to No. 1 Eden —No answer. Epsom—See answer to No. 16. Moimt Roskill —No. Mount Wellington—No answer. Newton —No. Panmure —No. Ponsonby—lt would be much better to confer increased powers upon Highway Boards. Under existing law, even in suburban highway districts, narrow streets can be laid out by owners of property, and when those districts are filled up with population these narrow unhealthy streets with crowded houses become fever nests in our great centres of population. Again, owners of property in highway districts can keep back their land from sale for building purposes until the value is much increased by the expenditure of rates mainly contributed by improving owners, and then they can lay out Btreets that, under existing law, must be formed and made at the expense of ratepayers generally. Were such owners compelled to pay for making new streets, many thousands of pounds would be saved to ratepayers every year, and streets so laid out, instead of lying in a state of mud for years, would be made at once and constitute an element in the progress of the colony. Municipal powers in these cases might be given to Highway Boards.

Waikomiti —No answer. ManuJcau —No answer. Mercer.—No. Hunua—No more power. Karaka—No answer. Maraetai—No answer. Opaheke—Believe Road Boards to be better than County Councils; more economically worked, and they give better satisfaction in every way. Otahuhu—No answer. Papakura—See answer to No. 1. Pollock—No answer. Pukekohe Bast—No answer. Pukekohe West—See answer to No. 1. Waipipi—No experience. County Act suspended. Wairoa—No. Thames —ln all gold fields within the limits of the county boundaries the entire control and management should be Tested in the Council, the functions of Warden, Mining Inspector, and Receiver of Gold Fields Revenue being performed by the Council. The Borough Council acting in same way within boroughs ; the Chairman and two Councillors sitting in open court, as the Warden's Court. County Councils should be River Boards within their boundaries outside the limits of Harbour Boards. Councils should have power after twenty-one days' notice to form or to maintain in good repair any main road through a Road Board District, provided the Road Board does not form such road or keep same ia repair, and should have power to sue and recover cost of such works from Road Board, or to strike a rate on all properties on the line of road, if the Road Board does not pay the amount on judgment being obtained. Police within county limits should be under the control of the County Council, who should decide the number of police to be stationed within the county. The Chairmen of every four or five County Councils whose boundaries are contiguous, and the Mayors of the Boroughs within that area, should be the Waste Lands Board for that district. Parawai —If County Councillors are elected by Roadßoards,the management of waste lands might be conferred on them, and the county worked somewhat like the Shires in Victoria. Waitoa—County Councils Bhould have power to compel Road Boards to keep roads passing through their districts in repair for the use of the public. It sometimes happens that a Board neglects those parts of such through-roads (usually near a district boundary) as are not much used by the ratepayers of its own district; in such a case, the County Council, on the application of the adjoining District Board, should have full authority to investigate the matter, and, if satisfied that the Board complained of has been guilty of neglect, the Council should be empowered to do such work as may be required in order to make the road passable; and, for defraying the cost of such work, to levy a separate rate in the de,