A.—lo

22

Qkahu —Wo answer. Paparoa—No answer. Wairau —The Counties Act should surely be suspended, especially in the North, and the powers conferred on the Eoad Boards in so far as the Act can be applied to Eoad Boards. Wairau (by ex-Chairman) —All such powers as shall facilitate the object for which they are constituted, viz., the construction and repair of roads, bridges, culverts, drains, wharves, &c, by fairly and properly rating the property of the district under their control for their own local wants and requirements, and by obtaining from the Government all the assistance they can by grants in aid, subsidies, Land Fund, &c, and by judiciously expending the same on all bucli works on the main roads used chiefly by the travelling public as well as by local residents. Whakahara School Committee —See answer to Question 16. Rodney —No answer. Alberlland South — : No answer. Arai —There is no reason, if Eoad Boards are fairly constituted by Act of Parliament, they should not be be able to exercise local-government functions as well as County Councils or Municipalities ; therefore they should have as much authority as-possible.' Upper Malrarangi—ln case the Coun- , ties Act is suspended in any county, the Eoad Boards should have the power to rate outlying districts, to enable them to look after main roads from one highway district to another. That is all we want with the Counties Act. Mangawai —Where the Counties Act is suspended, Eoad Boards should be allowed to exercise any of the powers of the Counties Act except borrowing, in road districts. Where the Counties Act is in operation it should be suspended in road districts, on petition of majority of ratepayers. Omaha —The power of collecting all licenses and dog-tax. Matakana West —Eoad Board should have the 'power to collect all fees, licenses, &c, arising from publicans' licenses, and fees of any description. Puhoi—ln this ease the Boad Board should exercise in its district the , respective powers of the. County Council. Tauhoa —Tes ; making by-laws; control of licensing fees ; control of slaughter-house fees. Wharehino —If the Counties Act is suspended, local bodies should take charge of main roads and carry out the works of the County Council, and the Chairmen be remunerated for their services. Wainui —So far the Eodney County Council has merely been a dispenser of Government moneys, and there is besides this nothing that they have done which Eoad Boards could not have done better and at little or no expense. The Counties Act is also too difficult for inexperienced persons to work successfully, leaving the question of revenue out altogether, and much too ex- .' pensive for thinly-populated places; and, if it was properly carried out, it would require move than all the county revenue, minus Government subsidy, to pay the salaries of the necessary officers and other contingencies ; therefore, if the Eoad Board's had extended powers,

Question 10— continued.

County Councils would not be required. Waitemata —No answer. Kaukapakapa —If the Counties Act is suspended in any county, Road Boards should have all necessary powers to enable them to carry out the functions of local government. Lake —In districts where Counties Act is not worked the Chairmen of the several Road Boards should as far as possible have the same powers aa County Councillors. North Shore —No answer. Waitakerei West —The Eoad Board to have the privilege of exercising any of the powers of the county. Waitakerei West (J. Cottle)—The Road Boards to have the same power. Waitakerei West (11. Hunter) —Road Board to have the same powers. Whangaparoa—All of them. JSden —No answer. Epsom—See answer to No. 16. Mount Eoskill —We are not anxious for any more powers. Mount Wellington —No answer. Newton —Y res; the power of making special rates. Pannmrc —No answer. Ponsonby —The powers provided for in the circular accompanying this list of questions might bo given to Eoad Boards. By-laws might also be in operation in road districts, but in a form similar to that in the Auckland Municipal Police Act. Waikomiti —No answer. ManuJcau —No answer. Mercer.—Yes; such as in granting slaughterhouse and hawkers' licenses. Hunua —No answer. Karaka —Yes; the following : Charitable aid, establish libraries, manage reserves and places of public recreation, also marketplaces, slaughter - houses, and pounds. Maraetsii—Delegate powers to Eoad Boards. Opaheke—No answer. Otahuhu—Counties Act being suspended Road Boards should be enabled to exercise more municipal powers'than are given under the Highways Act. I believe the powers given under the Town Districts Act are more suitable for Eoad Boards. Papakura—No answer. Pollock—All necessary powers should be vested in the Road Board. Pukekoho East —No- answer. Pukekohe West —Under the contemplated Act Road Boards will have sufficient power ; quite as much as they are able to use intelligently. Waipipl—No experience in the working of the Counties Act. Wairoa —No answer. Thames —The Eoad Boards in that county I should each appoint one of their members, and the members so appointed should possess all the powers of a County Council. Parawai —Yes. All powers now held by counties. Waitoa—No. Pialco —Counties Act should not be suspended. Wailcaio —The whole of them as far as is practicable. Kirikiriroa —We do not believe in permissive legislation ; the Counties Act should be operative throughout the colony or repealed. In the latter case, then, Eoad Boards would require extended powers to enable them to^levy a special rate, or to borrow money in case of accident

to a large bridge, &c, requiring an extraordinary and immediate expenditure beyond the ordinary revenue. Waipa —No answer. Hamilton—No answer. Kihikihi —Yes ; any powers they may wish to exercise. Rangiaohia—Should the operations of the Counties Act be suspended in county, the Eoad Boards should most certainly be endowed with ample powers to exercise and carry on tho work of local self-govern-ment. Tuhikaramea —If Counties Act suspended in any district, give full present power of Council to Eoad Board. Raglan —None, if tho Counties Act is only suspended ; but, if the Counties Act is altogether abolished, some of the powers now conferred upon the County Councils should be delegated to them (the Road Boards). Pirongia—The general powers for the construction of public works, the administration of the Slaughterhouse Act, the Publicans Licensing Act, the Dog Act, and the Protection of Animals Act. Eaglan Town—Yes ; the whole of them. WhaJcatane —The Act is in forco in thia county. Cook —No answer. Ormond—All of them. Patutahi—They Bhould be enabled to exercise the counties'power of rating in addition to their own. Have control of pounds and slaughterhouses. Power to make by-laws to regulate traffic on their roads. Receive dog-tax fees. Te Arai —The Eoad Boards to take full powers of the County Council. Poverty Bay—All of them. Tauranga —No answer. Katikati—We, as a Road Board, wish tho operation of the Counties Act to be entirely suspended in our . road district, and extra powers to be granted to the Eoad Board. In fact, we earnestly desire the same powers which tho County Council , had or may have under the new Act. Our reasons are these: we are the only Eoad Board in existence under the Tauranga County Council; Tauranga Road Board, with a debt of over £2,000, merged in the County Council; Te Puna Road Board, with a debt of £1,500, also merged in the county ; while Katikati Highway Board, which docs not owe £10, is rated Is. in the pound to help the County Council to pay their debts. The Tauranga County Council will not contribute one farthing for the formation of a district or a by-road in our riding. The Government grants of £2,500 and £2,000 are amply sufficient to complete the main road from, Tauranga to county boundary at Thames County. And we consider our rates to the Road Board, quite enough to keep the one main road in good order, and also make our by-roads. We memorialized the late Premier, the Hon. J. Hall, to abolish County Councils. Te Puna—Operation of Counties Act should be made compulsory. Wairoa —If the Counties Act is suspended Road Boards should have all the powers of the county. Haiolce's Bay —Road Boards should have full rating powers, and receive all license fees, dog-taxes, &c, taking over all roads and bridges. Heretaunga—No answer.