27

A.—lo

Eichmond —Certainly not. Pangatotara —No. Eikawa —No ; they should bo elected by their own body. Lower Moutere —No. Collingwood —As at present. Collingwood—No ; as at present, by the Board. Suiter —Yes, Inangahua — Chairman of Eoad Board should be elected just as Chairman of Council is at present. G-rey —That Eoad Board Chairmen should be elected annually by the ratepayers. Marlborough —No answer. Awatere—No ; but by the members of the Board. Omaka —Not desirable. Pelorus —No ; cost of electing should not be overlooked, my opinion being that it is the best plan for members to elect o:ie of their number as Chairman every year, Picton—No. Spring Creek —No; by a majority of the Board. Wairau —No ; by majority of Board. Lower Wairau —No. Pukaka—No ; by the members of the Board. Kaikoura —No answer. Kaikoura Eiver Board —No ; but by a majority of the members of the Board. Ashley —No- answer. • Eyreton—No.

. Question 12 — continued.

Mandoyille—No. Oxford—No. Waipara—Certainly not. West Eyreton—No. Selwyn —No. Present system of election by majority of the Board we believe to be quite satisfactory. Courtenay — No. Election as at present. Heatheote — The members of the Board should certainly elect their own Chairman. Lincoln—No. Eiccarton —No. Templeton—No. Soutli Waimakariri—No ; the members of a Board should elect their own Chairman. A/caroa —No answer. Littlo Eiver —No. Brother members being the best judges who is most suitable. Pigeon Bay—No. Port Victoria —As they are elected now. Aslihurton —No. Wakanui —No. Mount Somers—No. Q-eraldine —No. G-eraldine—No. Mount Cook —TJoad Board Chairmen should be elected by members of Board. Mount Peel —Certainly not. Temuka —No. Westland —No Eoad Boards on the coast.

Waitaki —No. Kakanui —No; but by members of the Boards. Waiareka —No; but by the Boards as at present. Waitaki—No. Wailcouaiti —No. Palmerston South—Yes. Waikouaiti —No. Manioloto —See answer to No. 11. Peninsula —No answer. Peninsula —■ Eoad Board Chairmen should not be elected as Mayors are. Taieri —No. Waipori—No. Bruce —No ; elected as at present. Crichton —No. Glonledi —No. Matau — No ; should be elected Boards. Mount Stuart—Eoad Board Chairmen should not be elected as Mayors are. Tokomairiro—No. Clutha —Present system is satisfactory. Pomahaka —Eoad Board Chairmen should not be elected as Mayors are. Molyncux South —No. Tuapelca —No. Clydevale—No. Southland —No. Knapdale—No. Toitois—No. Tuturau—No alteration.

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 ?

M.angonui —The provisions of the Auckland Highways Act suit this district, except proxy voting, which should be abolished. Kaeo — Elected as at present in the Province of Auckland. Proxy votes should be abolished. Oruru —The Auckland Act suits this district, except proxy voting, which should be abolished. Totara —The Auckland Highways Act suits this district, except proxy voting, which should be abolished. ffokianga —No answer. Whangarei —No. Maunu —No. By all elections being under the Local Elections Act a great deal of squabbling and ill-feel-ing will be avoided. Parua —Yes. Waikiekie —No answer. Waipa Middle—Yes. Waipa South —Eoad Board elections should take place in open public meetings. Jlobson —No answer. Okahu—Yes. Paparoa—Pofer election by ballot. Wairau —No. Wairau (by ex-Chairman) —I cannot conceive the propriety or the possibility of Eoad Boards, or any similar body authorized to levy taxes on a community, being elected in any other manner than by open meeting or by ballot, as provided by the Local Elections Act; in either case the vox populi is obtained. The former plan is almost universal here, tho ballot being adopted in a simple form. Whakahara School Committee —The Eoad Board in this district is elected in open meeting, and I have never heard any reason to object to .the plan.

Rodney —No answer. Albertland South —With us they are held in open ratepayers' meeting. This I think quite sufficient. Arai —This has been the plan under tho Auckland Highways Act, and has given general satisfaction. Only a small minority of road districts have adopted the plan of electing their Board under Upper Mahurangi—By all means it should be so. Mangawai—Elections of Eoad Board members should be by ballot; ballot papers should be written, and be distributed by the Chairman of the annual meeting and two ratepayers; poll to be open for one hour ; result of poll to be recorded in minute-book. Ballot papers might be destroyed as soon as Board and Chairman are elected. Omaha —Same as at present. Matakana West —Yes, by accumulative votes, as School Committees. Puhoi —The present form of election seems to this Board sufficient; the fewer elections the more money saved. Tauhoa—Yes. Wharehine—Yes. Wainui —The present system cannot be improved so far as this district is concerned. Waltemata —No answer. Kaukapakapa—Yes. Eoad Boards should have power to adopt this mode of election if they see fit, but ratepayers should not be able to give all their votes to one candidate, as in the case of School Committees. Lake —No alteration required. North Shore —Yes ; but no process should be allowed.

Waitakerei West —Yes; in open public meeting. Waitakerei West (J- Cottle)—By a public meeting aa now. Waitakerei West (H. Hunter) —By a public meeting of ratepayers. Whangaparoa—No ; the ratepayers are sufficient. Eden —No answer. Epsom—See answer to Wo. 16. Mount Boskill — Ratepayers only should take part in the proceedings.. Mount Wellington—Eemain as at. present. Newton—Yes; in open public meeting. Panmure—Under Local Elections Act. Ponsonby—lt is desirable that elections should be held in public meetings where ratepayers desire it, but not where special order of Board may favour it, as such special order might be used unfairly towards ratepayers. Waikomiti—Eoad Board elections should be open to the ratepayers of the district only. Manulcau —No answer. Mercer.—Yes. Hunua —Yes. Karaka—No answer. Maraetai—Yes. Opaheke—Yes. Otahuhu —The practice in this provincial district is that elections take place in open public meeting, subject to the provisions of clause I], "The Highway Act, 1874." If the election of members for Eoad Boards, School Committees, and Licensing Committees were held at the one time, the Local Elections Act should be worked. So many elections at different times in the year is a great waste of money and energy.