£.—5

9

THE NEW ZEALAND COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION RULES, AS PASSED BY THE CONFERENCE HELD IN AUGUST, 1894. Objects. 1. That the objects of this association shall be to promote efficient local government in New Zealand. Interpretation. 2. That, in every county where the Counties Act of 1886 is suspended, the combined Road Boards shall be deemed to be a County Council under this association. Constitution. 3. All County Councils which subscribe to the funds of the association at the following rate— viz., when the valuation is £1,000,000 or more, three guineas per annum; when the valuation is under £1,000,000 and more than £500,000, two guineas per annum ; when the valuation is under £500,000, one guinea per annum—shall be deemed members of the association. 4. Each County Council shall appoint its representative to attend the meetings of the association, and each representative present at any meeting shall have one vote for each county he represents. 5. At the session to be held not later than the month of July in the years when the Conference shall be called, a president, two vice-presidents, a treasurer, and an auditor shall be elected; also a committee of seven members, who shall retain office until their successors are appointed. Should any member, however, be absent from three consecutive meetings without an apology satisfactory* to the committee, his seat may bo declared vacant, and the committee shall have power to fill such vacancy. They shall also have similar power in case of resignation of any member. 6. The association shall meet for the transaction of business annually; but, should urgent business require it, the executive shall have power to call a special meeting at anytime. 7..The president shall have power to call meetings of the committee whenever matters of consequence require it, and he, or the chairman, shall have a deliberative as well as a casting vote at all meetings of the association and of the committee thereof. Four members of the committee shall form a quorum, and at the meetings of the committee all business brought forward by any member of the committee shall be considered. 8. The president, vice-presidents, and treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the committee. Business. 9. The committee shall commence business as soon after the time stated in the summons calling the meeting as there is a sufficient number of members present to form a quorum, such quorum to be formed within half an hour of the time named for holding the meeting. In the event of there being no quorum present at the end of the half-hour after the hour fixed for the meeting, the secretary shall have power to adjourn said meeting from time to time till a quorum is present, or until forty-eight hours shall have elapsed after the hour fixed for said meeting. 10. When any County Council wishes to bring any matter before the meeting of the association for opinion or action, such County Council shall forward a statement to the secretary, who shall place it on the business paper along with any other subject which the president may require the committee to consider; if approved by the committee, it shall be placed upon the business paper for consideration by the Conference. 11. Two weeks before each meeting of the committee the secretary shall forward to each member thereof a circular containing a list of the matters to be brought forward at such meeting. 12. At the session of the association it shall have power, should the majority of members present approve of such a course, to consider any business not introduced as provided by clause 10. 13. Correspondence with the committee shall be conducted through the secretary, who, in conjunction with the president, shall have power, when a meeting of the committee cannot be arranged, to take the written opinion of each member thereof by means of correspondence, and to take action upon opinions expressed by the majority, in the same manner as if a meeting had been held. 14. The report of the proceedings at all meetings of the association shall be printed, and a copy forwarded to each member. 15. The president's report of the proceedings, and an account of all expenditure by the committee in connection with its work, shall be, until otherwise ordered, placed before the committee at least one month before the holding of the annual Conference. F. yon Reden, President.

THE DISINTEGRATION OF COUNTIES. [Bead before the County Conference at Wellington, August, 1894.] The question to which I should like to ask your attention is the disintegration of counties :— (1.) By the formation of boroughs throughout the country districts there are now no less than ninety boroughs and seventy-eight counties : (2.) By the suspension of the Counties Act in some places—namely, in the Counties of Eden, Manukau, Rotorua, Oroua, Marlborough, Cheviot, Ashley, and Peninsula, where the whole Act is not now in force. With respect to the latter it is not necessary to enlarge, because, so far as I know, the suspension of the Counties Act is working well, being, in fact, genuine county government under another name. In proof of this I would instance the excellent results obtained by the Kiwitea Road Board since the suspension of the Counties Act in the Oroua County. 2—H. 5.