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the more central and progressive portions of Manukau County or Franklin District. Can be more economically and efficiently administered under Boad Board, and respectfully request constitution of this district to be retained as at present. —T. B. Tindall, Clerk. Barrett Road Board. —Strongly urge road district be retained as at present. If merged into county rate will be higher, and very doubtful if road will be kept in the good and satisfactory state as under road district control now.—A. George, Chairman. : Cambridge Road Board. —-The Cambridge Boad Board discussed the Counties Bill when first issued, and unanimously passed a resolution to the effect that any interference with local government by Boad Boards would be prejudicial to the public interest. Every Boad Board within the County of Waikato is of a like opinion.—James Taylor, Chairman. Carrington Road Board. —The Carrington Boad Board is unanimously of opinion that it would be entirely detrimental for them to merge into the County Council, and consider that our Boad Board, running as it does direct into borough, never using the county road, should not be liable to a full county rate. Would favour franchise if, say, twelve months' residence. The Board expresses their regret at their inability to reply more fully to telegram, owing to not having before them a copy of the Bill now before the House.—John Lashbrook, Chairman. Coldstream Road Board. —Coldstream desires to be retained in existence. Suggests that no Boad Board be merged without consent of majority of ratepayers. Favours extension of franchiseto freeholders, but considers residential qualification should require twelve, not three, months' occupation. Favours triennial elections. Approves clauses 83 and 101, but Bill should give retained Boards power to levy differential general rates for different wards without losing Government subsidy on same. All main arterial roads to be declared county roads and maintained by County Council. Suggests that provision be made enabling boundaries of retained Boards being altered.—John Studholm, Jun., Chairman. Collingwood Road Board. —Counties Bill: Our Boad Board recommends that present Collingwood County be divided into two counties; each of the two existing ridings, Collingwood and Takaka, and respective outlying districts, to be constituted separate counties. Present county wide and scattered, and almost unworkable, and ridings have no interest in common. Failing this, Board wishes Collingwood Boad District retained, with extended rating-powers for taxing heavy timber-wagons, for instance; also control of rivers and other public interests. Also consider provisions should be made for payment travelling-expenses of members of Board.—Alfred J. Peart, Chairman. Gourtenay Road Board. —My Board agrees with resolution passed at a conference of delegates representing the various Boad Boards in the Selwyn County held at Christchurch on the 31st July, 1901. —H. A. Knight, Chairman. Cust Road Board. —Counties Bill: Section 4 —subsections (20) to (21), object to road districts being interfered with; (22), agreed to; (23), consistent with (22); (24), not in favour of more than two amalgamated; (25), accepted; (26), (27), accepted. Section 15 approved. Sections 55-75 approved. Section 83, not favour of county rating; retain Boad Board districts unless doing special work. Section 250 approved. 391 accepted as consistent.—Bobert Kingsbury, Chairman. Dovedale Road Board (see also Waimea). —I am instructed by the Dovedale Boad Board to say that they object to any alteration in connection with road district without first taking a vote of ratepayers.—Hugh Kenyon, Chairman. Drury Road Board. —Drury Boad Board strongly opposed to abolition of road districts, also to proposed extension of franchise. Consider that none but ratepayers should be electors. Disapprove of electing Board for three years; present system satisfactory.—-J. Fitzgerald, Chairman. : Hast Tamaki Road Board. —For reply see " Conference of Local Authorities, Manukau County." r--Eden Terrace Road Board. —Eden Terrace Boad Board and ratepayers strongly object to merge into county, being quite satisfied to remain as at present. We have our own waterworks, gas through district, fire-brigade, and are now carrying out drainage-works with loan of £3,000 from the Government. Have also signed deed of delegation authorising electric tram company to run trams through district. We urge that Eden Terrace Boad District be retained.—F. A. Cleveland, Chairman. : ..- Elliott Road Board. —The Elliott Boad Board is unanimously of opinion that there should beno interference with the existing system of Boad Boards without by vote of ratepayers, and' consider that if either bodies are abolished it should be the County Council, as the Boad Boards do their work more efficiently and at less cost than County Councils. If the Boards were merged into the County the roads in back of districts would be neglected. Should it be deemed advisable for road districts to amalgamate with other districts the ratepayers interested should be consulted.— Choldwill Billing, Chairman. Epsom Road Board. —Approve generally amalgamation of road districts to save expense of administration, but not to have two rating-powers, such as County and Boad Board now have in some parts. Franchise not to be extended to non-ratepayers.—S. Hesketh, Chairman. Featherston Road Board. —Thanks for telegram re Counties Act. Batepayers have already petitioned the House through Mr. Hornsby to constitute Featherston Boad District a county. This district has an area of 585,000 acres, and, the Board feels, is too extensive to merge in present county. Re section 15, object to extending franchise. As for section 55, appears members elected two years; think should be three years. Present system election under Boad Boards works satisfactorily. Think road district should be retained in large county, and machinery provided enabling large road districts becoming counties. Think votes of ratepayers should be taken before merging road districts. Proposed population requires to cover too large area to be worked economically without road districts. —A. Matthews, Chairman.