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1929. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1929.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sir, — Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 29th July, 1929. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department for the year ended 31st March, 1929. I have, &c., G. P. Newton, Under-Secretary. The Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs.

.REPORT. Local Government. Local government again played a prominent part in the Department's activities, several important questions being under consideration during the year. Counties. —No new counties were constituted. The boundaries of six counties were altered. Areas under the control of counties were also affected by borough-boundary alterations. On account of the approaching general election of County Councils throughout the Dominion, several Councils took steps to pass special orders altering riding boundaries and adjusting representation. These special orders were gazetted, and a date fixed on which they should take effect. In particular, the special orders passed by the Cook County Council and Waipawa County Council gave rise to more than the usual consideration, evidence of local dissatisfaction with the decision of each Council to pass the special orders respectively being brought before the Department. As, however, the Minister has no statutory functions to interfere in matters of this nature, the special orders were in due course gazetted. Certain powers of Borough Councils with respect to water-supply were conferred on the Hutt County Council and the Waipa County Council. The annual meeting of the Ashley County Council, held after the statutory time, was validated. The Counties Conference met in Wellington during the year, and passed a number of resolutions asking for amendment of the law relating to county government. These resolutions are under consideration. Boroughs. —One new borough —namely, New Lynn —was constituted, and the usual action taken for the election of a Borough Council. A petition for the constitution of the Borough of Shoal Bay was not proceeded with ; one for the formation of Taradale and Greenmeadows districts into a borough was unfavourably reported on by a Commission ; and one for the constitution of the Borough of Mount Roskill was under consideration at the close of the year. The boundaries of three boroughs were altered. Several petitions for the alteration of boundaries of other boroughs were considered, in some cases the petitions being unfavourably reported on by Commissions, and in other cases being held over on account of the proposed legislation relating to urban farm lands, which I am referring to in this report under a separate heading. The number of members of the former Tamaki Road Board (in the last report reference was made to the union of the Tamaki Road District with the City of Auckland) to be Councillors of the City of Auckland was fixed ; a Board was appointed for the purpose of hearing an appeal against the decision of the Petone Borough Council with respect to an application under section 335, Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, for approval to the subdivision of

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