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1930. NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1930.

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

Sir, — Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 9th June, 1930. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department for the year ended 31st March, 1930. I have, &c., G. P. Newton, Under-Secretary. The Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs.

REPORT. Local Government. Local government was again prominent in the Department's activities during the year. Counties. —No new counties were constituted. The boundaries of eight counties were altered by the transfer of land from one county to another, and areas under the control of counties were also affected by borough-boundary alterations. The Cook County Council passed a special order altering riding boundaries and adjusting representation, its former special order having been quashed by the Court. Certain powers of Borough Councils with respect to water-supply were conferred on three County Councils. An extension of time was granted for the lodging of petitions for inquiry with respect to the general election of members of the Chatham Islands County Council. The Counties Act, inter alia, is not in force in the Sounds County, and representations to have it brought into force in that county, in a modified form, were made. The proposal was not agreed to, but legislation was passed providing for the constitution of road districts in that county. This form of local government should in the meantime be sufficient for the small requirements of the settlers in the way of local government, and will enable development to take place after which the establishment of a more advanced form of local government can be gone into. Boroughs. —One new borough —namely, One Tree Hill —was constituted, and the usual action taken for the election of a Borough Council. The petition for the constitution of the Borough of Mount Roskill, referred to in last year's report, was not granted, the report of the Commission being unfavourable. The Borough of Invercargill was proclaimed a city, the population of the borough having reached 20,000. Invercargill is the seventh city proclaimed in the Dominion, the others being Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson, Wanganui, and Wellington. Twelve petitions for the alteration of borough boundaries were considered. Seven of these petitions were granted, and the boundaries of the borough concerned and the adjoining district altered accordingly ; two were not granted, the report of the Commission appointed in each case being unfavourable ; and three were still under consideration at the close of the year. Five Borough Councils passed special orders altering the number of members of their respective Councils: these-special orders were duly gazetted. Boards

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