THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1127, 4 September 1882, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI- WEEKLY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1882.

Amongst the very few bills, having *uiy bearing on local government and local requirements, that will get through during the present session of Parliament is the " Roads and Bridges Construction Bill," which has pretty well survived its legislative troubles, and is sure to be pushed through before Parliament is prorogued. It is framed i with a view to assisting local bodies in ' works, of the kind indicated in ' its title, and an abstract of its principal provisions will no doubt be of general interest. In order to provide funds for the maintenance of main roads by local bodies, £100,000 o^ the Public Works Fund is to be Jntrrsferred to Main Roads account/and a like sum, Mfter certain deductions, to be appropriated to the same account from the Land Fund. The Minister of Public Works may declare which are main roads, but before they become so, a resolution of the House of Representatives must approve the same. The Coui»ty Council of any district jnay apply for grants for the construction of any main road, and if approved of, shall have as great powers as if it were a County road. If the grants asked for are given, conditions are pi<escribed relative to the ratepayers being ready to submit to special rating, and the estimates of cost of Any works, together with plans and ppecih'cations, must be submitted to the Government for approval. A poll of ratepayers is to Vie taken when any work necessitates the imposition of a special rate, Any rating is to be sufficient to repay the amount of advance ■within ten years. If the Council will find one-fourth the cost of construction, the Treasurer may pay the other three-fourths without the necessity of n. poll or levying a special rate, or if the Council find a fourth, the amount of debentures given are to be proportionately reduced. With reference to providing funds for district roads and river works, £100,000 of the Public Wovks Fund is to be allocated to •' The District Bowls and River Works Account," and the Treasurer is further authorised to borrow the same sum from the Postmaster-Goneral or the frovernment Insurance Commissioner, Mid place it to the credit of the

sani<- account. Loans troin this fund may be obtained l»y local bodies for j works of the kind, but, unlike those | granted for main roads, the whole sum advanced must be repaid by fifteen equal yearly instalments of not less than 9 per cent on the whole amount ' borrowed. A special rate in the respective districts is to be imposed to secure repayment, and debentures at the time of getting the .money be handed over for each instalment. When repairing extraordinary damage is needed, it is to be deemed construction, or if the road or bridge is damaged by fair wear and tear. All applications under the Act pj:ior to the Ist of January, 1883, will be held to have been made simultaneously on that day. In future years, all applications must be made before the 30th of June, and shall also be deemed to have been made simultaneously on that day. In cases of unlooked for and unexpected damage, provision is made for altering this condition. Rates may be made on special portions of dis. tricts, and two or more bodies may make a joint application. One application may be, made for several works, and members of local bodies are to be held 'riersonally -liable for any improper 'the Money by expending it on. any other wjorks .£han i those fpr which it vks •■borrowed. ■ -An I annual report of proceedings and ap- i propriations under the Act must be . submitted by the Colonial Treasurer i to Parliament, giving full particulars j of all transactions, moneys advanced, ; and Applications refused. The succeed- ; ing clauses provide for taking a .poll j Avhere required, and tlie method in j which special rates aye to be made. If local bodies can pay the required instalments out of ordinary revenue j they need not collect the special rate, , though on borrowing, it must be imposed as security. Twenty per cent of the proceeds of the sale of Crown Lands is to be applied in the following year in making toads on unsold lands, and the Minister of Lands is em- i powered to contract with local bodies j for their construction. The bill con- i eludes with three schedules giving | forms of debentures and voting papers, when polls are taken in various districts. The above is a synopsis of the bill as introduced by th,e Government, and all its main features have ; already been approved of by the House. There will be, no doubt, a few alterations made before it emerges a full blown Act, but they are not likely to be of any importance. It remains to be seen how the measure will work.