A.—4,

132

The payment for water supplied for domestic purposes is by rates fixed by the Board, and for other purposes by agreement according to the quantity supplied by meter. The rates are to be levied on a valuation of lands and tenements which must not exceed the valuation for municipal purposes, and the rate must not exceed five per cent, on the valuation; but no charge may be less than ten shillings per annum. Property more than sixty yards distant from any main is exempt, but the rate is payable on all tenements within that distance, whether supplied with water or not, after notice has been gazetted that pipes have been laid for the supply. Separate rates may also be levied for sewerage. As soon as the whole scheme of the proposed waterworks is complete, all the existing waterworks belonging to the Corporation of Sydney may, by consent of Parliament, be transferred to the Board. If Parliament does not consent to this transfer, the Board is to retain all the works outside the city, and the Corporation those within it; and the cost of the works constructed by the Board is to become a debt to the Government, divided amongst the several municipalities concerned, upon a basis laid down by the Act, and on this debt six per cent, is to be paid to the Government, four per cent, as interest, and the remainder a sinking fund in discharge of the debt. By the County Towns Water and Sewerage Act, the Councils of boroughs and municipal districts are empowered to borrow to the extent of five times the gross amount of rates raised in the previous year, but the plans of the works proposed to be undertaken must be first approved by the Governor. The Colonial Treasurer must pay any interest or principal as to which the Council makes default, and may enforce repayment by seizing the rates and other revenue on which the debt was secured. A sinking fund must be provided and invested in Government securities. The catchment area and sewerage district are in each case to be proclaimed by the Governor The provisions for enabling the Councils to carry out the works required and for levying water and sewerage rates, are the same as those in the Metropolitan Act. Where any waterworks or drainage works have been or may be constructed by the Government, they may upon completion be handed over to the municipality in which they are ; and the cost becomes a debt on the municipality, and must be discharged in the same way as similar debts are required to be discharged by the Metropolitan Act. The provisions for the municipal government of the City of Melbourne have never been incorporated into one statute, but are contained in a considerable number of Acts from the year 1842, when the first Act was passed by the New South Wales Legislature before the separation of the two colonies, down to the present time. The main features of the municipal Constitution have never been altered, except in the substitution of the ballot for open voting, and of a plurality of votes for a single vote, as was at first the case. Numerous amendments have, however, been made in details, and in the powers originally granted to the Corporation. By the Melbourne Incorporation Act of 1842 the Corporation was made to consist of a Mayor, Aldermen, Councillors, and Burgesses, and the city was divided into four wards. Powers were subsequently given to the Governor to subdivide the city by the creation of new wards. The Mayor is elected annually on the 9th October, by the Aldermen and Councillors, out of their own number, but comes into office on the 9th November. He is a Justice of the Peace, ex officio, and takes precedence in all Magisterial Courts next after members of the Legislative Council. One Alderman in each ward is elected by the Councillors, out of their own number, and holds office for four years. The Councillors are elected by the Burgesses ; three in each ward, of whom one retires every year The annual election takes place on the Ist November, and the election of Aldermen on the 9th. Aldermen, when elected, vacate their offices as elected Councillors, and the vacancies are filled by fresh elections of Councillors. Two Assessors and two Auditors are elected by the Burgesses on the Ist March. Councillors must possess

VICTOEIA. The Melbourne Corporation.