A.—lo,

41

opinion that they would take such, a step in the Manawatu, where we believe the government by Road Boards to be sufficient, and at the same time more suitable to the necessities of the country. (2.) That, in cases where the counties are abolished, certain main roads— hereafter to be decided on—should either be taken over by the Government, or subsidized at per mile out of the Colonial Fund : as, for example, the road leading from Napier through the Manawatu. Otaki — That private individuals should hare the power of making over lands to a public body by a simple deed of conveyance, instead of having to go through the forms provided by "The Public Works Act, 1876." That the power of letting only should be vested in public bodies or the Public Trustee for non-payment of rates. That one local body only is required in this district, and that body should be a Road Board. Haleombe —Where it is necessary in carrying out any Act that public notice should be given, that it be left to the discretion of local bodies whether it be published in a newspaper or by placards posted in conspicuous places. • Huff —That the same facilities should be given to counties to borrow from the Government for the construction of tramways or light railways as is given for the construction of roads in Road Board distriots. Kilbirnie —Generally. Keep County Councils and Road Boards separate, as one profits by any loss that happens to the other. The more powerful of the two is always trying to overreach the other, and is never particular as to the means ; and, under the proposed arrangement, as the county is to have £3 to £1 as a gift, whereas the Road Board gets nothing as a gift (only a loan at 3 per cent.), surely the Koad Board should not be further rated to pay any of the 25 per cent, of the cost of roads made by the County Council. The Road Boards, by great care and good financing, may (?) make their present means serve, but they are utterly unable to pay the needs of the county besides their own ; and, if possible, some help should be given to Road Boards by way of subsidy, as many Boards are, from want of development, not yet able to carry on at present. No ratepayer nor other person should be allowed to be a member of any local Board who has compounded with his creditors, or been bankrupt, and who has paid less than 10s. in the pound sterling. Kaiwara —Yes; if it could be arranged, to abolish the Kaiwara tollgate. Wairarapa West —We wish to express the most emphatic approval of the proposal to pass a consolidating Road Board Act; also of the proposal to relieve local bodies of the cost of valuation by providing the property-tax valuation. We also approve the proposal to vest the power of selling or letting land for nonpayment of rates in the Public Trustee. J?eatherston—Property-tax valuation should be amply sufficient for any number of purposes. At present a large amount of money is wasted in so many valuations. Selling or letting lands'for non-payments of rates should be vested in the Public Trustee.

Question 16. — continued.

Carterton—No answer. Waimea —The dual government of counties and Road Boards is undesirable, unless the powers and revenues of counties are considerably increased. The county revenues having been greatly curtailed by legislation, especially by the removal of the land revenue and by the reduction of subsidies, the county system, unless some sufficient substitute is provided, must remain weak and inefficient. To confer rating powers is useless, as they cannot be exercised. The enormous expenses attending the working of the Licensing Act has in this county nearly annihilated the remaining revenue, without conferring any benefit on the county. Motueka—Recent legislation has deprived County Councils, and thereby Road Boards, of a considerable portion of their revenue by the reduction of subsidies, withdrawal of the land revenue, and the expenses attending the working of the Licensing Act. Upper Motueka—Powers of County Councils should be very much increased, as also their revenue, if they are to play a useful part in the government of the country. They should have power to collect and expend some portion of existing general revenue. Might also undertake, either wholly or in part, the administration of waste lands, as better local knowledge would be obtainable and more pains taken to realize the utmost value of reserves, &c. As at present, Road Boards are, in our opinion, quite sufficient to exercise all the powers and dispose of all the funds of both bodies, and the work would be more economically done. Waimea —While we disagree with the principle of multiplying Road Boards ad infinitum, we believe that Road Boards would more efficiently carry out the duties of local self-government by themselves than where counties and Road Boards co-exist; but if it should be found that counties are an absolute necessity, then, in our opinion, every Chairman of a Road Board should ex officio be a member of that body. In conclusion, we beg to express our sense of the courtesy of the Government towards the local bodies in this matter, believing, as we do, that the great question of local selfgovernment is about to be taken up in real earnest. Richmond — This Road Board cordially agrees with the principle as illustrated in circular, that of counties aiding Road Boards in opening up and forming new roads out of aid afforded by Government. Pangatotara—None. Rikawa —No. Lower Moutere—The Licensing Act appears to us to have been unnecessarily expensive. Could not the counties make it less costly ? Collingwood —No answer. Collingwood —No. Buller —No answer. Inangahua —There should be an amendment to section 40, " Counties Act, 1876," to this effect: that, after the expression " twenty-one years," in first line of said section, the words "not being an alien" should be inserted. The necessity of such amendment is obvious, tending, as it would, to make aliens become citizens of the country by becoming naturalized. " The Regulation of Local

Elections Act, 1876," should be so amended as that, in subsection 1 of section 30, the words " have you paid all rates now due by you ? " should be inserted ; and section 41 of " The Counties Act, 1876," should be so amended as that, after the word " elector," in the first line, the words " having paid all rates due by him" should be inserted. Grey —That gold-fields County Councils should be awarded one-half of the polltax levied upon all Chinese coming into the colony : that in the event of any of the present sources of gold-fields counties' revenue being abolished, the Government to take steps to substitute by special legislation the grant of a sum equivalent to whatever revenue may be bo taken away. Marlborough —No answer. Awatere—>No answer. Omaka —As at present. Pelorus —Approve of Public Trustee selling or letting land for non-pay-ment of rates. Main routes to connect centres should be done as proposed by Government. Counties or Road Boards should have the power to exchange roads in a simple way, the present mode being cumbersome and expensive. One statute for Road Boards to work under would be an improvement. My wish is decidedly against the Roads Construction Bill becoming law, but the Government ought to provide for the construction of roads through Crown lands out of the purchase-money, immediately after sale. Another reason against the Roads Construction Bill is liability to increase our public debt through local involvements. Picton—No answer. Spring Creek —In this district we find the Road Board system works well, and is much to be preferred to the County Council. We would suggest that General Government expenditure should be reduced. Subsidies to local bodies abolished, except from land revenue ; no fresh loans contracted; the property-tax repealed, and local bodies left to find their own funds. Wairau —In this district we find the Road Board system works well, and is much to be prefered to the County Council. We would suggest that the General Government expenditure should be reduced; subsidies to local bodies abolished, except from land revenue; no fresh loans contracted ; the Property-tax repealed, and local bodies left to find their own funds. Lower Wairau —Subsidies to local bodies to be paid from land revenue, including rents as well as sales. Pukaka River Board—River Boards, under "The Hawkes Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act 1868 Amendment Act," must repay loans by annual instalments. Power should be given them to repay half-yearly as proposed inyour circular, and to levy rates sufficient for the purpose, notwithstanding anything contained in the Rivers Acts to the contrary, to do away with any doubt caused by clause 4 of the Amendment Act of 1872. Also some power should be given to local bodies to borrow from the Government to pay off existing debts in such a case as the following : The Pukaka River District contains a quantity of good swamp land, which was flooded the greater part of the year by the Pukaka River, the drainage of a considerable extent of hills to the north