7

A.—loa.

Manukau— Awhitu —The same as at present. Pokeno —Up to 2s. 6d. in the pound. Waipipi (A. Muir, jun.)—The present sufficient. Waikato — Cambridge — The present rating powers are sufficient. Waipa —Eoad Boards to have the only power of rating for any purpose. Unoccupied lands to be double rated. Mangapiko—Power should be limited to Is. in the pound. Ngaruawahia Town—A rate up to Is. in the pound for ordinary purposes. Special rating powers for special purposes, on the approval of twothirds of ratepayers. Pukekura—Road Boards where existent should be the only rating body, but should be limited to 2s. in the pound. Raglan — Newcastle —At option of ratepayers. Whakatane —■ Opotiki—As at present. Tauranga —s per cent., as at present. Taranaki — Waiwakaiho —The same as now. Oakura—Not higher than at present. Mangarei (J. T. Upjohn) —There should be a minimum, and then let them carry what they like.

Question 9— continued. Patea— Wairoa —No answer. Manaioatu — Manchester—ls. in the pound. Eangitikei — Sandon and Carnarvon —Is. in the pound. lVairarapa East — Already sufficient power under existing Act. Castlepoint—Sufficient power under present Highways Act. Wairarapa West — Masterton—As above. Waimea —■ Suburban North—As at present. Amuri —None. Marlborough — Havelook —No answer. Kaikoura —Same as at present. Kaikoura—Have sufficient. iSelwyn. — Avon—As at present. Malvern —As at present. Eakaia—Eating powers should remain as at present. Spreydon—The same as at present. Springs—As at present. Upper Waimakariri —No change de • sirable. Ellesmere—The same as at present. Akaroa —The same as at present. Ashhurlon —■ South Eakaia —The same as at pre-

sent, this Board being of opinion that only one rating body is deBirable. Longbeach—No more than at present. Upper Ashburton — The same as above. Greraldine — Levels —Same as at present. Levels (Chairman) —As at present, and all the work of attending to roads and bridges be devolved on them, financially and practically. Waimate —Does not apply to Waimate. Waitaki — Otepopo—The rating powers of Eoad Boards should be Is. in the pound. Vincent —No answer. Lake —We have no Eoad Boards in this county. Peninsula — Portobello — The rating powers of Eoad Boards should be the same as at present. Taieri — Seaside—Not to exceed Is. in the pound. Taieri —Same as at present. Bruce — Kaitangata —The rating powers of Eoad Boards should continue as at present. Chitha — Clutha —Is. in the pound.

10. If the operation of the Counties Act is suspended in any county, should Eoad Boards be enabled to exercise any of the powers of the county, and, if so, which ?

Mongonui — Whangaroa North —All the powers. Kevenue from licenses and dog-tax in their district, and to control a fair proportion of the public moneys set apart for the Council. Oruaiti—No answer. Mongonui—No answer. Bay of Islands—Does not apply. Whangarei — Kaurihohori — The Counties Act should be suspended, and the power given to Eoad Boards. Mangapai —Give Eoad Boards more power. Maungakaramea—lssue licenses under " The Licensing Act, 1881 j" also to hawkers, auctioneers, &c. Euatangata—The Counties Act should be suspended in districts where a majority of ratepayers desire it, or where Road Boards have struck a rate. Eoad Boards to have powers to make by-laws as regards roads, &c. Waipu North — All the powers of counties. Whangarei—The Counties Act should be suspended, and the power given to Eoad Boards. ffobson— Road Boards and^ County Councils should be separate and distinct; and, in case of the Counties Act being suspended, duly-qualified parties be appointed to see that works already in course of being carried out are properly completed, and that Road Boards in the County of Hobson do not step in to undertake the works that may be so interfered with. Bodney — Albertland North —No answer. Komokoriki—No answer. Matakana East—"The Counties Act, 1876," should be repealed, and increased powers given to Highway Boards —particularly in the districts north of Auckland.

Waitemata — Devonport—Most certainly ; all. Devonport (W. H. Fenton)—All. Pukeatua—All the powers that the Council had. Waitakerei East —Yes ; all. Eden —We think the Counties Act Bhould either be abolished or be made operative in every county, but if the Act is suspended in a given county, then the .Koad Board should have all the powers of the county. Manukau — Awhitu—No answer. Pokeno —No answer. Waipipi (A. Muir, jun.)—The Eoad Boards would be able to exercise all the powers of the county better and much cheaper. Waikato —- Cambridge —We are of opinion that the Counties Act should be declared to be in force throughout the colony, or, if not, that it should be repealed : permissive legislation we believe to be a sign of weakness inthe Government. The powers exercised by counties could not well be performed by Road Boards. Waipa —Eoad Boards should be enabled to exercise all powers, the Council being simply a distributive body. Mangapiko—Yea. Ngaruawahia Town — Eoad Boards should have the sole management of public pounds, public runs j should have the management of public reserves. The dog-tax should be administered by the police, when it would probably be efficiently done. Pukekura —In such case counties would be merely a distributive body, and Eoad Boards should have all their powers. Saffian — Newcastle— Suspend Counties Act, and increase power of Eoad Boards in Waipa.

Whakatane — Opotiki—Merely rating powers. Tauranga —Merely rating power, as suggested in Reply 8. Eoad Boards being usually restricted in area, there is the danger of the entire management and control falling into the hands of a clique. Taranahi — Waiwakaiho —No ; but the General Government should take over the county roads, and take away all land fronting on those roads from road districts, and should strike such a rate, not exceeding Is. in tho pound, on those lands as shall be necessary to keep said roads in repair. Oakura —In many cases Eoad Boards could manage main lines, but it would be better that Government manage main lines entirely. Mangarei (J. T. Upjohn)— There is good work for both counties and Road Boards to do. They should both exist, and be totally independent of each other. The counties should be obliged to take over all bridges over streams of a certain size, as in England. Patea — Wairoa —All the powers now exercised by the County Council within tho road district. Manaioatu — Manchester—All the powers. Rangitikei — Sandon and Carnarvon — All the powers of the Counties Act. Wairarapa East —No answer. Castlepoint—No answer. Wairarapa West — Masterton—Yes ; county power of rating, in addition to that already possessed. Waimea — Suburban North—Same as counties. Amuri —Certain powers—such as ceraeteries, pounds, &o,