A.—lo,

12

faulting road district', without the petition required by " The Counties Act, 1876," section 109. When the boundary between two districts coincides with a county boundary, some means should be devised for compelling the defaulting Road Board to do the work. PiaTcoSo. Waikato —No answer. Kirikiriroa—lt would reduce the cost incurred by the election of numerous boards and committees if local government could, as far as practicable, be concentrated in County Councils (excepting Eoad Boards), such as licensing publicans oi* auctioneers. The control and maintenance of all main roads and bridges, education, hospitals, and charitable aid, waste lands, and, generally, all local government at preeent managed with much trouble by the Gf-eneral Government. Waipa —No answer. Hamilton—l would suggest that the counties Bhould be custodians of all reserves in the county, with power to lease. Kihikihi—No. The County Councils are not rquired where Road Boards are in operation. Rangiaohia — I would recommend that they receive no further powers; but, on the contrary, I respectfully suggest that they be abolished- altogether. Tuhikaramea —Q-ive Councils power to grant licenses, both auctioneers' and ptiblicans'. Very littlo interest is taken by the public, and a large unnecessary expense incurred by present system. Also give Council control of educational matters in own district, in place of provincial Boards. Do not allow Councils to make by-laws. Raglan —We think the Council should also act as the Waste Lands Boards for their own county. Pirongia —The administration of the Diseased Cattle Act, the Publicans Licensing Act, the Protection of Animals Act. These suggestions are on the supposition that the Counties Act will still be in force in certain counties; but the general opinion of this Board is that the county system is entirely unnecessary, at least so far as this provincial district is concerned. Raglan Town—No answer. Whakatane—'No. Cook —Should be empowered to make bylaws to compel owners of land to destroy obnoxious weeds growing thereon. Ormond —None. Patutahi —No answer. Te Arai—No answer. Poverty Bay — That the counties should have increased powers to make laws or rules for the conservation of rivers and forests. Tauranga— No answer. Katikati —None. They have too much power already, and we believe they exercise their power to the injury of the colony. Te Puna—l believe an Act has passed the General Assembly having for its object the conservation of forests. It is, for all intents and purposes, a dead-letter. The dividing range between this district and that of the Upper Thames and Rotorua, which is covered with forest, has passed, most of it, into the hands of speculators, and will in time become quite denuded. This cannot but have the most injurious effect upon the climate auci productive-

Question s—continued.5 — continued. ness of all the surrounding country. There ought to have been some one to Bee to this, and prevent it. Would not the objects of the above measure be in every way attained by making them a consideration for County Councils ? Their own interests would be so much involved. It would be for them to apply to have reserved such portions of bush as they might consider importantly affected their climate. Such reserves should be vested in them for purposes 01 its protection, and power given to enact by-laws for this purpose. Wairoa —Councils should have power to fix the fees for auctioneers' licenses under a by-law. Councils to act as Licensing Committees for the counties. Councils to have representation on the Waste Lands Board. Extended powers to make by-laws generally; especial powers to compel owners of unoccupied land within township boundaries to clear such land 3 of briars, brambles, and gorse. Sawlce's Bay —That the Council should have power to prevent pigs running at large on unfenced lands near roads; to prevent artesian water being allowed to run over roads ; and to levy and expend rates for Road Boards in districts which neglect their duties. Heretaunga —Counties should have power to regulate flow of water from artesian wells; to prevent pigs from running on unfenced land; and to deal with the nuisance caused by pigs kept in sties. Kereru and Aorangi—No answer. Maraekakaho —That of raising rates on behalf of Road Boards ; they to be the sole rating body for all local rates. Okawa—Power to make by-laws for keeping pigs off unfenced lands near roads, and artesian water to I be Btopped from running on public roads ; and to levy and spend rates for Boards not carrying out their functions. Papakura—None. Petane—No answer. Te Mata—The County Council should not necessarily strike a uniform rate for the whole county. Those road districts which strike a sufficient rate to keep their own roads in good order should not be subject to the same rate as others in which county money is expended. The Council should have power to prevent pigs running at large on unfenced lands near roads, and should also have power to prevent artesian water becoming a public nuisance. Waipawa — Counties should be represented on Waste Lands Boards. Countieß should have power to compel owners of land to clean their land of briars, brambles, gorse, &c, when the growth of such is likely to lead to a public nuisance. Norsewood —No. Oero—No. Ormondville ■ — Counties should be represented on Waste Lands Boards. Ruataniwha North—Counties should be represented on Waste Lands Boards. Tamumu —No answer. Woodville—Waste lands, education, &c. Taranaki —County Councils Bhould have full power to make all by-laws necessary for the protection of county works and roads. This Council is of opinion that County Councils should be constituted the Licensing Committee for the whole county. We are of opinion that the

present system of administering libspital and charitable aid Bhould be abolished, and that a system should be organized by which the whole [coat of maintaining hospitals should be proTided by the G-eneral Government from Consolidated Fund. Manganui—One comprehensive town and county police statute would be much better than having from fifty to sixty different bodies making bylaws. Counties to have power to carry out provisions of Health Act, Slaughter-yards, Dog Registration, and Impounding Statutes. Mangarei—Would like to see County Councils abolished, and main lines of roads taken over by the Government j the land abutting on such roads paying rates to the Government. Carrington—Unnecessary. Waitara West —All by-laws made by the County Council to be sanctioned by the Governor in Council. Egmont —None. The ratepayers, at a special meeting I called to consider what answers should be given to questions asked, unanimously and urgently request to be separated from the county, und under the General Government supervision only. This would be local government, and much better adapted to our district. Moa —No answer. Okato —No answer. Clifton—No. Waitara East — Too many powers already. Inglewood —No answer. Patea —-County Councils should be the Licensing Committees, and the boundaries of licensing districts should be coterminous with those of counties. County Councils should have power to regulate traffic upon roads and bridges, and the weight to be carried on different descriptions of vehicles. That County Councils should be consulted before boroughs or Town districts are formed. That County Councils should have power to make bylaws to eradicate burrs and noxious weeds on private property within the county. That the electoral roll for counties be made up, as the burgess roll of boroughs, from ratepayers who have paid their rates. That subsection 4, section 177, " Counties Act, 1876," be repealed, and that it be sufficient for the Council to publicly notify their intention of passing any by-law, and that they will receive objections up to a certain date. That the fees for auctioneers' licenses should belong to the county in which the holders thereof hold their sales, or if they carry on business in the borough only, then in the borough; but if carried on in the county and borough, then the license fee should be divided between county and borough; if they carry on business in two or more counties, then the fee to be divided between the counties. JSawera —No answer. Hawera — 'lhat County Councils should have power to regulate the weight of load and width of tires on wheels of vehicles; also to Hcenße carriers, and take license fees from them. Waimate —No answer. Ngaire—That County Councils should have power to regulate the weight of load and width of tires on wheels of vehicles; also to license carriers and take license fees from them. Wanganni —No answer. Waitotara—No answer. Bangiti/cei—No answer. Kangitikei—No answer,