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who had received the benefit of the works would not sign the petition afterwards. The Amendment Act overcomes these difficulties by providing that the rate may be an annually recurring one for any stated number of years if the original petition so requests. The Act also provides for a poll of ratepayers being taken on the proposal, in lieu of a petition. This provision was inserted with a view to saving expense, as a poll may be taken concurrently with some other poll at little additional cost. Local Legislation Act.—The usual Local Legislation Act was passed, containing sixty-one clauses, affecting the activities of numerous local authorities and public bodies. This Act entailed a good deal of work for the Department, as every proposal submitted for inclusion was very carefully examined, and quite a number were not agreed to. Local Acts. —As usual, a large number of local Acts were passed by Parliament, and, in accordance with practice, the Local Bills Committee submitted to this Department for examination and report the majority of the local Bills introduced. Rating of Farm Lands in Boroughs. —In last year's report reference is made to the Commissions which held inquiries relative to this subject. Following on the decision of the Government to bring down legislation giving effect to the reports of those Commissions, two Bills were prepared and introduced last session. These Bills were the Urban Farm Lands Bating Bill, which dealt with the general question, and the Otaki Borough Adjustment and Farm Lands Bating Bill, which dealt with the question in so far as the Borough of Otaki was concerned. Both Bills were referred to the Local Bills Committee to take evidence and report. This Department was represented before that Committee and gave evidence. The Committee recommended that, in view of the numerous objections received from local bodies and of the undertaking by the Municipal Association that the subject of the rating of urban farm lands would be fully considered at its next Conference, the Urban Farm Lands Bating Bill be not allowed to proceed. It also recommended that the Otaki Borough Adjustment and Farm Lands Bating Bill be not allowed to proceed. The Bills were accordingly not passed into law. The Municipal Conference gave consideration to this question, and recommended the adoption of an alternative scheme submitted by it for giving relief. This is being considered. Land Drainage and River Protection Bill. —This Bill, which contains a consolidation and revision of the existing law relating to land-drainage and river protection, was also introduced towards the close of the session. As it proposed a drastic remodelling of the existing law 011 these subjects, the Bill was not proceeded with, but was held over in order that Boards and others interested would have a full opportunity of examining the proposals carefully and making representation. Land-agents. Nine hundred and ninety licenses were issued and six transfers granted, as compared with 999 licenses and ten transfers last year. Three further cases of defalcation were considered, in one case the bond being enforced. Auctioneers. The licensing of auctioneers pursuant to the new legislation passed in 1928 was undertaken for the first time in respect of last year. With few exceptions, the procedure worked well, the precedent of the land-agents legislation being closely followed. Four hundred and eighty licenses were issued and six transfers granted. The Auctioneers Act makes provision for an endorsement on the license of the name of the person whom it is intended shall do the actual selling of goods by auction, and provision is made for changing the name of the seller. This provision was availed of to a considerable extent, 350 changes being made. The special districts formerly in existence were redeclared for the purposes of the new Act. 111 those districts, which comprise sparsely populated parts of the Dominion, licenses may be issued, available for the district affected only, at a reduced fee of £10, in lieu of £40 in other districts. It is of interest to note that during the year, the first year of the actual operation of the new legislation, two cases of defalcation were brought under notice, and were being investigated at the close of the year. Town-planning. The outstanding event of the year has been the enactment of the Town-planning Amendment Act, containing provisions to enable local authorities to co-operate in the preparation of non-obligatory regional planning schemes, designed, by means of a master plan, to secure the co-ordination of those public works and services which are not confined within the boundaries of the district of any one local authority or do not relate exclusively to the development of any one such district. It is the intention of the Act that regional schemes, based upon a thorough survey of the natural resources and existing conditions, shall be prepared for each self-contained social and economic land unit, embracing both urban and rural districts, so that a balance can be struck between urban and rural populations, and urban and rural activities, which will provide a basis 011 which urban developments call be controlled by means of the statutory town-planning schemes provided for in the principal Act. There can be 110 doubt that the preparation of such surveys and schemes will make for greater efficiency and economy in local government. To bring the Act into operation at the earliest possible date, the Town-planning Board inaugurated a series of public inquiries or conferences in the principal centres, commencing in Invercargill 011 the 18th March, with the object of bringing together representatives of local bodies, Government Departments, and other interests to secure evidence on which to determine the boundaries of the region of planning-areas. It is confidently hoped that the regional boundaries for the whole Dominion will have been finally determined and gazetted by the end of August, 1930.