Local Government.

When the provinces were abolished in 1876 provision was made for local self government on an elaborate scale. Canterbury is now divided into ten counties—Amuri, Cheviot, Ashley, Selwyn, Akaroa, Ashburton, Geraldine, Levels, Mackenzie, and Waimate. The county councils may levy rates for roads, bridges, and other public works, and can raise loans within certain fixed limits. The towns and boroughs are similarly governed by elective councils. Christchurch has its city council; Linwood, St. Albans, Sydenham, Woolston, Sumner, and New Brighton each with its local council may be styled the metropolitan boroughs; all the rest are, in a sense, suburbs of the capital. The provincial borough towns are Lyttelton, Akaroa, Ashburton, Temuka, Timaru, Waimate, Rangiora, and Kaiapoi. Some smaller centres of population are governed by town boards, which possess powers similar to those of the borough councils. Amberley, Cheviot, Southbridge, Tinwald, Hampstead, and Geraldine are administered by such town boards. Outside the town and borough page 19 councils, and standing between them and the county councils, are the road boards. These bodies have charge of the local roads and other means of communication, and have power to levy local rates for their maintenance and construction. There are eight road districts in Ashley County, seventeen in Selwyn County, seven in Akaroa County, nine in Ashburton County, and three in Geraldine County. The residents of other counties are content to leave the care of roads and bridges to the county councils and the counties of Amuri, Cheviot, Levels, Mackenzie, and Waimate have no road districts.

The important shipping interests of the district are in the hands of the harbour boards. The Lyttelton Harbour Board (revenue £26,000) has constructed the dock, breakwater, and other works at the chief port. The Timaru Harbour Board (revenue £18,000) has spent large sums in transforming the roadstead into a harbour. The Waimakariri Harbour Board, Kaiapoi, controls the navigation of the river.

The river boards may be regarded as important factors in the work of local government. These bodies are supposed to provide means for the protection of land against the floods, which are, unfortunately, chronic in Canterbury rivers. For this purpose rates are levied on owners of property by the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Ashburton Forks, Mandeville, Rangiora, and Kaikoura River Boards.

Under the Alcoholic Liquor Sale Control Act of 1893 each electoral district constituted for the election of a member of the House of Representatives is a licensing district; by the Amendment Act of 1895 the licensing poll is taken at the same time as the general election of members of the House of Representatives. Licensing Committees thus elected administer the act within each district.