6 Where, however, the people in a district are able and willing to manage their own affairs, there are many advantages in their doing so. On the whole, for example, the principle of management of the water supply of a town by a locally elected Waterworks Trust has worked well. ‘The Act, therefore, makes provision for several alternatives. ‘The authority in charge of a district may be the Commission, or a river improvement trust acting, as waterworks trusts do, under the general control and supervision of the Commission. : ‘Where such a Jocal trust is formed, the Commissioners may be elected by the municipal councils concerned, or by the ratepayers of the district; or may be appointed by the Governor in Council The decision as to how many are to be appointed in each of these ways for each trust is a matter of circumstances. In cases where a river improvement district is wholly within one municipality, the council of that municipality may be appointed as the Coramissioners of a trust to manage the district. ‘Where the areas concerned are too small to justify the formation of a district, or where the works necessary are few or ‘scattered, ‘the works may be done by the Commission or, as at present, by the local Shire Council, arrangements being made beforehand, if necessary, whereby any landholders who benefit should contribute to the cost of the work. Drainage Districts. It will be noted that the definition of ‘river improvement works” includes “draining land”. Drainage and river improvement are often intimately connected, and on many streams the body which carries out river improvement will be better able to plan its works if it controls drainage as well. Where the proposed works of a trust are principally drainage, the Governor in Council may constitute the trust as a drainage trust, with a drainage district, instead of as a river improvement trust; the provisions of the Act applying to such drainage trust and district as if the district were a river improvement trust with a river improvement district, Changes Regarding Districts. Provision is made in the Act for districts to be increased or diminished; for two or more districts to be united; for the control of a district to be transferred from a trust to the Commission, or vice versa; and for districts to be abolished, if necessary.A river improvement district may be formed including lands which at the time are within an existing drainage area under the Drainage Areas Act 1928, The Act provides that, when the district is constituted, the drainage area may be abolished and its property, income, assets, rights, and liabilities vested in the river improvement authority. Alternatively, one or more drainage areas may be converted into a river improvement district. POWERS OF AUTHORITIES. Works. ‘The Act gives various bodies powers to carry out and maintain river improvement works. ‘The State Rivers and Water Supply Commission may carry out and maintain such works within any river improvement district for which it is the authority; or, with the consent of a river improvement trust, within that trust's district. It can also carry out such works outside any river improvement district, except in certain areas under the control of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. A river improvement trust may carry out such works inside its own district, or, with the consent of the Governor in Council, outside that district. Any such works may ‘be carried out and maintained on such basis of financial contribution between the authority and landowners or occupiers as may be agreed upon. If any river improvement trust fails, in the opinion of the Commission, to carry out and maintain river improvement works satisfactorily within its district, the Commission may carry out river improvement works in the trust's district at the expense of the trust or on such basis of contribution as the Governor in Council determines. ‘The Council of a municipality, with the consent of the Commission, may carty out and maintain river improvement works within its municipal district (whether within or outside a river improvement district), at the expense of the municipality or on such basis of financial contribution between the municipality, the Commission and any landowners or occupiers concerned as is agreed upon. The Act further provides that in carrying out river improvement works a river improvement trust shall (except in case of emergency) act under the general control and supervision of the Commission as required by the Commission. It also stipulates that before a trust enters into a contract for more than £500, or undertakes worksestimated to cost more than £509, it shall submit plans and specifications to the Commission and get the Commission’s consent in writing, Other Powers. It is further provided that for the purposes of this Act any river improvement authority or Council may make surveys, and enter on any land for the purpose; prepare and revise maps; after giving reasonable notice, it may enter on any Jands and carry out river improvercent works, or, with the consent of the Governor in Council, divert any river. For the purpose of the Act, also, the Commission, or, with the consent of the Governor in Council, a trust, may by agreement purchase, or take on lease, or compulsorily take any land or any right or easement in or over such land. The Commission, or a trust with the consent of the Commission, may sell or lease any land acquired by it under the Act. Financial Provisions. Each river Improvement authority must keep a fund, which shall be applied only in and towards the administration of the Act and for the carrying out of works by the authority in relation te the district under the Act. Into this fund shall be paid all sums levied by way of rates: afl sums made available by Parliament or provided by any municipality; all sums borrowed by overdraft; and any other sums received in relation to such a district. Any river improvement authority may make and levy a rate not oftener than once a year, in respect to properties which are within its district and rateable to any municipality. Such rate shall be made by by-law, subject to the approval of the Governor in Council, Before making the rate, a trust must make an estimate showing the sums available and required, and the annual value or unimproved capital value; and this estimate shall be approved by the Minister, If desired, the properties to be rated may be arranged in divisions as is determined by the Governor in Council. A trust may accept from any bank an overdraft of up to £750, or half the prior year’s revenues from rates, whichever is the greater, The Act enables the Governor in Council to make advances by way of loans to any river improvement authority, Each authority shall keep a separate account for each loan. River improvement trusts must in relation to finance operate under the general direction and control of the Commision. If a trust falls to reimburse the Commission for any costs of orcontributions to works which under the Act are payable by the trust to the Commission, the Commission, after giving three months’ notice, may exercise the rating powers of the trust till ft is fully reimbursed. ‘The Government has agreed to make available substantial financial assistance by way of free grants to River Improvement Authorities on the following basis:— Capital Works In River Improvement Districts to be financed by advances from Loan Funds on the following basis: — () Seven-eights of the total cost of approved works other than the construction of levee banks or the excavation of drains to Le provided by the State as free grants; Gi) Two-thirds of the total cost of approved levee banks and drains to be provided by the State as free grants; (i) River Improvement Authorities to repay to the State the rernaining portion on terms similar to those operating in connection with Urban Waterworks Trusts, 1 total payment per annum to cover interest (3%) and Sinking Fund; (Gy) Grants to River Improvement Authorities to be conditional upon satisfactory arrangements being made for adequate rates to be levied to meet annual maintenance, manage- ment, and capital charges as provided in the River Improve- ment Act. Formation of River Improvement Districts. If the landholders along a river desire that any extensive works of river improvement or drainage, or both, should be carried out tor the benefit and protection of their properties, they may ask for the formation of a river improvement district. They must realize that the formation of such a district will mean that the lands within it and benefited by the works will be subject to rating. It is unlikely, however, that the Government will allot. any large sums of money to assist with river improvement and @rainage unless the local people are willing to have their lands included in a district and rated, Procedure. The first step would be a conference between the landholders themselves, to decide whether they will ask for a district or not, If they decide in favour of asking for a district, the next step would be to get in touch with their local Shire Council; or, if the river runs through or between several Shires, with all the Shire Councils concerned, The Council or Councils can then get in touch with the Commission, If the Councils refuse to act, or, in theto opinion of the landholders, do not act promptly enough, the Jand- holders may later approach the Commission direct; but they should in any case see the Shire Councils first. Points to be decided are— (1) Whether the authority which 1s to control the proposed district Is to be the Commission or a trust, or, if entirely within one municipal district, the municipal council acting as a trust. (2) What (on general lines) are to be the works the authority in charge of the district is to undertake. . (3) What are to be the boundaries of the district. (4) What degrees of benefit, if any, are to be recognized in alloting the lands to divisions, if any, for rating. If it is thought preferable that the Commission should run the district, the Commission should be approached and asked to apply for the constitution of a district under section 5 of the Act. (This does not. mean, of course, that the Commission must agree to the request.) In many cases, however, the landholders would prefer control by a local trust. The Commission, in principle, is quite agreeable to this, as long as the trust carries out its work satisfactorily and handles its finances efficiently. The Act reserves to the Commission the right to step in and take over if the trust does not work properly. A Council, or two or more Councils jointly, may make application to the Minister of Water Supply for the constitution of a river improvement district under the jurisdiction and control of a river improvement trust. (See sections 6 to 16 of the River Improvement Act.) Such an application may be made whether or not part of the proposed district Is outside the municipal districts of the Councils making the application, and notwithstanding that -the proposed district, or any part of it, forms part of or includes any irrigation and water supply district, waterworks, flood protection, or drainage district under thé Water Act 1928, or any drainage area under the Drainage Areas Act 1928. The applicant shall cause to be prepared a general plan and description of the proposed works, showing their character and extent, The description should show clearly— (a) the object and purpose of the works; (b) a provisional estimate of their cost;