Village Administration and Local Government in B. G. 353 
The Board’s Ordinance also deals with the general sanitary provisions 
for the Colony grouped as shown below :— 
Drainage. 
Water Supply. 
Water Closets and Privies. 
Scavenging and Cleansing and to Offensive Drains, Trenches, and to 
Collection of Matter. 
Common Lodging Houses and Houses let in Rooms, and Offensive Trades. 
The inspection of meat, foodstutts and vegetables exposed for sale is 
provided for and penalties can be recovered against any person contra- 
vening the sections. 
Powers are also given the Board to deal with Infectious and 
Epidemic Diseases, and other kindred subjects. 
The history of village administration in all its phases since 1892, 
shows distinct signs of progress, and though it may be regarded as slow, 
still progress has been forward and the conditions to-day existing are 
infinitely better than those which prevailed twenty years ago. The 
villagers have been taught to keep their obligations and meet their 
assessments, and, with improvement under these heads, the financial 
position and credit of the several Village and Country Districts have 
vastly improved. With improvement of credit the various Local 
Authorities of the different Village and Country Districts are able from 
time to time to approach the Central Authority and obtain money on 
loans which is expended on a variety of works of improvement. Each 
application for a loan has to be submitted to the Central Authority and 
the loan is only made by the Governor-in-Council on its recommendation. 
Full advantage has been taken of this benefit and from 1902 to date the 
various Local Authorities have borrowed sums amounting to $93,597, all 
of which has been expended in carrying out works of improvement in the 
Districts borrowing the money indicated. Provision is in every case made 
for repayment of the loan in annual instalments with interest at the rate of 
4, and these instalments are duly met on their becoming due. The sums 
repaid to date amount to $19,004. The sum due to the colony on loan 
at date is $74,592: of which total $23,000 was borrowed during this 
financial year as Drought and Ordinary Loans. 
Prior to 1902 the loans made by the Government to the villages do 
not appear to have carried any interest nor was any provision made for 
the regular repayment of the loans. 
Between 1904 and 1907 an exceeding heavy wash set in at Buxton 
and Friendship and as a result the Village Council had to spend a sum of 
over $20,000 ino fighting the sea. To assist the villagers the Combined 
Court, by resolution in 1907, remitted the payment of $6,542.21 part of 
the sum of $20,000: which the Government had advanced the Village 
Council to carry out the necessary Sea Defence work. 
