COUNTY WARD MEETING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 84, 10 June 1946, Page 6

COUNTY WARD MEETING

DELEGATES IN WIIAKATANE A meeting of Ward No. 6 of the New Zealand Counties Association took place in the County Council Chambers last Monday, delegates from Tauranga, Opotiki, Rotoru and Whakatane Councils being present. Mr J. L. Burnett was re-elected as the Ward’s representative on the Counties Association for the ensuing term. The above-named County Councils were represented by the following:— Tauranga: Mr J. T. Reid (Chairman), Capt. H. B. Magian (Cr), and Messrs. C. Hickford (Acting Engineer) and T. B. Collins (Deputy for County Clerk). Opotiki: Messrs. W. A. Gault (Chairman), and R. A. Hedley (Cr). Rotorua: Messrs. A. L. Keith (Cr), and A. Bellingham (County Clerk). Whakatane: Messrs. J. L. Burnett (Chairman), L. W. Luxton (Cr), and C. G. Lucas (County Clerk). Local Government

With regard to the local Government Commission, the meeting decided that any finding of the Commission which recommended the amalgamation of counties, should be implemented, only if endorsed by a ratepayers’ poll. Also, that the action of the Counties Association Executive wherein it was requested that counties be represented by one member of the proposed local Government Commission, be. endorsed. On the subject of subsidies to counties, it was decided that strong representations should be made to the Government to implement the Parliamentary Select Committee’s report, relative to subsidies to Counties. Under the same heading, it was also resolved that the Government be urgently requested to implement immediately, the committee’s report relative to hospital rating, and Government Hospital subsidies. Separate Rates

A further resolution with regard to rating passed by the meeting read as follows:

“That to assist in the development of townships, Section 122 of the Counties Act 1902 be amended, as respecting the application of such section to county townships, by deleting all reference to the maximum general rate and. providing that the petition requesting that a separate rate be levied, contain a list of the township properties comprised in the proposed separate rating district together with the amount of separate rate each of such township properties would pay on the then valuations.” Transport Licensing With regard to the Transport Licensing Act, a decision of the meeting was that provided the vehicle or vehicles to be used in a carrying or taxi business comply with the Act and Regulations as to mechanical fitness and type, the Transport Licensing Act be amended to permit of any returned serviceman so desiring, to start a carrying or taxi business. Limiting of Time In an endeavour to save time at conferences, a resolution was passed by the meeting that the Executive gave favourable consideration to limiting the time spent on introductory speeches, and speeches from persons representing outside organisations. A further two decisions were respectively that County houses, tenanted by County employees as a condition of their employment be removed from the provisions of the Fair Rents. That the Impounding Act, 1908, be amended to permit of the provision of pound holding paddocks in remote areas, such pound holding padocks to be used for the holding of animals up to a period of say seven days before such animals have to be removed to a public pound. Tuberculosis Sanatorium A final resolution concerning the proposed tuberculosis sanatorium stated as follows: That this Ward is emphatically of the opinion that the full cost of erecting and maintaining the proposed sanatorium for the Auckland, Waikato, Thames, Tauranga, Opotiki and Bay of Plenty Hospital Districts should be a national responsibility-—that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Hon. the Minister of Health and Messrs. W. Sullivan M.P., F. W. Doidge M.P. and G. F. Sim M.P., and also to the following Hospital and Bay cf Plenty.