LOCAL BODIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 5

LOCAL BODIES.

THE PROMISED REFORM BILL, PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE.; WELLINGTON DELEGATES APPOINTED. Representatives of local bodies in tho ellington Hospital District met yesterday afternoon, (o elect five delegates to represent 'hem upon the conference which is to assemble on May 21 to consider the provisions ot' the Local Government Bill. Mr. J. Trevor, who was appointed chairman, stilted that he Imd convened tho meeting at tho request of tho Government. lollowing «re the bodies represented and their representatives.—Wellington Hospital nnd Charitable Aid Board (Messrs. J as. Trevor, 11. C. Kirk, G. T. London), Wellington City Council (Messrs. D. M'Lnren, A. Hindmarsh, A. Atirinson), Wellington Harbour Board (Messrs. R. Fletcher, J. E. Fitzgerald), Wellington Education Board (Messrs. R, Lee, W. Allan), Jlorowhenua County Council (Sir. F. W. Venn), Hutt County Council, Mr. M. Wakehnin), Makara County Council (Mr. .1. H. Haggerty), Hutt Borough Council (Mr. 11. E. Kempthorno), Petone Borough Council (Mr. J. W. MHwan), Levin Borough Council (Mr. B. R. Gardener); Karori Borough Council (Sir. C. Cathie), Eastbourno Borougli Council (Mr. W. J. Organ), Miramar ISorough Council (Mr. H. N. M'Leod), Onslow Borough Council (Mr. F. Holdswarth), .Tohnsonvillo Town Board (Mr. W. L. Thompson), Upper Hutt Town Board (Mr. H. C. Gibbons), Hutt River Board (Mr. H. Baldwin), Otaki Road Board, Ngalcororo Drainage Board (Mr. C. A. W. Monckton). The Otaki Road Board was not represented. All tho representatives named were present, except Mr. Fitzgerald, who was absent on account of illness. When tho meeting opened, some representatives asked if their expenses would be paid. Tho chairman stated that so far as this preliminary conference was concerned it liad been left to the various local bodies to meet expenses. Ho added that it seemed a pity that gentlemen should have been asked to come down here pretty well from Palmerston merely to elect five delegates. Ho took it that this was tho whole of the business of the meeting. They could not discuss "whys" or "wherefores;" neither could they ask delegates to affirm any particular thing when they attended the conference on the Local Government Bill.

Mr. B. E. Gardener said that it would 1)0 just as well to have ail understanding in regard to voting power. Two local bodies had three representatives at this preliminary confercnco, and two others had three cacli. Had the Government intended that this should be done, ho asked, or had tho Government intended that it should bo a case of "one body, ono vote"? He hoped that the chairman would rule that each body should exercise only ono vote. If all tho city representatives voted—lie hoped they would not—they eould easily elect all five de'eMr. G. T. London said that a_ plurality of votes had been given to bodies which had commensurate responsibilities. He trusted that each representative would be permitted to vote. The Mayor of AVellington (Mr. ,D. M'Laren) remarked that it seemed to him strange that no direct communication had been made by the Government to tho City Council in regard to this_ conference. As to representation, an invidious position would be created unless cach delegate was nermitted to vote. Mr. F. W. Venn (Horowhenua County Council) =aid that the' Minister for Internal Affairs should himself have allocated tlie representation at the conference. At this preliminary conference thcro were about twenty town representatives and four country representatives. However, it did not matter much. Ho was convinced that this Bill would die in its infancy, and very suddenly. The counties desired a little representation only because they wished to gave Hie f»w grains of wheat contained m the Bill before it went to the destructor, as i, would for a certainty go. The chairman ruled that every delegate should exercise a vote. As to what Mr. Gardener had said, the Bill would affect the cities irnich moro than any country ' Mr. G. T. London suggested that it ! would not bo wasting time to hear tho views of delegates upon the Bill. 'Under it tho HosDital Board, which ho represented, would lm wiped out as a representative body This should be resisted. More and not less, representative government of an intelligent hind was wanted in this country. . ~ , The chairman SAid thnt ho would liava to rule against Mr. London in the matter of hearing overy delegate round tho ' ,( Mr! W. .1. Organ (Eastbourne) proposed thnt the City Council, Harbour, Hosnitnl, and Education Boards should liavo tlireo representatives, nml other bodies two. To Mr. Venn the chairman renlied that ho did not propose to ear-mark any representation for the counties. Mr. F. Holdsworfh (Onslow) seconded Mr. Oi'oth's nronosnl. Mr. W. Ailen (Education Board) suggested that the representation should be as follows:—City Council, 1; Hospital Board, t; Education Board, 1; other bodies, 2. Mr. Fletcher: Where does the Harbour Board come in? Mr. Allen: Tho Harbour Board is practically the city. Mr." Fletcher laughed. Mr. Organ accepted Mr. Allen's suggestion and it was substituted for the original motion. Tho motion was carried by 15 votes to i. Tt was njrreed that the Mayor (Mr. D. M'Larenl, and Messrs. Tt. Lee (chairman of the Education Board), and .T. Trevor (chairman of the Hospital Board) should represent. their various bodies. Mr. F. W. Venn (Horowhenua) was elected to represent the counties. Mr. ,T. W. M'ftwon wag elected te represent. boroughs and town boards. The chairman announced that this concluded tho business. Mr. Venn: I have to congratulate you on getting through a very difficult job in record time. The Mayor suggested that the elected representatives should meet and confer at th» earliest, opportunity Mr. Venn remarked thnt he should play a lone hand as ho was the solitary representative of the counties. Mr. M'Laren stated thnt he would confer with the chairman (Mr. Trevor) with ,n vieiv to calling an early meeting of delegates. One delegate pointed out. after the meeting had concluded, that although the Wellington district had Wn given only five delegates to tho local Government Bill Conference there were eight distinct divisions of local government. Those arc: C.itv councils, boroughs, counties, education boards, harbour hoards, drainage boards, road boards, and river boards.

SOME WANGANUI VIEWS. BILL ROUNDLY CONDEMNED. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Wannamii, May , r i. A meetine of rcnresenlntives of' local bodies throughout the district will be he'd on Wednesday to discuss the Tiocal Government Hill am! appoint delegates to tb n Wellington Conference on the Hill. Mr. AV. TCitebie. chairman of the Tfosnifai Hoard, who is conveniiv; the meetins;. spoke at the Waifotaro County Oonneil meet-ins: to-day in unniensnrpd terms of comiemn-Ttion of the Bill. ITe said he had jotie into it very carefully. and lie could not c ay anything in its favour. If anytlnni. it was join? from Kid to worse, and the whole proposal ivns a perfect farce. At the Wpllwfon Confer-entr. tho hospital district, which was o very larqo one. would be represented by two delegates, and it depended on the preponderance of flic votes of the local bodies on Wednesday whether borough or conn'y votes held the balance of power, and could carry the day and eef their own di'li'?ato« appointed. The matter of <t Local Oovernment Hill had been before the House I'm- seventeen vein's, and "this liolcii" was all they could show for their trouble. Other councillors also spoke against the jnwwu'o and condemned it m unworkable.