CONDEMED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1442, 17 May 1912, Page 8

CONDEMED.

LOCAL lOVERNMENT BILL.

CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES THE

SCHEME,

HEAVY BURDENS.

At last night's meeting of tho Wellington City Council the Legislation Committee reported that they had given consideration to tho main provisions of the Local Government Bill, and they wero unable to approve of the Bill in its present form, as it would destroy tho independence of tho city, and leave its finances ami affairs at the mercy of a constituency with which it had no community of interest. They were also of opinion that the Bill would entail upon tho city a large increase in its contribution to hospital and charitable aid, and a new charge in respect of education. The committee could not see any benefit that would accrue to the city from the Bill in any way comparable to the grave risks involved. "Cities Should be Left Out." In moving the adoption of the recommendation, Councillor Atkinson acknowledged the value of a comprehensive report on the Bill supplied by the City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shca). In this report Mr. O'Shea had urged that the cities and boroughs should only lw required to contribute a much smaller proportion of rates to the provincial boards than was proposed in the Bill. . The Mayor (Mr. D. M'Laren) supported the committee's recommendation. The Bill would place burdens on the city that it had not hitherto had to bear, particularly in connection with education and hospitals and charitable aid. ' Tho rating power of the provincial council oyer the city would be equal to the rating powers'of the City Council. He, as a representative of the council at the conference, would take up the stand that the cities should be left out of the now scheme. It might be well to combine some of the other smaller bodies into provincial councils: The cities really required more power. Councillor Trevor said he did not think the cities would be in the Bill. It was indefinite.

The Mayor and others stated that there was no room for doubt on that point. Councillor Flofchcr said the whole Bill was an abortion, and it bad no chance of becoming law. Councillor Fuller expressed disapproval of the Bill.

Councillor Cameron said'the interests of. the people were not sufficiently safeguarded in the Bill in the matter of the raising, of loans by .the provincial councils, as those bodies were to be empowered to raise loans without reference to the ratepayers. "Cheap Condemnation." Councillor Hindmarsh said it was never i intended by' the promoters of the Bill to- pass it 'in its present form. It was put forward as a basis iipon which an acceptable measure could be built. He hoped tho delegates would abandon their cheap condemnation of the Bill, and approach it with the intention of improving it. He was sorry to hear the Mayor's complaint ab«nt the city being burdened for the benefit of the outlying counties.. There was, in reality, a great and real community of interest between tho city and tho counties. The Bill had been sheered at and jeered at because it emanated from the Liberal party. Had it come from Mr. Massey's party At this point Councillor Hindmarsh was checked by the Mayor. ' Councillor Smith said that if the Bill was passed in anything like its present form.Wellington City would be saddled with great additional burdens, and would got little or no benefit. He hoped tho delegates from the council would tell tho Government thev could not support the Bill at all. Tho cities should be left out of the scheme. Councillor Fitzgerald said it would be •possible to get a "workable'Bill.';;out'ofi the present one. It would be a very good thing to consolidate tho small local bodies round Wellington, like tho Onslow and Miramar Borough Councils, the Johnsonville Town Board, and others, which should be united with the city. The delegates should try not to slaughter ■ tho Bill,'but to amend it. ' Councillor Barber said the Government had done right to invito those deeply interested in local government to confer and frame a good workable measuro such as tho country, required. Councillor Godbcr said ho would not condemn the Bill wholesale, but he believed the conference would improve it out of all knowledge. Councillor Atkinson said he, like Councillor Hindmarsh, deprecated. wholosalo condemnation of the Bill, but lie maintained that the linking up of local bodies in the way proposed would make an unworkable system. Local government reform was very necessary, especially in the rural districts, where political degeneracy was caused by having money spent by those who had no responsibility for raising it. This was because of the weakness of the country local bodies. Cities and tho larger bodies should bo left out of the scheme, and the smaller local bodies should be amalgamated or

federated. The committee's recommendation was adopted on tho voices. Remits for the Conference. The council also adopted tho following remits for the Local Government Confer1. That if tho present mode of electing the Mayor is continued, his term of office be

extended to two years, so as to come into line with that of councillors. 2. That councils elect the Mayor from their own number. 3. That in future the Christian names in full bo inserted in the,electors' roll as well as the surnames. 4. That the provision of Section No. 25 of the Local Bodies' Loans Amendment Act. 1908, which provides that all sinking fund moneys on special loans raised after the passing of that Act by local bodies be paid to the Public Trustee and invested by him in Government securities should be repealed. .. 5. That as the legislation as to tho maintenance and construction of pnvato streets and private ways is unsatisfactory, legislation should bo passed authorising councils to deal with these matters on the lines of tho Local Government Act, 1903, of Victoria. Note.—This Act gives councils power to construct these ways after giving notice to. parties interested of its intention and depositing specifications for inspection for a fixed period, and hearing objections to the scheme. U. That as tho existing legislation relating to hoardings and the public display within viow of passengers on highways of advertisements is unsatisfactory, and fails to deal effectively with existing hoardings, fresh legislation be enacted giving tho council full power to license and otherwise control all hoardings, existing or future, and generally to control under license or otherwise the exhibition of advertisements on hoardings, walls, places, and buildings visible from streets. 7. That Section 117 of the Public Works Act, 1908, should be repealed. Note.--This section provides for the dedication on subdivision of land of strips of such laud sufficient to widen the streets to an extent that 33 feet will be provided between the middle line of the streets and the frontage of the subdivided land. The provisions have been in foTce 12 years, but they have not effected any streetwidening in Wellington. S. That the Crown's exemption from rnte3 be abolished. •J. That statutory provisions should be enacted to vest drainage rights in all persons using common drains, and that provision be mads for the registration of such rights as easements in favour of the dominant tenements, and against the servient tenements. 10. That the power to define the ordinary supply of water, and to decide whether the same shall be measured by meter under special circumstances, as provided by the Act of 18S8, be restored to local bodies.

11. That the council be given power to construct as public works lifts and tunnel." for the carriage'of foot passengers where there are steep declivities in streets, lo raise special loans for such works on special rating areas, and (o rate such areas, not only in respect oi' the charges for the loan,' but in re.-ped of loss of working, and that, the council he authorised to charge suitable fares and lolls for Hie of such tunnels and lifts. 12. registration of agreements for carrying out private works, such as drainage wo'rks, on the deferrpd payment, system. That provision be pwde, for registration

of these agreements where they affect lan<l under the Land Transfer Act. Note.— Tin; instalments payable are. recoverable as rates, and are therefore a charge on the land. At present registration can'only bo effected by caveat. If there are no mortgages, this costs 155., for every movtgago there is an additional charge of ss. if it wore not necessary to give notice to mortgagees, 10s. would bo a sufficient fen. Purchasers would then bo protected, and the position of mortgagees would not 1» really affected. In order to protect purchasers, it is now necessary to put a very heavy charge on the poorest owners of land.