CIVIC AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1507, 1 August 1912, Page 6

CIVIC AFFAIRS.

. e—. — ; MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS. The Municipal Association's Conference . was continued in the Town Hall yestori day. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. 1). . M'l.aren, presided. ! Fish Markets, 5 It was decided that the principal Act ; should be amended by the audition of llio t following words to Section!! 12: "And • upon tlio establishment of any such mar- . ket-placo in a borough having a popula- ; lion of not less than ten thousand, no per- - son shall sell wholesale, whether by auction, for local consumption, any lisli snvo s in such market, and where a market- - place is established in any borough no person shall expose for sale in siich borough any fresh fish until ho shall havo caused the sinuc to be inspected at such market place by an' inspector appointed by the council, nor unless such inspector shall have passed such fish as being tit for human consumption." The remit dealt with tlio establishment of fish markets. Condemning Buildings. | Mr. F. W. Lang (Onehunga) moved: [ "That tho necessary steps bo taken to amend the law ill respect to tlio pulling • down of condemned buildings by throwing the onus of doing same on to the PubB lie Health Department. Under the prej sent! system the health ollicer condemns t a building, and tho local body has lo (j go to all tho trouble and expense (often entailing heavy legal fees), of carrying out d his wishes." ! Mr. Lang said that the idea was that s when tlio Health Department condemned i a building the Department ought to bear s the cost of compensation—that the ext pense and the compensation should not lie borne by the municipality, which had i' to carry out tho wish of the Department, v Mr. ,J. Wilson (Dnnedin) seconded llio motion, which was . carried. To Legalise a Practice. Mr. W'. It. Collihgw.ood (l'almerston North) moved-. "That-Section 96 of the Municipal Corporations - Act, 190S, •be amended by deleting the words in Subclause 2 (trom'the word "borrowed" to 8 tho words "special rates"), anil that the » amendment apply to all local authori'l ties affected." The effect of the motion, said Mr. Col- " lingwood, would be to legaliso a practice d which was generally adopted by local j* Iwdies al the risk of having (heir balance- " sheet. "lagged" by the Audit Deparlincut, namely, lo set against any bank o overdraft or temporary loan from corporations or persons the anticipated revenue from "all" sources. The Act at j present provides that the income from special rates may not be so used, e Other Discussions, o Without discussion the motion of Mr. n J. A. Nash (l'almerston North): "That n Clause 13 of the Second Schedule of tho 0 Tramways Act, .1908, including all subjections of same be .deleted, and that , the I? Act .be amended to enablo the ratepayers I. lo vole upon tho'(|iiostioii of. route when J" voting for.the proposal to. borrow," was carried :iina)iiin6uslyi, ; . ..'-'.v.. .. ' • . Xlic following :ie!ii'itj'from Hawera, with reference to ,thb. bunal of deceased ilest tifptes.Whs cau'i;>r unanimously:"..'"Tliat •legislation .be- cnactcd to mako position dear regarding, burial- of dcstitnlo persons., It is considered that this responsibility should rest with the Ha'shital'nnd Charitable Aid Hoards. The council has been advised that boards are now liable, t but that .the position.requires to be made > more explicit."- . - , It was referred to,the executive lo ar--1 range in future .(hat. separate remits.eov--0 ering, .the' saino question might, after a t conference of the respective movers, with - tho solicitor to tlio conference, be <>x--1 pressed in 'terms of a single remit. Tho 1 elleet of this, it. was pointed out, would 3 bo. to expe-dito the business of the confcr- . cncc. t By ons vote—lo to 18—tho conference - endorsed tho decision -of the L'dcal 1 Gov'3 eminent Bill Conference in its rejection - of the proposal of the Mackenzie} Govi eminent to establish a Local Government 1 Board.' ; The following remit from Ohakuue was t carried:-"That tho Land Act ho aniendf ed to provide for lands which have been 1 forleited for non-compliance with the j conditions of occupation shall, ou being > reoft'ered for sale or leaso, be weighted , with unpaid rates, particularly those for t interest on loans borrowed on the socurity 'of tho said land for improvements by the local authority." -J' 1 '- E. X. Lifliton (Wanganui) moved:— lo authorise tlio niunicipal cnincils lo guarantee (he loans from Government to workers on houses built on corporation leases. The motion was carried. On the motion of Mr. I'. W. Lang (Onehunga), seconded by Mr. ,T.. Puller (rcr presenting Manganui), tho folloiviug re- [ nut was agi-eed to:—"That the Government be retjuestcd lo amend Regulation 14 , of the Regulations gazetted on pages 423 1 to 4 ; M of the Now Zealand Gazette, 1011, which prohibits the. .Superintendent'of tlio J New Zealand Guaranteed Advances Office from amalgamating the instalments cf Joans taken op from the office, ■&o that ; Mud interest on n loan can bp paid bv [ half-yearly iiijjUi.lmcu.ls, -instead of, as } at present, each instalment being treated , as a separate loan." j The following proposal from Taumarunui - was defeated:—"(l) That the Government t bo asked to bring down legislation giving [ borough councils the power, if nccessary, , to muuicipaliso any or all Native leased i laud, within the boundary of tho borough, 1 or (2) in tho alternative the Government - lo acquire the freehold of such land, the , present leaseholders to havo the option . of purchase thereof on equitable terms." It was resolved that tho matter of superannuation, which was brought before the conference by tlio local government enI pincers, should be 'referred lo the .executive for its very favourable • consideration. l Oil tho motion of Mr. G. W. Browne , (New Plymouth), it was decided that . power should lx> given lo boroughs to mako by-laws prohibiting the burying of animals within the boroughs. The idea, tho mover said, was that the anfrnals should bo sent lo tlio "digester." Tho conference adopted the following ; Taumarunui remit:—"That tlio Maori r Councils Act. be amended so that Maori Councils shall not have any jurisdiction within tho boundary of any borough in matters over which the local authority may have control." I Jt. was resolved: "That the Government i be moved to take into consideration llio position of tluisa iusuranco companies doing fire risk business in the Dominion, > though not domiciled therein with special ' reference lo their present non-liability to , contribute lo (lie maintenance of firo brigades through tho firo boards." Tho balauco-shcet. of the association, I which disclosed a credit I,olance of X3SB, • was adopted. i ' Thanks. By resolution, cordially aiM unanimously adopted, tho thanks of-the conference, with u bonus-of were.extended, to I Mr.- T. P. Martin, solicitor, to the association, for his .services, attendance, and advice during tho proceedings. _ On the motion of Mr. B. N. Lifliton (Wanganui), a hearty.;vote of thanks was accorded the chairman, Mr. D. M'Laren, amid applause, and the singing of "He's ,a Jolly Good Fellow." Officers Elected, i The officers for 1912-13 were then elected, as .follow:—President, Mr. D. M'Laren, ' -Mayor of Wellington; vice-presidents, I he. Mayors of Auckland, Christchurch, Dnnedin, and Nelson; Executive Committee, liie Majors of Petone, Lower Hutt, PalnKTston North, Ivarori, Onflow, and Masterton, and Councillor A. H. Hindmarch (Wellington), one representative each from Upper Hutt and Johnsonvjllo Town Boards, and the president and vicepresidents; secretary, legal adviser, and treasurer, Ml'. T. P. Martin. Thanks to the Wellington City Council for the use of tho Council Chamber, and to the preis for its reports of the proceedings, concluded the business of the conference, which adjounisd shortly after 4 p.m. . The delegates w«re afterwards the guests of his Excellency the Governor at afternoon frsa at Government House, be-ing-taken up in spcciat cars. Th 3 new "Davey" car was pressed into special service for (he inspection of the delegates A deputation from the conference U to interview tlio Prime Minister (the Ilori. \V. F. Masso.v) and I lid Minister for Internal Affairs (the lion. .11. 1). Dell) at noon to-dnv. The luncheon given by the Wellington City Council lo the viyiling ih'losMtCi will follow immediately alter. Tor Bronchi.il Ccuyht md Ctlds, Woods' Great Peppermint Curs, Is. 6d.*_