MUNICIPAL CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2202, 15 July 1914, Page 8

MUNICIPAL CONGRESS

OPENING SESSION

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR

IDEALS IN TOWN PLANNING

The 'thirteenth conference of the Municipal Association of N.Z. was commenced in the Town Hall yesterday. The'ro were about 100 delegates present, and the Mayor of 'Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke) presided. Tho conference was opened by His Excellency the Governor (Lord Liverpool), who expressed especial pleasure at having tho opportunity of being present. In the course of an address touching on various phases of municipal work Ills Excellency said that he did not think tho bulk of the population realised tho arduous work which was entailed in managing a large undertaking. "We aro all too apt to End fault, *and this,'" he continued, "brings me to a point which I havo heard very often brought forward since I came to New Zealand by many of your, leading citizens, viz.—whether tho future generation are going to take tho same interest in local affairs as their predecessors. I for ono earnestly trust that no stone will be left unturned to make the young men and women realise their responsibilities in this direction. A. community, --whether it bo largo or small, cannot be well arid efficiently organised -unless its citizens do .ill in their power to support their chosen delegates in maintaining . the highest possible standard in their cities, towns, and districts. Tho younger generation should fie nurtured, with the idea to emulate tho work of thoso who have gone before them, in order that the affairs of our centres of population should bo guided by tho most skilful brains which are available. You have not the same difficulties, though perhaps some of,you may not allow it, as face the great industrial centres of Europe, or even the Old Country, but, if I may be allowed to strike a note of warning, be careful that there is no possibility of tlieso appearing in the years which come. Ideals for City Builders. "A great deal is heard .to-day of town-planning and plenty of open : spaces, and we are enthusiastic advo-1 cates of doing all wo can in that .direction, but it must not bo forgotten that to accomplish our objcct one is often forced to bo'content with not as'satisfactory a result as one desires. And this conclusion is not only forced upon us solely from want of money; fashion is a fickle jade, and is often as difficult to follow as it is to understand. You all know how certain areas gain popularity to-day, and to-morrow have opnrobrious epithets hurled at them. 'The residential, area of a town to-day very often becomes the industrial centre of to-morrow.- You see this'taking place wherever you go; the most r sought-after portion of London in the eighteenth century is the commercial centre of tho twentieth. . 1 , ;. "Cities and towns get ptished further afield, and smaller municipalities N are swallowed up by their larger neighbours, and greater schemes for such things as water, transport, and lighting have to be considered. Our .ideal' is to make all our towns garden cities, but it-is an ideal which, lilce many others, it is not so; easy to attain. We must aim 'at doing the bast wo' can to .achieve this end, and to keep awav from.our midst 'all the evils which confront tho administrators of the large towns in the Old World." His Excellency wished the conference every- success in its deliberations. " . The Ministor of Internal Affairs (the Hon. H. D. Belli also spoko He said that ho should like the conference to regard him as a common friend, really anxious to a-ssist in tho work of the gathering. Ho invited assistance, and remarked thai ho felt that all i concerned were grateful to His Excellency for the interest he had shown in municipal affairs, The delegates were entertained at luncheon in tho Concert Chamber during the mid-day adjournment, and later in the afternoon they proceeded to Government House at the invitation of His Excellency tho' Governor. They hayo been invited to attend tho Wellington races to-morrow. At tho luncheon,; His Excellency --tho Governor, tho Prime Minister, other memhers of the Cabinet, and Sir Joseph Ward wero present. The' Premier oxpressed tho opinion that the work experienced in the municipal field was very valuable training for Parliament. The President's Report. Tho president (Mr. J. P. Luke) reported to the conference -that- the executive and legislative committees of the association had met from time to time since tho last conference, as business -required. He went oil to say that among the business transacted was the revision of the association's rules. Tho revised rules would bo laid bpforc the conference for consideration. The principal alteration made concerned the nuestion as to the voting power of a delegato v reoresenting several local authorities. The. committee recommended that such a delegate > should havo ono vot-o only. "The principal, business of the committee has, however' (continued the president). been . in , watching tbe legislation of 1913. Among oilier Bills tho committees have sent recommendation's £o the Government concerning the Plumbers Registration Bill, and the Shops .Hid Offices. Ratine. Local Elections, Municipal Corporations,. Slaughtering and Inspection, Noxious Weeds, •Vrthi'htion of' Land, Institute of Architects, Auctioneers. Workers' Dwellings, and Local Bodies' Loan Acts, while the secretnrv has-been in clow touch with the Ministers in charge of any Bills in which the recommendations of tho association could convenient v be inserted, and appeared before the Statutes Revision and other Committees to support +be association's recommendations." The committee would l submit a report on tho subiect of suoerannuation. One hundred and five borough councils and fortv-six town districts were now affiliated to tho association. • A balance-sheet covering the . two years which have olansod since the last conference was laid* before the gathering. ■ Tho balance-sheet- showed thai tho assets exevded the liabilities by '£50 10s. sd. 'The receipts from subscriptions had risen from £30" 13s. in ,1910-1911 to £391 13s.'in 1913-1914. and it was' oxnectcd that this source of income would suffice to meet all expenses during tho next two years, with-' out having recourse to the £75 which had been ui denosit for several vears. Outstanding subscriptions wore shown in the balance-sheet as amounting to £24-' 16s. fid., of which £5 ss. has since been received. Tit" cash at. bank amounted to over £250. 'Hie report and 'balance-sheet were .ido'ited. and the conference preceded to discuss the remits from tho affiliated bodies. . Electoral Rolls, 'Hie Wellington remits were- dealt with first. The president moved: "That as far as the .question of amending -the enrolment system is concerned, 'this council -approves of a proposal which i would .involve the necessity for.an application for .enrolment to 'lis marie before and witnessed by a J.P., solicitor, minister of religion, postmaster, or 'other public official, and that such J.P., -solicitor, minister or religion, postmaster. or oilier public official shall satisfy himself, if necessary, by the certificate of another elector as. to' the applicant's bona-fides." Councillors R. Fletcher and A. 11. llindniarsh. M.P. (Wellington delegates) did hot support jjvo motion Councillor Fletcher said.

that such a system would restrict many peoplo from getting on tho roll. What remuneration would be paid tho J.P.'s and other gentlomen mentioned? Tho work would never bo got done. Tho remit was adopted. - It was also resolved (Wellington remits): — . "That the district electors' list shall be made up on or before January 15 instead of February 15, as at present. (This to enable the manuscript to be open for inspection until January 22, objections to bo lodged by January 24, and tho roll printed by the end of Feb.ruary.)" "That applications for enrolment on tho Supplementary District Electors' Roll shal close on March 31, after which no claim is to be received." On tho remit that two rolls should be prepared, a ratepayers' and freeholders' roll and a (residential' electors' roll—those to follow as far as possible tho lines of tho Parliamentary roll the conference decided that it should be optional for local authorities to prepare two rolls'.. The following Auckland remit was agreed to: — "That Section 6 of The Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, should bo amonded by adding after the words tho Town Clerk, tho -words or registrar of electors of the borough, and that any necessary alteration to the Act and regulations thereunder consequent thereon should bo made. It was explained that in boroughs where a- separate officer had been appointed iu connection with tho preparation of tho dis-"tj-ict electors' roll, the town clerk, in forms of tho Act, was still the responsible officer. This amendment would place the responsibility upon the proper official. Municipal Corporation Aot. It was resolved (as carried in" 1912): "That Section 17 of The Municipal Corporations Amendment Act, 1910, bo extended to enable a. municipal corporation to set aside out of its various accounts monoys to form a fund for the payment of accident compensation, and from time to time to invest-any moneys so as to set aside and pay the proceeds of such investment into the said fund." The c'ommittce approved of the following- Opotoki remit: "That Clause 2 of Section 89 of The Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be replaced by the following provision In lieu of making and levying such rate, the council, may levy a uniform annual fee, not exceeding £1 10s., in any one year: Provided that any such annual fee in re* spect to the cleaning of sanitary conveniences may bo a uniform, annual fee for each receptacle in such. The following Christ-church remit was adopted: "That Section 33 of The Municipal Corporations Act, 1910, should be amended to provido that in the case of a borough council or a road board wid'ening streets or carrying out any public work which would increase tho value of property in that neighbourhood, the owners of properties so affccted should bo compelled to contribute by special rato or otherwise a. fair share of tho cost of. such work." < On the motion of Palmerston-North it was resolved: . (a) "That ■ legislationshould be introduced to prevent Government Departments, putting up advertising hoardings facing a public:' stteet within a. city or borough, and that the Act should bo amended so as to give the ' local authority tho power to refuse the erection of private ' in a city or borough"; (b) ' 'that legislation should be . introduced to givo ,city and borough councils. the right to lay. sower, gas, or water mains, 'and. surfaco drainago pipes under a railway line ninning parallel or across a public street without paying- a fco or ; tho costs of a legal agreement"; (c) "that it be mado conipulsory to' construct a private street within ono year of the application being granted by tho local authority.",. ' A remit which had already been carried at three confcrcnces was again (on the motion of Birkenhead, Nelson), affirmed, as follows"That Section 196 of tho Municipal Corporations-Act ro overhanging' trees, • etc.. should bo amended, providing for the owner- or, occupier of tho property to comply with an order from tho council within 'fourteen days, instead of two months." The -conference resolved: Registration of Charges (Section 39 of tho Municipal- Corporations Amend-' ■ mcnt Act, 1913): "That tho District Land Registrar be required to register notices in all cases under 'this'.authority;, notwithstanding anything to tlio contrary contained in tSe Land Transfer or any other Act-. (At present wliero a' caveat' lias been registered against a title under the Land Transfer Act, the District Land 'Registrar cannot register a notice under the above-quoted section.) ■—(Hastings.)' , . . ■ P6wers Sougiit. The following remits were agreed to : Subsidy to PrivaLe Services tor Passengers, Etc.—That Scction 27 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1913, bo amended and • extended empowering a local authority to make and levy a separate rato for tho purpose of sub'eidising any service established or maintained by any perso/i or company, or by any other local authority,-for the conveyance of passongers and goods to and from - any place witliin the borough or between any place within the borough and any place outside ' the borough boundaries, subject'to any- such proposal being approved by ratepayers— (Birkenhead.) , ' Removal of Damaged Buildings.— "That the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, bo amended to givo local authorities .power to order the removal of any building which has in the opinion of tho Borough Inspector, or other offi-, cer appointed, .been so damaged by fire or other causes' as to render it beyond repair, and that it bo" an offenco to allow such building.to remain after one' calendar month from tho time of'receiving notice to remove same.—(Palmcrston North.) ■ Lighting Ways.—"That legislation bo enacted for the purpose of giving power for dealing with tho question of 'lighting places that havo not become public streets or public ways, as this councils advised that- local authorities havo no power to light such ways."—(Wellington.) Municipal Lighting. The conference resolved: Installation of Gas and Electric Light.—"That moneys payable to , a council under Section 33 of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act, 1913. for cost of installing gas o/ electric light ba recoverable as a rate!"— (Thames.) f Power to Supply Service Piping and Meters Free.—"That Section 264. of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be amonded to enable corporations to supply service piping to the boundaries of consumers' properties, and gas meters free of cost." —(Dargayillc.) Retention of Ownership of Meters.— "That the Municipal Corporations Act, 190S (Section 264) be amended to enable corporations to retain ownership of meters placed in consumers' premises." —(Whangarei.) , Road Metal. The two following motions regarding supply of road metal wero adopted :— "That the Government should bo asked to consider the question of establishing State quarries, shingle beds, scoria pits, etc., and Jinking them with branch lines to tbe" railway, so that local bodies depending on the railway for their metal supply may get it atfirst cost." ■ .. . "That the' Government should be asked to grant better facilities for carriage on the railway of metal to local bodies, such as special trucks for metal carriage and a special local bodies' train for carriage'of metal only." Tho conference adjourned at 6.10 p.m. till 9 a.m. tn-dav. The sitting will eivjure for two hours only, as a number of the delegates propose to accept tho iiiritaliou to bo present at tho races.