COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 7

COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION

INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER 01? INTEBNAL AFFAIRS.

The execufivo of the Counties' Association waited as a deputation on tho Hon. ; G. W. Eussell yesterday. _ Tho annual conference of the association was not held this year owing to the war, ,but instead tho exceutivo mot and considered matters of urgency and importance. These they brought under • Mr. t'ussoll's notice. Mr. A. E. Jull. president of the association, was tho duly speaker. Tho Minister traversed tho points rais- , cd. Ecforriiiß to a suggestion for tho reduction ,of tho number of local bodies, Mr. li'iissell said that ho was l.ot awnro of tho statement made by the Minister of "Public Works with regard to tho probable reduction in tho number of local bodies, but they all knew his ideas on tho subject. His opinion was' that all the local government of tho country should be carried on by two classes of loon) bodies—municipal corporations and, county councils, and that othor excrescences should bo swept, out. of the way. - He hoped ho might, be able yet to introduce a, Dill to 'provide for a reformed local government system establishing strong governing bodies with' sufficient, powers and assured finance. ■■V proposal was. mado that the counties should be enabled to unite to establish a .mutual or combined Occident insurance scheme to secure cheaper rates and safer funds. Ho thought that no legislation would bo necessary to cnublo this to bo done, but he would have in-, quirics made, and if legislation should bo necessary ho would bring the matter boforo Cabinet, with a view of Inking Cabinet's instructions M to -whether legislation on tho subjoct should ba introduced this session. ' Regarding a. suggestion that soldiers should be allowed to votp by piojy at local elections, ho felt bound to say thai the Government; was not, vory much in favour of voting by proxy. .Ho promised - to givo Clio matter consideration. It. was suggested that special taxation should bo levied on motors for tho upkeep of roads. ' Ho. had never been abln 1 to sco that ono f4nri of traction should ,be specially taxed in preference to other vehicles. Motor traction had come to stay, and .differentiation as to the manner of propulsion was not now workable; 11. seemed to him that tho proper course (o pursue would be for tho Government to get iho taxation, from motors in some way. and to-giro'lho revenue to tho local bodies in increased subsidies for improvements to Iho roads. /By this means differentiation between''..different forma of traffic would be avoided.Important.requests word,made regarding thu cojleclion of rates on Native land. The .present position was that the lands were rateable, but it-was impossible to' oni'orce. the' collection.of rates by liens on tbd land. The Minister's opinion iras that Native lands 'benefited directly by expenditure of public money should pay rateJ in the same' 'way as the land of Europeans similarly/ benefited. He thought that there was only one method of making sure of, the collection of the rates: the Treasury should pay the rates due on tho land, find then whei theso lands becarao revenue-earning they should repay to the. Crown, tho amount advanced by the Crown in payment of their rates. Ho believer] that if this policy wero followed it-would tend immensely to tho opening up'tf tho Nalivo lands in tho North Island.