MUNICIPAL ELECTORS' ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 199, 17 May 1919, Page 8

MUNICIPAL ELECTORS' ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Greater Wellington Town-Planning and Municipal Electors' Association 'was held last evening in the Farmers' Institute, Baliancfa Street. .Mr. T. Ballinger .prosided.

The president read the annual report, extracts from which have already been published. The statement of accounts showed a'debit balance of JE66 9s. lOd. Tho receipts totalled d'-171 125., and the payments, £2G6 lis. 3d., showing a balance of .£209 ss. 2d., but tho liabilities totalled £270 15s. '

The adoption of tho report and balance; sheet was formally moved by the. president, and in seconding the motion Mr. A. Leigh Hunt briefly traced the history of tho association, and referred to the need for progress in toivn-planning matters'. It was not creditable that slum's should exist in such a young country as Neiv Zealand. There could be no doubt that (lie lack of decent housing facilities accounted to a great extent for tho prevailing industrial unrest. Mr. Hunt tiiougli if- would be necessary in the near •future to go in for. a---comprehensive housing scheme, and in this connection he droiv attention to the great work that was bwig done iiy England. Ho strongly advocated the formation of a Garden Suburbs Company on the lines of those in existence in the Old Country. He was of opinion that when the Government placed on the Statute Book tho Town-Planning Act it should itself become a party to .it, otherwise the Act would not serve the purpose intended. Mt. Hunt congratulated the association on tho results of the recent municipal elections. Mr. 11. F, Luckie strougly condemned tho policy of rating on unimproved value, which he considered was economically unsound. Under tho system a small land owner was compelled for reasons of economy to build a house on his land and this brought about congestion in the residential areas of the city. Mr. 11. F. von Haast was of opinion that the association would receive greater support if it separated the town-planning sido of its activities from its municipal politics. There were several other speakers, including Mr. I!. A. Wright, M.Pt, who advocated more activity in connection with municipal matters. He contended that more attention should bo focused on tho preparation of the roll. There were over 10,000 names not on the,roll that should bo there.

Tlio election of officers resulted as follows President, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt j vice-presidents, Messrs. W. Carwell Cooke, T. Ballicger, and T. Shailor Weston; committcc, Messrs. H. Mainland, H. ]). Bennett, F. Meadowcroft, E. C. Jack, 11. W. Tolan, 11. C, South, mid W. Page; secretary and treasurer, Mr. .T. L. A reus; assistant secretary, Mr. H. E. Hothersill; auditor, 'Mr. E. W. Hunt.

Tlio meeting was enlivened by contributions of songs and recitations, and the entertainers were heartily thanked.