MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 297, 11 September 1919, Page 6

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

CONFERENCE OF ASSOCIATION | SPEECH BY GOVERNORGENERAL TOWN-PLANNING AND HOUSING The fourteenth annual conference of tie Municipal Association of New Zealand was opened in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, yesterday nftornoon by His Excellency tho Governor-General (tho Earl of Liverpool). Tho Hon. J. B. Hino (Minister of Internal Affairs) was also present. In opening tho proceedings, His Exccilency said: "Tho years of war havo prevented the municipal authorities throughout tho Dominion from coining togctner to discuss mntte.rs of common interest, and this is tho first opportunity that has presented itself of renewing your deliberations. I believe it : was on July U, 1914, that I had tho pleasue of opening the last conference, and since that dato all our energies bavo been directed towards bringing tho war to a successful conchision, '

"I notice that' in my address to you ~* in 1914 I mentioned tho matter of townplanning, and. I am gCad that the qncstion has lately Meon brought so iiroinin- , ently before tho notice of local futhori- ?" tie.?, and that so much interest H«a been ?? displayed in the conference recently held in Wellington. This subject probably brings our thoughts to tho present burn- ■? ing topic of the provision of .adequate ~j and bettor housing accommodation, The JJj is certainly a pressing ono to f!" fiolvo, nnd not only in this Dominion: p nil over tho worfd the same cry is heard -rinsuftlcicnoy of houses, and the diffioulty '? of constructing new dwellings owing to Ji tho increased cost of production. It is no good repeating tho call' which sum- , moils every individual throughout the ? Empire to assist in reconstruction, by the ?, mere words 'increased production,' bo- i cause these two words can well become a parrot cry. Energy and determination must take tho placo of phrases if wo aro to achieve success, We are all aware that even in tho towns of .New Zealand there is a great deal which requires renovating and calls for bcttennont, and I I trust that a gathering such as this will be the means of assisting to find a solution of many of tho difficulties which at present aro apparent in our midst, "I do not think It is quite realised how much time is {riven to tho welfare of their fellow citizenß by many of the men and women who comprise, your municipal and local bodies. May I say that these men and women are worthy r of every credit, and I only trust that c there will be Incullented into tho younger r generation the necessity of taking a pro- j minout share in conducting local affairs, c and taking their part in assisting to make the communities in which, they dwall healthy, usel'i'J.. and pleasant? Many schemes are fce'ing devised and aro In contemplation for improving the conditions of living. The Lake Coleridge electric power scheme is now made full use 'i of by the City of Christchurch, and pro,posals are at present being considered to harness up the water power of Now 2ea- ■ land for tho benefit of the inhabitants, ) both for homo lifo and for industrial purposes. You have many opportunities i Vouchsafed to you in New Zealand which J are denied to countries in the Old Worfd, and it is hoped that you will be able to < avoid the mistakes which have been com- 1 raitted in other parts of the globe. Our i ideal is to make all our cities and towns .' garden cities and towns, and that tho ! inhabitants should be furnished with all ] ti.6 best meanß and facilities of ' a well-ordered community. The ideal is ' not always easy to attain: nevertheless I wish to congratulato you' on what has 1 been accomplished in Now Zealand al- ; ready, and trust that your conversations ' will assist and bo of benefit to all tho inhabitants of these islands, and, further, < that yon may bo enabled by joint con- ' sulfation to,bring nbotit a betterment in the surroundings of .the population when •' viewed from both tho economio and so- i clal'aspects;. in short, that .everything . which affects tho health and welfare or < tho people of this Dominion may be materially enhanced by the deliberations of > this conference. I have much pleasure in opening the Fourteenth Conference of .' the. Municipal Association of Now Zealand." The Hon. J. B. Hine (Minister of In- I ternal Affairs) said ho realised the necessity for such conferences as that of tho 1 Municipal Association. He trusted that I their deliberations would result in benefit to tho peoplo of the Dominion. < After the Governor-General had retired, the- chair was taken by tho Mayor ' of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., : C.M.G.). Mr. Luke said that His Excel- i lency, the Governor-Genera;! and the Conn- < tesa of Liverpool had always identified i themselves with everything.that tended ] to tho progress and betterment of tho people of New Zealand. (Applause.) The various municipal bodies in the Dominion ; had suffered much during the war by the loss of valued members of their staffs, and everyone regretted that'tho war had, taken such a toll. Two of their ofd friendfs, Messrs. A. H. Hindmarsh, M.P., and B, Fletcher, M.P., had also passed away since tho last conference, and tie Mayor moved that tho conference express its sympathy with the relatives of those deceased gentlemen. "" Tho motion was carried In Bilence, the J delegates standing. . . " ! ' I • Financing Housing Schemes. j , Continuing his address, Mr. Luke re- ' ' forred to the question of town-planning,' and he said ho hoped the delegates would ' express their appreciation of tho work * (kmo by tho Hon, G. W. Russell, as exMinister of Public Health, in that connection. TJie housing question was the • greatest problem before the,' country today. He knew that th,ere were limitations k in regard to' finance.' Critics had- said that the Wellington City Council had been slack in dealing with the housing question, but this, he refuted. Tho obT.i- '. cation was upon the municipalities to iinnnoe housing scheme* and the' best assistance tho State could give would be by raising the money for the municipalities at 4 per cent. The difference between the 4 per cent, and what the Government had to pay for the money should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund. Local Government Board. The first remit on the order paper was, '. ono from the Pukeleohe Borough Council, which dealt with tho establishment of a . Local Govornnient Board. Tho romit was as follows!—" That tho Government , be urged to establish a Local Govern- . ment Board whoso functions would be , to fitrant authority to local bodies and assist them with ex,pei"t advice in re- ■' speot to loans, public works, by-laws, publio health, tovrn-plnnnlng, nnd euoh other matters as tho Government think ! firAfter a brief discussion tho romit was , altered to read that the functions of the . board should be to assist local bodies with expert advice;- • | In this form-the' remit was carried. i Increase of General Rate. On behalf of tho Kaxori Borough Coun- • cil, Mr. B.'G. H. Bum moved-.-"That owing to the great i increaso of cost of • material and labour, and tho continual • reductions in tho valuation roll under • section 36 of tho Valuation of Land Act, • 1908, the limit of three-halfpence in tho JB'on tho capital value is insufficient to cany on tho ordinary work of a boioush, and t.Uu.fc tho limit ba now raised to provide for tho extra cost," Mr. J. A. Younp, M.P., on behalf of Mr. If,. F. Bollard, M.P. (Huntly Town . , Board); seconded the motion. The' remit was supported by Mr. C. '. J, Parr, M.P. (Now Lynn Town Board)* ' and several other representatives of ; Hiuall boroughs, and was carried with . tlio proviso lhat tho rato should not , oxc-cd 2d. in tho £. M/. ,1. Stead (Mayor of Invoroargill) moved:—"That die Govcrnmontjio asked . : to substantially increiwo tlu> annual sub- ' sii'y, or, failing this, that they pay ! rates on all Government trading con- ! , <\'rns. The present maximum subsidy ' of .Wii) i.' quite inadequate." "', The mover said the time had come : when tho Government should, in his ' | opinion, pay rates on all Government ' j buildings inich as railway stations, Public Trust offices, and other places which wore really trading concerns. ' The remit was carried. ) A similar remit on the order paper i

from tho Miraniar Borough Council was also carried. On the motion of Mr. C. K. Lawrib (Mayor of Pukckohc), the conference decided that the Government bo urged to roioit ttll duly on all machinery and material imported by local bodies lor tlm purpose of constructing public works. Mr. T. F. Martin, secretary of tho conference, slated that workers' dwellings came within tho definition of "public works." Other remits carried wefo as follow:—' Repairs and Renewal Funds.—"That legislation bo introduced to enable a city or borough council to set aside out; of its general account or any separate account any moneys to form a fund or i'undu for the repair or renewal of any plant, buiilding, or other property in connection with the account from which suoh fund shall bo set aside, and. from lime to timo to invest any moneys bo set aside, and to pay the proceeds of such investment into such fund."—(New Plymouth./ Accident and Fidelity Funds.—"That seotion 17 of. tho Municipal Corporations Act, 1910, bo oxtended to enable a municipal corporation to set aside out of its various accounts moneys to form funds for tho payment of accident compensation, and from tune to time invest, any moneys so set aside and pay tho proceeds of such investment into the particular fund concerned."—(New Plymouth.) Tho conference adopted tho following remits dealing with suggested alterations to tho electoral laws:—

Earlier Closing of Roll.—"Main roll to bo closed December 31, instead of February 15, to give more time for inspecting and printing."—(Christebiroh.) "Interval for writing up roll for two days between closing of roll, and same being open to public inspection."—(Hasfctings.) False Claim.—"That where a person makes a falsa claim for enrolment the Aot bo amended eo 83 to lay tho duty of laying aa / information upon the clerk, instead of leaving it open to any person to do so."—(Waimate.) Two Rolls.—"That (1) a ratepayers' and freeholders' roll, and (2) a residential electors' roll be prepared, omitting unnecessary particulars.'— (Devonport.) Candidates' Deposits—"That section 19 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be amended so as to provide that unless the nomination is accompanied by tho deposit of an appropriate amount such nomination shall bo informal and snail not be accopted by the returning officer." —(Cambridge.) Tho conference adjourned until 9.30 o'clock tliis morning.