MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 298, 12 September 1919, Page 10

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

FURTHER REMITS CONSIDERED BY CONFERENCE DISQUALIFICATION OF COUNCILLORS The fourteenth conference of the Munieiual Association of New '/icalaud was continued in the City Council Chamber yesterday, the .Mayor of Wellington (Air. J. P. Luke) presiding. On behalf of the Christchurch City Council, Mr. J. W. Beanknid moved: "That section -12 (a) of tins Municipal Corporations Act, 11)08, be amended by substituting .C 25 for cCS ui.d i.'loO for .£11). The sub-section would then read: 'If the payment of such contract or work or supply exceeds .£23 for any ono contract ov work or supply, or .£IOO altogether in any year it mow than ono contract or work or supply.' "

The obicct of the remit, explained Mr. Bennland. was to alter the provisions of the Act regarding the disqualification of councillors wiio might carry out eonlrac's on liolmlf of the council of which they were members. At present many prominent and worthy business men worn debarred from sitting on public bodies by reason, of the fact that they performed small contracts for those bodies.

The remit received general support, and was adopted.

The following remits dealing with the disoualification clauses of the Act were also passed:—

Newsuaper —"That a shareholder or director of an incorporated company shall not be disqualified, by reason of the council using any newspaper published bv such company for advertising purnoses or employing such company for carrying out printing work for the council to the extent of. moro than «ClO of work in any financial jcav."—(Cambridge.)

"Year" in Disqualification Clause.— "That the following proviso be added to section 42 (10 of the Municipal Corporations Act. 1908: 'Provided turther that for the purposes of this par. of this section tins word ".year" shall be deemed to mean and include tile period between the last Wednesday in April cf any year to the last Wednesday in April in the next following year.'"— ('J'aihupe.) Accounts. Remits dealing with the keeping of municipal accounts were passed as follow :— Profit and Loss Account.—"That the Government be asked to briny amending '.esislalion so that the Audit Department will include- profit and h-ss accounts in the annual inspection wiiere municipal coruoVations are carrying on a number of (radius: concerns."—(lnvercargill.) Publication of Balance-Sheet.—-"That regulation !1G of the regulations under the .Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, of November 18.1915, be amended by the addition of the following proviso, namely: 'Provided that the publication of,,the bal-ance-sheet in pamphlet form, accompanied bv a notice in a newspaper in general circulation in the borough (hat a copy of such pamphlet may be obtained on a»»lication to the town clerk, shall be deemed a suflidieiU' compliance with this regulation."—(Taihape.) Strosts. The conference adopted the following remits dealing with streets:--Construction of Footpaths.—"That power be given to'municipal authorities to tar and sand or asphalt or concrete footpaths on the petition of half the owners of fronfuges failing the street from which the petition is received, and that power be given to municipal authorities to recover half the cost against all owners."—(Dannevirke.) Stopping /Streets.—"Tlml' power be jriven to stop afreets whare same lead to dangerous places."—(Paltucrston North.) Liflhting. The conference adopted the following remit from the New Plymouth Borough Council:— (las and Electricity Meter Itents — "That section 2G-1 of the Municipal Corporations Ac'.. I'M, be amended to provide that 'Any borough council that supplies gas or electricity may provide meters for measuring the (|Uant.ilies supplied, and may make Mich annual charges in respect of such meters as may he fixed liv auv by-law in that behalf passed in manner provided by the Municipal Corporations Act, 1.1)18.'" A further remit from New Plymouth that borough councils should be empowered to accept agencies for the sale of electrical and gas appliances was iost. Public Buildings. '.-V remit from the Auckland City Council that owners of theatres should be compelled to provide sanitary accommodation was carried unanimously. • On the recommends (ion of the New Plymouth Borough Council it was also resolved to srek power for fhe licensing of uramlstands on racecourses and sports crounds. Bv-law Matters. Bemils dealing with, by-law matters were carried as follow—

Police Keoorts on Licensees—"That in order to ensure uniformity of action, police reports be obtained on character of every person applying for a license as a car driver, hawker, billiardroom proprietor, etc."—(Dannevirke.) Sewer Connections.—'"That section 37*J of tho Municipal Corporations Act be amended to enable sv council to require buildiiuis upon property owned by tinCrown to be connected with tho public sev crs."— (New Plymouth.) Plans of Building!,-.-"That notwithstanding the fact that the by-laws of a borough do not apply to CroWn properly, the Government be required, when ercciimi buildings or altering buildings in any boiough, to submit the nlnns of such buildings to the council in order that necessary information in i-eiKtrd to drains, vater-p '.ic'-. et". i-.-v he embodied in the uorough records."— (New Plymouth.) Town' Hoards, The conference resolved to apply that section 2)1 of the Town Boards Act, 1908. be amended to provide that on the last Wednesday, in April, 1921, all the member-? of every town board shall go ou.i of office, and that thereafter town hoard elections shall take place on the same day as borough council eleciions. It-was: also decided that where merger ororosdls are brought forward the local .authority should .bo approached by t.li■uarties interested who desire this step, and that, if the iooal authority deems that there is good ground for so doing, it should seek to ascertain the opinion o' the rater-avers by it poll in this usual wav. Local Bodies' Loans. Remits dealing with loans to local bodies weie passed as follow-.— Limitation on Government Loans:— "That the Government be urged to inslilute a policy of providing cheap loan money for all public works of local bodies, tho same not to ho subject to til? ureseut limitations."—(Pukekohe.) Loans for Public Health Works.— "That legislation be amended to enable local bodies to accept the certificate of the Health Department as sufficient authority for raising loans for works which are necessary in Ihe interests of publichealth, without having to take a poll of ratc-,mvers on the proposals."—(Gisbnrne.) . The conference also decided to urge that, when overhead bridges are constructed for the purpose of doing -nwav with existing level railway crossings, the total cost of the work, including the apnroiichcs to tho bridge, be borne by the Government. Other remits pssscd by the conference were as follow:— "That, the Electric Power Beard Act. IMS. be amended so as to permit of borough and city co'incils being constituted electric nower boards, and so dispense with tho election of an independent boilv."—(Nelson.) "That the Municipal Corporations Act. 1!)f)8. he amended lo give lf-enl authorities power to order the removal of any building which has, In. tin- opinion », the borough inspector or other officer, been so damaged by fire or other causes as to render it beyond repair, and that it. he. a.u offence to allow such bnildings to remain after on-i calendar month from timo of receiving notice to remove the sump."—(Birkenhead.) . "Tni.l t.lw. fn..ni nf.rnniu.nmw in lien

at, all local elections 1)3 uniform with the voting paper in use at Parliamentary elections."—(Dunedin.)

"That section lit of the Haling Act, 1008. bo amended so as to provide that anv nerson who does not keep his rateable buildings in a sufficient slate of repair to permit of their being occupied, or. when being tho owner of rateable bnildimrs lit lor occupation, refuses to occupy or let the same, shall bo required to pay the whole year's rates as though the- said rateable buildings were occupied."—(Palmerston North.) "That, the Noxious Weeds Act be amended m as to give local authorities noiver to compel the eradication of noxious weeds growing in their districts." (This iroircr is at present vested in Government inspectors, but it is considered I'lial such powers should iw '.-(••••ted ml lie local uuthority.-(Uirl;cnheod, Nelson.) 'Jan confer'.nee adjourned nl JIU-) p.m. until 0.30 .i.iii. to-day. At 11 o'clock this morning the'delegates will wait on the Minister of Internal iVflairs (.Hon. J. 13. Hine) to lay before him the remits passed by tho conference.