COUNTY MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 7, 3 October 1919, Page 9

COUNTY MATTERS

CONFERENCE OS DELEGATES . VARIOUS REMITS PASSED The conference of the Counties' Association of Now Zealand continued its sittings yesterday; Mr. A.'E. Jull (president) occupying tho chair. , The following remits were passed:— "That tho Impoundng Act bo amended so that tho liiilengo feo shall be ono shilling per head ■ per mile, or fractional part of a mile, for each .head of cattle, irrespective of number."—(Woodville.) . "That lessees of 'Crown lands be compelled to givo notico to local bodies when i they cease to occupy."—(Clutlia.) "That a fair proportion (say onefourth) of tho rents derived from all Crowii pastoral licenses bo paid to tho local bolies for the purpose of making and maintaining roads and bridges giving access to such pastoral licenses."— (Vincent.) "That tho Government be urged to • completo the roads and i fulfil its contracts in regard to lands that havo been opened for selection, and 'in future it be tho Government's duty to form roads to land beforo olFering samo to tho public."— (AA 7 aiapu.) "That a jiortion of the royalty received bv the Government on all coal and lignito mined and carted over county roads, and sold, be paid to tho local body , iiuwhose district such lignite is produced. Tho money so derived to be expended in improving and maintaining roads giving access to tho coal and lignito minM."—(Vincent.) ".That no transfer of Crown lands approved by the. Land Board until a. certificate is obtained from the local bony that all rates on the land to bo dealt with are paid."—(Mackenzie.) "That in' all cases where the Crown V__ purchases' for settlement purposes, lands 'which have been previously rateable, that the snmo liability shall' attach to tii? Crown in regard to tho payment of rates • as now imposed upon an owner or nrst mortgagee in respect of private freehold lands."—(Raiigitikei.) "That the Government be -requested to reiiistato subsidies to country, libraries." —(Grey.) - . ■ ' "That the Local Bodies' Loans Act., be amended to enable a county council to raise a special loan by special order for the purchase, of road constructing machinery and plant."—(Raiigitikei.) "That the Local Bodies' .Loans Act be amended ,so as-to-empower a. : local body to levy a special rate on a graduated ecale in a'special rating iirca when;, raising a special loan for expenditure .on roads' or bridges in tho snmo manner as is provided in section 23 of ,tiie CoimtiestAmendment Act, 1913, nnd.. section 43 of the Local Railways Act, 191-I."— (Awakino.) "That tiie Act be amended toi declaroand clearly define the powers of a to raiso find expend loans for altering,' improving, gravelling, or metalling roads when the-same .is done by stages during a period of years."—(Waipa.) "That the- amount of advances from the New Zealand State Advances Department to local bodies be not limited in the case of. those .counties containing large tracts of undeveloped lantf. requiring, road access, but Government be iirged to provide sufficient sums of monej for . loans to those local bodies at rate or interest of 3J- per cent, per-annum or ! undcrtako to pay ' the interest'on any loans raised, for a period of,\.sa>, ten. years until the settlers on the nutf holdings which, would be'made available by provision of good road access, would be in a position to pay the full or higher rate of interest, as there seems to be no doubt in view of statements,made from.time to time by Cabinet Ministers that "the nroducion and revenue of the Dominion must be considerably increased,'and this can bo largely brought about by assisting tho local bodies in tii* direction indicated to open up and provide gootf access to large areas at present lying unproductive and unsettled."—(Wniroa.) "That the Crown shall be liable for payment of 'all' rates on lands acquired bv the Crown, for any yea? during which there is no occupier.'— (Clutlia.) . "That moneys borrowed by counties for.-roads,* bridges, .etc., be .paid- by. debentures of i 250 each, in order to relieve them of paying interest- on large ' ; sums lying to their credit unexpended." —ffiiuranga.) "That more drastic steps be taken by ■ the Government to control and .eradicate noxious weeds."—(Stratford.) "That provision shall bo made enabling county councils to grant permanent rights or easements over ro.ids so long as the same do not interfere with the use by the public of sucii roads." (Waimate.) "That this conference affirms .the principle that the Government be responsible for tho legalisation of. all roads which have commonly been used by the public as such for a period of 20 years or over." (Rodney.) •' . * "That tho Public A\ 7 orks Department be requested to give reasonable notice to a county council beforo declaring a ' Government road to a county road." .(Waitomo). "That any extension of the local bodies ' franchise as relates to counties bs opposed." (Waitemata.) "That with a view, to investing county councils with 'powers to compel tho : 1 owners of any land or building within j. a county to connect such land or building with and use an available and convenient public water service, drain or sewer, tho Counties Act be further amended giving extended powers to county councils such as are vested in the councils of boroughs and cities by section 21G of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1998." (Inangahiia.). i "That the Government be urged to purchase and supply local bodies installing clcctricity with all materials for-re-ticulation at a reasonable price, and that \ tho railway tariff be amended bo as to ; carry all Australian hardwoods at ordi- | nary rates." CRangiora.) The conference adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day, when the executive of the association will wait on the Prime Minister and : placo beforo him a number of matters of interest to the county councils.