County Council Conference.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 34, 9 August 1894, Page 2

County Council Conference.

(PEE PEEBS ASSOCIATION/ Wellington, August 8. The County Council Conference resolved, That Government be urged to deal with Hospital and Charitable aid ; That the lair be amended enabling local bodies to pay interest out of geaeral rates ; That charitable aid be distributed by the local body which raises the rate, provided a certain per centage of rates be paid towards the charitable aid of towns ; That as the local bodies pay the cost of the election of licensing committees they should hare the administration of the elections ; That local bodies be reduced and made elective ; That Government be asked to simplify and consolidate the Bills dealing with local government. The County Council Conference resolved on the following contributions to the association of County Councils ; — When the rateable value exceeds a million, £3 3s ; between a million and a-half million, £2 2s ; under half a million, XI Is. The office-bearers elected were— President, Von Reyden (Wairarapa North) j vice-presidents, Fraser (Lake district) and Lang (Waikato aud Raglan districts) ; treasurer, Majendie (Hutt) ; auditor, Field (Hutt) ; committee — Wilson (Manawatu), McNab (Southland), Kebbell (Horowhenua), Bolton (Pabiatua), Phillips (Wairarapa North). A motion for amending the Act to provide for one-ratepayer<one-vote was negatived, also a proposal that the maximum votes be reduced to three. The following motions were car* riedr—That the Counties Act be amended in the direotion that the cur- j rent rate-roll be used for the purpose of election ; That Government be asked to legislate to enable local bodies to pay their respective share of the cost of the present Conference ; That County Councils should have control of the officers and administration of the Alcoholic Liquor Sale Control Act; That the law be amended so that the Council could take action upon a resolution of a Road Board in favour of a merging provision being made to render a resolution inoperative upon a petition against a proposal signed by a j certain proportion of the ratepayers interested ; That the Land Act be amended to enable thirds for Crown land sold or leased to be paid in a lump sum, instead of annually.