Counties Conference.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 40, 15 August 1895, Page 2

Counties Conference.

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. (Per Press Association). Wellington, Au.cn;; i-i. Resolutions carried — That Cowiii-j ment be requested to vest all j-übiii: re serves in tho name of the lo.:.il ;ur.iiorky. j That the local authorities bu cousulted j in laying out roads which they are called upon to make- and maintain. That the Voting Act be amended to enable country authorities to collect rates on the value of timber, etc., growing on land when persons acquiring the right to cut timber are not owners of the laud. That no borough bo formed with a less population than 2000 and must not have an area of more than one square mile to every ten hundred population. That Government be requested not to proceed beyond the second reading of the Local Government Bill this session in order to enable local bodies to express an opinion thereon before it is passed into law. That the Loau« to Local Bodi/<« Act be amended to give local bodies | power to to raise loans for re installing worn out roads, and that tho necessary majority be a majority of votes excrcisablo or two-thirds of those caht. That where a special rating area is defined for loan purposes under the Loans to Local Bodies Act and part of such area is subsequently included within the boundaries of a new county the latter have power to levy and. collect the original special rate made as security for the loan. That the conference protests against legislation that will enable nonratepayers to vote on matters affecting local Government. That the conference regrets the delay in bringing down the Local Government Bill which has prevented this representative gathering discussiug ifc, and that a committee be a\t- \ pointed to watch the interests of New Zcalaud Counties. This Day. At the Conference to-day, a resolution was passed that for roads of Colonial importance Parliament sbonld refund tho total cost for tho main district roads, and give a subsidy of M for .£ for purely local roads instead of their, present subsidy on the rates.