MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1497, 4 July 1905, Page 2

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

(Fez} Fleas Association.) T7ellingfcon, last night. Tho annual conference of the Executive of tho New Zealand Municipal Association opened to-day. Representatives from vari ona parts of the colony' wore present. The first business was a memorandum from tho secretary and adviser concerning tho proposal of tho Institute to guarantee a superannuation fuud for municipal officers. The memorandum gave particulars oi other funds of a similar nature, aud pointed out that legislation would be necessary. In the course of a general discussion, it was established that while a superannuation scheme was generally regarded &b desirable, the matter of setting up an association guarantee fund was not looked upon with the same general favor. Mr J. Allen, M.H.R., moved that in the opinion of the Executive a scheme for a guarantee fund is not desirable. This was carried. It was decided to appoint a committee, consisting of Messrs Hislop, Williams, Renall, Devine, J. Allen, and W. Eraser to thoroughly investigate tho superannuation question and prepare a scheme for submission. Resolutions were passed favoring the passing of legislation allowing municipalities to compulsorily acquire gasworks at tho valuation ; that no by-law bo invulid six months after coming in force on the ground of informalityiin the making of the hy-law ; that when a person oeases to be a member of the Council any office ho may hold at tho time as tho Council’s representative sholl become vacant 14 days after the election of his sucoessor; that Empire Day should bo a statutory holiday; that combined action be taken by municiI polities to prevent any attempt on the I port of Harbor Boards to restriot the existI ing right of municipalities to drain surface I water into the sea. I Tho Executive and Legislative ComI mitteo of tho Municipal Association met I to-day. Oq the suggestion of North East I Valley, Thames and Potono a motion was I brought up euggesting that “ plumping ” I voting papers be declared informal, bu 6 it I was decided not to forward it to the ConI ferenoe. A motion to discontinue the use I of the cross in marking ballot papers met j with thesams fate. A motion was approved I that the principle that all canvassing at I municipal elections should be made illegal, I but none of the members cared to act on a I oommittea to define tho eoopa of the word I canvaseiDg. A motion that mayoral elecI tions ehould take placo bi-onnually was lost. It was resclvod that Boroughs may elect to undertake the construction of now streets of subdivided areas at the cost of persona subdividing such areas, the estimated cost of suoh work to be paid into the Borough fund. It was decided that the the Municipal Corporations Act should be so amendod as to allow municipalities to take over roads of a minimum width of 40 feet, provided the local municipality is satisfied that a greater witdth would be impracticable. It was decided as a recommendation to the Conference that the Act should be amended to make it clear whether local authority after partly completing a footpath can on final completion claim half the cost of the whole.work. The principle of establishing a municipal superannuation fund was affirmed, and a committee was set up to report to the Executive Legislative. A motion was passed affirming the desirableness of takmg action against any attempt to restrict municipalities draining surface water into harbors.