MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1851, 4 September 1906, Page 2

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

PRESS ASSOCIATION Wellington, yesterday. The annual conference of the Municipal 1 Association opened here this morning, Mr Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, presiding. In reviewing the position, the Chairman presented information regarding the superannuation scheme, and stated that a Bill had been prepared to incorporate the Association, and enable it to establish ' a superannuation’ scheme. Returns, had been obtained from 59 out of 76 affiliated ; councils as to the number of permanent workmen employed, and these had been tabulated and printed, and placed before . the conference. The Chairman also reported that the Executive and Legislative Committee had reported against the formation of a guarantee for munieipal officers. i The first business was a proposed Bill . to incorporate the Association for super- ~ anmiation purposes. After discussion the matter was ordered to stand over till tomorrow for further consideration. Slight amendments were made in the regulations governing the preparation of electoral rolls Proposals from Nelson in favor of electing the mayor from among members of the Council and that his termof office should be two years were rejected. It was decided to recommend that the Council have power to appoint one of itd members a deputy Mayor, such deputy, with the consent of the Mayor, to have authority to do all municipal acts which the Mayor might do. A Christchurch proposal in favor of payment of councillors’ expenses when travelling on the Council’s business was adopted after discussion of the question. A proposal in I favor of one-third of the members of the Council retiring each year was carried, I Later.—The Association considered the Bill for the incorporation of the AssociaI tisn and the establishment of a superanI ncation fund, but further dieoussion was postponed until to-morrow, bb maoy delegates had not been able to study the Bill, It was resolved that the Munieipal CorI potations Aot should be amended to permit the card system to bo used in eompilI ing distriot eleotors’ rolls. The following . remit from Christoburoh was agreed to ! I That clause 40 of the Munieipal CorporaI tious Act, 1900, be deleted with a view of I inserting the following: "The council may,if I it thioks fit, appoint one of its members to j act as deputy-Mavor, scoh deputy, with I the conseut of the Mayor, to have aulboI rity to do all whioh the Mayor himßelf might do except aot as a Justioe of the Peaoe. It was resolved that the Municipal Corporation Act should be amended so as to authorise the payment of councillors’ expenses when travelling on Conn* oil business. The Conference adopted a recommendation from the North East Valley that Government valuations should be oom- « » ann “ally to .Deoember 31st, instead of March Slat, in order that valuation lists might be in the hands of Oounoils before the termination of. their financial year.

„,.^ ba Lower Hutt Counoil proposed (1) ■that m the opinion of this conference the I present system, whereby Government lands purchased for workmen’s homes or other similar purposes are exempted rom rating whilst remaining unoooupied Urown lands it is manifestly unfair to the ooal body in whose district suoh lands are | ntuata, as well as to the private owners . ra /owu yer3 of P r °P“ty in suoh die- „ u ’ "hat any buildings ereoted upon suoh lands as aforesaid should in ell respeots conform to the buildings and sanitary bye-laws in foroe in the district. An addition was made to the motion as m " Tiiat all buildings or Govern" ment lands which are let to employees, t. 01 * others, end for whioh rent is Paid, be liable for the rates levied by the 111 mJ 0 wblob such buildings are ®“s amendad motion was agreed to.

iinl -? as , deo , ided ‘o reooromend that annnfnK Bhould be given the option of , Ban assessor to assist the judge Oour o |s va ' ua * i ' oa in Assessment

nf r , resol ° tloDß passed were in favor , algamation of diSarent rates levied mtinf, o Bam . e rateable value ; that where l a :l a A OQ , “nimproved value is in foroe all thni evled 0a the unimproved value; anthnrii- WOr . sbould be granted to looaU : ofkJJw 168 ‘o oharge one-half of the cost nf bDS aad °hannelliog to the owners poperty abutting on new formations. shnnM°E 08a f com Napier that boroughs 1 strn«lf allowed ‘0 take over publio a ? ,ess than the prescribed width y lO OOQ figuration of the borough _S,+ * space provision to bs made, was almost unanimously negatived.