COUBTIES’ CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1921, Page 1

COUBTIES’ CONFERENCE

[ UV TKLKOKAPII— I’KU I’IIESS association] WKLI.IXGTOX. 'l he Comities Confercniee resolved tlmt til 1 ’ Government should lie o.'lo-d to increase the proposed subsidy to hospital bunt ils in to h'eal contributions from contrilmting nullmntics, to an amount in the region ot t .c smn’ originally estimated and favour ..,I,IV considered by tlm Department, lliimelv -ills Oil in in" £l- - 'cases of less favourably placed districts in the Dominion, which are now prejudicially affected by the original scheme proposed for allocation. The Counties 'Conference adopted the following report hy tlm committee to whom the Highways llill and cognate matters were referred : - (!) That the New Zealand Counties Association feel it would be most prejudicial to local government m the Dominion for the -State to take control of main roads; (2) that this C ‘inference again approve of * tax 'wing r imposed on motor try res as a eoiitribiition towards road maintenance; (• l h that this Conference suggests that m lieu of the present system, a subsidy of ]os in the £1 on the general rate ns are expended on hospital contributions. (Such subsidy would produce approximately £IOO.OOO per annum in addition to amounts now paid); (1) That the Conference suggests that such subsidy bo expended on tlm main traffic roads in each county, such roads to be defined by a Board (or Hoards) for the North Island and for the South Island representatives of tlm Government and of County Councils and that such ex penditure to be approved by the sau .Hoard. Note. The above subsidy »il |,e in addition to any rates expended oil these 'roads. - T t W as also decided to ask the Minister to furnish returns of the T-’-'O--OflO spent on maintenance of the main arterial roads, with a view to showing through what counties these roads run and what proportion is {.ranted to tl s who nut down ta,-sealed roads. a deputation representing tlm Roads Association attended the (onferenee and announced tlmt they supported the Minister’s scheme, and enn-

-mler.-d it I. -Iter than tlm Counties' idea of an increased subsidy. They also objected to toll gates and to local bodies charging license Ices on mo.

The Chairman of tlm (‘oiitoreime in rc| |y. said llm.l his A-soeiatinn held that a more expeditious improvement would he oll'oiled In the local authority than hy setting up a fees’ll sel oi machinery. .Motorists would he iniiii•l<■ 1 y better solved hy Iho Con; -r----eme’s proposals than tlm M ini;; or’s

Tlm Confereime decided to urg' tlm Government 'to increase the pro) osed subsidy to hospital hoards in regard to local contributions from eont ribi, t ing authorities t<i an amount.in the region of MOs (Id in the C.

One remit (1) provided that any person on the defaulters' list l.u disqualified from nominating candidates for election as Councillors, and (2 1 . that such person lw incapable of being elected, or being a councillor. It was carried hy till votes to 20. It was resolved that in all eases where a local authority institutes proceedings in respect of bronchos of tlm Impounding Act, all fines imposed shall be paid to the local authority and (hat the mileage feu on impound'd cattle be one shilling per head, per mile, or fraction of a mile, irrcspceti, e of the number.

It was agreed that a fee payable to the interested local authority should accompany all transfers of propel lies and that no transfers he given effect to until all rates owing mi the property he paid.

An amendment to a remit was carried to the effect that- three months he allowed in which general rates should he paid, and that the Government he asked to introduce legislation to provide that all hanks carrying on business in the Dominion pay interest on the daily balances of local current accounts. This was the text of another remit which was carried. Ofliao hearers were elected as follows: President. Mr A. K. .lull (Waipawa); vice-president, Mr I. P. linme (Aharon); Kxeeutive : Messrs .1. I’. Hailey (Waikato), M. bethel] (A min i). T Mason ('handlers (Hawke’s Ravi. ('onnett. (Taranaki). T. (!. KM man (Geraldine), -T. B. Cow (Opntiki), C. M Hall (flontlvnte), B. P Lethbridge