Municipal Conference.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1921, Page 3

Municipal Conference.

{> Y TIH.KG HA I*ll —l* Eli I'HKS.S ASSOCIATION*] d f> WKUJXOTOX, Oct. 5. The Municipal A-sociiilinn’s Confer- ,, wee was continued 10-dnv. 'The Mayor of Wellington, Mr R. A. Wri-dit, pret' sided. r A Pevonport remit, to the effect that gns mains mikl maehinery \e made rate k slide was reaffirmed. I it was si greed that sin amendment he sought in the Rating Act so that if properly is arbitrarily withhold I tom a fnnia fide tenant, and kept vacant by the owiuu - , in order to pro--1 mote a <|uiek sale, the property he liable to full rates. Approval was given lo ,\ remit asking fur a provision that the onus of obtaining a demand for the rates levied upon any property he laid upon h ihe ratepayers, so as to phiee the cold lection of local taxation ami national taxation upon the same fooling.

It was decided to seek an amendment in the Local (todies Loans Act lo enable the State Advances Ollice to consider favourahlv applications for any advances to local bodies lor road construction works, including tlie purchase of tln> necessary machinery; and also that the operations of t 1 i. Department l)r extended substantially. thus increasing tlie maximum which the ollice is id he permitted to lend to any local body in any one year. It was resolved that authority I * sought for local bodies, when submitting loan proposals to ratepayers, i*> provide for working capital in addition to the money required for land, buildings, and plant, and also the first

year's interest, this provision to In* made retrospective so as to apply to the existing trading concerns. Ollier remits were carried, asking: That the local bodies he required to provide a sinking fund for all loans iabed under the provisions of the Act. That the (lovernmeut fully consider the question of contributions for the maintenance and construction of roads and bridges by adjacent, local authorities with a view to passing legislation clearly defining and limiting their icsponsihilities. That iih deed, transfer, or other instrument, whereby any land having a front age or similar area than prescribed bv Section .‘lsl of the Corporation Act, is conveyed, transferred, assessed, shall be received lor deposit, registration under the Deeds Pegistration Act, or the Land Transfer Act, without the consent of the 'Council ol the Borough in which the land is situated.

That, the Local Bodies Loans Act bo amended to empower local bodies to issue on the open market loans, repayable by equal half-yearly instalments, the principal and interest combined ol llu* loan to he completely paid off Cv the payment of tlie last half yearly in-

stalments. Tlie Conference strongly piotostcil at the injustice ol tin* Banks in dunging Municipalities commission for payment of debentures and interest coupons, since these arc subject t«> 1 usual exchange* charges. it was decided to rcler In the local authorities the following: “That a local authority, not Inning established a superannuation lim*l. upon fionip *>'■ quire*! to *l*. so l.v it requisition, sign,.,l |,v ii majority of its employees, slo'l 1 •ippl'v to lie*•oiil'o a eontriloitor.