LOCAL BODIES PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 600, 6 September 1913, Page 5

LOCAL BODIES PARLIAMENT.

THE WELLINGTON CONFERENCE. COUNTY CHAIRMAN INTERVIEWED. The conference of representatives of the various local bodies of the Dominion which is held annually at_ Wellington affords a great opportunity to those who are entrusted with the management of local affairs to co-operate for the purpose of discussing suggestions and making recommendations concerning the administration of 1-jcal affairs generally. ' Mr A. Scholes. chairman of the Waitomo County Council, returned last week from attending this year's conference. Interviewed upon his return Mr Scholes said he was immense!v pleased with the work at the conference. A gratifying feature in conwith the conference was that greater attention was devoted to ■--jTTcJ back blocks counties than had been the case in the past, and the altered tone of the conference denoted a keener interest and recogniton of +he fact that the requirements of the back block counties were of the utmost importance to the Dominion. Mr Scholes said he had been a consistent advocate of the claims of the new and more backward counties, and the fact that they were breaking new ground and providing for the requirements of settlement entitled them to every consideration. The recommen- | dations of the Packblocks Local j Bodies' Association with respect to j roading were favourably considered j and adopted. With regard to the re- . mits from Waitomo County with re- ; spect to native lands, Mr Scholes said j he was not present un the first day of j the conference when the matters \ affecting native lands wera referred ; to a committee. The report of the committee indicated that the subject ; had been deeply considered, though the j report was satisfactory as far as it ■■ went. This view was expressed at ■ the conference by Mr W. D. S. Macdonald and supported by himself ; (Mr Scholes). Subsequently he in- ! troduced the matter of rating native [ land 3 and the remit of the Waitomo i Countv Council was put to the confer- \ ence, but was nor carried, chiefly, he , believed because the matter was not : understood by the majority of those '. present, who were not concerned with , native lands. When he subsequently ; informed the conference that the sug- : gestiona were being included in the ; Bill being introduced by the Native : Minister there was considerably more j interest taken in the subject. Every- j thing considered the conference had , done excellent work and there was an extremely healthy tone throughout the gathering. Both Ministers and private members were in close touch with the conference and the increased attention which was being directed towards the requirements of the new district-? wai a very hopeful ; sign. In respect to matters affecting , native lands there were naturally only i a few who were intimately con- i cerneri and who really understood the ; various points raised m that connec- j tion. However, this was being grad- j ualiy overcome. Practically all the j new counties which were becoming j operative were more or less affected b'v the native land question and con- , siderably more attention would be \ directed towards that subject in

future. At th<= conclusion of the conference the executive for the ensuing term was elected. Seven members from the South Island and seven from the North were appointed. Twentyfour nominations were received and Mr Scholes was returned third highest on the poll.