County Councils' Conference.

Manawatu Herald, 11 August 1894, Page 2

County Councils' Conference.

The Conference resumed on Wed* nesday morning. Messrs Laird (Waitotara) and Sommerville (Wanganui) ware present besides those delegates already mentioned. The report of the committee was read by the Secretary. Ifc recommended inter alia that all County Counoils shall subscribe to the funds of the Association at the following rates : — When the valuation is one million or more, £8 3s per annum ; when under onemillion and more than £500,000, £2 2s per annum ; under £500,000, £1 Is per annum; that Mr T. F. Martin be appointed I solicitor to the Association. ■ On the motion of the Chairman

fMr Majettdie), seconded by Mr edieniatt Phillips; the report ttas auojstedi • • The election of officers resulted as follows :— President, Mr Von Reden ; vice-presidents, Messrs Fraser and Lang, M's.H.E. , treasurer, Mr Majendie ; auditor, Mr Field ; committee, Messrs Wilson, M.H;R., McNab, M.H.R., Kebbell, Bolton , Laird, Monkhouse and Coleman Phillips; The newly-eleCted president then took the chain and expressed the boge that the Association would result in an improved state of ldfel government. A vote of thanka was passed to Mr Majendie for having occupied the chair, and to the Hutt County Council for granting the Conference the use of their building for meetings* The following resolutions were agreed to : — The President moved, "That m the opinion of this Conference the law should be amended so that a council could take action upon a resolution of a road board in favour of merging, provision being made to render the resolution inoperative upon a petition against the proposal, signed by a certain proportion of the ratepayers interested, being duly lodged with the council." The motion was seconded by Mr Bolton. The President also moved, " That in the opinion of this Conference the County Aot should be so amended that the current rate roll could be used for purposes of elections, and a voting roll made up from that, including the names of those ratepayers in a riding who have then paid all rates lawfully demanded. Any ratepayer who pays on the day the election takes place, or who, voting at a distant booth, produces a receipt for all rates then due, should bo allowed to vote." Mr Kebbell seconded the motion. •• That this Conference requests the Government to take steps during this session of Parliament to empower local bodies to pay their respective shares of all expenses in connection with the meeting of this Conference." Mr J. Kebbell moved, "That the Hospital and Charitable Aid question ; is in such an unsatisfactory position that the Government be urged to deal with the subject this session as a matter of urgency ; failing this, that no amendments be made in the present Act." The motion found a seconder in Mr Engels. Mr McNab proposed as an amendment, and it was seconded by Mr Phillips, " That all the words after ' urgency ' be struck out, and also the words * this session.' " The amendment was carried. Mr S. Forsyth moved, " That the law be amended so as to enable local to pay interest on loans under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act out of general rate." The motion was seconded by Mr J. Kebbell. Mr Kebbell moved, " That charitable aid should be distributed by the local body which raises the rate, provided that a certain percentage of their rates shall be paid by the local bodies towards the charitable aid of towns." The motion was seconded by Mr Coleman Phillips. ' Mr Wilson moved as an amendment to strike out all the words after " rate," which was seconded by Mr Peat, and carried. On the motion of Mr Monkhouse, seconded by Mr Sommerville, it was agreed, " That where, as under Alcoholic Liquor Control Act, a local body has to pay officers and i costs of administration, they shall have power to appoint such officers and control administration." Mr Wilson moved, " That the Loans to Local Bodies Act should be j amended in the following direction : — (1) Voting for loans — The loan shall be considered carried when the majority of those voting for it shall be in favour of the loan ; (2) that in j the case of a petition being pre- ! sented asking for a loan, that the local body should be permitted to pay the interest out of the general rate ; (8) that in the case of bridges on a main road the Government should subsidise the local body by pound for pound." The motion was seconded by Mi* Bolton, and at his suggestion clause 1 was amended to read that a majority of the votes cast, instead of a majority of voters on the roll, should be the number required to oarry the poll. Mr Monkhouse moved as an amendment that a majority of votes excisable or two-thirds of those cast be required to carry a poll. The amendment was seconded by Mr Sommerville, and carried by 6 to 4. Mr S. Forsyth moved, " That in the opinion of this Conference it is desirable that the number of local bodies in the Colony be reduced and that, all be made elective." Mr Engels seconded the motion. Mr Monkhouse moved, " That where all roads in a county, or part of a county, are under the control of the County Council, and a rate is, or rates are, levied in excess of three --- farthings on capital value, the subsidy be the same as the aggregate receivable by both bodies had the control been under the Road Board

anij.doutily Council respectively tit Bolton sec'on<je.a thjfe iiiotiorj. , Oil the riiqtib'n of Mr Peat it ,was decided, il Thdfc in eses cago Mpfo the rate levied is under 2s 6d, that 8s Od be deemed to be the amount due for collection." That the Government; be asked to torotnOte. a Bill in P arlianlent, having for its. object the simplification aM consoliclatiqri of local government (Mr G. N. Btigels,). I'hat ideal bodies Be cLlio^ed to take land for gravel pits under the Public Works Act .(Mr J. Kebbell). That it ia desirable that plans and information requisite for the administration of local bodies be supplied free of charge to local bodies by the General Government (Mr W. Monkhouse). That the Government be asked to print the report of proceedings and balance-sheet (Mr Field). That the necessity of dispatch being used as regards audit of accounts be impressed upon the Government (Mr John Peat). On the motion of Mr iT. Peat, seconded by Mr Bolton, it was resolved, " That in the opinioh of this Conference it is desirable that valuations for rating be carried out by and at the cost of the General Government." Mr 8. Bolton moved, " That the Land Act be so amended that where Crown land is leased by the Land Board on whatever tenure and forfeited the unpaid rates be a first charge on the land, 1 This was seconded by Mr Majendie. — N.Z. Times. (Remainder of report unadvoidably held over to next issue).