MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2995, 6 February 1926, Page 3

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

SYSTEM OF TRIENNIAL ELECTIONS APPROVED.

PURGING FROM ROLLS OF NONVOTERS APPROVED.

NEXT CONFERENCE IN PALMERSTON NORTH.

Dunedin, Thursday.

Tho annual conference of the Municipal Association of New Zealand opened at the Town Hall this morning, the President (Mr. H. L. Tapley, M.P., Mayor of Dunedin) presiding over a record attendance of delegates, about 100 being present.

Some 90 remits were set down on the order paper and the conference made good progress with the business so much so, that the order paper was nearly got through in one day.

The principal remits dealt with were as follows: ( Electoral machinery: Mr. S. Donaldson (Mayor of Newmarket) moved'that municipal rolls be compiled from the Parliamentary roll. This was seconded, but Mi'. Burwell, of Invercargill, objected on the ground that a borough was on a footing different from an electoral district. The remit was lost.

The president moved that clause 6 of regulations gazetted on November 15, 1915, directing the town clerk to omit persons who have not voted at the last general election of Mayor and Councillors be restored or re-enacted. This was carried.

Mi'. Wilson (New Plymouth) moved that section 16 of the Municipal Corporations Act t 1920, be extended to provide that where a Borough Council conducts an elecetion of members of the Harbour Board or other board or local body, such board or local body shall pay to the council a proportionate part of the cost of making and printing a district electors list. The remit was carried.

The President moved that in order to assist in continuity of policy the present Act be amended to make provision for a general election of mayor and councillors every three years.

The President explained that the remit had previously been affirmed.—Carried on the voices. It was moved that local bodies be empowered temporarily to transfer to district fund amounts standing to credit of loan accounts for tho purpose of covering bank overdraft, such transfers to be repaid to loan accounts at March 31st of each year.—Carried.

Mr Thompson (Mayor of Devonport) moved that the term of office for Mayor and Councillors be extended to three years and provision made for one third of the councillors to retire each year. The remit was lost on the voices.

Mr. Warwick moved an additional clause to the disqualification clause, providing that interest in any con tract entered into with the Council and under which obligation has been performed before entering the Council shall not constitute a disqualificaion, though payment has not yet been made. Carried. Mr. McEwan (Petone) moved that the executive go into the question of a national superannuation scheme and seek the necessary legislation to bring about the coming into force of the Rating Amendment Act, 1911; that Councils be given power to make the system of rating on unimproved values apply to water rates by special order. —Lost on the voices.

Mr. Smellie moved that expenditure on an undedieated street open to use before January 1, 1920, be allowed. —Lost on the voices. ■ln the matter of river encroachments, Mi’. Menzies moved additions to the Act of 1920, that Councils may without compensation, enter land so affected foil the purpose of protective work and that where accretions occur, provided the land is beyond the original boundary of private lands such accretions shall be deemed vested in the Council by the Crown and may be leased or used, but not sold. —Carried. Mr. Wilson (New Plymouth) moved that Councils, being electric supply authorities, should have all powers of power boards, excepting in the payment of a chairman and special rating powers. —Carried. Mr Aynes moved that the Government pass legislation that Boroughs need not join a power board I ill a poll of ratepayers has been taken. —Carried.

Mi'. Lock (Nelson) moved that there be direct appointment by local bodies of their hospital representatives. —Carried.

Mr. Lock also moved that hospital boards levy their rates direct for the maintenance of their institutions : —Lost by a large majority. It was decided to accept the invitation of the Mayor of Palmerston North to hold the next conference in that town early next year.