MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3001, 20 February 1926, Page 3

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

The following is an abreviation of the report to be submitted to Monday night’s meeting of the Borough Council by its delegate (Mr. W. Trueman) to the Municipal Conference held in Dunedin this month: —

Eighty-eight resolutions were submitted, thirteen lost, seventytwo carried, three referred to Executive with power to act. Of the 72 resolutions carried: 7 were previously carried in 1919, 11 in 1921, 20 in 1923, and 27 in 1924. A fair number of remits carried had a direct bearing on the Government and* its relationship to local bodies, such as rating powers, liability of the Crown for payment for various public services rendered by local bodies. Matters in conection with other local bodies were also discussed such as Hospital Boards and Power Boards collecting their own rates instead of Boroughs and Counties being levied on directly, Harbour Boards and Power Boards to pay the cost of election of their members. The remit asking for power to take over private undedicated streets was lost on the voices. A remit to utilize Parliamentary Rolls for Municipal Electorates was lost, it being pointed out that owing to overlapping of electorates in larger towns and country districts the system could not generally be adopted. A remit previously carried in 1919,1921,1923 and 1924 asking for voting papers to be uniformly marked was re-affirmed. A request for the consolidation of the various motor and motor lorry regulations was also carried.

The matter of differential rating for farm lands within boroughs was left to the executive to suggest a method by which, local bodies could give relief on the lines suggested in cases of undue hardship. Town plannig occupied the attention of delegates for some time, and it was generally felt that something should be done. It was eventually decided that the Government be asked to bring down a Town planning bill for consideration. Many other matters affecting almost entirely the internal workings of local bodies, were discussed, the most important being uniformity of accounts, establishment of Imprest accounts, unauthorised expenditure limits, heavy traffic fees, accident insurance funds, renewal funds and so on. None of these however were of general public interest. Out of 97 delegates, there were 21 Town Clerks present.