THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 183, 4 August 1877, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Wellington, Friday. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Steward— " That it be recommended that provision be made for dispensing with the necessity of a reference to his Excellency the Governor in the matter of the renewal and transfer of Municipal leases." Mr. Steward moved-" That steps be taken to vest direct in Municipalities the Municipal reserves now held under Crown grants to the Superintendents, and which now vest in trust to his Excellency the Governor, and all Municipal reserves held under and by virtue of any Provincial ordinance or other enactment, care being taken that where lands are reserved for recreation purposes the same trust is maintained, so that the reserves may not be alienated from the purposes originally inteuded." Carried. After some discussion the following resolution, moved by Mr. Ellen, was agree°d to— " That in the opinion of this Conference, in the event of any contribution being in future exacted by law from Municipal and governing bodies by way of deductions from the subsidies payable to those bodies respectively, it is necessary that some different basis should be adopted from that adopted in the past inasmuch as the result of the system which has hitherto obtained, of making such deductions iv proportion to the amounts payable has been found to work most unjustly." The Chairman thought that the Conference should agree upon what form they should ask the Government to refuud the money which had been taken from them on the pro rata principle. He then read the copy of a letter which had been forwarded to the Government : — Sir,— l have the honor, by direction of the chairman of the Conference of Municipal delegates now assembled, to forward you a copy of resolution passed this day :— " That the chairman write and request the government to be good enough to inform this Coufereiice upou what basis of calculation the pro ratu deductions for the maintenance of Charitable Institutions and Hospitals out of the subsidies pabable to Municiple Corporations have been made, and are intended to be made for the future ; and whether the subsides payable to County Councils and Road Boards have been and will be liable to the same deductions." The Chairman would feel greatly obliged by a reply to the above. Mr Steward moved—" That, in the opinioa of this Conference, the Municipalities have a fair claim to special assistance on the part of the Government towards the cost of the I maintenance of Eire Brigades, and that legis- , lative provision should be made accordingly " \ Agreed to. Moved by Mr Steward— " That all licenses, the revenue derivable from which is by law made Municipal properly, be issued by the Municipality, and all license fees be paid direct to the Borough Treasurer." This was carried after a lengthy discussion. Mr Stantlish moved— "That clauses 46 and 47 be amended iv order that any person who possesses a receipt for rates paid in accordance with occupation may claim any time to have his name put upou the Burgess Roll and so be entitled to vote at any° electiou • and that his name be struck off the de-

faulter's list." The motion was amended so as to allow of the privilege being exercised within seven days of an election, and in that form was carried. Several other suggestions from Auckland were postponed until the delegate from that city could arrive. It was resolved to adopt one of theamend Iments providing for additional leasing powera with reference to markets being given to Corporations, on the ground that the present insecure and short tenure tended to greatly depreciate the annual value. Another of the Auckland amendments— That fees for all licenses in the Borough be paid direct to the officers of the local authorities—was carried unanimously. The Conference then adjourned till tomorrow,