MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5108, 7 August 1877, Page 2

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Monday, August 6.

The Conference met at 10 o’clock.

Present Messrs, Hobbs (chairman), Standish, Swanson, Jack, Bamber, Everett, Ellen Murray, Munro, Hamilton, Steward, Sutton’ Beeves, Reynolds, Rowe, Mauders, and Hutchison. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman said he begged to apologise for the absence of Dr. Rouse, the Mayor of Lyttelton, who had sustained a severe domestic infliction by the death of his wife.—Jt was resolved that a letter of condolence from the Conference be sent to Dr. Rouse. The Chairman suggested that it was very desirable that the members of the Conference should meet the members of the Assembly representing boroughs, to confer on matter affecting municipalities. After some discussion, Mr. Steward moved, —That on the conclusion of the business of this Conference, the recommendations agreed to be drawn up and printed, together with a list of the municipalities represented at this Conference, and forwarded with a circular to each member of the Assembly, asking theirsupport to such Bills as may be introduced to give effect thereto.—Mr. Hamilton seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Standish moved,—That the members of the Assembly be asked to meet the members of this Conference at eleven o’clock on Wednesday.—Mr. Swanson seconded the motion, observing, however, that he did not think many members would attend, or that much would come of it. Mr. Reynolds said it would be a better plan for each representative in this Conference to see the member for bis district.—Mr. Standish said be would withdraw bis motion. —This was done accordingly. CHARITABLE aid. Mr. Ellen moved, —That in view of all the circumstances of the case this Conference is of opinion that if deductions are to be made, the fairest basis for deduction from municipal bodies would be the rateable value of such municipal or other districts independently of the amount of rate actually levied, and tHik the entire management of all hospitals and charitable institutions be confined to the district from which the subsidies are drawn.— Mr. Standish seconded the motion. Mr. Hamilton did not approve of the resolution as it stood, as the burden in the part of the colony he represented of supporting charitable institutions would be verj unfairly thrown npon the borough. He considered thsi every borough, road board, and county should pay for its own patients in hospitals, &c. At Greymouth voluntary contributions came in freely, and contributed about a third of the whole cost of the local hospital. He moved an amendment,—That in the opinion of the Conference the amount to be contributed towards the support of hospitals should be based on the number of patients admitted from the several municipalities, road boards, and counties: provided that in. case of patients arriving from parts beyond seas, or patients who have no fixed residence within the district in which such hospital is situated, they should, be charged upon the whole district, the municipality being included, and that the cost of their maintenance and treatment be divided as nearly as possible equally between all the contributing bodies.—Mr, Jack seconded the amendment. After some further remarks it was agreed' to divide Mr. Elleu’s motion into two parts and make them separate motions. The first part was then put as follows:—That in view of all the circumstances of the case this Conference is of opinion that if deductions are to be made the fairest basis for deduction from municipal bodies would be the rateable value of such municipal or other districts independently of the amount of rate actually levied.— Mr. Hamilton’s amendment was put, and the Conference divided upon it. Ayes S. —Messrs. Hamilton, Jack, Everett,. Manders, Munro, Steward, Reeves, Swanson. Noes G. Messrs. Standish, Sutton, Thompson, Bamber, Ellen, and Rowe. The amendment was consequently carried. Mr. Beeves moved, —That no deductions should be made from the subsidies payable to the local bodies as provided by the Financial Arrangements Act; but that in the Charitable Institutions Bill now before Parliament provision should be made for the maintenance of these institutions throughout the colony from the Consolidated Fund, but, failing that, by a general rate according to the rateable value over the colony, such rate to be fixed annually by Parliament; and that all hospitals and charitable institutions be managed by boards elected by the local governing bodies in the various districts where they are established ; but when any district adopts the Charitable Institutions Bill, it shall be accurately defined, and shall bo exempted from taxation for similar institutions.—Mr. Munroseconded the motion, which was carried. DEPUTATION to the government. A letter was read from Mr, Cooper, stating that the Government would receive a deputation from the Municipal Conference, on the subject of the deductions from subsidies payable to municipalities and other bodies, at o’clock that afternoon. , At 1 o’clock the Conference adjourned until half-past 2 o’clock. MOTIONS, On resuming, Mr. Ellen moved, —That in view of the unequal way in which subsidies have been deducted from municipal bodies luring the past year, this Conference most respectfully requests the Government to take such steps as may be necessary to adjust the natter fairly by charging against those governng bodies from which no deductions have jeen made such sums as would .be their fair noportion, with a view to the money so obaiued being paid to those governing bodies vhich have been required to contribute in exicss of their fair proportion.—Mr. Standish econded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Standish moved, —That the Conference ecommeuds that sections Nos. 139, 140, and 41 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, e taken into consideration by this Conference, dth the view of amending the same, in the irection of vesting the voting power for pedal rates levied for permanent improveleuts in owners and tenants whose leases have t least seven years to run of such properties. -This was seconded by Mr. Ellen, and irried. Mr. Jack moved, —That, in the opinion of lis Conference, it is only equitable and just lat the receipts iu respect of the sale of rowu lauds sold within any borough, after iducting all reasonable charges for surveys, c., be paid over to such borough.—This was conded by Mr. Ellen, and carried. Mr. Hobbs moved,—l. That whereas the ities devolving upon the various municipal iverning bodies iu respect of formation of reets, drainage, lighting, waterworks, and imerous other public works necessary for the alth, comfort, and convenience of the inbitants are so large as to be disproportionate the revenues at present secured to them, it desirable that urgent representations be ide to the Government of the necessity for listing those bodies to efficiently discharge s duties falling upon them. 2. That, with a

view to such assistance being of a permanent nature, Parliament be asked to provide for the endowment of the various centres of population with areas of land, the revenues from which shall he specially applicable to public works of the nature mentioned. _B. at Parliament should be asked to appoint a select committee to inquire into the pecuniary position of all the boroughs in the colony, and, where it is found that insufficient endowment exists, that substantial endowments of land should be made. 4. That a deputation from this Conference should be appointed to wait upon the Government, and request them to give their support towards obtaining such cndowments; and also to bring ma, Bill or Bills during the present session to give effect to the recommendations agreed to by this Conference. This was seconded and earned. Mr. Thompson moved, —That this Conference is of opinion that, in the case of municipalities containing not more than 200 householders or under, the municipal council should consist of not more than six members, exclusive of the Mayor.—Mr. Monro seconded the motion, which was carried.

MUNICIPAL COP.POBATIONS ACT. jVTr. Howe suggested the amendments to the above Act: —“Section 104 to be amended, so as to give goldfields revenue and gold duty arising from miners within borough to such borough. By adding to section 59 the words ‘ save that as t> • any borough in which a member of the Council is elected to the office of Mayor, while such member continues ta be Mayor, the word ‘ exclusive shall be read * inclusive’ : Provided that if a member of the Council be elected Mayor, and his term of office as a Councillor shall expire before his term of office as Mayor, he shall on such expiration become and he a Councillor, by virtue of his office of Mayor, until the expira* tion of such last-mentioned office, during-which period the said section shall be read as if the word 1 exclusive' had been used, unless and until such Mayor be re-elected a member of the Council during his for which re-electiou he shall be eligible, notwithstanding ■his being a Councillor, by virtue of his office of Mayor/’ 3VXr. Hamilton moved, —That the Act be so amended that any person filling the office of Mayor may stand for election as Councillor, Mr. Standish moved, as an amendment, -that the annual election of Councillors should be in the month of December, and that the Councillors who retire by rotation in September shall hold office until December, in order that the election of May >r shall in future take precedence of the annual election of Councillors. Mr. Hamilton said he would accept the amendment, and withdraw the original motion. This was agreed to, and the amendment was carried. The Conference proceeded with the consideration of certain proposed amendments by Mr. Beeves to the above Act. The following were agreed to—That in part 1 of clause 8, after word “justice” the words “or jurymen’ be added; that clause 5 be so amended that the Mayor should be ex officio chairman of all committees; that clause 107 be so amended that all cheques be signed by the Mayor and two Councillors, or, in the Mayor s absence, by the acting-chairman and two Councillors. FIBE BRIGADES A letter was read from Mr. A. Boardman, enclosing for the consideration of the Conference an extract from a South Australian Act, empowering the superintendent of the Fire Brigade to sue property owners for expenses of extinguishing fires on their premises. The Secretary was instructed to acknowledge the receipt of the letter. The Conference then adjourned until ten o’clock next (this) morning.