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

The Municipal Conference now proceeding in this city, although in the opinion of some an attempt at interference with the ordinary course of legislation, bids fair to be productive of useful results. Nothing less could indeed have been expected from the bringing together of representative men from various parts of the colony, specially qualified by practical experience to point out wherein the existing law fails to meet the requirements of particular localities, and competent to judge of the effect of any alteration suggested. Already they have dealt judiciously with a number of points, the clearing up of which cannot fail to render the Corporations Act, 1876, more acceptable to previously existing municipalities and to the new communities that are, so to speak, daily springing up throughout the colony. It is due to them to say that as a rule, but not invariably, they have appeared inclined to give earnest and thoughtful consideration to each question submitted. A marked exception, which we shall take leave to remark upon, occurred on Thursday last, when the suggestion of the Invercargill Council was almost summarily rejected. This was, it may be necessary to remind some of our readers, “That the clauses in part nine of the Municipal Act should be amended so as to allow a general rate to to be as high as 2s. in the £, providing that the total of the general and special rates together, when the latter were levied, did not exceed 2s. in the £.” As a matter of fact, rates of 2s. in the £ and upwards have been and are now levied in municipalities created under Provincial Ordinances. Loans have been raised on the assumption that this amount would not be found oppressive, and hence it follows that the Corporations so situated are practically debarred from adopting the general Act. There is another feature of the subject which seems to have been overlooked by the Conference. Granting that under the Municipal Act, 1876, there is, in addition to the power t'o levy a general rate of Is. in the ,£, power to raise special rates to pay interest on loans to the extent of another Is., —it must be remembered that each fresh rate involves a large amount of expense and trouble to the Corporation staff, to say nothing of the irritation to the ratepayers. If, then, by legalising a general rate of 2s. in the £, important works can be effected without special rates the desirability of the extension asked for is established. We happen to know that in at least one instance a Corporation has been able to build extensive gasworks without having resource to special rating, simply because it had the power to levy 2s. in the £by a general rate. From the statement of the Chairman on the occasion to which we refer, that “he did not think it would be desirable to ask for extended powers of rating—that if permanent works had to be made, a loan should be raised,” it would almost seem that, like Mr. Mioawbbr, he thought the giving of a promissory note acquitted the liability; but this cannot be seriously taken as his meaning. Mr. Hutchison differed from him, and with good reason. Of course where works were undertaken for the exclusive benefit of a particular part of a town a special rate would be necessary; but whore it was for the interest of the whole community such a course would; be, for the reasons already advanced, inexpedient in the extreme. In other respects the advantages that would accrue from the adoption of the Municipal Act are patent. One of the most important clauses is that providing for the consent of the burgesses to be obtained aS a necessary preliminary to raising loans for public works. To this wholesome check may be added another of not less importance, viz., the limitation of the amount of bank overdraft to the extent of one year’s rates. There are many other features that recommend its adoption; but these it is not necessary to at present refer, although their existence leads us to hope that, as the want of power indicated by the Invercargill Council stands in the way, the Conference will reconsider its decision.