Untitled

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

The deputation from the Municipal Conference which waited upon the Hon. Major Atkinson and the Hon. Dr. Pollen yesterday, have every reason to be satisfied with the result. ' They were not only most courteously received, as they were sure to be ; but they got nearly all they asked for, viz., to be furnished with full information as to the deductions made from subsidies to municipalities ; and they were also promised that a Bill would be introduced to amend the Financial Arrangements Act, and to make provision in certain cases that deductions should be made on the rateable value of property. This, we think, must meet the views of the Conference and the people they represent. The Government, of course, cannot positively say that the Assembly will assent to the proposed alteration ; but there can be very little doubt about it, considering that what is asked for is simply justice to the several boroughs “in the colony, which have, through an admitted mistake in an Act, been very unequally dealt with in the matter of their subsidies. The manner in which the Government so readily admitted that there had been a mistake made in previous legislation, and that they would endeavor to rectify it, instead of beating about the bush and giving some equivocal answer to the deputation, is in our opinion highly creditable to them, and bears out what their supporters have always said of them, that thare an honorable and straightforward set of men, ! in whose integrity the country can very safely put faith. Further action will no I doubt be taken in the House in reference to this very important question of subsidies to | municipalities. It is no doubt perfectly true, as was stated more than once during the deliberations of the Conference, that one reason why the Abolition Act ■ was so readily supported by a large section of the people was because it was understood that municipalities should receive as a subsidy £1 for every £1 of rates. If these bodies have received less—and this is now admitted to be the case—there can be no doubt that the . implied compact has not been carried out. If, however, the Assembly will support the Ministry in bringing forward such amended Bills as : may be necessary to place the matter on a satisfactory footing fur the future, there will henceforward be no farther ground of complaint. The Conference may certainly be congratulated on the amount of success they have achieved, to which they are :nb : doubt to a great extent indebted for the sensible and practical manner in which they have stated their views; and they also owe not a little to the readiness with which the Ministry have met them half-way, and thus smoothed away many difficulties which otherwise might have been thrown in their path. The Municipal Conference sat yesterday at the Government Buildings, and transacted a good deal of business, as will be seen, by reference to our report of the proceedings in another.column. It is expected that they will get through their labors to-day or to-morrow.