MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5419, 9 August 1878, Page 3

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Tuesday, august 0. The Municipal Conference met again at 10.30 a.m. Present—The Mayor of Wellington (chairman), Messrs. Power, Standish, Brett, Gisborne, Seymour, Watt, Thompson, Charters, and Sutton. Mr. Gisborne moved the following motion, —That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that the Legislature should furnish increased facilities for municipalities raising loans for* works of improvement, by providing for the more effective amalgamation of several such loans in one, or by some other means ; and that the attention of the Government be respectfully directed to the legislation of Canada on this subject, as contained and referred to in the Canadian Act, 22 Viet., cap. 83, intituled an Act respecting the Consolidated Municipal Loan Fund, and in any Act amending the same. Mr. Gisborne thought that the , Canadian system would overcome the difficulty of raising money. Mr. Standish thought that the Government might give a guarantee. He did not think that the Canadian system was very desirable, and suggested some slight alteration in the reading of the motion, which was, how- ■ ever, disallowed. ' Mr. Watt moved,—That the following alterations be made in the Municipal Corporations Act, 1870 Clause 40. That the words “ thirty-first day of March,” occurring in the second line, be struck out, and that the words “fifteenth day of April ” be substituted in lieu thereof.' Clause 41. That the words “ thirtyfirst of March," occurring in the second dine, be struck out, and the words “ fifteenth day of April" ■ substituted for them. Clause. 42That the words “ fifteenth day of April," occurring iu the third and fourth line of the clause, be struck nut, and the words “first day of April" inserted in lieu thereof. Also, that the words “first day of April," in the fifth line, be struck out, and the words “fifteenth day of April" substituted in lieu thereof. Clause 44. That the • words “sixteenth to twenty-first day of April" be struck out, and the words first to eighth day of May" inserted in lieu thereof. Clause 45. That the words “twenty-second and thirtieth days of April," occurring in the second line, be omitted, aud the, words “ tenth and twentieth days of May" inserted in their place. Carried without discussion. Mr. Power moved,—'That the Goldmining Acts be amende!, so as to.accord with the provisions proposed to be introduced into the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, in reference to 'streets within boroughs in the goldfields. Carried. Mr. Seymour moved, —That the powers of Borough Councils should be extended, s) as to include the sale. of streets or parts of streets which are no longer required for public use. Proper provision being made for private rights, also that the council have power to purchase land with a view of constructing new streets, with.power, to dispose of the surplus not required for these streets. Mr. Seymour said that he knew that many small streets were now blocked up. Mr. Gisborne considered that power should not bo given to close up private streets, - The motion was agreed to. Mr. Dransfibld moved, —That it was not advisable that the Corporation, as such, should undertake the administration of charitable aid, but that it should be left in the bauds of an independent committee say of six gentlemen, to be nominated by Government, the Benevolent Society, and. the Corporation ; the committee to be empowered to appoint a salaried relieving officer. The Secretary read the following, letter from the Government: — Colonial Secretary’s Office. Wellington, August 5, 1878. Sir, —In reply to your letter of to-day’a date, I have the honor, by direction of the Colonial Secretary, to inform you that, subject to the approval of Parliament, the Government propose'to charge on tho Consolidated Revenue one-half of tho actual cost of hospitals and charitable institutions, and to look to localities to provide the other half by appropriations from local funds or by voluntary subscriptions, aud that it is not proposed to go any further in the direction of relieving localities of the cost of these institutions.—l have, &c., ; ’ G. S. Cooper. The Secretary Municipal Conference, Wellington, . Mr. Sutton said the letter was not an answer to what the deputation asked for. Mr. Standish said the matter was put very clearly beforo the Government, and they had not answered what was asked. He did not approve of such au important matter being shelved in such a manner.

The further discussion of tho subject was adjourned until to-day. After some other unimportant business had been disposed of, the conference adjourned until next morning.