COUNTIES’ CONFERENCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8859, 9 July 1907, Page 2

COUNTIES’ CONFERENCE.

Per Press Association

Wellington, July 9.

The annual Counties’ Conference opened here to-day, being present from all parts of the colony, Mr A. dull presiding. In his address, the president said the present Counties’ Act left much room for improvement, a fact which was evidenced by the feeling of dissatisfaction manifested in various parts of the country by sub-division of existing Counties. To his mind one contributing cause was the present method of distribution of Government subsidy, which gave twice the amount of subsidy in the £ to Counties collecting up to £IOOO in rates, as against those Counties which collected over £3OOO, and in the case of Counties consisting partly of Road Boards and partly outlying districts a still greater reduction, irrespective of whatever rates were collected. For many years the Association had endeavoured to secure a more equitable apportionment of subsidy, and a graduated system based upon the amount of rates struck has been recommended to the Government. After reviewing the various Acts affecting Counties the Chairman stated that it was hoped that measures would be passed which would reflect upon the Government and be a monument to the efforts of the New Zealand Counties’ Association.