LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9, 8 May 1912, Page 5

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

LOCAL BODIES CONFER ON THE NEW BILL. The Local Government Bill came up for discussion again yesterday afternoon, when members of the Stratford Borough and County Councils, the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and the Whangamomona County Councils met in conference. There were sixteen members present, representing the three bodies. Mr. E. Marfell, Chairman of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, was elected chairman. In his opening remarks the Chairman said that the purpose of the Conference was to select a delegate to represent the three bodies at the Com ference to be held in Wellington. He considered it was their duty that afternoon to discuss the Bill so that they - might instruct their delegate how. they wished him to vote. The Mayor (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood), on behalf of the Borough Council, tendered the resolutions passed at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council. . . ' _ The Chairman of the Stratford County Council (Mr. Hathaway) voiced the opinions of his Council. They were opposed to the franchise, in that it allowed a man who l was not a ratepayer to take a seat on the Provincial Council, they considered the rating powers excessive, and they were totally opposed to the abolishment of the riding system. Speaking of the " last objection, the Chairman of the County Council said that 'very many years ago they had not the benefits of the riding system. Instead they had a system of grab. His Council were opposed tooth and nail to the abolition of this principle. They wanted to see fair play given to every man, be he in the backblocks dr in the town, and the ‘Council' considered that the riding system conduced to this, while the othter' system proposed was a stepin the wrong direction. The Chairman of the Whangamomona County Council explained that his Council had been unable to procure copies ofthe Bill, 1 and it had consequently not been discussed by his Council. _ The meeting then took the objections of the Stratford County Council seriatim, „ The members were unanimously of the opinion that no man who was not a ratepayer should be eligible to be elected. to the Provincial Council, though he might be allowed to take a part if elected- a representative on the Council. They also considered that the rating powers were excessive, that a poll should be taken before the raising of any loan; that the present system with regard to overdrafts is better than the proposed one; that the abolition of ridings cl,iuse should be ■struck out. Minor matters were also jf 1 ! dealth'with, and in many cases Whole clauses struck out. Mr. W. Hathaway was unanimously elected to represent the three bodies. In replying, Mr, Hathaway said he thanked' members very much for the honour done him. They could be sure, he Said, “that, lie would do one thing—his uttermost to kill the Bill in its present form. The Bill was a Socialistic measure, and had probably been asked; for by Socialists. If there was anything which would cause a civil war -in this fair and beautiful country, it was that same Local Government Bill, which would do it. The Mayor replied that he did not ■think' the Bill had been asked for or inspired by Socialists. He thought that whatever happened to the Bill itself, much good would come to the country as a whole from the deliberations in Wellington. The conference was then concluded.