MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 914, 6 March 1930, Page 14

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

CONFERENCE IN INVERCARGILL Press Association INVERCARGILL., Wednesday. The Dominion Conference of the Municipal Association opened today. There are 300 delegates. The Hon. F. A. de la Ferrelle. Minister of Internal Affairs, was present, and in his speech reviewed the progress of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill. He urged that delegates should give most careful thought to the rating of farm lands in boroughs The Government would give the most serious consideration to any recommendations which the conference might make. If delegates could show that the Government’s proposal was wrong, or that there was a better method of dealing with the question, then it would be his earnest desire to bring about some state of affairs which would be satisfactory to all parties. Lt was decided to request the Government to give facilities to municipalities to purchase electric energy direct from the Public Works Department on terms as favourable as those granted to power boards. A Wellington remit was adopted whereby authority was sought for local bodies to regulate fire escapes in all buildings, and tc enforce provisions for the prevention of fire in public buildings. It was also decided to request the Government to make regulations for the proper control of pedestrian and equestrian traffic, which should b& applicable to the Dominion as a whole.