MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 226, 17 June 1915, Page 3

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

WELLINGTON, June 16. The Mayor of Wellington presided over a meeting of the Legislative and Executive Committee of the Municipal Association of New Zealand at the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Au inquiry was received from a corporation as to the power to make salary and wage payments to employees who hav e enlisted. The secretary has replied that he thought it was necessary to have legal sanction for such a course. He was instructed to prepare a draft of legislation to be submitted to the Government making such, action legal. Mr Luke remarked that where an employee of the Wellington City Council was getting less on active service than in the Corporation employ the difference was made up by tbs Council.

The Minister for Internal Affairs wrote asking for the opinion of the committee on the propsai for the remission of rates due by those absent on active service. It was pointed out that as the law stood the property of a ratepayer might be confiscated while he was at the front. A member o fthe committee remarked that the Council could remit rates in the case of extreme poverty.

The secretary was instructed to prepare legislation allowing rates to be remitited, or their collection postponed over two years without losing the right of collection.

The committee agreed that power should be given to councils to establish their own accident funds; to prohibit the importation into a district of sec-ond-hand timber and to purchase land on terms. Remits to this effect had been carried at the 1914 conference. A resolution was carried in favour of Government Departments such as the Tourist Department, the Insurance. Department and the State Coal Department, which enter into competition with private business firms, paying the ordinary municipal rates. An additional motion proposed by Mr Baldwin, and carried unanimously recommended that rates should be payable mi the land bought by the Government for workers’ cottages not yet erected. It was held in this connection that the State should be on the same footing as a private owner.

A resolution was passed calling upon the Government to give effect to a remit passed at the last Conference urging the repeal of section 117 of the Public Works Act (the “compulsory dedication” clause) or in the alternative to give the local authority the right to approve of the dedication. The committee agreed that the present system of street widening was not cf practical use. Tim following motion by Mr Holland (Christchurch) was passed: “That t.h/. Municipal Corporations Act, 1910. be amended in the direction of providing for seme valuation assistance to be given to local broies bv tS o Government Department in assessing the value.of improvements effected by street widening, subject to the right of appeal by such party.” It was decided to - recommend the amendment of the Proportional Hep re-.

Mentation Act of 1914 so as to allcrw ,i Council to retain cilice till its su®eossor is appointed; in the case of divided boroughs to amend the Local Representations Act so as to dispense with a scrutiny unless such is called for by one of the candidates; and that the Municipal Corporations Act and the Municipal Loans Act be consolidated