MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 194, 6 August 1908, Page 2

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Uy ielegrajih.— Press Association. Wellington, Last i\iguc. 'i'he Mun.cip.il Luiuuivncu concluded to-day. Hcsuuiuous were adopted as follows:—That Councils slum have don asked whether it was true that or electric lignt works wider inc Public Works Act; that judgments for rates should be made a first cilarge on laud; that where rating is on the unimproved value, the relund of rates on unoccupied dwellings should only npnly to water and sanitary rates; tnat the Rating Act should be amended so that the iu per cent, penalty shall be part ■ of the rates alter six mouihs irom their due date, and may be recoverable as a separate rate; that the Kating Act be amended to make all lands and buildings mentioned in section 2 liable to'rating, when such lands and buildi."gs are let, leased or used for revenueproducing purposes; that when municipal markets, arc established in boroughs of not-less than 10,000 inhabitants, all auction sale of fish ana Iruit be held in such markets; that all waterworks' rates should to-rated on tne unimproved value. Officers tfero elected as follows:—President, Jiislop (.Mayor of Wellington); vie*.' presidents, Alayorg of Auckland, Christ-' 1 ' church, Duncdin, and Nulson; executive,' Mayors of Petoiie, Lower Hutt, Palnicrston North, Karori, Onslow, Masterlon, and Councillor Hindmarsh (Wellington) secretary; legal adviser and treasurer, Mr. T. K Martin; Mr. A. S. Hiss (Wellington).

THE tfLAUUHTKKIiNG ACT. Wellington, Last Night. Thu Municipal Conference to-day discussed several remits regarding the slaughtering and inspection Act. it was eventually decided that the Act be amended so as to place the slaughtering of swiue on the same footing as that of other stock. A motion from Timaru that no slaughterhouses be permitted or licensed within three miles from any part of the boundaries of an abattoir district was rejected. The need of a clearing house was affirmed in a remit sent from Dunedin and Oamaru, that a Jiill be passed to admit of local authorities setting apart a clearing house or some such similar provision for meat inspection.

IMPUTATION TO THE PHKMIKIi. Wellington, Last Delegates iroiu the Municipal Cmili r euro interviewed Sir Joseph Ward tui.l Or. l<'indlay thU_afternoonj}and kid before them the resolutions passed by the Conference, Sir Joseph Ward stated, jii regard to superannuation, that the CloYcmment expected to carry an lurendment of the Act Uiia session, and there was a Bill on the stocks dealing with the superannuation of the employees of local bodies. The tiovcrnment was going into the whole matter in respect to loans to local bodies, aii amendment giving the powers asked for by the Conference was being brought down this session. The i'remier said he was in favor of niunicipalisation of gasworks, but they would not got legislation through this session, providing for the compulsory acquisition of gasworks, 'flic Hon. Vindlay, referriug to the Corporation Contracts Bill, said the Judges in the Court of Appeal liad more than once expressed the opinion that the absence of a corporation seal ought not in good morality to bo raised.