LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 281, 24 May 1912, Page 5

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL

POSITION OF LARGE CITIES. ' By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. The Local Bodies' Conference resumed its sitting this morning. The various committees submitted their reports. The Municipal Committee reported against the inclusion in the Bill of large city and suburban boroughs, and recommended the appointment of a commission to report as to which of the smaller rural bodies and road boards adjoining cities could be amalgamated with the counties of adjoining boroughs. Further recommendations were that the system of subsidies to boroughs be continued; that special legislation be provided for town planning; that the subdivision of suburban areas for subdivision be more strictly supervised, and that any town planning authority should be representative of the local authorities affected. Mr. Parr, chairman of the committer, in explanation of the report, said that the cities were quite willing that their subsidies should go to the country, but they did not wish the small boroughs to lose their subsidies. As the cities and large boroughs required special facilities for dealing with their own special enterprises and activities, thev should be excluded from the scope of the Bill. IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS. Wellington, Last Night. The Local Government Committee No. 1 reported in favor of the formation of local government boards, to take over and exercise the functions of the Minister and Governor-in-Council, such boards to consist of three members appointed by Parliament for a fixed term of not less than five years, with the Minister as a member of the board ex officio, and members of Parliament not to be eligible. The committee reported against provincial councils, but favored the substitution of a system of increased subsidies on some definite principle, instead of the distribution of public moneys by promiscuous grants for roads, bridges, etc. All engagements already made should, however, be carried out. The Government should completely road all new lands, and subsidies should he regulated by the necessities of a district, rather than by the amount of rates collected. Parliament should annually set aside a sum for -subsidies, which would be divided among local bodies on a definite principle. The committee favored the adoption of the New South Wales system regarding subsidies, and recommended that local bodies Ibe authorised jto invest sinking funds through their own commissioners, excepting loans granted by the Government Advances Board. The committee was of opinion that the sanction of the Local Government Board should not be necessary before a loan is obtained; that powers to borrow should I be limited only by the vote of the ratepayers; and that local loans be obtainable from the. State Guaranteed Department, but, failing an advance of loans by that Department, loans should be admissible from elsewhere, i The Hospitals and Education CommitI tee m regarding hospitals that 'Part W from the Bill, the pre- »-' ••"'inr amendments being satisfactory, id recommended to the Department the admissibility of altering boundaries, of placing upon the estiI mates a sufficient sum annually to cope I with «onsumption, of establishing reI celving homes for mental incipient cases I in large centres, of charging to mental authorities the treatment of habitual inebriates and of amending the Destitute I Persons Act. Regardiig education the committee recommended that Part 10 of the Bill, bf eliminated, and that-the Minister should consider the Improvement of boundaries, the question of subsidies for technical and manual training and secondary work, and ask? that the result of such inquiries be communicated to the boards before any amendment to the law is j made. The counties, road, and town boards committee, proceeding on the assumption that the proposed provincial districts be abolished, recommended that all domain boards within counties be vested in county councils or municipalities; that the present dual system of control by counties and road districts should cease, and the county system be retained, and that a poll be taken for merging road boards into counties; that town districts with a population of over 500 be formed into boroughs, and under 500 be merged into counties; that cemetery boards be treated similarly to road boards; that river drainage and water supply districts operating within the confines of a county be abolished; that where there is no harbor board the county council should exercise these duties; that the number of counties be reduced; that the present system of county franchise and ridings representation be retained; that a uniform system of accounts be adopted for local bodies; that the present system of triennial elections be retained. THE REPORTS ADOPTED. THE CONFERENCE CLOSED. Wellington, Last Night. The finding of the committee that a local government board be set up was thrown out on the voices. A discussion arose over a query, which oringally emanated from the jfinister, as to whether the sanction of the local government board-—or in event of it not being set up by the Governor-in-Council —should be necessary before a loan was obtained.

The committee decided to sanction no works not necessary. Mr. Russell informed the conference that he was not prepared to accept the responsibility of limiting the borrowing power of local bodies. Mr. Parr (Auckland) thought that it was useless passing a motion affirming a general restriction of borrowing powers, without stating what that restriction should he. He held that while the voting on a loan proposal was frequently very small, he had always taken the apathy so displayed to mean a general approval of the proposal. Clause 8, sub-clause 1, of the committee's finding—-that the sanction of the local government board be necessary before a loan is obtained—was thrown out by the conference. The balance of .the report was "then adopted, except clause 7, which was held over for later consideration. The report of No. 2 committee was considered and adopted without clauses 8 and 4, which were held over for further consideration. The proposal to set up a committee of inquiry to decide which road boards adjoining cities or boroughs arc unnecessary was carried on the voices. The conference approved of the county system of control in other districts. The clause relating to triennial elections, which it was recommended should apply to all local bodies, all elections to be held on the same day, was adopted. Dealing with the report of the hospitals committee, Mr. Russell said that he was of opinion that the Government should at once tackle the question of the white plague. In future lady and gentlemen medical officers would examine the children of the schools from a health point of view. The Government

I hoped thereby to (race the source of j consumption, with the idea that parents may be informed of the health conditions of the children bo that they might be isolated if necessary. The Minister also favored the institution of a home for those suffering from temporary mental aberration. He explained that some cases which were really temporary now became permanent through being into contact, and forced to remain with confirmed mental defectives. Dr. Collins (Gisborne) made an earnest plea for the centralisation of hospitals, pointing out the advantages accruing from such a course of procedure. The committe's report was then adopted. All the reports were then . adopted with minor amendments. The Prime Minister thanked the delegates for the close study they had given to their subjects. The delegates thanked the Minister in charge of the conference for the excellent manner in which he had conducted tlie conference, one delegate stating that it was gratifying to know that Parliamentary grants would be put on a more equitable system than heretofore. He commented on the invariable tact of the Minister in charge. Mr. Russell, replying, said that the conference had attended to its duties in a thorough manner, and Parliament might, with advantage, take a lesson from the manner in which flic, conference had been, conducted. He informed the conference that be bad decided that counties must be enlarged. Instead of having, as now, 1?0 counties, there should be cnlv soirie fnr'-'r or Aft v. Mr. Russell then declared the confer""™ dosed, the delegates singing the National Anthem and giving three cheers for Mr. Russell and the Prime Minister.