THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8241, 20 September 1906, Page 7

THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

The Mayor and Town Clerk sub/mitted the following report to the Masterton Borough Ooiinoil on Tuesday evening, in the business transacted at the recent Municipal Conference in Wellington:— The Municipal Conference opened on Monday September 3rd, in the OUy CouncilSChamber, Wellington, and lasted until niter noon on the 6th. Inst., after which a deputation waited on the Colonial Secretary with the results of the Conference and later on a meeting of the Executive Committee waß held. The business done at the Conference covered wide ground, dealing with the Municipal Corporations , Rating, Public Works, Public Health, Slaughtering, and inspection, Local Bodies Loans, and other acts affeoting Muncipalities. The roslolution carried embraaed the following:—To legalise the card system for Elector's Rolls; To provide that all claims to go on the Electors' Roll must be in 21 days b.flfore any poll, to allow of checKlng before the Roll is closed, (14 days before a poll); To revert to the old system after \ next biennial election of Councillors v- —of eleotlon of one-third of the Council annually; To revert to the old system of crossing out names or proposal voted against instead of putting a cross opposite the one voted for; To close polls iu Borbughs at 6 p.m.—unless by Order in-C"UDOiI of a Borough; To allow payment of Councillor's travelling expenses when travelling oa Council business; To allow Councils to fix quorum of committees—or committee to fix their own quorum if the Council does it; To alter date of Government valuations from 31st March to 31st December, to prevent delay in striking rates; To give Councils power to appoint one member of the Assessment Court; To make all rates on thejunimproved basis where that system is adopted, and to fix a definite limit of rating power; To enable a Sanitation rate to be made sufficient to cover cost of - work done, and to inolude removal of trade refuse, etc., in Sanitation work; To provide for rating Workmen's Homes, or other occupied. Crown property; To provide for * amalgamating rates into one column in the rate book; To make clearer provisions as to signatures of Rate Collectors, etc.; To make 10 per cent penalty part of the rate if rate unpaid after 6 months and ? weeks from day rate due; To simplify provisions for rate judgements; To enable Council to keep one Bankaooount inoluding Loan moneys; To provide that a Balance-sheet is j "published" and notice advertised that printed copies are obtainable; To provide for the audit and profit and loss accounts by the Audit Department; To make footpath charges recoverable as a separate rate; To enable Councils to oharge half-cost of kerbing and channelling to footpaths where such work has not been done previously; To repeal the portion in the Act limiting certain provisions to private streets of "not less that 20 feet in width," so far as the words quoted are concerned; To compel removal of trees that overshadow the road; To cet a road and street alignment act passed; To provide for uniform Plumber's Examinations for the Colony; To provide against wilful waste of water; To make provisions for Compulsory acquiring of Gasworks by Corportion?, sunply of eleotriclty by contract, and outside Boroughs; To apply the "Sunday provisions" to Good Friday and Christmas Day; To make Borough By laws operate in oase of buildings on Crown Leasehold property; To obtain the active assistance of the police in enforcing By-laws; To provide that vacancies on Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards shall not be filled by the Board appointing, but by election by the looal bodies affected; To provide that any member ceasing to become a Councillor shall thereby vacate his seat as their representative or any other Board; To pro vide that Board shall publish Audited Balance-sheets; To provide a less costly method of electing Licensing Committees; To give Councils power to borrow a further 10 per cent, without a poll when a loan is insufficient; To provide for abbreviating Loan proposals on the voting papers; To enable Treasury t« lend up to £7,000 in any one year for construction ot Gasworks; To provide for consolidating loans from the Treasury irrespective of aggregate; To provide that all dairy cows shall be submitted to the tuberculosis test; To proivde regulations for licensing butohers' shops, minimising dust, and as to butohers' carts, etc. Also regulations and provisions with regard to hairdressing and shaving saloons. (Copy of these attached). To give Boroughs the same power as Road Boards to enter on a certain class of property and take metal, subject to conpensation for injury done; To extend Abattoir distriot three miles from boundaries; To allow as abatement of compensation claims betterment arising from subdivision of land, as well as from street widening; To compel owners to notify Council of intention to dedicate land for street widening—--33 feet from centre line -also to notify when landl being bought under the of the Land Transfer Aot, or subdivision for sale; To provide that when markets are established by Municipality stock, eto., shall not be sold hy auction in any other place within a radius of three miles; To give power to regulate erection of saie yards, etc., for sale of stock, and provide for removal of existing sale yards and premises; To apply the public Bodies Powers Aot to Municipal Corporations as greater Dowers of leasing, etc., are contained there. The Conference carried a resolution that all Municipal Offices should olose for a fortnight each year at Ohriatmans, to make a uniform holi day throughout the Colony. The Conference passed the Bill prepared by the Association's Solioitor, incorporating the Association, and providing for a scheme of superannuation. It was deoided that the scheme should apply to all permanent employees and the preparation of it was left to the Executive Committee. The latter body went into the matter and deoided to ndopt a scheme on the lineß of the Teaohera' Superannuation soheme,

and to obtain the necessary Actuarial calculations for it. For this purpose a small,speoial levy is to be made on the afflited Boroughs. The definition of Common Lodging House whiob took up considerable time was referred to a small Committee who ultimately left it in fhe hands of the Association's Solicitor to prepare. You will be gratified to know that Mastertou has again been honoured by the appointment of the Mayor on the executive Committee. During the week of the Conference the Wellington City Couucii incited the delegates to uu outing iu the country and an organ reoital in the lown Hall and their treatment of the delegates was much appreciated.