LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10069, 15 June 1910, Page 3

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

"ATTITUDE OF COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION.

CONFERENCE POSTPONED. The announcement made by Sir Joseph Ward at Winton recently in regard to the Local Government Bill has changed the position wi:h regard to .convening a conference of the New Zealand* Counties Association to discuss the Bill. In his speech the Premier, it wil be recollected, expressed his intentions in connection with the Bill in the following terms:— "I propose to affirm certain principles by resolution and upon that being done the Local Government Bill will be introduced and circulated and full for its consideration will be given to those concerned before it*is actually proceeded_with. Tfte matter is a moat important and necessarily far-reaching one, and presents many difficulties which, however, I trust, will be overcome." , In'view of this statement the New Zealand Counties'Asaociation notified the Masterton County Council at its meeting yesterday that it would be advisable to defer fixing the date of the proposed conference of delegates until the Prime Minister has placed his resolutions before the House, and when these are known the Executive ol the Association will take further action. The Association a?ked that the Council forward any remits that it desired to bring before the proposed conference. Cr Murray said he would like to see an alteration madejn regard to compiling county rolls, so as to allow of a person's name being put on a roll as soon as he Jbad purcbased'a property. According to the method at present vogue the purchaser might be unable to get his name on the roll for nearly twelve months. , The County Clerk stated that, in regard to loan proposals, where a person concerned had newly acquired a proposal he always asked this per sou to sign the consent. Cr Murray then moved that a remit be forwarded to the bounties' Associations Conference, recommending that an alteration be made in connection with County electoral rolls, so as to allow of a person's name being put on the roll as soon as a property is purchased. Cr Welch seconded the motion, which was carried. Ur Weich"~stated that there was a very large quantity of Australian hardwood used in connection with public *works, such as bridge building, and upon this class of timber there was a duty of some 20 or 25 per cent. He considered that where Australian hardwood was required for public works it should [be admitted into the Dominion free of duty, and he moved that a remit to this effect be forwarded to the Conference. Cr Murray said he was heartily in accord with the motion, which he seconded. Other councillor held similar views to Cr Welch, and the motion was carried.