MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 184, 3 August 1908, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The tenth annual conference of the Municipal Association was opened today, Mr Ilislop, Mayor of Wellington, presiding. The Chairman, in -welcoming the delegates, said the conference had not received much encouragement in the past, but it was hoped that its deliberations in future would have greater weight with the Government. It was resolved that the conference consider the advisableness of local bodies establishing a joint accident fund; that in compiling the district electors' list of boroughs divided into words, instead of providing separate lists for each ward, the names of electors in all wards shall be incorporated in a combined list, such list to contain separate columns, showing in which ward each elector is entitled to vote. A motion was proposed extending municipal franchise to all adult persons, in so far as elections are concerned. The mover explained that under the present law half a dozen people could get registration if they had a lease of a single living room. v This, it was contended, ■was unfair to the people who were paying heavier sums for board and lodging, and who were ineligible to vote. The motion -was lost by 20 votes to 24. It was decided that the district electors' rolls of boroughs should be the electoral rolls used at all elections and polls by local authorities within boroughs; that all such elections and polls should be under the provisions of the Local Elections Act. Provision should al?o be made to adopt district electors* rolls for uee at drainage board, tramway UoaTd, river borough, or other local election for the purpose of any poll under the Local Bodies Loan Act, and of any other statute relating to the raising of loans affecting ratepayers. The council shall be empowered to eliminate from the rolls names of electors who do not poesess the ratepayers' qualification referred to in the statute authorising the raising of the loan. A proposal to prevent plumping at municipal elections was thrown out on the voices. A motion that the term of office of mayor shall be two years was also rejected. ~—*"* I