MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 161, 9 July 1910, Page 7

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

FINDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. L. J. Bagnail) and the Town Clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson) returned to Auckland. thi3 morning by the Main Trunk train from Wellington, after attending the Municipal Conference, which has been sitting during the week. The idea of this gathering, which is an annual affair, is to get the combined wisdom and experience of the various -municipal bodies throughout the Dominion crystallised into resolutions, which are submitted to the Government to act as a guide in amending the legislation concerning the control of local bodies. Mr. Bagnall told a "Star" reporter this morning that a lot of good work had been done, and he was very hopeful that legislative effect would be given to the recommendations. Nothing that is likely to be a fruitful source of debate will be included in the bill that the Government ds to bring down, and the Prime Minister has assured a deputation that the fullest consideration would be extended to any recommendations upon which the feeling of the conference was in accord. ' An important question I submitted by Auckland to the conference was the street-Jiawking nuisance. The Council asked for larger powers regulating the hawkers in the main.thoronghfares, like Queen-street. The conference confirmed j ■the desirability of councils having more power'than at present, but would not go the length of - saying that power, should be given to prohibit hawking in any street. The appointment of sinking fund commissioners, which the Government has taken out of the hands of the local bodies, evoked a long discussion, and it was decided to recommend that councils should have the power to appoint their own commissioners in respect of loans not guaranteed by the State. One of the Christchureh recommendations provided that all fish and fruit in a city or borough where there was a i municipal market should be sold at such market after inspection by a Government inspector. This had caused a good deal of uneasiness in some minds', but Mr. Bagnall did not think it was alt all likely to be made iaw. There wa3 a good deal of difference of opinion about it, and for the reason that he had explained it was not likely to be taken up by the Government. Mr. Bagnall pointed out that in any case it , would only apply where the city or borough had a municipal market. Mr. Wm. Handley (Mayor of Devonport), another delegate, also returned this morning. Mr. Handley expresses himself as highly pleased with the work of the conference, and believes that if some of the resolutions passed can be made law they will greatly assist the progress of municipal affairs.