LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 115, 14 May 1912, Page 2

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

■■ ■' ' ■ >m ■ —m THE BILL CONDEMNED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. The Bruce County Council adversely criticised the Local Government Bill. The general' opinion was that the County Councils desired no such drastic changes as was proposed. It was unanimously resolved that the Council condemns the main principles of the bill, and objects strenuously to the proposed Local Government Board, which would override the rulings of the elective bodies. It also ODJected to the re-establishment of provincial councils. The proposals to provide for elections every second year were objected to as a needless addition to expense. TIMARU, this day. At a meeting of South Canterbury local bodies' delegates to-day, Messrs. W. S. Maslin and C. N. Orbell were appointed to attend the Wellington conference on the Local (iovernment Bill. A resolution was passed that while improvements in the present laws would be appreciated, . the bill was not acceptable, and its adop- ! tion would) increase the cost and lessen i the efficiency of Ibcal government; CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. A conference of representatives of the local governing bodies was held this morning to consider the Local Government Bill. The conference was convened i by the chairman of the Hospital and \ Charitable Aid Board, Mr. F. Horrell, at the request of the Minister for Internal , Affairs. Mr. Horrell presided over a very large attendance of representatives of every department of local government in North Canterbury. Messrs. 11. Heaton Rhodes, M.P., and George Witty, M.P., were also present. The following motion was carried: ''That this meeting of delegates, while fully recognising the neces- ] sity for an improved system of local government, and appreciating the action of the Government in summoning a conference at Wellington to consider the question, does not approve of the bill as at present drafted, but is prepared to send delegates to Wellington to confer with the Minister for Internal Affairs as to the manner in which the bill should be amended." Seven delegates were appointed to represent the North Canterbury district at the conference.