COUNTY COUNCILS CONFERENCE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4176, 22 July 1901, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCILS CONFERENCE.

At Wednesday's sitting of the' above in Wellington, in the discussion on the County Councils Bill, it was resolved that the on ference would prefer that if town districts are abolished as selfgoverning bodies the counties shall have power on petition to define township districts, and have power to delegate the management of suoh district to a committee of five elected by the rate- 1 payers. On reaching that part of tho Bill relating to finance it was resolved to recommend the iaelu- ' sion. of a new clause* providing that one-half of the proceeds of the sale of standing timber on Grown lands bo paid to the county council where such Crown land is situated. A resolution was passed urging on the Government the advisability of making further subsidies to local bodies. The discussion upon the proposal to abolish road boards was lengthy, and the suggestion was strongly opposed by the Auckland representatives. Eventually the difficulty was got over by an amendment that where so desired the ratepayers should have an opportunity of deciding by a poll which form of government — county council or road board — they would adopt. The conference also resolved to recommend that the clause in the Bill providing for a residential qualification in connection with the franchise be struck out.