ANNUAL COUNTIES CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 9

ANNUAL COUNTIES CONFERENCE.

(pnF.B3 ASSOCIATION 7FI EGIU\f.) AVKLLI.NGTOX, July 0. The nnnual Couiities' Conlerence opened liere to-diy. dcifjrato- being present from all puiU of tho colo'iy. Mr A. Jull, who is piesiding, in his address as President, s;iitl the pre>fnt Counties Act left much room for improvement, a fact whkh was evidenced hy the feeling of dissatisfaction manifested in various parts of the country by tlio subdivision of existing counties. To his mind, oue contributing causo was the present method of distribution of tho Government subsislv. which gave twice the amount of subsidy in the pound to counties which collected up to £1000 in rnte>- r.i. as;ain«t those counties which collected over £2000, and in the case ot counties consist ing partly of road boards and partly nf outlying districts there was a still greater reduction, irrespective of uluit-c-ver rntes were collected. For many years tlio Association h.id endeavoured to cfcure a n - .r>re equitable apportionment of tlie subsidy, and the graduated system be"? , -"? I'prn the atrount of rates struck hn* heen reeomTcm'rd to the Government. After reviewing tho various Acts allectim; emiutiof.. tl:e Chairman stated that it w.?5 honf-d tl- t incisures would be pa?sod whi,-h v.-nvlj reflect creditably upon the riovrrnrnent, and he 1 monument to tho fffor - s of the Xew Zea!«n 1 Counties Assc-ci-itim. The Conference i?pent the nftemoon considering the Local Government Bill.