CITIES AND TOWNS

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 11 February 1927, Page 7

CITIES AND TOWNS

municipal conference. REMITS DISCUSSED. (PBESS ISBOCUTIOB TBLIQBVM.) PALMERSTON N., February 10. Tho Municipal Conference was continued this morning, when Mr Hammond, Director of Town Planning, addressed delegates on tho salient features of the Act. Replying to questions he said that a town planmiiL for «f • !»™»B b °" ls *th«»^S» k S b y"th. to know the names and occupations oi SKond Sf *« cils to prepare, under the planning snowing.' u-tor 1 filarca comprised in the bo t, it j ciset i, ss ? plan of the" (it ?- ....[..j urging 1111 A remit «as Municipal Corpura.aniendmcnt °L[', ' blim i duty be not Seiblo mr localJ^^^.ent a remit that tnt u \i a ;» ?o abolish the present ]and) Hoard and set up 01 h wti a •terrf interests of the would be "> 11,1 country. . | ;l substantial Tho remit wa» lost "> majority. Motor Legislation. ■n* • Co, t e Ku. d, KS «» f lcgislation at . jr consideration b> solutions passed . following:— tbo Government - ftlih „g Lhat any person a misto answer applying for leading statcn*cii t 0 f a drivers license be U.»" lc £lO. ir . r„r (lit owner That it U> n i'. V ,U To »How it to be 3d° f i publish i" the Gazette. i o ,, irv for licensing Tlmt .t be niamUUtrj to drl . authorities to test applicants vers' licenses. . , p( ,v«.riiin" moThat the rcgulat.oi , y en>. , tiiin tor lorr.es be amon<l« in the _ that either fourteen or-sixteen ■«er» he computed equal to ~ ( That the amount ilcdiirtahlo '. 'nW«n» »r jt !■"«? JX wWtaW Landed .. ** pn^.«» V u ' «oro.. e h Council that a council have power _ orohibit the use of iron shod veh, £'*f in streets coated with bitpen or other

similar material was defeated, the Taranaki delegates declaring that the effect would bo to drive iron shod Vehicles out of the district. The proposal by Christchurch that tho minimum ago of persons to whom drivers' licenses may bo issued be raised from fifteen to sixteen was agreed to. . . The fact that tho larger cities are hapdicapped in the work of planting trees on streets by reason of liability in case of accidents was mentioned by Mr Norwood (Mhyor of Wellington), speaking in support of a remit that local bodies bo given .absolute power to plant trees on streets. Wellington and Christchurch, he stated, could not do the same as Palmcrston North by way of planting and wanted authority to beautify the 'streets without, liability. The remit was agreed to. . Municipal Elections. Tho conference decided to make representations to .the Government urging that tho term of olticc of .Mayors and Councillors be for a longer period than the present term of two years. That legislation Ihj obtained to prevent claims requiring public halt owncrs to pay license fees to companies claiming to have copyright over songs and public productions. That the Municipal Corporations Act bo amended that whero drain connexions have to be made to premises it lie mandatory that such connexions bo executed simultaneously with the construction of such sewers in order to avoid the heavy expense of two separate reinstatements of the highway concerned, tho cost of such connexion to be recoverable from tho owner or occupier of tho premises. Tho conference resolved to protest to tho Government against the action of the Commissioner of Police in disclaiming responsibility over control of special traffic to races, throwing the onus upon tho local bodies concerned. It was decided to meet next year at Nelson, Mr Lock, Mayor of that city, automatically becoming president. The vice-presidents ara the Mayors of the four centres and Palmcrston North. Tho executivo consists of the Mayors of Danucvirke, Greymouth, Wanganui, Inrercargill, Timaru, Upper Hutt, Newmarket, and the chairman of the Johnsonvillc and New Lynn Town Boards. By a majority decision tho conference decided not to take up the appeal of tho Cambridge Borough Council against the decision of th<S Full Supremo Court holding convent schools exempt from rates.