LOCAL BODIES’ CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24985, 20 September 1946, Page 6

LOCAL BODIES’ CONFERENCE

NO DELEGATE FROM WAIMAIRI RESCISSION MOTION FAILS After an attempt by one councillor to introduce a notice of motion that the previous resolution (not to send a delegate to the annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association iq Nelson next month) should be rescinded, the Waimairi County Council decided last evening to adhere to its decision. A letter from the association, asking the council to reconsider its decision and not impair the representative nature of the conference, having been read, Cr. H. Kitson, who presided, said the council had come in for a lot of condemnation for its decision “If we had anything to hying forward, or if any of the matters they discuss concerned us, it would not be-so bad, but I still adhere to my previous statement that it is a waste of time/’ Cr. Kitson said. “The executive of the association is quite capable of handling any matters brought up and to send all these delegates to Nelson is only spending ratepayers’ money unnecessarily. There are 15 conferences a year now to which local bodies are expected to send representatives. As for the North v. South Island issue, thank God this council is not for ever moaning that the North Island is getting something which we are not By all means fight, but preserve us from moaning. Surely the merits of the South Island must commend themselves.” “The pendulum is already swinging in our direction,” said Cr. J. Halligan. “We have the space and the power.” Cr. W. J. Green asked why the council should not be represented at the conference. “We can’t always persist in this dog-in-a-manger attitude,” he “Would you like to go?” asked Cr. Kitson. “You know very well that I can’t go. You can’t pass the buck to me like that,” Cr. Green replied. “I have asked other councillors if they wanted to go, and they said no,” said Cr. Kitson. After reading a list of councillors of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association (which he claimed was dominated by the municipalities), Cr. Kitson said the minutes indicated that no matters of concern to Waimairi were discussed. •

Cr. Green said that Waimairi might get the seed-testing station if representations of the South Island were successful. When he moved that Cr. Stackhouse represent the council at the conference, it was ruled that notice of motion to rescind a resolution was required. As the matter required immediate decision, Cr. Kitson agreed to\ receive such notice if all councillors were unanimous. Cr. Green voted in favotir of this course I and Cr. Halligan against it, other councillors remaining silent. “The Canterbury- Progress League renresents us, anyway,”iiaid Cr. Kitson. “We are members of the association.”

“I don’t like the publicity we have had in the newspapers on this matter,” said Cr. Stackhouse.

“I don’t like the publicity either,” said Cr. Halligan, “but I like less backing down to a local body which would like to be running Waimairi as well as a city. I’ve attended one of the meetings of the association and, as far as I could see, everyone had an axe to grind and everyone wanted his own little place popularised.”