CONFERENCE “STUNT”

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 104, 27 January 1931, Page 16

CONFERENCE “STUNT”

Considered Overdone

COUNCILLORS’ OPINIONS

When a motion, that, two representatives from the Petone Borough Council should attend the next Conference of the Municipal Association at Rotorua, commencing on March 4, was put before a meeting of the borough council last evening, opposition to the proposal came from Councillor J.-W. Longman. Councillor Longman considered that the conference “stunt” was overdone, and thought that in view of the present financial stringency the council should not be represented this year. In his opinion the money would be better in providing funds for unemployment relief work. He referred to the trip to Rotorua as a “joyride.”

“I would like you to have the ‘joyride,’ Councillor Longman,” said the Mayor, Mr. D. McKenzie. “There is not much of a ‘joy-ride’ about the conference, my friend. It is really the municipal parliament of New Zealand, and it is no use talking like that.” Councillor Longman : I think every one has a right to his own opinion. ■The Mayor: Yes, you have said that many times. Councillor C. P. Brockelbanlf said that the question before the council was whether it was justified in spending the money at the present time. The Mayor had said that the conference was a parliament, but did not have any power. It could merely pass its decisions on to some other body. He had never seen any results from the conference. He could not remember anything that had been brought into law as the outcome of the conference. He .would like to know, anyway, how much it would cost to send the delegates away.

The Mayor: You are an old councillor. You ought to know. Councillor Brockelbank: I have never been.

In answer to a question from Councillor Noble, the town clerk said that the cost for the two delegates would not be excessive.

Money Back in Long Run.

In the opinion of Councillor J. C. Burns, the money would be well spent. They had to depend on the town clerk for the administration of their affairs, and the more of these conferences 'he could attend, the‘more he would learn of borough administration, and in the long run they would get the money back by the consequent reduced expenditure. He had heard before of the saving that the town clerk had effected to the borough,' and no doubt it was because of the experience he had gained as a result of mixing with other officers at those conferences. He thought that they would be getting the money back in the long run. i Conference Would Do No Harm. In favouring the motion, Councillor V. E. Jacobsen said that the council should always be abreast and ahead of the times. ,He thought it was a question of putting money into unemployment work as weighed against broadening their knowledge and administrative ability. He Ilgreed that conferences were apt to be overdone at times, but in this instance he thought it could do no harm. The motion, that the Mayor and town clerk should .attend the conference at Rotorua wasi carried, Councillor Longman being the only disentient.