COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 39, 14 August 1895, Page 2

COUNTIES' ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.

The Conference resumed at 10 o'olook this morning, the President (Mr. F. A. Majondie) in the chair. Mr. Flatman, II H E. (Mackenzie Count;), proposed : — " (a) That this Conference is of opinion that the Counties Aot, 1886, should bo amended as follows :— Seotion 124 —By the omission of the words ' by passing of a resolution,' in the second line, and insertion of the worda 'as follows ' in lieu thereof. Seotion 124, sub-section I—By1 — By the omission of the word ' adopted,' and the insertion of the word "passed" in lieu thereof. Seotion 301, snb-aeotion 2— By striking out the words 'they may be amended before adoption,' and inserting in lieu thereof, "I ho Council may, at the meoting held to confirm the resolution, malco any amendment in the by-law as Dassed at the first meeting, and the by-law bo amended shall be as effective as if it bad been passed in the amended form at the first meeting, providing the general tenor of the by-law bo not altered, (b) In every case where, by any enaotment, it is presoribed that the approval of the Minister of Public Works is necessary to the validity of any by-law made by the Counoil, the production of the Gazette purporting to contain notification of such approval, and also to contain a oopy of the by-law, Bhall bo oonolusive evidence, unless the contrary bo proved, that all notices havo been duly given and publications made, and meetings duly convened and held, and resolutions duly passed and confirmed, and other necessary steps taken and formalities performed that may have been required for the making of any by-law, and also that suon approval of the Minister has been duly given. Mr. Logan (Maniototo) seconded the motion, which was carried. Captain \M'Mahon (Waitemata) proposed — " That the law be amended so as to provide that the Government shall build and maintain all bridges which are 100 ft or more injength, and maintain those of that length now in existence, snoh length to bo computed as the distanco between the abutments at oaoh end of the said bridges." The motion was seconded by Mr. M'Gowan (Coromandel), and lost. Captain M'Mabon (Waitemata) proposed, " That the Government subsidise County Councils £ for £ for all moneys expended on main roads ; main roads to bo defined by the Surveyor-General." After considerable disoussion the debate was adjourned until to-morrow. The following motion by Mr. Peat (Patea] was lost :— " That the Government be again approaohed with the request that a oopy of the Local Government Bill be furnished to the Conference, and that a deputation wait upon the Premier to present the request, and meanwhile the Conference adjourn until the foHojpini* day," Mr. Harding (Hobson) proposed, "That the Government be recommended to make provision for the drainage of small areas within the samo county, as was provided for in section 209 of the Counties Aot, 1886." The motion was seconded by Mr. Allen, M.H.R. (Bruce), and carried. The Conference also passed the following motion, proposed by Captain M'Mabon (Waitemata), and seconded by Mr. Logan (Maniototo)—" That where there is any special traffic on any road under the jurisdiction of a County Council f rcm a borough or other district over which the County Council has no jurisdiction, to a cemetery, gravel pit, wharl, abattoir, slaughterhouse, or any other pare used to a large extent by said borough or other dißtriot, that they oontribute oqnal shares for the maintenance of that road from their boundary to said cemetery, gravel pit, wharf, &o." On the motion of Mr. Harding (Hobson), seconded by Mr. Mason (Wangaroi), it waß decided— l. "That the Government be requosted to vest all public reserves, domains, eemotorios, &c, within tho boundary of the local authority, in tho namo of such local authority ; with provision for each aeaount being kept separate, so as to provide againßt misappropriation of funds." 2 "That this Conference is of opinion that the local authority should bo oonsulted in tho laying out of roads which the local authority will bo called upon to mako and maintain." Mr. Field (Hutt) proposed, and Mr. Bowly (Taranaki) seconded, the following motion, which was carried — " That all nitivo lands— the title of whioh haß been ascertained and the relative interest of owners defined - situated within five miles of a legally defined road, be liable to contribute full general, separate, and special works rates." Another motion by Mr. Field—" That all native land — tho title of which has, or shall have been ascertained, and the relative interest of owners defined — which has already, or may hereafter, be included within tho boundaries of a loan district under the Local Bodies Loans Aot, shall bo liable for speoial ratos payable under the said Aot," was lost. Mr. Mason (Wangaroi) proposed, Mr. Monkhouse (Stratford) seconded, and it was carried — " That a simplification of tho Fublio Works Aot is required, in order to allow land to be acquired for roading purposes by local bodies with less expense." On the motion of Mr. Williams (Bay of Islands), seconded by Mr. Logon (Maniototo), it was deoidod that provision be made that whon at any time it comes to the knowledgo of a local body that some extraordinary traffic is to take place, the local body be given powor to compel tho person about to carry the eamo to divide the loads, or wait for lino weather, or to pay for the damage done. Mr. Harding (Hobson) proposed, and Mr. Hislop (Hawora) seconded, " That the Government bo requested to amend the Bating Aot so as to enable connty authorities to collect rates upon the value of the timber, &c , growing upon land when the persons acquiring tho rip-lit to out timber, &a , are not the owners of the land. 1 ' The motion was carried. It was decided, on the motion of Mr. Williams (Bay of Islands), seoonded by Captain M'Mahon (Waitemata)—" That the total any local body shall, if less than 2d 6d, be considered to bo 2s 6d." Captain M'Mahon (Waitemata) proposed, Mr. Logan (Maniototo) seconded, and it was carried— " That the Land Aot be amended so as to provide that whon Crown lands, which have been leased or Bold, are forfeited, the unpaid rates dne in respeot of such land shall bo a first charge upon the land." Mr. Harding (Hobson) moved, " That it shouW be made a part of the duty of the Commissioner of Crown Lands or Registrar of Deeds to notify the looil body immediately any Crown land is alienated." Seconded by Mr. Bolton (Pahiatua), and agreed to. Captain MacMahon (Waitsmata) proposed — " That no borough bo formed with a less population than 2000, and that every borough so formed must have an area of not more than one square mile to every thousand of population." This was oarried. Mr. Logan (Maniototo) moved — " That tho Government bo respectfully requested not to proceed beyond the seoond reading of the new Local Government Bill this session, to enable the local bodies to express an opinion thereon before it passes into law." Mr. Snow (Wairoa) seoonded the motion, which was agreed to. I Left sitting.]