THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 18, 21 July 1898, Page 5

THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

0 FOURTH .DAY. The Conference resumed its sitting at half-past 9 o'clock this morning. THE LICENSING LAWS. Mr. P. A. Philips (Auckland) moved, " 'rh.it. licensing elections be in the hands of local authorities." As they were called upon to pay for tho-.e. elections they should control them, and lio believed they would do it with greater economy. Air. Soogland ((ireymouth) supported the motion, and so did the Mayor of Diuiedin (Mr. Cargiil), who thought!he present system of administration by Committees wa* a public nuisance, and the caii'-e of threat s-tril'e and annoyance. Stipendiary Magistrates were far more competent to administer the licensing law, and it would give more general satisfaction. The motion was carried. Another motion hy Mr. Philips that a proper definition should be given of where packet license fees shall be payable, was lost on tiie "'oices. Councillor Bellringer (New Plymouth) moved—" That it is desirable Councils have a more satisfactory control over billiard and other such rooms situate on other than hotel premises." It was contended that these rooms were harmful to young men, and required better regu'ation. Mr. Taylor (Dunediu) suggested the inclusion of dancing rooms, which were equally harmful. The mover accepted the suggestion, and the motion was then adopted. It wa«* also resolved, on the motion of the New Plymouth delegate — " That largelyincreased powers be conferred ou Councils re inspection of licensed premises and cancellation of licenses." It was explained that what was desired was power to cancel a license altogether on a conviction, and not to allow another person to come in and take up the license. THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. Coming back to this Bill, on the recommendation of the Committee specially set up to deal with the Bill, the Conference struck out part 42 of the Bill (relating to workers' dwellings), and clause 444 (setting out the mode of testing the validity of a bylaw; as being unnecessary. As to the qualifications of Councillors, it was proposed by -Mr. .Scotland (Greymouth) to amend clause 58 by adding a provision that the candidate must bp a ratepayer. It was aryued that a Councillor ought to have some stake in the community, to which the answer was made that there were mau3 r good men in a community who were not ratepayers, and the trend wa.«» to widen the franchise. The motion was carried. Clause 117, as to sanitation rate, was amended by the addition of the words '"'or any building or premises requiring sanitary attention." As to clause 370, relating to dairies, amendments were made on the motion of Grey mouth to prevent unregistered persons from trading, and giving Councils power to fix reuistration and inspection fees. The President pointed out that by the Bill which the Government was bridging in inspection was provided for, and would be entirely in the hands of the Government. polick assistance: Mr. P. A. Philips moved that it was desirable that the relative positions of the police and municipal authorities in boroughs be defined. It was urged that more assistance was required from the police in enforcing bylaws, and that at present great confusion existed as lo what length the police could go to assist the municipalities. The President remarked inter alia that both magistrates and the legal profession generally looked upon bylaws as fair game. The motion was carried. LOCAL BILLS. On the motion oi Auckland it was agreed " that no amendment be introduced in local Bills without consent of tho local body affected, or prior notification." INSPECTION OF PRIVATE HOSPITALS. Mr. Philips moved " that private hospitals and massage establishments be licensed and made subject to inspection.' There was an impression abroad that some massage establishments were nothing short of houses of rendezvous. The motion was carried. WIFE DESERTION. On the motion of the Grey town Council, it was resolved " that the Government endeavour to bring into operation a universal intercolonial law to treat all wife and children deserters as fugitives." THE CHINESE. It was also resolved, on the motion of Greytown, that it should be made an offence for any Chinese householder to harbour any European of immature age, any minor found on the premises to be prima facie evidence of harbouring. LIGHTING AND TRAMWAYS. The Mayor of Aucdland moved —"That electric powers for lighting and tramways be vested in local authorities controlled by a poll of ratepayers." Local authorities ought to be consulted on these matters. He instanced a case in which Auckland had not been consulted, but a Bill had been promoted against its express wish, and was now before Parliament. The motion was carried. MINOR MATTERS. On the motion of the Lyttelton delegate it was resolved :—": —" That Harbour Boards and other bodies retaining the foreshore of towns shall provide for drainage works across the reclamation, and " that the law relating to keeping separate accounts, such as water accounts, distinct from the general account, be altered, but this be limited to Lyttelton." On the motion of Auckland, it was decided that it was desirable to obtain statutoiy enactment with proper definition and power to levy fees, and generally to provide for the safety of inmates of lodging houses. TEST CASES. The question of provision being made for fighting test cases was raised by Councillor Bellringer (New Plymouth), aud it was resolved, on the motion of the President — " That provision be made for expense of fighting test cases of a nature geuerall}' affecting corporations, the costs incurred to be borne by members of tho Association pro raia, but that the amount shall not exceed £50 in any one year." It was further decided, on the motion of Mr. Taylor (Duuedin), that the Executive Committee should decide what was a proper case to be taken up. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of oflicers resulted as follows : —President, tho Mayor of Wellington for the time being; Vice-Presidents, the Mayors of Auckland, Christehurch, Dunedin, and Nelson; Executive Committee, the Mayors of Ash burton, Petone, Napier, Lower Hutt, and Mastertou, aud Councillors Harcourt ("Wellington) and Gray (Christchurch) ; Auditor, Councillor Myers (Wellington) ; Treasurer, Mr. T. F. Martin (Wellington), who was reappointed and highly complimented by several delegates upon his services not only to the Association but to Corporations generally. BONUSES. A bonus of £5 5s was voted to Mr. Blair, clerk to the Conference, and one of £2 2s to Mr. Taylor, messenger. t PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATION. The Committee, and any other members of the Association who happened to be iv town, were appointed to watch any legislation affecting municipalities which might be projected. This exhausted the original Order Paper, but a supplementary Order Paper was submitted and dealt with. RATING EXEMPTIONS. A resolution was passed ou the motion of the "Weßtport delegate (Mr. Colvin), in

favour of the rating of dwellings owned by Government and occupied by Government olVmals. The Town Clerk of Dunodin (Mr. Taylor) mo\ed — -''That this Conference desires to will the attention of the Government to the continual exemptions of rating being made by Act of Parliament, and requests that iv future local bodies should be consulted before any exemptions are allowed." Eventually the question was referred to a committee, eons/sting of Messrs. Philips, Taylor, Swan, and Trask, to draft a resolution and submit it to the Conference. DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS, ETC. On the motion of Mr. Swan (Napier), it was resolved that an effort be made to obtain further powers than already given under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, so as to enable the Councils to remove ruinous or half-burnt buildings. A proposal from N.ipior to preclude waste or impure water from being discharged into the street channels was lost. BILLS AND RETUItSS. It was resolved on the motion o£ Auckland to request the Government to supply adiliated boroughs with copies of all Bills affecting municipalities, and also with monthly or quarterly returns showing paymeuts of lines and penalties due to them which have been received by the Government. RETIRING" ALLOWANCES. The Mayor of Christehurch moved in the direction of legislative provision being made to enable cities or boroughs to grant annual retiring allowances to their officers alter a continuous service of not less than 25 years, such allowances in no cate to be more than two-thirds of the salary paid to the officer at the time of retirement. The Mayor of Napier suggested limiting the allowance to ouo-half the annual salary, but it was pointed out that by terms of the resolution there was nothing to prevent this beingdone, and some Couucils might prefer to grant the two-thirds. The motion was carried. The Conference at 12 o'clock adjourned until 3 p.m., the delegates in the meantime having lunched at Government House.