CIVIC GOVERNMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 4, 5 July 1910, Page 10

CIVIC GOVERNMENT.

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. VARIOUS QUESTIONS DIEN CUSSED.

The Municipal Conference continued its sittings yesterday afternoon, the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford) presiding. REMITS REJECTED. . A' remit from Napier submitted that when an extraordinary vacancy, caused by the death or resignation of a councillor, occurs within three months of tho date fixed for the biennial election of councillors, it shall not be necessary to hold 'an election to fill the vacancy. In. putting the remit before the conference, Mr. J. A. .Millar (Hastings) urged that it was / quite an unnecessary expense to put a borough to for so short a period. Mr. J. Vigor Brown (Napier) said that if the motion was carried ,it would probably mean that a council ' on occasion would not be able to raise a quorum. He instanced the case of Napier, a short while ago, when several councillors lost their seats, and there was no meeting of the council until a re-election secured a quorum. ■ The remit was rejected, and the one 'submitted at the -previous conference, •providing that the council has power to fill the vacancy, stands. , A further remit from Hastings, that the Town Clerk, "or any othai 1 ' officer appointed by the council for that purpose," should have power to sign orders, was also rejected. UNIFORM RATING. Mr. W. A. Ott (InvercargQl) moved . — That when a number of adjoining boroughs form themselves into one united borough, where the rating is under different systems, power be given so that the council may adopt one uniform system for the whole united borough. This, it was explained, was sought because Invercargill had recently absorbed a number of adjoining boroughs. The remit was altered to read that "power be given to the council to 'take a poll of ratepayers' to adopt a one uniform system of rating," and carried. ACCOUNTS. "That Municipal Opera House (or other place of amusement) accounts be kept as separate accounts." — Moved by Mr. Haydon (Palmerston North), and carried. The following remit, dealing with single bank accounts, was moved by Mr. J. M. Miller (Hastings) and carried :—: — That division 3 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be amended to prdvide that -with the exception of mopey raised by way of special loan, it shall be lawful for borough councils to #ay the whole of their revenue from any source whatever into one account at the bank, and that the keeping of separate ledger accounts be sufficient. A remit from Auckland that municipalities, especially those engaged in trading concerns, be permitted to keep their accounts on commercial lines, was seconded by Mr. T. Cole (Dunedin), who said his council was at a great disadvantage in keeping such accounts under the present system. The remit was carried. ALTERATIONS OF DISTRICTS. That provision be inserted in the new Act to enable borough councils to extend their boundaries (without waiting for a petition from ratepayers). Procedure to be by way of commission appointed by Governor-in-Council on application of municipal corporation after passing special order defining boundaries they are desirous of including. — This was moved by Mr. R. E. Beckett (Hastings), who pointed out that in some towns the population would tend to one end, and the people living adjacent participated in all the benefits of the town's progress though not paying town rates. At present the councils had no power to extend the boundaries. The people outside could petition to come in, Dut they would not do this, as their rates would be increased. The motion met with much opposition, It being declared by one delegate as most undemocratic, and was lost od the voices. STREET MATTERS. A remit from Ashburton — That Section 167 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be amended by adding the following clause : "If the council, at any time after a footway has been laid out, or constructed, but not asphalted, considers it necessary or desirable that such footway should be asphalted, it may impose not exceeding one half of the cost of such asphalting upon the owners of lands and buildings fronting the same." — was moved, and during the discussion, the president said that in his opinion it was only a question of time when footpaths would be paved and paid for out of the rates, instead of the occupiers of the sections being called on to pay a portion of the cost. The remit <vas> earned. A remit from Nelson, to the effect that local bodies be given power to con.sent to laying-off streets less than 66ft wide, without obtaining authority from the Governor-in-Council, could not -find a seconder. j The Hon. J. Barr (Sumner) moved "That before taking over any new road made for - the ' purpose of subdividing land, the council may require the owner thereof to make such provision for water supply and sanitation as the council may deem necessary and equitable." This, said Mr. Barr, was practically asking for an extension of tlie Public Works Act. Land syndicates, he thought, should be enforced to provide the necessary works outlined in the remit. Mr. E. P. Bunny (Lower Hutt) seconded the motion, and pointed out that nhen syndicates opened up land, the councils had to make provision for water supply and sanitation, and then the land remained unoccupied for a considerable time. He thought the syndicate should be made 'to pay. ■ The remit was carried. NATIVE RESERVES. That in order to enable city and borough councils to complete the roading of cities ' and boroughs', and provide for closer settlement, the Government be requested to introduce legislation enabling the Public Trustee, or Minister in Charge of Native Lands, to have power *to sell al 1 native reserves within the limits of cities and boroughs, and invest the money obtained by the sale on behalf of tho owners; or, as an alternative, that the Public Trustee, or Minister in Charge, be directed to road the said lands in accordance with the by-laws, and let the frontages on long renewable leases. — This remit was moved by Mr. Haydon (Palmerston North), seconded by tne Hon. A. R. Guinness, and carried. OVERHANGING HEDGES. A remit in connection with overhanging hedges was considered, to the. effect that owners of such obstructions may be liable to a fine if they do not keep such hedges trimmed back to the boundary line. The conference decided to recommend an alteration to tho Act, which will mean, if accepted, that instead of having to wait two months after the court has decided the work must be clone, tho work will have to be performed within fourteen days after the decision of tha court, or, where the court is not

invoked, twenty-four days after notice is served on the owner. That sections 154-, 155, 156, 157, and 158 of -the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, relating to highways on boundaries of boroughs, which were repealed last session, be reinstated was moved by the delegate from Green Island Borough Council, and carried. DRAINAGE AND SANITATION. Mr. E. F. H. Hemingway (Stratford) moved that the Government be asked to legislate in the direction of enabling municipalities to execute water and drainage works for owners of premises, the cost of such works to be repayable by instalments. — Carried. , FIRE PREVENTION. That section 260 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, be made- to apply to offices and other buildings over- one story in height, where persons are -employed during the day or night.. This, remit was submitted by Christchurch. Mr. C. Allison urged that this was necessary, and stated a case of a building, which was frequented by a large number of people daily, and which was a positive death-trap — there being no exit in case of fire. He thought tho Act should be made to apply to such one-story buildings. This was seconded by Mr. Nash (Palmerston North), and carried. HOLIDAYS. That the King's Birthday be celebrated as Empire Day. — Christchurch. Lost on the voices. The conference then adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning.