LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 17, 23 August 1913, Page 9

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

COUNTIES' CONFERENCE 1 RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTER., MOTOR TRAFFIC BILL PROMISED. The results of the deliberations of the New Zealand Counties' Association Conference were placed before the Hon. H. D. Bell, Minister of Internal Af» fairs, yesterday afternoon, by the president (Mr. A. E. Jull) on behalf of tha delegates assembled. In traversing the more important resolutions, Mr. Jull reminded the Minister that the most important factor in. connection with the administration ofl Ixxa.l Government was finance. Subsidy on rates had been the problem which had taken years of consideration before the conference could arrive at a solution, which was absolutely unanimous on the part of the whole of the counties in the Dominion. This had been reached by the conference just concluded and tha Government was now asked to grant a. subsidy at the rate of 5s in the £ on. tho general rate* collected up to the prescribed minimum defined in the Couh» ties Act. The State should make a contribution towards the maintenance and upkeep of the toads of the dominion. It was unfair that property owners alone should be called upon to maintain £ha arteries and capilli&ries which were, used by all the general public. The president • then touched upon the principle affirmed by the conference of special assistance to those districts that were not able to carry on with the ordinary rate. Up to the present it was admitted that the system of Government grants had not been approached on a scientific principle. The desire for a reduction in. the number of local bodies, and the affirmation of the principle that an annual tax should be imposed on motor-cars, were also mentioned by Mr. Jull. The conference was not yet in a position tc be able to offer the Government any definite advice regarding what form thi* taxation should take. The Minister : On the contrary I wil) make a proriosal to you, in the shape of a Bill. Referring to the question of the rating of Native lands the President remarked "We hope that more than a pious desire to help the counties will be thd result of this repeated application."' ' Concluding, the speaker Baid it was the first time that the conference had reached such a' unanimity of opinion on vital questions of Local Government, as it had that day. MINISTER'S REPLY * In reply, the Minister expressed the thanks of himself and his colleagues for the help which the deliberations of the conference had given to the Government. " We have," he added, "gob faMy even, ,for with reepect to the motor tramo you want a lead from me, and I propose to give it to you." Regarding, the counties' recommendations about the Bubfiidisedl grants in aid. the Minister said it was one thing for them to say what they think should bo given; it was another thing to say how much the Government was able to give. The Government had two funds to draw upon: t,he Consolidated Fund (which was , revenue) and the Public Works Fund (which was loan money), and upon both these were eltor* mous claims. It could only borrow ro much a year. In regard to the proposals of the conference to which he had referred, there did not appear to be any estimate made of what cliarge it would entail on the revenue. The amount waa contingent upon the total collected in. rates by the counties from year to year, and an estimate must necessarily be made before any answer could be given as to whether the Government was prepared to agree to the proposal. If the counties chose to increase their rates they would increase the amount of tho nub* sidy. "LOOKING FOR LIGHT." Touching on another point, the Minis* ter said that if the counties wished to have their own numbers reduced it was obvious that there was no difficulty about that. "I am," he added, "looking for light, and it is not without the intention, of submitting not only a mere sketch, but detail, of a process for local govern* meat and local administration throughout New Zealand. ... 1 hope that you will find that the present impious persons who hold tenure will bring something more than mere piety to bear upon your deliberation*." After mentioning that the association would find many of the remits adopted at ils conferences in the Local Bodies Bill, M* Bell «aid that unless forced by Parliament he would nob give the fee-simple of road* in tho I counties to the councils. A Delegate ; That's straight. Concluding, the Minister emphasised the ( value of the transactions of the as* sociation, and, while' not holding out any promise, hoped that befote long delegates would see the practical fruit of their deliberations and would share witb him the responsibility. The Minister w» heartily thanked by the Chairman and the delegates for his courtesy and , frequent attendance at the deliberations of the conference.