MUNICIPAL BODIES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 33, 9 February 1927, Page 11

MUNICIPAL BODIES

CONFERENCE OPENED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., This Day. The nineteenth annual: conference of the Municipal Association opened this morning. Mr. P. J. Nathan, the Mayor of Pahnerston North, president of the association, presided over a' hundred' delegates. The chairman said that the Ministers had give their remits every consideration. "While some may be disappointed that remits carried at past conferences have not yet received the approval of the Government," he said, "* wani yoii.to understand that they nave received consideration from the Government and there has always been demonstrated to us some good- reason ■why a particular remit has not been passed into, law." ''That provision be made for the payment of loan poll expenses out of loan." • , ' ••;.■■• "That the Local Bodies Loan Act be amended to. enable such bodies to invest unexpended balances of $ loans and loan, monies not immediately required on deposit -with' any banking institution, or institution in -which trustees invest ■ trust; moneys." "That "the Local Bodies-Loans Act b eamended by increasing the rate of interest ins respect-' to conversion debentures from 5 to' 6 per cent." The following "remit' was carried:—That applications for auctioneers' licenses should be'accompanied by two testimonials as. to: applicants' character and fitness, so that the local authority may make any necessary inquiries; the Power Boards Act, a remit -was carried urging that section 85 be .amended so that electric power boards, before supplying power direct to consumers-within the area of supply of any. licensee,, must first obtain the consent of the,licensee, whether the area ofjsupply is in the inner or outer area of.a power.board .district. .. It was explained thai power . boards were supplying consumers in. boroughs and infringing, the latter's licenses. A remit : was. carried that the Fire, Brigades Act be amended so that of the residue .of. the amount estimated as annual expenditure after the necessary deductions have been; made one-quarter be paid by the contributing local: authority and three-quarters by the insurance, companies; also, that protection under section's2—-damage by a brigade shall'be deemed to be damage by a fire within, the'meaning of a fire policy—should, be to cover all eases where'a brigade' .attends .fires outside the boundaries of a fire district: 'Another remit was also carried urging compulsion' on the part of local bodies to establish*- superannuation funds for employees; ■■•■■?.'•■' •-.-'■.;■ --■:-. ; --v : - ,- - It was; decided to; request the Gov-ernment-that-provision-be made for the Main- Highways Board to declare main highways portions of roads ■which are running through boroughs but which are continuations of main highways; that the Government be asked to terminate the long delay in the issuing, of the motor regulations, and that they be issued"to I.localauthoritiesforthwith;: that the local bodies be empowered to frame a '/bylaw describing a special license fee in respect to'motor vehicles, domiciled outside the borough,'which ply for hire within the borough on special occasions. .--. • A discussion ensued on the subject of the disqualification of■members ;of local bodies through madsw-in~, curred to-' them; by 'bodies of' which they are members; A Feilding remit asked that legislative sanction, be sought for the-raising of amounts of £5 and £10 respectively in the Act to £25 and £50 respectively. The remit, was carried by a three-to-two majority. A further 'remit ->hat- the - Governmentbe approaeh'ed relative to the modifies-■•: tion of the' 1 disqualifications clause, relating to obligations already performed, was* carried. ' r •..-■-."