MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1935, Page 7

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

RESOLUTIONS APPROVED

WIDE FIELD COVERED

[PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH, March 21. At the Municipal Conference, a telegram was sent by Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., the President at the unanimous request of the conference, to protest to the Government against the nonpayment of rates by the Government Departments, that are concerned with mortgage lands of which these Departments had taken possession. The Conference declared that the local bodies were the victims of a grave injustice, of which they should be relieved. The telegram was sent to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Leader of the Opposition. ’ It was decided that representations be made to the Government asking for the stricter control of Alsatian dogs, or for legislation forbidding them being kept in the Dominion. The principle of. a national scheme of health insurance was approved by the Conference. Details of a scheme were not discussed, because of representations that the Hospital Boards’ Association had a scheme under consideration, and was seeking support for it.

A suggestion that the Municipal and County elections should be held on the same day, and that the day should be the second Wednesday in May, triennially, was approved. The Conference refused to adopt a suggestion that the Government should make a rebate to all ratepayers, as has been done to County ratepayers oh two occasions. A remit was passed, however, urging the Government, when considering any future relief to County ratepayers, to take intoconsideration the position of the ratepayers . in cities and boroughs and town districts. Remits urging the setting up of a Royal Commission to enquire into all local body administration were carried, after a brief discussion. • It was argued that municipalities as well as rural local bodies should be within thie sphere of the enquiry, A scheme for the provision of earthquake Insurance by a national scheme, such as was submitted in Mr Barnard’s Bill of last year, was approved. Several delegates spoke in support of a remit declaring that the conference viewed with alarm the number of advertising hoardings throughout the countryside, and suggesting that all local bodies frame by-laws restricting the erection of them. It was unanimously decided that the Government be requested to make it compulsory for all push bicycles to have the rear mudguard painted with aluminium or other luminous paint. The following remit was carried: That the Government be requested to apply a tuberculin test periodically to all cows producing milk for city and town consumption.

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 22.

The Municipal Association Conference passed a resolution urging there should be ten shillings a week increase in relief pay, pending the bringing down of schemes to provide relief work at standard rates of pay. A decision to urge the Government to improve the method of allocation of petrol tax to municipalities, including tramway undertakings, and of the distribution of heavy traffic fees, was made. It was proposed (1) that the petrol annual registration fees and tyre duty be allocated as to 25 per cent to boroughs, and 75 per cent, to counties; (2) that in each borough where there is a tramway undertaking which maintains a portion of the streets/ such tramway undertaking shall receive a share of the petrol tax . allocated to the borough, and such share shall lie in proportion to the area of the streets so maintained in the borough.