MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1939, Page 2

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

REM ITS REAL!' WITH. WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS [pee pbbbb association.] DUNEDIN, March 9. At the twenty-ninth annual coiilercnce of the Municipal Association oi New Zealand, opened 1 this morning by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry), delegates were present front all parts of New Zealand, under the chairmanship of the president. Mr IJordan (Mayor of Mastertoil.). The following remits were dealt with: — Invercargill: “That the Municipal Corporations Act, 1933, be amended to provide that, in the event of an extraordinary vacancy arising in the otlicc of councillor, there shall be no obligation to fill such vacant position, provided the personnel of the. council as so reduced, is not less than the. minimum requirements, as set out in Section 31 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1933.—L05t. Petone: “Thai. the Local Elections attd Polls Act, 1925, be amended: (a; to conform with present-day conditions; (b) to permit, of two or more issues upon one ballot paper: (c) to allow for Saturday polling and the closing of poll at 6 p.m.” It was de aided that this remit, so far as it eon corned technicalities, should be referred to the Town Clerks’ Institute for an expression of opinion. After full discussion, Clause C was defeated. The Executive Committee sponsored the following remit;—“That Section 28 of the .Municipal Corporations Act be amended so as to allow of the honorarium payable to a. .Mayor to be increased during his term of office ”—- Defeated. Wellington and Wanganui Councils proposed: “That, legislation be obtained to authorise the payment of i Miring allowances, not exceeding six months, in addition to superannuation payments.—Carried.

Motueka: “That power be given to local authorities to levy a uniform library fee, in lieu of making and levying a special library rate, lor the purpose of maintaining a free public library.” The mover said that, with the advent of free public libraries under the Government Country Library Service, it was being found that, in boroughs where there was a large proportion of farm lands, the ordinary rating system was inequitable, and that an annpal fee, levied on each house, would be more just.

Messrs Allum (Auckland) and Harker (Wairoa) urged that the matter be referred to the executive committe for sympathetic consideration and this course was adopted. Christchurch: “That the scope of Section 116 of the Municipal Corporations Act be extended to authorise local bodies to insure a. Mayor and Councillors against personal injury sustained while on council business in accident funds established under the authority of said Section 116.’’ — Rejected. COMPENSATION QUESTION.

Christchurch: “That the provisions ot! Section 171 of the Municipal Corporations Act. 1923. and Section 12 of the Public Works Act, 1925, be amended to protect a. local body from liability to pay compensation to persons suffering any damage from unavoidable accident occurring during tlie exercise of its powers under such acts.” —Referred’ to the executive committee, which was empowered to confer with Mr O'Shea in the matter of a remedy. Christchurch: “That the Government be requested to make provision in the Municipal Corporations Act for the payment of fixed allowances to the members of City and Borough Councils, or, as an alternative, that provision be made for the members of City or Borough Councils to be compensated for monetary loss resulting from time lost from their permanent employment, while attending to the business of the council." —Defeated. Pahiatua; “That this conference agrees that the Municipal Corporations Act. 1933, should be amended to enable boroughs to levy a uniform, or graduated, annual fee for ordinary water supply up to a maximum, of say, £3, in lieu of making ami levyingwater rates and charges, as provided at present; and that this remit be referred' to the executive to draft and submit the necessary amendment to the Act so as to give effect to this resolution."—Carried.

Invercargill: “That power be given to pay insurance premiums from a council’s insurance fund, established under the provisions of Sections 115 and 116 of the Municipal Corporations Ait, 1933.’’—Carried. Stratford: “That the Government be urged to pass legislation empowering local authorities to grant extended leases to aero clubs of aerodromes controlled by such local authorities." —Carried. Lower Hutt: “That legislation be enacted giving local authorities which use water from artesian wells as the town water supply a. reasonable measure of control as to the sinking of additional bores in any position in their areas which might injuriously aiffect the existing town supply, and also giving power to have a disused well effectively sealed, and generally to prevent, waste of water from artesian sources."—Carried. Otautaii Town Board: ‘•That the Government, be asked (a) to frame a. model set of by-laws or regulations for the control of use of public swimming baths.”—D e f e a 11 5 d. UNSIGHTLY BUILDINGS. Dunedin City Council: "Tlt.'if the provisions of Section 304 of the Municipal Corporations Act. 192::, be extended in the direction of and including provision empowering a.

Ccmncil io «i<ml with Imildmgs winch, in its opinion, may In- dilapidated am unsightly, iTv requiring renovate or remove such building. . Tin, principle was approved, and the remit was referred to the executweTimani Borough Council. 1 hat municipalities be given the powci, through their traflic inspectors to inllict and collect small fines lor breach of traflic by-laws, the oiiendei to have the right to defend a ease in court, if he so desires." —Defeated. One Tree Hill Borough Council. “That, the Government be requested Io enact appropriate legislation rcqu.u jug till hawkers and itinerant vendors to be licensed, annually, or otherwise. and that the Police Department Ito the sole licensing authority.’ < aiWellington: “That legislation he obtained to provide that a Council or any local authority controlling a crematorium may issue cremation certificates on such terms as it. flunks tit. entitling persons to be cremated without charge, other than the. payment of ordinary medical fees, and also entitling a legal representative of the person named in any certificate to a refund of fee on proof that (he person named in the certificate has died, and (hat his body lias been disposed of by burial or cremated, or has been lost at sea. or by some explosion, or other accident, in such a way .as to be irrecoverable for burial. All such fees shall be credited to a separate account, and may he deposited, until required, in the Post Office Savings Bank, or any bank lawfully carrying on the business of banking in New Zealand, or in any New Zealand Government securities.” —Carried.

The following remits were adopted without discussion: —From (Hen Eden: “Regarding Town Boards' Act special orders, that sub-clauses (c) and (d) of Clau.se 3 of the Town Boards Amendment Act, 19U). be repealed', and that Clause (c) Section 5 of the Municipal Corporations Act. 1938, be substituted in lieu thereof.” Similar remits had come forward from Otautau ami Havelock North. From Glen Eden Town Board: “Regarding consolidated rates, that power be given to Town Boards to strike a consolidated rate in a manner similar to that possessed by boroughs.” From Havelock' North Town Board: “Regarding officers’ travelling expenses: That the Town Boards’ Act. be amended to authorise payment to any ofliecer or servant of a town board of such allowances and' travelling expenses as the Board thinks fit in respect of his attendance at. anv conference or meeting.”

HOSPITAL TAXATION DUNEDIN. March 9. When the Municipal Conference was resumed, to-day. a Wellington remit was discussed, requesting authority for boroughs and town boards to be directly represented on hospital boards. Mr. Hislop (Wellington’s Mayor) urged that all bodies collecting hospital revenue should be represented. Other speakers stated that the major issue was not representation on Boards, but wrong taxation incidence. It was stated that, in one district, a farmer paid £5 yearly in hospital rates, while city dwellers paid £l/2/6. Finally, the remit was altered, to include any contributory body. and was carried. The chairman stated that the Association Executive and the Counties’ Association were meeting the Minister, on March 16, to discuss the position. The whole system of hospital taxation was wrong. It should he levied on the same principle as social security taxation.