CIVIC HEADS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 October 1924, Page 7

CIVIC HEADS.

CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Oct. 24. The Municipal Conference adopted remits urging legislation “to enable town boards to give differential rating to agricultural lands.’’ “That, when a returnedt soldier’s property reverts to the Crown under the Government loan, it should not be exempt from rates.” The conference also recommends a 5 per cent penalty on rates overdue three months; that property acquired by the Public Trust be made rateable; poses should not be exempt from rating; that properties owned or occupied b ythe Puulic Trust be made rateable; that no pig’s meat be exposed for public sale or sold unless killed in public abattoirs or inspected; that the Town Boards Act lie amended by the fixing of elections in April instead of September, thus conforming with borough elections; that a clause he inserted in the Valuation of Land Act that, if the Governor-in-Council does not approve of the acquisition by the Government of land, the Valuer-General should offer same for sale at the upset price, equal to the amount specified in the notice; that the Valuation Department be required to state the nature of improvements on each property shown on the rating roll. The conference adopted a remit: “That before an auctioneer can apply to any local body for a license which bad previously been held for another district the license must be endorsed by the local body in the latter district.” This is meant to cover a case such as occurred recently where a man was refused a license in Auckland and got a license from an outside local body, although he had not previously done any business there.