LOCAL BODIES CONFER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 6

LOCAL BODIES CONFER.

TARANAKI. ASSOCIATION’S MEETING-. TRAFFIC REGULATIONS CONSIDERED. RECOMMENDATIONS TO. AUTHORITIES. A meeting of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association was held at Eltham yesterday. Mr C. J. Belcher, chairman of the association, presided, and the following representatives of the various local bodies were in attendance: Messrs. E. Walter, M.P., W. H. Were and T. R. Anderson (Stratford County Council), E. Long and J. A. Hansen (Waimate West County Council), E. A. Washer and J. Harding (Hawera County Council), R. J. Knuekey (Eltham County Council), J. S. Connett and B. Vickers (Taranaki County ’Council), R. H. Piggott (Clifton County Council), R. Stuart (Inglewood County Council), C. E. Bellringer, M.P. (New Plymouth Harbour Board), F. E. Wilson and J. Brown (New Plymouth Borough Council), E. A. Pacey and H. S. Elliott (Hawera Borough Council), L. Nairn (Eltham Borough Council), W. C. Clement (Eltham Drainage Board), and Mr T. M. Ball (chairman District Highways Council). Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. B. Murdoch (Hawera County Council) and R. Morgan (Waitara Borough Council). Prior to the commencement of business, the chairman referred to the fire in which four persons had lost their lives at Eltham during the early hours of Wednesday morning, and a vote of condolence with the relatives of the victims was passed, the meeting standing in silence. As a further token of respect it was decided to adjourn the meeting from 1 p.m. till 3 p.m., the delegates signifying their intention of being present at the combined funeral service to be held at 2 p.m.

The reconciliation statement showed that:—

New Plymouth Borough pays Manaia Town Board £24, Waimate West County £l6 10s 6d, Stratford County £427 Os Id, Inglewood County £155 2s 6d, Taranaki County £2Ol 8s 6d, Whangainomona County £52 8s 7d; total, £896 10s 2d. Opunake Town Board pays Egmont County £291 12s, Waimate West County £42 5s 2d; total £333 17s 2d. Hawera Borough pays Hawora Countv £291 2s Bd.

Waitara Borough pays Hawera County £220 17s 3d, Whangainomona County £ll3 6s lid, Eltham County £lls 6s; total £449 10s 2d. Stratford Borough pays Stratford County £307 11s lOd. Eltham Borough pays Eltham County £3BB ISs.

Clifton County pays Eltham County £55.

Inglewood Borough pays Inglewood County £293 14s Bd. Discussing the statement, Mr J. S. Connett pointed out that while the surplus came mainly from the boroughs, which in consequence were paying portions of fees collected to the counties, the maintenance in the best possible condition of the latter authorities’ roads was of benefit to the boroughs. He suggested that the system be readopted. Mr F. E. Wilson asked that before any definite action was decided upon the local authorities be given an opportunity of considering the result 3, of the first year’s operations under the scheme. Mr Connett moved that the readoption of the scheme be recommended to local bodies of the district.

Mr R. Stuart seconded. Mr T. M. Ball thought the system was an equitable one, and its readoption would be a wise procedure. Mr L. Nairn said 'that a much more equitable method would be to hand the fees over to the highways board for distribution on a valuation basis. His own borough (Eltham) was £6O worse off under the scheme than it had been last year, and from the fees collected from lorries in the town area was practically subsidising the county to the extent of the amount, named. He further considered that the town lorries were used on the borough roads for practically the whole —or at any rate by far the greater proportion—of their running time. After further discussion the motion was adopted.

BITUMEN SUPPLIES. Mr Harding put forward a suggestion of the Hawera County that in order to give local bodies the opportunity of securing bitumen in the most economical basis the association should arrange for the purchase of bulk supplies for distribution among the constituent authorities. The matter was referred to the local bodies of the district consideration. DISTRICT VALUATIONS. •‘That this meeting urges the Valuation Department to consider the establishment of a branch office in Taranaki” was the text of a further remit moved by Mr Harding. Mr L. Nairn seconded the motion, which was carried. CLASSIFICATION OF LORRIES. Referring to the registration of lorries. Mr E. A. Waters pointed out that local authorities were handicapped in classifying lorries owing to the absence of public weighbridges, the result being that owners’ statements as to the weight of a vehicle wjth its maximum load had to be accepted without verification. Mr Billl explained that in the Wanganui highways district the authorities had co-operated in providing loadometers. the result being that an accurate classification of lorries was possible, and the revenue had been augmented to the extent of £IOOO At a later stage Mr H. S. Elliott (Hawera Borough) said the lowest rpiote his borough had received was £l3O for a weighbridge. He suggested the co-operation of local bodies in the manner referred to by Mr Ball.

BENZINE STORAGE. A remit .from the Hawera County Council referred to the question of benzine storage pumps. Mr J. W. Harding said that in view of the large number of applications received requesting permission to instal storage tanks and pumps the council requested an expression of opinion as to whether the joint by-laws dealing with the storage of dangerous goods should be rigidly enforced. Mr R. H. Piggott stated his council was conforming with the agreement reached at the recent conference at Sti'3/tford. After a brief discussion, the question of the interpretation of the particular by-laws was referred to the association’s solicitor for advice. Mr J. W. Harding asked for consideration of the motor vehicle regulations respecting the return of mileage records. Some councils were totally ignoring the provision and were not even taking the trouble to issue form D. At present the question of obtaining the returns was impracticable, and some more suitable form of providing for them was required. Mr J. A. Hansen and other speakers also stressed the impracticability of the regulation requiring drivers to furnish particulars as to distances traversed and the names of the controlling authorities in the respective areas. It was decided to consider the matter, together with remits from the Taranaki County, asking for consideration of the basis of distribution of motor lorry license fees and from the Hawera Borough dealing with the application of the motor regulations from the point of practical experience. APPORTIONMENT OF FEES. A statement showing the apportionment among the local bodies of the district of the motor lorry license fees for the year ending March 31, 1926, in accordance with a previous resolution providing for the distribution on a 50 per cent, road mileage basis and a 50 per cent, capital valuation basis was presented and adopted. The statement showed the amount accruing to the respective authorities, the amount collected respectively, the corresponding deficiency or surplus and the reconciliation. These details' were given as follow: —

LICENSE FEES

On the conclusion of a lengthy discussion opened by Mr H. S. Elliott, who asked for a more equitable interpretation of the regulation dealing with license fees payable by passenger cars, it was decided, on the motion of Mr Connett, seconded by Mr T. R. Anderson, to draw the attention of the Highways Board to the fact that passenger vehicles carrying eight passengers or under do not contribute to the heavy traffic license fees, and suggesting a fiat rate of £5 for such class of Vehicles. It was also decided to urge the Highways Board to amend the regulations so as to permit local bodies to issue short-dated lorry licenses where credit is asked. NUMBER PLATE SYSTEM.

Mr E. Walter said the system of exchanging number plates every year involved a waste of £12,000 besides the inconvenience to owners. He urged that the Highways Board be requested to devise some less expensive method of showing the annual registration. He moved accordingly. Mr E. Long agreed with the previous speaker, and seconded the motion .

Mr Connett pointed out that the system had been modelled upon a similar one in vogue in America, where the registration of cars was provided for in millions, and he issued a warning against the abandonment of a scheme through which fees had been collected in respect of a great number of cars which had apparently not been registered. At the same time he thought that if a less expensive method which would at the same time prove satisfactory could he devised, it would he adopted by the hoard. After several speakers had supported the motion it was adopted. GENERAL. The Kaponga Town Board and the Waitara Borough Council were admitted to membership. A report giving the local bodies in the district which had not applied for membership to the association was presented. and it was decided to request that they he invited to send representatives to the next meeting on May 28.

Local authority. Proportion Deficiency Surplus. due. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Taranaki County 716 7 0 201 8 6 Clifton County 265 0 0 55 0 0 Inglewood County 57.1 4 11 468 17 2 Stratford County 734 11 11 734 11 ii Whangamomona County . 165 15 6 165 15 6 Eltliam County 552 6 6 359 4 0 Hawera County 8S4 32 1 511 19 11 Waiinate West Countv .. 396 0 8 5S 15 S Egrnont County 515 16 0 291 12 0 New Plymouth Borough . 532 6 0 896 10 2 Hawera Borough 199 16 0 291 2 8 Waitara Borough 39 4 10 449 10 2 Inglewood Borough ;>s 7 6 293 14 8 Stratford Borough 137 2 307 11 10 Eltham Borough 89 9 6 188 18 0 Opunake Town Board ... 26 o 6 333 17 2 Manaia Town Board .... 24 0 0 24 0 0 £5887 16 1 £2816 4 s £2816 4 8