COUNTIES' CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14767, 24 August 1911, Page 6

COUNTIES' CONFERENCE.

MATTERS FOR THE GOVERNMENT [bt (TELEGRAPH. —PRESS association.] .Wellington, Wednesday. ISevekax questions in connection with the elections and the franchise were considered by the Counties'. Conference today. ; It was decided to urgently request the Government to amend the procedure for the compilation of county rolls, so that' the name, occupation, address and qualification of every .elector shall be fully set: forth, and ;by such information, prevent . fraud and , misrepresentation; that the method of compiling county electors' rolls bo altered so as to do away with the necessity of going before a magistrate; that the Counties Act be amended so as' to allow travelling expenses to county councillors being paid whenever they are travelling on council business, also to pay the chairman an honorarium in lieu of travelling expenses; that it is desirable that all moneys available ior Government grants to counties should be allotted to most urgent works as set out in' ■ schedules supplied by County Councils that, the Government he requested to issue grants authorised to local authorities as early as possible after Parliament rises,, -in order that plans and specifications may be prepared and the Public i Works ■:■ Department's approval thereto be obtained, so that the work may •bo done whilst labour is available, and that :progress payments ' be made to . i' local 'authorities from time to time at the rate oi 75 per cent, of the work actually done. as certified to ! by the engineer of the local 'authority, or the duly qualified engineer, and that the 'final payment be made \ upon the certificate -of., a-, Government' officer that the work has been duly completed to his satisfaction; that where 'grants ■■■ are authorised for expenditure on roads : opening up Crown and, native lands, which are exempt from-rates,: or lands which are :non-ratable for a period of years, the cost of supervision, surveying, engineering, etc., be allowed as '- ' charges ; against the grant; that- the Conference ~ reaffirm the principle that subsidies should be on a graduated scale; that: members •of harbour boards should . be elected by local authorities; that the Government be urged to more vigorously expedite the opening up and individualising of, all native lands; that Crown and native lands (which are partitioned and surveyed, or land with title thereto registered) be.subjected to the same regulations under the : Noxious Weeds Act as private lands and lands belonging to local bodies; that in cases where _ a loan has been raised over a special district for work other than roads or works which benefit that district only, the , local authority should have power to' impose a separate rate for the purpose of the maintenance of such work or works; . that provision be made->en-abling local authorities to raise 5 loans for the erection of rural telephone lines and providing for the collection of a {separate rate from (subscribers to provide for the interest and maintenance of such lines.