SUBURBAN LOCAL BODIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15663, 17 July 1914, Page 8

SUBURBAN LOCAL BODIES.

MANY ; MATTERS DISCUSSED.

GREATER AUCKLAND QUESTION.

Tm» annual meeting of the Auckland Suburban Local Bodies' Association was held last evening. There were present :— Messrs. H. B Morton, J. P. McPhail, T. S. Wallace, Arthur Qreenslade, F. H. .Wood, P. Spencer, A. G. Quartley, R. G. Clark, A. Payne," J. Doncld, W. G. B-own, A. Lowe, and W. J. O'Hara. he report of the past year's operations of tho association, published in the Hut.iu> of July 16, was submitted by the secretary, Mr. L. Buisson, and adopted.

A .motion of sympathy was passed to tho late president of the association Mr. M. J. Coyle, who, through, illness, was unable to be present at the meeting. On tlia motion of Air. Greenslade a committee was set' up to draft a, resolution apprecia- , tive oi the great services rendered, to the • association ny Mr. Coyle during hia term of omce as president. A remit was submitted from the Eden Terrace . iVoad. Hoard, urging that, the .'. question, or amalgamation . wiiu Greater . iiucK-aiiu should be decided by. a poll of the ratepayers or burgages of tliollocal v body' concerned. in supporting the remit, Mr. Quaruey said be was wrongly opposed to deciding the question of amalgamation by means oi a commission. The matter ; suouid bo decided by the votes of the people.

.eventually the remit was altered to read a3 follows ;— Tnat the question of amalgamation of boroughs and road ■ boariui suouid be decided oy a poll of the district electors concerned." In its amended form the remit was adopted, .... Heavy Traffic Pees. . Discussion took place on a remit from the Devonport Borough Council suggesting that the delegates at the Municipal Association's Oomerence should be urged to endeavour to obtain a. greater portion of all heavy traffic fees for the smaller local bodies. It was pointed out by Mr. QuarU ley that, within a five-mile radius of the city's boundaries the City Council collected all the heavy traffic licenso fees. Devon, port was within that radius and although the motor-cars and other vehicles in that district were not taken across to the city yet the City Council collected the license fees. In this respect the boroughs on the northern shore were in a peculiar position.

Mr. Greenslade considered there should bo somo drastic amendment of the law whereby tho smaller local bodies could secure most of tho license fees to which they considered they were entitled. Eventually it was left to tho executive to confer with the City Council in regard to the matter and report to the association.

..A remit from Birkenhead urging that city and borough councils should bo givon statutory authority for rating ga« mains, tram tracks, etc., laid down in public roads, wag adopted. Maintaining Arterial Roads. "Another remit from the Birkenhead Council was submitted requesting that the Government should be urged to either take over and be responsible for the repair of arterial roads, or to subsidise the local bodies maintaining such roads. The remit was adopted. The remit, also submitted by the Birkenhead Council, urging that local authorities, subject to the approval of the ratepayers, should be granted power by law to levy a separate rate for the purpose of subsidising a mntor-'bus or other transit eervice was adopted. A proposal from the Avondale Road Board urging that the affiliated local bodies should take into consideration the provision of a combined scheme for the superannuation of employees was referred to a committee, which is to report to the association. Election of Officers. Officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr. W. Handley, Mayor of Devonport; vice-presidents, Mr. H. B. Morton, chairman of the One-tree Hill Road Board, and Mr. P. Spencer; executive, Messrs. 'Murdoch McLean, F. H. Wood, and W. J. O'Hara; auditor, Mr. J. Y. Warren. Mr. L. Buisson having resigned the position of secretary, Mr. J. Carr was elected to the position. •_ >>'■ A. void of thanks was passed to the retirtrig secretary for bis honorary services to the aesficiatioo. •